Note that this is a discontinued product. You may want to visit the brand's page here to browse their newer products.
What reviewers think
Magazine reviewers and YouTubers have tried this product—so we've summarized their strongest opinions below.
Product Strengths
- Musical instruments and vocals are reproduced with accuracy
- Natural and detailed vocal reproduction
- Spacious and airy sound in the treble range
- Truly "natural" and realistic midrange
- Serious value for its price
Product Considerations
- Needs some room to breathe due to the rear port, requiring at least 2 inches of clearance if placed on a bookshelf
- Might not be ideal to compensate for a bright or overly warm amplifier
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Vs Bowers & Wilkins Nautilus 805, the M3 has more articulate string bass, clearer men's bass parts on choral recordings, more natural and detailed vocals, more natural piano sound, and a deeper 3D soundstage—the Bowers & Wilkins was considered to have a 'sibilant and edgy' vocal sound, and 'narrow' timpani drums, whereas the M3 was described as 'excellent'
- Vs KEF Q1, the M3 has clearer differentiation and separation of choir from orchestra, cleaner cymbals (though slightly tinny), more balanced French horns, and a more neutral sound
Takeaway: The M3 is a good option for those wanting accurate sound. It is an excellent value, especially for casual listening.
How useful are hifi reviews? We consider them useful for three things: (1) Surfacing new products you should demo in person at a dealer. (2) Learning which products reviewers unanimously praise as the best they've ever heard (this means they probably are legitimately great). (3) Identifying a product's unique attributes that satisfy your idiosyncratic needs and tastes. Beyond that, we discount what reviewers say because they heap praise on everything—rarely being negative for fear of souring relationships with manufacturers. Further, they seldom have more than a couple products on-hand at once, relying on their imperfect memories to compare to past products.
Video Review
Compared to their other products
We think it's helpful to understand how this product fits into the brand's full lineup (below). To learn more about these products, visit the brand's page.
M5 Bookshelf Speakers
- Positioning: Compact high-powered stereo and home theater speaker.
- Description: Offers a full-sized floorstanding speaker experience in a compact form, featuring HP 6.5-inch drivers for high power and low distortion. Unlike the M50 and M60, the 3-way design with a dedicated midrange driver provides a more linear presentation and wider dispersion, making it ideal for medium to large rooms where space is limited but sound quality is paramount.
M50 Floorstanding Speakers
- Positioning: Entry-level floorstanding speaker for home audio and theater systems.
- Description: Delivers clean deep bass with twin aluminum 6.5-inch woofers, making it suitable for small to medium-sized rooms. It shares drivers with the M3 bookshelf model but offers enhanced bass and dynamics in a tower form, providing a more robust soundstage than the M5 while remaining more affordable than the M60 and M80.
M60 Floorstanding Speakers
- Positioning: Mid-range floorstanding speaker with award-winning sound.
- Description: Features a three-way system with triple vortex porting and a dedicated midrange driver, known for its articulate mids and highs. It offers a more compact alternative to the M80 with similar sound quality.
M80 Floorstanding Speakers
- Positioning: High-performance floorstanding speaker for audiophiles.
- Description: Features dual woofers, midranges, and tweeters for enhanced power handling and low distortion. It provides a more immersive experience than the M60, with a wider soundstage and deeper bass.
M100 Floorstanding Speakers
- Positioning: Flagship floorstanding speaker for ultimate audio performance.
- Description: Features triple woofers and dual midranges and tweeters, delivering exceptional clarity and powerful bass. It surpasses the M80 in tonal range and dynamic capability.
LFR1100HP Active Omnidirectional Speakers
- Positioning: Premium omnidirectional speaker for immersive audio experiences.
- Description: Uses a Digital Signal Processor for precise control over each driver group, offering a 3D soundstage with pinpoint detail. Unlike the M100, these speakers provide an omnidirectional experience, making them perfect for unconventional room shapes.
See all the brand's products
Read the reviews
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An excellent review of a great product
/
Publisher
/
3/1/2022
An excellent review of a great product
Publisher
/
3/1/2022
M3 (In-wall)
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Manufacturer's notes
Look no further for one of the world's most versatile and compact stereo and home theater speakers on the market. The M3 in-wall delivers powerful bass, outstanding treble, and award-winning musical sound. Its powerful 6.5-inch aluminum-cone woofer and 1-inch titanium dome tweeter deliver crystal clear vocals, driving bass and shimmering cymbals.
