In this review, we will be comparing Installer Series IW5-LCR and 265-LS, two Passive In-wall speakers from MartinLogan and Polk Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan Installer Series IW5-LCR and Polk Audio 265-LS first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | MartinLogan Installer Series IW5-LCR | Polk Audio 265-LS |
|---|
| Brand | MartinLogan
United States · founded 1982 | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 0.75" Hard-Dome | 1" Ring Radiator |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 6.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5.5" Mineral-filled poly | 6.5" Aerated polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 60-20kHz | 28-33kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 91 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 15-70 watts | 10-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 2.68kg / 5.9lbs | 4.09kg / 9lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 8.2500" x 11.6250" x 3.0000"
210.0 x 296.0 x 77.0mm | 19.1875" x 7.2500" x 3-3/4"
488.0 x 185.0 x 95.3mm |
|---|
What size room are the MartinLogan Installer Series IW5-LCR and Polk Audio 265-LS 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 |
Polk Audio 265-LS |
| Near-field |
Good |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Good |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
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 Installer Series IW5-LCR is a 2-way design whereas the 265-LS 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 Installer Series IW5-LCRPolk Audio 265-LS
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 Installer Series IW5-LCR |
Polk Audio 265-LS |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
0.75-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.5-inch
|
1 x 6.5-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 265-LS features a 1" Ring Radiator Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 1 x 6.5" Aerated polypropylene Woofer.
Frequency Response
Installer Series IW5-LCR has a frequency range of 60-20kHz whereas 265-LS has a frequency range of 28-33kHz. With a minimum frequency of 28Hz, the 265-LS can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Installer Series IW5-LCR's min frequency of 60Hz.
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
Installer Series IW5-LCR and 265-LS have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Installer Series IW5-LCR sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the 265-LS's is at 91 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Polk Audio 265-LS a more sensitive speaker compared to MartinLogan Installer Series IW5-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.
265-LS can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas Installer Series IW5-LCR has a max power handling value of 70 watts RMS, 130 watts less than the 265-LS.
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.
MartinLogan Installer Series IW5-LCR
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Installer Series IW5-LCR features Spring post type posts and 265-LS 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 Installer Series IW5-LCR's and Polk Audio 265-LS'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 Polk Audio 265-LS has external dimensions of 488.0 x 185.0 x 95.3mm (19.1875-inch x 7.2500-inch x 0.0000-inch).
MartinLogan Installer Series IW5-LCR is 278mm shorter and 18.3mm less deeper than Polk Audio 265-LS but it is also 111mm wider.
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 Installer Series IW5-LCR weighs 2.68kg / 5.9lbs and the Polk Audio 265-LS weighs 4.09kg / 9lbs. This makes the 265-LS 53% heavier than the Installer Series IW5-LCR.
Here is a comparison of how Installer Series IW5-LCR and 265-LS's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive In-wall class.
Weight
All In-wall Speakers
MartinLogan Installer Series IW5-LCR
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 loudspeaker
- Grille
- User-feets Manual
- Cutout Template
What's in the Box of Polk Audio 265-LS?
Here are the items that come with the 265-LS:
- In-wall loudspeaker
- White metal grille
- Power Port plug
- Mounting template
- Owners Manual
 Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
 Height |
210mm
vs
488mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
70 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
|
Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
28 Hz
vs
60 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
33k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Base Surface Area |
176cm2
vs
227cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
758USD
vs
760USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
MartinLogan Installer Series IW5-LCR |
Polk Audio 265-LS |
| Brand |
MartinLogan |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Passive In-wall Speaker |
Passive In-wall Speaker |
| Power Range |
15-70 watts |
10-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
91 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
60-20kHz |
28-33kHz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Mineral-filled poly |
Aerated polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
0.75" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Hard-Dome |
Ring Radiator |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
6.5" |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
210.0mm (8.3") |
488.0mm (19.2") |
| Width |
296.0mm (11.7") |
185.0mm (7.3") |
| Depth |
77.0mm (3") |
95.3mm (3.8") |
| Weight |
2.68kg (5.9lbs) |
4.09kg (9lbs) |
| Enclosure |
In-wall |
In-wall |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Yrs w/ Registration |
Lifetime |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Yrs w/ Registration |
Lifetime |
A generation apart: MartinLogan Installer Series IW5-LCR is the newer design, against a 2010 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Polk Audio 265-LS digs deeper - 28Hz against 60Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Polk Audio 265-LS is more sensitive (91dB vs 89dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | B | Polk Audio 265-LS takes more power (200W vs 70W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | MartinLogan Installer Series IW5-LCR is easier to place; Polk Audio 265-LS is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($760 vs $758 a pair). |
A MartinLogan Installer Series IW5-LCR B Polk Audio 265-LS
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?
Polk Audio 265-LS has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 60Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate MartinLogan Installer Series IW5-LCR the better fit for near-field listening and a small room, and Polk Audio 265-LS for a mid-size room and a large 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.