Description
MartinLogan Icon 3XW – Premium In-Wall Loudspeaker (Single)
The MartinLogan Icon 3XW is a premium three-driver architectural loudspeaker from MartinLogan’s prestigious Masterpiece CI Series, designed to deliver outstanding high-fidelity sound from a discreet in-wall installation.
Combining a Folded Motion XT Obsidian tweeter, two advanced carbon-fibre bass/midrange drivers and a precision-engineered Vojtko crossover network, the Icon 3XW delivers exceptional detail, natural vocals and controlled bass reproduction.
Its compact, sealed enclosure makes it an excellent choice for premium home cinema rooms, dedicated listening areas and luxury residential audio installations.
Folded Motion XT Obsidian Tweeter
The Icon 3XW incorporates MartinLogan’s advanced Folded Motion XT Obsidian high-frequency transducer.
Its lightweight folded diaphragm provides rapid transient response, excellent high-frequency detail and controlled dispersion.
The tweeter offers:
- 1.25 × 2.4-inch Folded Motion XT Obsidian transducer
- 4.5 × 2.75-inch diaphragm
- 80° horizontal × 30° vertical dispersion
- Rotatable orientation for horizontal or vertical installation
The rotatable tweeter provides additional flexibility when positioning the loudspeaker within a home cinema or stereo system.
Dual Carbon-Fibre Bass/Midrange Drivers
Two 5.25-inch unidirectional carbon-fibre cone drivers provide detailed midrange reproduction and controlled low-frequency performance.
Each driver incorporates a Nomex backing for additional damping, helping reduce unwanted cone resonances.
Cast aluminium baskets and carefully engineered suspensions provide rigidity and controlled driver movement.
Precision Vojtko Crossover Network
The Icon 3XW incorporates MartinLogan’s proprietary Vojtko crossover technology.
Its carefully selected components include:
- Custom air-core inductors
- Polypropylene film capacitors
- Low-dissipation-factor electrolytic capacitors
- Thermal and current protection
The crossover ensures smooth integration between the high-frequency transducer and bass/midrange drivers.
Sealed Back-Box Enclosure
Unlike conventional open-back architectural loudspeakers, the Icon 3XW features an integrated sealed enclosure.
This provides a controlled internal acoustic volume, helping maintain consistent sound quality regardless of variations in the surrounding wall cavity.
The front baffle combines dense phenolic resin polymer with an aluminium faceplate to minimise unwanted resonances.
Premium Home Cinema Performance
The MartinLogan Icon 3XW is particularly suitable for front left, centre and right loudspeaker positions in premium home cinema installations.
Its controlled dispersion and detailed sound reproduction help provide clear dialogue, realistic effects and an engaging cinematic presentation.
For larger systems, the Icon 3XW can be combined with compatible MartinLogan surround loudspeakers, Dolby Atmos ceiling speakers and dedicated subwoofers.
High-Fidelity Stereo Applications
The Icon 3XW is equally suitable for high-quality two-channel music systems where conventional floorstanding loudspeakers are impractical.
Its architectural design allows a premium stereo system to be integrated into the room without occupying valuable floor space.
Flexible Horizontal or Vertical Installation
The rotatable Folded Motion XT Obsidian tweeter allows the loudspeaker to be installed horizontally or vertically.
This makes the Icon 3XW particularly versatile for installations around televisions and acoustically transparent projection screens.
Premium Mounting System
The Icon 3XW features MartinLogan’s die-cast aluminium mounting-lock system, designed to provide a secure connection to suitable wall structures.
Spring-loaded binding posts accept compatible banana plugs, pins or bare loudspeaker cable.
An optional pre-installation bracket is available separately for new-build and renovation projects.
