In this review, we will be comparing Axis and CWM7.3 S2, two Passive In-wall speakers from MartinLogan and Bowers Wilkins. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan Axis and B&W CWM7.3 S2 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the MartinLogan Axis and B&W CWM7.3 S2 speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size and max power parameters:
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the MartinLogan Axis and B&W CWM7.3 S2 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Axis is a 2-way design whereas the CWM7.3 S2 is a 3-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
Driver |
MartinLogan Axis |
B&W CWM7.3 S2 |
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
Tweeter
|
1.25x2.4-inch
|
1-inch
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 4-inch |
Woofer
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
2 x 6-inch
|
Axis features a 1.25x2.4" Folded Motion Ribbon Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Aluminum Woofer . On the other hand, the CWM7.3 S2 features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter , a 4" Midrange and 2 x 6" Aerofoil Woofer .
Frequency Response
Axis has a frequency range of 45-25kHz whereas CWM7.3 S2 has a frequency range of 48-28kHz. With a minimum frequency of 45Hz, the Axis can go slightly deeper then the CWM7.3 S2's min frequency of 48Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the In-wall class in our database.
Low Frequency
In-wall Speakers
High Frequency
In-wall Speakers
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Axis is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the CWM7.3 S2 which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Axis can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Axis sensitivity is rated at 94 dB and the CWM7.3 S2's is rated at 90 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the MartinLogan Axis a more sensitive speaker compared to B&W CWM7.3 S2, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
In-wall Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. While using an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
Axis can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS from the amp the whereas CWM7.3 S2 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Axis.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Axis features Spring post type posts and CWM7.3 S2 has a Spring post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare MartinLogan Axis's and B&W CWM7.3 S2's external dimensions. MartinLogan Axis has external dimensions of 367.0 x 181.0 x 96.0mm ( 14.4375-inch x 7.1250-inch x 3.7500-inch) whereas B&W CWM7.3 S2 has external dimensions of 712.0 x 253.0 x 104.0mm ( 28.0000-inch x 9.9375-inch x 4.0625-inch) .
B&W CWM7.3 S2 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 72mm wider, 345mm taller and 8mm deeper than MartinLogan Axis.
What's in the Box of MartinLogan Axis?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Axis:
In-wall speakerGrillePaint shieldUser-feets ManualInstall Template
What's in the Box of B&W CWM7.3 S2?
Here are the items that come with the CWM7.3 S2:
In-wall loudspeakerMounting frameGrilleBaffle box2 Mounting plates (1 pre-installed)Paint shieldTwo-piece foam port plug8 Screws2 Wing-nutsHex-wrenchCutout TemplateInstallation InstructionsWarranty Information