Look no further for one of the world's most versatile and compact stereo and home theater speakers on the market. The M3 in-wall delivers powerful bass, outstanding treble, and award-winning musical sound. Its powerful 6.5-inch aluminum-cone woofer and 1-inch titanium dome tweeter deliver crystal clear vocals, driving bass and shimmering cymbals. Hear what a difference 25 years of audio research makes in loudspeaker sound.
Manufacturer Specs
- Enclosure: Acoustic Suspension
- Max RMS Amp Wattage: 200 Watts
- Max Dynamic Amp Wattage: 800 Watts
- Min Amp Power: 10 Watts
- Frequency Response (+/-3dB): 70 - 20k Hz
- Frequency Response (+3dB- 10dB): 65 - 20k Hz
- Impedance: 8 Ohms
- SPL in Room 1w/1m: 90 dB
- SPL Anechoic 1w/1m: 86 dB
- Crossover: 2.5 kHz
- Tweeter: Single 1" titanium
- Woofer: Single 6.5" aluminum
- Weight: 6.8 lbs (3.09 kg)
- In-wall Dimensions (HWD): 13.2 x 6.85 x 3.46 inches (335 x 174 x 88 mm)
- On-wall Dimensions (HWD): 14 x 7.72 x 0.39 inches (356 x 196 x 10 mm)
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Average Price
$501-$1,000
Used Products
3
Available (Scroll Down)
Brand Popularity
75
of 600+
Badges
Top 50 Brand
Top 250 Brand
Products
47
Founded
1980
Our take on the brand
Axiom Audio manufactures its own drivers and features unique design elements like rear-firing drivers with DSP processing, die-cast metal faceplates that act as heatsinks, and Vortex ports to reduce air turbulence. Their speakers, including the LFR1100 and M100 v4, are known for uncommon features at their price points, such as seven drivers per speaker for greater linearity and the ability to reach exceptionally low frequencies of 15Hz in their subwoofers.
Brand Page
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Used
Axiom
What if you spend a bit more?
300 IWLCR 6
1199
1199
/
4
Reviews
Focal
Focal is a French hifi brand that makes their own drivers in-house, including their highly-regarded beryllium tweeters and unique slatefiber mid/bass drivers made from recycled carbon fiber. Their speakers and headphones feature distinctive technologies like their "W" sandwich cone design for optimal driver performance and Mimi Sound Personalization that adapts audio to individual hearing profiles.
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Our Summary
Product Strengths
- Tool-less design with the Easy Quick Install (EQI) system allows for quick and easy installation
- Flax cone drivers offer light, stiff cones with good natural damping
- The design allows for both horizontal and vertical installation by rotating the high-frequency/mid-range pod
- Delivers impressive dynamics, a clean, neutral balance, and articulate dialogue handling
- Easy to drive with an amplifier
Product Considerations
- The Easy Quick Install (EQI) system may not work in all situations due to space constraints behind the wall
- The open-back design can make the speaker's balance dependent on the installation environment, potentially requiring EQ adjustments
- Adding the included black acoustic cloth to the grille darkens the overall color shade, which is not ideal for color matching applications
- If a clamp breaks on the tool-less design, it is not easily replaceable
- Requires more horizontal spacing than speakers with traditional dogears, requiring installers to be more careful about between-stud placement
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Vs Focal Kanta No. 2: The Kanta No. 2 has a weightier midrange, superlative upper frequencies, more depth, wider soundstage, and improved imaging, though the 300IWLCR6's sound quality is satisfying
- Vs PSB W-LCR: The PSB exhibits a very slight nasal characteristic, which is not noticed on the Focal LCRs
- Vs Martin Logan Axis: The Martin Logan Axis has impressive imaging and upper-end frequency output due to its folded ribbon tweeter, which is very different from the Focals' inverted dome aluminum and magnesium tweeter
Takeaway: The Focal 300IWLCR6 in-wall loudspeaker is easy to install and delivers great sound for music and movies, especially when paired with a good subwoofer. The speaker can be easily installed, and it can fit into various home theater setups.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Focal is a French hifi brand that makes their own drivers in-house, including their highly-regarded beryllium tweeters and unique slatefiber mid/bass drivers made from recycled carbon fiber. Their speakers and headphones feature distinctive technologies like their "W" sandwich cone design for optimal driver performance and Mimi Sound Personalization that adapts audio to individual hearing profiles.