Key Features
- Premium MartinLogan Masterpiece CI Series loudspeaker
- Three-driver architectural design
- Folded Motion XT Obsidian tweeter
- Dual 5.25-inch carbon-fibre bass/midrange drivers
- Nomex-reinforced driver cones
- Precision Vojtko crossover network
- Sealed back-box enclosure
- Phenolic resin front baffle with aluminium faceplate
- Rotatable tweeter for horizontal or vertical installation
- 94dB sensitivity
- 4-ohm nominal impedance
- Recommended amplifier power of 20–250 watts
- Maximum power handling of 125 watts
- Die-cast aluminium mounting-lock system
- Spring-loaded loudspeaker terminals
- Optional pre-installation bracket
- Suitable for premium home cinema and stereo systems
Complete Technical Specifications
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | MartinLogan |
| Model | Icon 3XW |
| Product range | Masterpiece CI Series |
| Product type | Premium in-wall loudspeaker |
| Quantity supplied | Single loudspeaker |
| Driver configuration | Three-driver design |
| High-frequency driver | 1 × Folded Motion XT Obsidian tweeter |
| Tweeter transducer dimensions | 32 × 61 mm |
| Tweeter diaphragm dimensions | 114 × 70 mm |
| Tweeter dispersion | 80° horizontal × 30° vertical |
| Tweeter orientation | Rotatable for horizontal or vertical installation |
| Bass/midrange drivers | 2 × 5.25-inch (133.3 mm) carbon-fibre cones |
| Driver cone construction | Unidirectional carbon fibre with Nomex backing |
| Driver baskets | Cast aluminium |
| Enclosure | Integrated sealed back chamber |
| Front baffle | Phenolic resin polymer with aluminium faceplate |
| Frequency response | 78Hz–25kHz ±3dB |
| Sensitivity | 94dB at 2.83V/1m |
| Nominal impedance | 4Ω |
| Amplifier compatibility | 4, 6 or 8Ω-rated amplifiers, subject to suitable system matching |
| Recommended amplifier power | 20–250W |
| Maximum power handling | 125W |
| Crossover frequency | 2,400Hz |
| Crossover components | Air-core inductors, polypropylene capacitors and low-DF electrolytic capacitors |
| Protection | Thermal and current protection |
| Speaker terminals | Spring-loaded binding posts |
| Mounting system | Die-cast aluminium mounting locks |
| Optional pre-installation bracket | MartinLogan 3XWBRK |
Dimensions, Weight & Installation Requirements
| Measurement | Specification |
|---|---|
| Overall height | 405.95 mm |
| Overall width | 252.6 mm |
| Overall depth | 104.3 mm |
| Overall dimensions (H × W × D) | 405.95 × 252.6 × 104.3 mm |
| Required wall cut-out height | 372 mm |
| Required wall cut-out width | 219 mm |
| Depth behind wall surface | 96.5 mm |
| Projection from finished wall | 7.8 mm |
| Maximum wall thickness | 38 mm |
| Net weight | 7 kg per loudspeaker |
Installation dimensions should always be checked against the official MartinLogan dimensional drawings before cutting the wall opening.
Recommended Applications
The MartinLogan Icon 3XW is particularly suitable for:
- Premium dedicated home cinema rooms
- Front left, centre and right cinema channels
- High-performance in-wall stereo systems
- Luxury residential audio installations
- Media rooms with acoustically transparent projection screens
- Discreet architectural loudspeaker installations
- Multi-channel surround sound systems
Professional Installation at Riverside HiFi
At Riverside HiFi, we specialise in premium loudspeakers, home cinema, high-fidelity audio and professional residential installations.
Our services include:
- Home cinema system design
- In-wall and in-ceiling loudspeaker installation
- Dolby Atmos system configuration
- Amplifier and loudspeaker matching
- Projector and projection screen integration
- Acoustic optimisation and system calibration
- Smart home and Control4 integration
- Complete residential audio installations
Our experienced team can help you design and install a premium home cinema or music system around the MartinLogan Icon 3XW, ensuring appropriate speaker positioning, amplification and system calibration.
Riverside HiFi – Hi-Fi | Home Cinema | Smart Home | Professional Installation
Important: Sold individually. The advertised price is for one MartinLogan Icon 3XW loudspeaker. Optional installation accessories and professional installation are available separately.
Icon 3XW
Ultimate Performance In-Wall Speaker
The ultimate compact in-wall speaker, features three drivers; a lightning-fast Folded Motion XT Obsidian tweeter and dual 5.5-inch unidirectional carbon fiber multi-section cone woofers with a Nomex® backer, seamlessly blended with a flagship-class Vojtko crossover network constructed from audiophile-grade components. A pre-installation bracket is available.
Masterpiece CI Presents Flagship Performance from In-Wall and In-Ceiling Speakers
From extreme home theater to transcendent 2-channel listening, Masterpiece CI achieves the pinnacle of discreet in-wall and in-ceiling loudspeaker design: state-of-the-art Truth in Sound that takes up no floor space. Featuring lightning-fast, low-distortion, Folded Motion XT Obsidian tweeters, handcrafted Vojtko crossover networks, and unidirectional carbon fiber multi-section cone drivers with Nomex® backers, each model of the Masterpiece CI Series delivers astonishing realism. This is a loudspeaker that is a tribute to the acoustic achievements of MartinLogan’s original iconic masterpiece, our flagship floorstanding electrostatic speakers.
