In this review, we will be comparing Motion XT CI XTW6-LCR and Debut IW-D61-W, two Passive In-wall speakers from MartinLogan and ELAC.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan Motion XT CI XTW6-LCR and ELAC Debut IW-D61-W first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
MartinLogan Motion XT CI XTW6-LCR Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1.27 x 2.4" Folded Motion Ribbon Tweeter
- 6.5" Midrange
- 2 x 6.5" Kevlar Woofer
- 44-25kHz Frequency Response
- 93 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:50-150watts
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 686.0" x 6.6250" x 3.5625"( 686.0 x 169.0 x 91.0mm )
ELAC Debut IW-D61-W Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter
- 6.5" Woven Aramid-Fiber Woofer
- 45-20kHz Frequency Response
- 89 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 6ohms
- Power Range:30-120watts
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 296.0" x 7.4375" x 3.9375"( 296.0 x 189.0 x 101.0mm )
What size room are the MartinLogan Motion XT CI XTW6-LCR and ELAC Debut IW-D61-W 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 XTW6-LCR |
ELAC Debut IW-D61-W |
| 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 XTW6-LCR and ELAC Debut IW-D61-W 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 XTW6-LCR is a 3-way design whereas the Debut IW-D61-W is a 2-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 XTW6-LCR |
ELAC Debut IW-D61-W |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.27 x 2.4-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6.5-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
Motion XT CI XTW6-LCR features a 1.27 x 2.4" Folded Motion Ribbon Tweeter , a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Kevlar Woofer . On the other hand, the Debut IW-D61-W features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Woven Aramid-Fiber Woofer .
Frequency Response
Motion XT CI XTW6-LCR has a frequency range of 44-25kHz whereas Debut IW-D61-W has a frequency range of 45-20kHz. With a minimum frequency of 44Hz, the Motion XT CI XTW6-LCR can go slightly deeper then the Debut IW-D61-W's min frequency of 45Hz.
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 XTW6-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 XTW6-LCR is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the Debut IW-D61-W which has a nominal impedance of 6 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Motion XT CI XTW6-LCR sensitivity is rated at 93 dB and the Debut IW-D61-W's is rated at 89 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the MartinLogan Motion XT CI XTW6-LCR a more sensitive speaker compared to ELAC Debut IW-D61-W, 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 XTW6-LCR can handle a max power of 150 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Debut IW-D61-W has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 30 watts less than the Motion XT CI XTW6-LCR.
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 XTW6-LCR features Spring post type posts and Debut IW-D61-W 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 XTW6-LCR's and ELAC Debut IW-D61-W's external dimensions. MartinLogan Motion XT CI XTW6-LCR has external dimensions of 686.0 x 169.0 x 91.0mm ( 27.0000-inch x 6.6250-inch x 3.5625-inch) whereas ELAC Debut IW-D61-W has external dimensions of 296.0 x 189.0 x 101.0mm ( 11.6250-inch x 7.4375-inch x 3.9375-inch) .
MartinLogan Motion XT CI XTW6-LCR is 20mm narrower and 10mm less deeper than ELAC Debut IW-D61-W but it is also 390mm taller.
What's in the Box of MartinLogan Motion XT CI XTW6-LCR?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Motion XT CI XTW6-LCR:
In-wall LCR loudspeakerGrilleT20 torx-bitUser-feets ManualCutout Template
What's in the Box of ELAC Debut IW-D61-W?
Here are the items that come with the Debut IW-D61-W:
In-wall speakerGrille