Visit our
300 IWLCR 6
page
Product Page
IW150A
1599
1599
/
2
Reviews
M&K Sound
The IW150A. Targeted primarily as a Dolby Atmos-friendly in-ceiling model, it can also be used for other in-wall cinema or multi-room music applications. Its single 15-degree angle-fixed tweeter makes the IW150A ideal for effects-based sound in multi-speaker setups. The debut of the new 150 member means that, along with the IW28S subwoofer, there is within the 150 Series a complete in-wall/ in-ceiling seamless solution for reference-grade home cinemas. The Versatile use of the IW150A makes it fit in any position. Turn it – UP, SIDE or DOWN your choice.
M&K Sound invented the world's first subwoofer in 1973 and is widely used in Hollywood studios for mixing and mastering film soundtracks. Their push-pull subwoofer design cancels out harmonic distortion, and their speakers deliver professional studio monitor neutrality, making them a top choice for high-end audio production.
Expand Details
Our Summary
Product Strengths
- Retains the neutrality, realism, and musicality associated with the M&K Sound design in a discreet enclosure
- The front three IW150 models perfectly match each other in terms of tonality and are utterly transparent
- Capable of a pleasingly open sound that fills the room with wonderful detail and clarity
- The transient response of these speakers is incredible, viscerally delivering the scares as the soundtrack suddenly goes from relative silence to very loud
Product Considerations
- Slightly lacking at the low-end, designed to be used with a subwoofer
- Placement can be non-trivial and orientation moreso because of the multi-woofer/tweeter design, resulting in a weird dispersion that will sound different depending on which side of the speaker one is on
- Putting them in the wall might change its sonic integrity
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- IW150 is an in-wall version of the M&K Sound S150
Takeaway: The IW150 delivers the detail, clarity, and transience of a professional studio monitor from a discreet, in-wall enclosure. If one is looking for in-wall speakers that vanish into their decor, then these are worth an audition.
Video review
Our take on the brand
M&K Sound invented the world's first subwoofer in 1973 and is widely used in Hollywood studios for mixing and mastering film soundtracks. Their push-pull subwoofer design cancels out harmonic distortion, and their speakers deliver professional studio monitor neutrality, making them a top choice for high-end audio production.
Visit our
IW150A
page
Product Page
What else competes at this price?
M2 (In-wall)
698
/
Released
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Axiom
The M2 in-wall is ideal for customers who want hi-fidelity sound that doesn't take up any floor space. The new M2 in-wall provides the kind of transparent, neutral, wide-range sound you expect from Axiom in an almost-invisible enclosure. The M2 in-wall speaker preserves the sonic signature of its bookshelf equivalent, the M2, and adds a slim profile - just 5/8ths of an inch with the grille on, which is a perfect complement to today's modern low-profile plasma and LCD TV screens.
Axiom Audio manufactures its own drivers and features unique design elements like rear-firing drivers with DSP processing, die-cast metal faceplates that act as heatsinks, and Vortex ports to reduce air turbulence. Their speakers, including the LFR1100 and M100 v4, are known for uncommon features at their price points, such as seven drivers per speaker for greater linearity and the ability to reach exceptionally low frequencies of 15Hz in their subwoofers.
