In this review, we will be comparing W253L and Motion XT CI XTW6-LCR, two Passive In-wall speakers from Revel and MartinLogan. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Revel W253L and MartinLogan Motion XT CI XTW6-LCR first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Revel W253L Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter
- 2 x 5.25" Aluminum Woofer
- 55-18kHz Frequency Response
- 91 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:10-130watts
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 359.0" x 6.4375" x 3.4375"( 359.0 x 164.0 x 88.0mm )
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
- 6.5" Midrange
- 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 )
What size room are the Revel W253L and MartinLogan Motion XT CI XTW6-LCR 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* |
Revel W253L |
MartinLogan Motion XT CI XTW6-LCR |
| 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 Revel W253L and MartinLogan Motion XT CI XTW6-LCR compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that W253L is a 2-way design whereas the Motion XT CI XTW6-LCR 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 |
Revel W253L |
MartinLogan Motion XT CI XTW6-LCR |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1.27 x 2.4-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
W253L features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Aluminum Woofer . On the other hand, the 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 .
Frequency Response
W253L has a frequency range of 55-18kHz whereas Motion XT CI XTW6-LCR has a frequency range of 44-25kHz. With a minimum frequency of 44Hz, the Motion XT CI XTW6-LCR can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the W253L'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 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
W253L and Motion XT CI XTW6-LCR have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. W253L sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the Motion XT CI XTW6-LCR's is at 93 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the MartinLogan Motion XT CI XTW6-LCR a more sensitive speaker compared to Revel W253L, 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.
W253L can handle a max power of 150 watts RMS from the amp the whereas W253L has a max power handling value of 130 watts RMS , 20 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
W253L features Spring post type posts and Motion XT CI XTW6-LCR 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 Revel W253L's and MartinLogan Motion XT CI XTW6-LCR's external dimensions. Revel W253L has external dimensions of 359.0 x 164.0 x 88.0mm ( 14.1250-inch x 6.4375-inch x 3.4375-inch) whereas 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) .
MartinLogan Motion XT CI XTW6-LCR is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 5mm wider, 327mm taller and 3mm deeper than Revel W253L.
What's in the Box of Revel W253L?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of W253L:
In-wall loudspeakerGrilleScrim clothCutout templateInstruction Manual
What's in the Box of MartinLogan Motion XT CI XTW6-LCR?
Here are the items that come with the Motion XT CI XTW6-LCR:
In-wall LCR loudspeakerGrilleT20 torx-bitUser-feets ManualCutout Template
Height 
Base Surface Area 
Price per pair* 
Max Input Power 
Driver Setup 
Sensitivity 
Woofer Size 
High Frequency Response