In this review, we will be comparing Axis and 300 IW6 LCR, two Passive In-wall speakers from MartinLogan and Focal.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan Axis and Focal 300 IW6 LCR first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | MartinLogan Axis | Focal 300 IW6 LCR |
|---|
| Brand | MartinLogan
United States · founded 1982 | Focal
France · founded 1979 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.25x2.4" Folded Motion Ribbon | 1" Inverted Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 4" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5.25" Aluminum | 2 x 6.5" Flax |
|---|
| Frequency response | 45-25kHz | 40-28kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 94 dB | 92 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-250 watts | 50-150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 5.90kg / 13lbs | 5.62kg / 12.4lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 14.4375" x 7.1250" x 3.7500"
367.0 x 181.0 x 96.0mm | 22.5000" x 7.5000" x 4.0000"
572.0 x 191.0 x 102.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the MartinLogan Axis and Focal 300 IW6 LCR 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:
| Listening Environment* |
MartinLogan Axis |
Focal 300 IW6 LCR |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
Poor |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Axis is a 2-way design whereas the 300 IW6 LCR 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.
MartinLogan AxisFocal 300 IW6 LCR
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
MartinLogan Axis |
Focal 300 IW6 LCR |
|
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 6.5-inch
|
Axis features a 1.25x2.4" Folded Motion Ribbon Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Aluminum Woofer. On the other hand, the 300 IW6 LCR features a 1" Inverted Hard-Dome Tweeter, a 4" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Flax Woofer.
Frequency Response
Axis has a frequency range of 45-25kHz whereas 300 IW6 LCR has a frequency range of 40-28kHz. With a minimum frequency of 40Hz, the 300 IW6 LCR can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Axis's min frequency of 45Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the In-wall class in our database.
Low Frequency
In-wall Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. 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 300 IW6 LCR 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 300 IW6 LCR's is rated at 92 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the MartinLogan Axis a more sensitive speaker compared to Focal 300 IW6 LCR, 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Axis can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS, whereas 300 IW6 LCR has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the Axis.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Axis features Spring post type posts and 300 IW6 LCR has a Spring post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be 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 Focal 300 IW6 LCR'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 Focal 300 IW6 LCR has external dimensions of 572.0 x 191.0 x 102.0mm (22.5000-inch x 7.5000-inch x 4.0000-inch).
Focal 300 IW6 LCR is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 10mm wider, 205mm taller and 6mm deeper than MartinLogan Axis.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The MartinLogan Axis weighs 5.90kg / 13lbs and the Focal 300 IW6 LCR weighs 5.62kg / 12.4lbs. This makes the Axis 5% heavier than the 300 IW6 LCR.
Here is a comparison of how Axis and 300 IW6 LCR's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive In-wall class.
Weight
All In-wall Speakers
What's in the Box of MartinLogan Axis?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Axis:
- In-wall speaker
- Grille
- Paint shield
- User-feets Manual
- Install Template
What's in the Box of Focal 300 IW6 LCR?
Here are the items that come with the 300 IW6 LCR:
- One in-wall speaker
- 1 metal-mesh grill (white)
- 23.5
 Max Input Power |
250 watts
vs
150 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
94 dB
vs
92 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Height |
367mm
vs
572mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
173cm2
vs
194cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
40 Hz
vs
45 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Price per pair* |
2398USD
vs
2600USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
MartinLogan Axis |
Focal 300 IW6 LCR |
| Brand |
MartinLogan |
Focal |
| Speaker Type |
Passive In-wall Speaker |
Passive In-wall Speaker |
| Power Range |
20-250 watts |
50-150 watts |
| Sensitivity |
94 dB |
92 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
45-25kHz |
40-28kHz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminum |
Flax |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.25x2.4" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Folded Motion Ribbon |
Inverted Hard-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
4" |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
367.0mm (14.4") |
572.0mm (22.5") |
| Width |
181.0mm (7.1") |
191.0mm (7.5") |
| Depth |
96.0mm (3.8") |
102.0mm (4") |
| Weight |
5.90kg (13lbs) |
5.62kg (12.4lbs) |
| Enclosure |
In-wall |
In-wall |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years w/registration |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years w.registration |
5 Years |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Focal 300 IW6 LCR digs deeper - 40Hz against 45Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | A | MartinLogan Axis is more sensitive (94dB vs 92dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | Focal 300 IW6 LCR is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | A | MartinLogan Axis takes more power (250W vs 150W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | MartinLogan Axis is easier to place; Focal 300 IW6 LCR is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($2,600 vs $2,398 a pair). |
A MartinLogan Axis B Focal 300 IW6 LCR
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 45Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate MartinLogan Axis the better fit for a large room and a very large room, and Focal 300 IW6 LCR for a small room.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.