In this review, we will be comparing Motion XT CI XTW5-LCR and CWM7.4 S2, two Passive In-wall speakers from MartinLogan and Bowers Wilkins.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan Motion XT CI XTW5-LCR and B&W CWM7.4 S2 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
MartinLogan Motion XT CI XTW5-LCR Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1.27 x 2.4" Folded Motion Ribbon Tweeter
- 2 x 5.25" Kevlar Woofer
- 61-25kHz Frequency Response
- 92 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:50-125watts
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 166.0" x 14.5000" x 3.3125"( 166.0 x 369.0 x 85.0mm )
B&W CWM7.4 S2 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter
- 4 x 4" Aramid fiber/paper cone Woofer
- 45-28kHz Frequency Response
- 86 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:25-150watts
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 597.0" x 5.8125" x 3.6875"( 597.0 x 148.0 x 94.0mm )
What size room are the MartinLogan Motion XT CI XTW5-LCR and B&W CWM7.4 S2 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 XT CI XTW5-LCR |
B&W CWM7.4 S2 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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 Motion XT CI XTW5-LCR and B&W CWM7.4 S2 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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Motion XT CI XTW5-LCR is a 2-way design whereas the CWM7.4 S2 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.
| Driver |
MartinLogan Motion XT CI XTW5-LCR |
B&W CWM7.4 S2 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.27 x 2.4-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
4 x 4-inch
|
Motion XT CI XTW5-LCR features a 1.27 x 2.4" Folded Motion Ribbon Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Kevlar Woofer . On the other hand, the CWM7.4 S2 features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 4 x 4" Aramid fiber/paper cone Woofer .
Frequency Response
Motion XT CI XTW5-LCR has a frequency range of 61-25kHz whereas CWM7.4 S2 has a frequency range of 45-28kHz. With a minimum frequency of 45Hz, the CWM7.4 S2 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Motion XT CI XTW5-LCR's min frequency of 61Hz.
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 Motion XT CI XTW5-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
Motion XT CI XTW5-LCR and CWM7.4 S2 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Motion XT CI XTW5-LCR sensitivity is rated at 92 dB and the CWM7.4 S2's is at 86 dB. This 6 dB difference makes the MartinLogan Motion XT CI XTW5-LCR a more sensitive speaker compared to B&W CWM7.4 S2, 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.
Motion XT CI XTW5-LCR can handle a max power of 150 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Motion XT CI XTW5-LCR has a max power handling value of 125 watts RMS , 25 watts less than the CWM7.4 S2.
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
Motion XT CI XTW5-LCR features Spring post type posts and CWM7.4 S2 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 Motion XT CI XTW5-LCR's and B&W CWM7.4 S2's external dimensions. MartinLogan Motion XT CI XTW5-LCR has external dimensions of 166.0 x 369.0 x 85.0mm ( 6.5000-inch x 14.5000-inch x 3.3125-inch) whereas B&W CWM7.4 S2 has external dimensions of 597.0 x 148.0 x 94.0mm ( 23.5000-inch x 5.8125-inch x 3.6875-inch) .
MartinLogan Motion XT CI XTW5-LCR is 431mm shorter and 9mm less deeper than B&W CWM7.4 S2 but it is also 221mm wider.
What's in the Box of MartinLogan Motion XT CI XTW5-LCR?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Motion XT CI XTW5-LCR:
In-wall LCR loudspeakerGrilleT20 torx-bitUser-feets ManualCutout Template
What's in the Box of B&W CWM7.4 S2?
Here are the items that come with the CWM7.4 S2:
In-wall loudspeakerMounting frameGrillePaint shieldCutout TemplateInstallation InstructionsWarranty Information