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MartinLogan Installer Series IW6 vs JBL Studio 2 55IW Comparison

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MartinLogan Installer Series IW6

Passive In-wall | 55-20kHz

MartinLogan Installer Series IW6
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JBL Studio 2 55IW

Passive In-wall | 40-20kHz

JBL Studio 2 55IW
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MartinLogan Installer Series IW6 MartinLogan Installe...
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JBL Studio 2 55IW JBL Studio 2 55IW
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MartinLogan Installe...
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JBL Studio 2 55IW
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MartinLogan Installer Series IW6 vs JBL Studio 2 55IW Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing Installer Series IW6 and Studio 2 55IW, 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 Studio 2 55IW 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 Studio 2 55IW Key Specs

  • 2-way Design
  • 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter
  • 2 x 5.25" PolyPlas Woofer
  • 40-20kHz Frequency Response
  • 88 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 8ohms
  • Power Range:up to 120watts
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 359.0" x 6.4375" x 3.3750"( 359.0 x 164.0 x 86.0mm )

What size room are the MartinLogan Installer Series IW6 and JBL Studio 2 55IW 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 Studio 2 55IW
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 Studio 2 55IW 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 Studio 2 55IW are 2-way speakers.

Driver MartinLogan Installer Series IW6 JBL Studio 2 55IW
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 Studio 2 55IW features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" PolyPlas Woofer .

Frequency Response

Installer Series IW6 has a frequency range of 55-20kHz whereas Studio 2 55IW has a frequency range of 40-20kHz. With a minimum frequency of 40Hz, the Studio 2 55IW can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to 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

Installer Series IW6
Studio 2 55IW
Min
Average
Max
High Frequency

In-wall Speakers

MartinLogan Installer Series IW6
JBL Studio 2 55IW
Min
Average
Max

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 Studio 2 55IW 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 Studio 2 55IW's is at 88 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the MartinLogan Installer Series IW6 a more sensitive speaker compared to JBL Studio 2 55IW, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.

Sensitivity

In-wall Speakers

Installer Series IW6
Studio 2 55IW
Min
Average
Max

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 Studio 2 55IW.

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 posts type posts and Studio 2 55IW has a Spring posts 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 Studio 2 55IW'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 Studio 2 55IW has external dimensions of 359.0 x 164.0 x 86.0mm ( 14.1250-inch x 6.4375-inch x 3.3750-inch) .

MartinLogan Installer Series IW6 is 101mm shorter and 5mm less deeper than JBL Studio 2 55IW but it is also 16mm 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 loudspeaker
  • Grille
  • User-feets Manual
  • Cutout Template
  • What's in the Box of JBL Studio 2 55IW?

    Here are the items that come with the Studio 2 55IW:
  • In-wall loudspeaker
  • Grille
  • Cloth scrim
  • Cut-Out Template
  • Instruction Manual

  • Reasons to choose MartinLogan Installer Series IW6 over JBL Studio 2 55IW
    Sensitivity 89 dB vs 88 dB Play louder with same amount of amplification power
    Woofer Size 6.5 inches vs 5.25 inches Larger woofer
    Height 258mm vs 359mm Easier to fit in smaller spaces
    Price per pair* 560USD vs 600USD costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)

    Reasons to choose JBL Studio 2 55IW over MartinLogan Installer Series IW6

    Max Input Power 120 watts vs 60 watts Handle more power from your amplifier
    Number of Woofers 2 vs 1 More woofers
    Low Frequency Response 40 Hz vs 55 Hz Generates deeper bass
    Base Surface Area 141cm2 vs 145cm2 Takes less floor space
    MartinLogan Installer Series IW6 vs JBL Studio 2 55IW Specs Table
    Detailed comparison of specifications
    General MartinLogan Installer Series IW6 JBL Studio 2 55IW
    Brand MartinLogan JBL
    Speaker Type Passive In-wall Speaker Passive In-wall Speaker
    Power Range 15-60 watts up to 120 watts
    Sensitivity 89 dB 88 dB
    Impedance 8 ohms 8 ohms
    Frequency Response 55-20kHz 40-20kHz
    Drivers
    Woofer Quantity 1 2
    Woofer Size 6.5" 5.25"
    Woofer Composition Mineral-filled poly PolyPlas
    Woofer Surround Material Rubber Rubber
    Tweeter Size 0.75" 1"
    Tweeter Type Hard-Dome Hard-Dome
    Aimable Tweeter No Yes
    Midrange Driver N/A" N/A"
    Physical Specs
    Height 258.0mm (10.2") 359.0mm (14.1")
    Width 180.0mm (7.1") 164.0mm (6.5")
    Depth 81.0mm (3.2") 86.0mm (3.4")
    Enclosure In-wall In-wall
    Moisture Resistancy No No
    Connections
    Biamp Inputs No No
    Other
    Parts Warranty 5 Yrs w/ Registration 5 Years
    Labor Warranty 5 Yrs w/ Registration 5 Years

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