In this review, we will be comparing Motion CI MW6 and 100 IW 6, two Passive In-wall speakers from MartinLogan and Focal.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan Motion CI MW6 and Focal 100 IW 6 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | MartinLogan Motion CI MW6 | Focal 100 IW 6 |
|---|
| Brand | MartinLogan
United States · founded 1982 | Focal
France · founded 1979 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Folded Motion Ribbon | 1" Inverted Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Fiberglass | 6.5" Polyglass |
|---|
| Frequency response | 62-25kHz | 60-23kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 5 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-60 watts | 25-120 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 2.72kg / 6lbs | 1.86kg / 4.1lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 10.1250" x 7.0000" x 3.8750"
258.0 x 178.0 x 99.0mm | 10.7500" x 6.6250" x 3.3750"
274.0 x 169.0 x 86.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the MartinLogan Motion CI MW6 and Focal 100 IW 6 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 Motion CI MW6 |
Focal 100 IW 6 |
| 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
Both Motion CI MW6 and 100 IW 6 are 2-way speakers.
MartinLogan Motion CI MW6Focal 100 IW 6
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
MartinLogan Motion CI MW6 |
Focal 100 IW 6 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
Motion CI MW6 features a 1" Folded Motion Ribbon Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Fiberglass Woofer. On the other hand, the 100 IW 6 features a 1" Inverted Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Polyglass Woofer.
Frequency Response
Motion CI MW6 has a frequency range of 62-25kHz whereas 100 IW 6 has a frequency range of 60-23kHz. With a minimum frequency of 60Hz, the 100 IW 6 can go slightly deeper then the Motion CI MW6's min frequency of 62Hz.
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
Motion CI MW6 is a 5 ohms speaker compared to the 100 IW 6 which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Motion CI MW6 sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the 100 IW 6's is rated at 89 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the MartinLogan Motion CI MW6 a more sensitive speaker compared to Focal 100 IW 6, 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.
100 IW 6 can handle a max power of 120 watts RMS, whereas Motion CI MW6 has a max power handling value of 60 watts RMS, 60 watts less than the 100 IW 6.
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 Motion CI MW6
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Motion CI MW6 features Spring post type posts and 100 IW 6 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 Motion CI MW6's and Focal 100 IW 6's external dimensions. MartinLogan Motion CI MW6 has external dimensions of 258.0 x 178.0 x 99.0mm (10.1250-inch x 7.0000-inch x 3.8750-inch) whereas Focal 100 IW 6 has external dimensions of 274.0 x 169.0 x 86.0mm (10.7500-inch x 6.6250-inch x 3.3750-inch).
Focal 100 IW 6 is 9mm narrower and 13mm less deeper than MartinLogan Motion CI MW6 but it is also 16mm taller.
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 Motion CI MW6 weighs 2.72kg / 6lbs and the Focal 100 IW 6 weighs 1.86kg / 4.1lbs. This makes the Motion CI MW6 46% heavier than the 100 IW 6.
Here is a comparison of how Motion CI MW6 and 100 IW 6's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive In-wall class.
Weight
All In-wall Speakers
MartinLogan Motion CI MW6
What's in the Box of MartinLogan Motion CI MW6?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Motion CI MW6:
- In-wall loudspeaker
- Grille
- T20 Torx bit
- User-feets Manual
- Cutout Template
What's in the Box of Focal 100 IW 6?
Here are the items that come with the 100 IW 6:
- One in-wall speaker
- 1 metal-mesh grill (white)
- Cut-out template
- User manual
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 High Frequency Response |
25k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
258mm
vs
274mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Max Input Power |
120 watts
vs
60 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
5 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Low Frequency Response |
60 Hz
vs
62 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Base Surface Area |
145cm2
vs
176cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
498USD
vs
1100USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
MartinLogan Motion CI MW6 |
Focal 100 IW 6 |
| Brand |
MartinLogan |
Focal |
| Speaker Type |
Passive In-wall Speaker |
Passive In-wall Speaker |
| Power Range |
50-60 watts |
25-120 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
5 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
62-25kHz |
60-23kHz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Fiberglass |
Polyglass |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Folded Motion Ribbon |
Inverted Hard-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
258.0mm (10.2") |
274.0mm (10.8") |
| Width |
178.0mm (7") |
169.0mm (6.7") |
| Depth |
99.0mm (3.9") |
86.0mm (3.4") |
| Weight |
2.72kg (6lbs) |
1.86kg (4.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
In-wall |
In-wall |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
Yes |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - MartinLogan Motion CI MW6 costs roughly 2.2x what Focal 100 IW 6 does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (62Hz vs 60Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (90dB vs 89dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | B | Focal 100 IW 6 is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | B | Focal 100 IW 6 takes more power (120W vs 60W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | depends | Neither adds bi-amping, a sub output or height drivers. MartinLogan Motion CI MW6 sits in a wider range (18 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | Focal 100 IW 6 is cheaper - $498 against $1,100, about 55% less; arguably a different class. |
A MartinLogan Motion CI MW6 B Focal 100 IW 6
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?
Focal 100 IW 6 is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take MartinLogan Motion CI MW6 if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. Match it to your room: we rate MartinLogan Motion CI MW6 the better fit for near-field listening and a small room, and Focal 100 IW 6 for a mid-size room and a large room. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $602 saved by taking the cheaper pair would buy a subwoofer or a better amplifier, and either usually does more for the sound than the difference between these two.
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.