Expand Details
Our Summary
Product Strengths
- The M2v2 is the least colored speaker in the group
- The M2v2 is impressively involving and delivers music well
- The M2v2 is the cheapest speaker of the group
- The M2v2 is neutral and musical
Product Considerations
- Fit and finish is adequate, but nothing impressed the reviewer
- The finish is a faux-woodgrain that does not look like real wood, though real wood veneers are offered at a premium
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- While the Paradigm may have sounded lusher with the string trio, the Axiom lacked any of the other speakers' tonal caveats
- While the Aperion may have delivered rock music with more punch, the Axiom lacked any of the other speakers' tonal caveats
Takeaway: The M2v2 is a great choice because it delivers music well and is the least colored speaker of the group, which makes it good at playing any type of music. It should be considered a classic.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Axiom Audio manufactures its own drivers and features unique design elements like rear-firing drivers with DSP processing, die-cast metal faceplates that act as heatsinks, and Vortex ports to reduce air turbulence. Their speakers, including the LFR1100 and M100 v4, are known for uncommon features at their price points, such as seven drivers per speaker for greater linearity and the ability to reach exceptionally low frequencies of 15Hz in their subwoofers.
Visit
M2 (In-wall)
Page
Product Page
IC95
799
/
Released
M&K Sound
The new compact IC95 integrated loudspeaker system is based on the well proven proprietary 6,5-inch mid-woofer, also used in Miller & Kreisel studio monitor system MPS1620P and in-wall system IW95. The mid-woofer in IC95 is a long time accepted key component in the Miller & Kreisel signature sound history, now appearing as the key component for the smallest and most compact format ever – to provide the real Miller & Kreisel sound.
M&K Sound invented the world's first subwoofer in 1973 and is widely used in Hollywood studios for mixing and mastering film soundtracks. Their push-pull subwoofer design cancels out harmonic distortion, and their speakers deliver professional studio monitor neutrality, making them a top choice for high-end audio production.
Expand Details
Our Summary
Product Strengths
- The IC95 is built with high-quality materials, including rigid push-button speaker terminals
- Sound field height, envelopment, and directionality are improved
- Speaker localization tends to disappear in the sound field
Product Considerations
- The cutout template included is slightly larger than the Revel c263, which may require some ceiling modification
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- The IC95 improves sound field height, envelopment, and directionality over the Revel c263
Takeaway: The MK Sound IC95 is a phenomenal in-ceiling speaker that will give a lot for the money and is especially good as Atmos speakers. The improvements in sound quality are substantial and make it a worthwhile upgrade.
Video review
Our take on the brand
M&K Sound invented the world's first subwoofer in 1973 and is widely used in Hollywood studios for mixing and mastering film soundtracks. Their push-pull subwoofer design cancels out harmonic distortion, and their speakers deliver professional studio monitor neutrality, making them a top choice for high-end audio production.
Visit
IC95
Page
Product Page
Note that this is a discontinued product. You may want to visit the brand's page here to browse their newer products.
What reviewers think
Magazine reviewers and YouTubers have tried this product—so we've summarized their strongest opinions below.
Product Strengths
- Musical instruments and vocals are reproduced with accuracy
- Natural and detailed vocal reproduction
- Spacious and airy sound in the treble range
- Truly "natural" and realistic midrange
- Serious value for its price
Product Considerations
- Needs some room to breathe due to the rear port, requiring at least 2 inches of clearance if placed on a bookshelf
- Might not be ideal to compensate for a bright or overly warm amplifier
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Vs Bowers & Wilkins Nautilus 805, the M3 has more articulate string bass, clearer men's bass parts on choral recordings, more natural and detailed vocals, more natural piano sound, and a deeper 3D soundstage—the Bowers & Wilkins was considered to have a 'sibilant and edgy' vocal sound, and 'narrow' timpani drums, whereas the M3 was described as 'excellent'
- Vs KEF Q1, the M3 has clearer differentiation and separation of choir from orchestra, cleaner cymbals (though slightly tinny), more balanced French horns, and a more neutral sound
Takeaway: The M3 is a good option for those wanting accurate sound. It is an excellent value, especially for casual listening.
How useful are hifi reviews? We consider them useful for three things: (1) Surfacing new products you should demo in person at a dealer. (2) Learning which products reviewers unanimously praise as the best they've ever heard (this means they probably are legitimately great). (3) Identifying a product's unique attributes that satisfy your idiosyncratic needs and tastes. Beyond that, we discount what reviewers say because they heap praise on everything—rarely being negative for fear of souring relationships with manufacturers. Further, they seldom have more than a couple products on-hand at once, relying on their imperfect memories to compare to past products.
Video Review
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