MartinLogan Icon 3XW

A two-way in-wall loudspeaker from the Masterpiece CI range, supplied as a pair: two 133 mm carbon-fibre woofers and one Folded Motion XT Obsidian tweeter housed in a compact sealed enclosure.

Icon 3XW: the design

Icon 3XW packs three drive units into a panel of roughly 41 x 25 cm: the Folded Motion XT Obsidian tweeter plus two 133 mm woofers whose multi-section cones are made of unidirectional carbon fibre and stiffened behind by a Nomex layer. Quoted response runs from 78 Hz to 25 kHz with the crossover at 2,400 Hz, and 94 dB sensitivity means amplifiers of 20 to 250 watts will drive it, even those intended for 6 or 8 ohm loads.

The tweeter uses a pleated thin-film diaphragm measuring 114 x 70 mm, which moves air by squeezing it between the folds and so travels far less than a dome has to. In XT form it gains a radiating area 40% larger and a controlled spread of 80° horizontally by 30° vertically. The whole assembly can be turned, so the speaker behaves properly whether it is mounted upright or on its side.

The baffle is high-density phenolic resin faced with an aluminium plate and closes a sealed rear box that slots into an ordinary stud wall: the air volume is always the same, so results do not depend on the cavity, and sound does not escape into neighbouring rooms. An opening of 372 x 219 mm with 96.5 mm of depth is required. Die-cast aluminium clamps hold it in place; a pre-installation bracket and a surface-mount frame about 114 mm deep are offered separately.

Specifications

• Type: in-wall loudspeaker, two-way, sealed enclosure
• Frequency response: 78-25,000 Hz ±3 dB
• Sensitivity: 94 dB (2.83 V at 1 m)
• Impedance: 4 ohms, suits 4, 6 or 8 ohm amplifiers
• Amplifier range: 20 to 250 W
• Maximum power rating: 125 W
• Crossover point: 2,400 Hz
• Tweeter: 32 x 61 mm Folded Motion XT Obsidian, 114 x 70 mm diaphragm, can be rotated
• Tweeter coverage: 80° horizontal, 30° vertical
• Woofers: two 133 mm, unidirectional carbon-fibre cones with Nomex, aluminium baskets
• Crossover: Vojtko, air-core inductors, film capacitors, thermal and current protection
• Inputs: push-type terminals
• Dimensions: 406 x 253 x 104 mm
• Wall cut-out: 372 x 219 mm
• Mounting depth: 96.5 mm
• Protrusion from the wall: 7.8 mm
• Weight: 7 kg
• Supplied: sold as a pair