In this review, we will be comparing Installer Series IW6 and Stage 250WL, two Passive In-wall speakers from MartinLogan and JBL.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan Installer Series IW6 and JBL Stage 250WL first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
MartinLogan Installer Series IW6 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 0.75" Hard-Dome Tweeter
- 6.5" Mineral-filled poly Woofer
- 55-20kHz Frequency Response
- 89 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:15-60watts
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 258.0" x 7.0625" x 3.1875"( 258.0 x 180.0 x 81.0mm )
JBL Stage 250WL Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Horn-Loaded Tweeter
- 2 x 5.25" Polycellulose Woofer
- 52-25kHz Frequency Response
- 90 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:20-120watts
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 461.0" x 6.3750" x 3.8125"( 461.0 x 162.0 x 97.0mm )
What size room are the MartinLogan Installer Series IW6 and JBL Stage 250WL 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 IW6 |
JBL Stage 250WL |
| 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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the MartinLogan Installer Series IW6 and JBL Stage 250WL 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 IW6 and Stage 250WL are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
MartinLogan Installer Series IW6 |
JBL Stage 250WL |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
0.75-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
Installer Series IW6 features a 0.75" Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Mineral-filled poly Woofer . On the other hand, the Stage 250WL features a 1" Horn-Loaded Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Polycellulose Woofer .
Frequency Response
Installer Series IW6 has a frequency range of 55-20kHz whereas Stage 250WL has a frequency range of 52-25kHz. With a minimum frequency of 52Hz, the Stage 250WL can go slightly deeper then the Installer Series IW6's min frequency of 55Hz.
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 IW6
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 IW6 and Stage 250WL have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Installer Series IW6 sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the Stage 250WL's is at 90 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the JBL Stage 250WL a more sensitive speaker compared to MartinLogan Installer Series IW6, 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 IW6 can handle a max power of 120 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Installer Series IW6 has a max power handling value of 60 watts RMS , 60 watts less than the Stage 250WL.
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 IW6 features Spring post type posts and Stage 250WL 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 IW6's and JBL Stage 250WL's external dimensions. MartinLogan Installer Series IW6 has external dimensions of 258.0 x 180.0 x 81.0mm ( 10.1250-inch x 7.0625-inch x 3.1875-inch) whereas JBL Stage 250WL has external dimensions of 461.0 x 162.0 x 97.0mm ( 18.1250-inch x 6.3750-inch x 3.8125-inch) .
MartinLogan Installer Series IW6 is 203mm shorter and 16mm less deeper than JBL Stage 250WL but it is also 18mm wider.
What's in the Box of MartinLogan Installer Series IW6?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Installer Series IW6:
In-wall loudspeakerGrilleUser-feets ManualCutout Template
What's in the Box of JBL Stage 250WL?
Here are the items that come with the Stage 250WL:
In-wall loudspeakerGrilleCut-Out TemplateQuick Start Guide