In this review, we will be comparing Installer Series IW5-LCR and CP-WT150, two Passive In-wall speakers from MartinLogan and Monitor Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan Installer Series IW5-LCR and Monitor Audio CP-WT150 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
MartinLogan Installer Series IW5-LCR Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 0.75" Hard-Dome Tweeter
- 2 x 5.5" Mineral-filled poly Woofer
- 60-20kHz Frequency Response
- 89 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:15-70watts
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 210.0" x 11.6250" x 3.0000"( 210.0 x 296.0 x 77.0mm )
Monitor Audio CP-WT150 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter
- 5" Poly Woofer
- 75-25kHz Frequency Response
- 85 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 6ohms
- Power Range:20-50watts
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 326.0" x 8.1250" x 3.7500"( 326.0 x 207.0 x 96.0mm )
What size room are the MartinLogan Installer Series IW5-LCR and Monitor Audio CP-WT150 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 Installer Series IW5-LCR |
Monitor Audio CP-WT150 |
| Near-field |
Good |
Good |
| Small Room |
Good |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
No way |
(* 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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the MartinLogan Installer Series IW5-LCR and Monitor Audio CP-WT150 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking
through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
Both Installer Series IW5-LCR and CP-WT150 are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
MartinLogan Installer Series IW5-LCR |
Monitor Audio CP-WT150 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
0.75-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.5-inch
|
1 x 5-inch
|
Installer Series IW5-LCR features a 0.75" Hard-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5.5" Mineral-filled poly Woofer . On the other hand, the CP-WT150 features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5" Poly Woofer .
Frequency Response
Installer Series IW5-LCR has a frequency range of 60-20kHz whereas CP-WT150 has a frequency range of 75-25kHz. With a minimum frequency of 60Hz, the Installer Series IW5-LCR can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the CP-WT150's min frequency of 75Hz.
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
MartinLogan Installer Series IW5-LCR
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
Installer Series IW5-LCR is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the CP-WT150 which has a nominal impedance of 6 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Installer Series IW5-LCR sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the CP-WT150's is rated at 85 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the MartinLogan Installer Series IW5-LCR a more sensitive speaker compared to Monitor Audio CP-WT150, 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.
Installer Series IW5-LCR can handle a max power of 70 watts RMS from the amp the whereas CP-WT150 has a max power handling value of 50 watts RMS, 20 watts less than the Installer Series IW5-LCR.
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
Installer Series IW5-LCR features Spring post type posts and CP-WT150 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 Installer Series IW5-LCR's and Monitor Audio CP-WT150's external dimensions. MartinLogan Installer Series IW5-LCR has external dimensions of 210.0 x 296.0 x 77.0mm ( 8.2500-inch x 11.6250-inch x 3.0000-inch) whereas Monitor Audio CP-WT150 has external dimensions of 326.0 x 207.0 x 96.0mm ( 12.8125-inch x 8.1250-inch x 3.7500-inch) .
MartinLogan Installer Series IW5-LCR is 116mm shorter and 19mm less deeper than Monitor Audio CP-WT150 but it is also 89mm wider.
What's in the Box of MartinLogan Installer Series IW5-LCR?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Installer Series IW5-LCR:
In-wall loudspeakerGrilleUser-feets ManualCutout Template
What's in the Box of Monitor Audio CP-WT150?
Here are the items that come with the CP-WT150:
In-wall speakerMagnetic grilleCosmetic scrimInstallation GuideImportant Safety InstructionsLimited Warranty/Registration CardMountingTemplate