Folded Motion® XT Obsidian Tweeters
MartinLogan’s signature Folded Motion tweeter is a miracle of audio engineering. Its folded thin-film diaphragm gives it a much larger surface area than traditional dome tweeters of the same size. This “squeezing” design requires significantly less excursion than a dome tweeter, too, revealing controlled dispersion characteristics and vanishingly low distortion. These tiny tweeters mimic the high-frequency detail and response speed of a large electrostatic panel in a small space.
Masterpiece CI Series steps up the game with the Folded Motion XT Obsidian tweeters, which advance thin-film transducer technology even further.
The Folded Motion XT design features a 40% larger radiating surface and 80 x 30-degree controlled dispersion. This innovation increases audible bandwidth without sacrificing details and minimizes distortion to an unprecedented level, even while increasing the efficiency of the tweeter’s already lightning-fast response time.
The result is superior realism and alarming specificity. Folded Motion XT takes thin-film transducers to the next level—it’s aurally astonishing.
Powerful Mid-Frequency and Bass Drivers with Unidirectional Carbon Fiber Multi-Section Cones with Nomex® Backers
Masterpiece CI loudspeakers feature cones custom-built using unidirectional carbon fiber, a material that is twice as strong as steel but with a sixth of the density, for exceptional rigidity without excessive weight. They are designed in multiple sections to take full advantage of the benefits of this material.
Each cone is reinforced by a Nomex backer, for additional damping that prevents ringing and reduces breakup modes in these extremely rigid cones. The drivers feature powerful, efficient magnet structures, enabling massive excursion and huge sound output, while preserving deep bass details, even at sustained, lifelike volume levels.
Driver Engineering Details
To deliver accuracy in the critical midrange, mid-frequency drivers feature a specially engineered “stiff” suspension. Stiffening the suspension (the spider and surround) raises the driver’s resonant frequency and optimizes its performance to achieve a natural roll-off and inherently operate within an ideal range for a mid-frequency reproduction (as opposed to a comparably sized woofer).
Each cone includes a concave dust cap that adds additional strength and rigidity while further reducing break up modes. An inverted surround design maximizes clearance behind the grille cover to enhance driver excursion, clarity, and linearity.
Phenolic Baffle and Sealed Back Box Enclosure
One key to replicating the performance of traditional loudspeakers with hidden, built-in speakers is the use of sealed, controlled-volume, back boxes.
Statement 40XW, Monument 7XW, Tribute 5XW, and Icon 3XW, feature baffles of incredibly dense phenolic resin polymer fronted by an aluminum faceplate. This phenolic resin polymer is the same material we use in the Neolith’s massive, acoustically-inert cabinet. It offers extraordinary material consistency that naturally minimizes deleterious resonances and vibrations.
Masterpiece CI back boxes fit into standard stud walls. They provide controlled and predictable airspace (volume) within which the specially engineered drivers can perform at their best. The sealed box removes variables, like wall cavity size and construction quality, from the acoustic equation, guaranteeing a consistent, accurate performance, regardless of installation specs.
Also, the hermetically sealed design keeps sound from leaking through walls.
By controlling the sealed space volume and damping characteristics, and maintaining complete control over driver performance, crossover design, and cabinet construction, Masterpiece CI in-wall and in-ceiling speakers achieve an emotionally engaging experience on par with the performance of the world’s most exceptional floorstanding speakers. (Our own.)
Die-cast Aluminum Mounting-Lock System
A simple, yet robust die-cast aluminum mounting-lock system maximizes strength while allowing quick, trouble-free installation. Pocketed screw holes help hold the drill steady, making installation a snap. When not in use, mounting locks are secured within a self-contained housing. When moved into place, they couple the chassis firmly to the ceiling or wall, increasing the rigidity of surfaces. If ever removed, the locks retract and latch back in their housings. Each speaker includes a full-size installation template featuring quick-reference instructions, and die-cut guides for marking the cutout hole.
Spring-Loaded Binding Posts
With easy pre-installation access, our spring-loaded binding posts feature a large 4.5mm wire access hole and connect via banana plug, pin, or 10AWG bare wire.
Proprietary Vojtko™
Crossover Networks
Vojtko Crossovers are named after MartinLogan’s chief audio technologist, Joe Vojtko.
His unique approach to crossover design is just as crucial to MartinLogan’s Truth in Sound as are our innovative electrostatic and Folded Motion thin-film driver technologies. A Vojtko Crossover isn’t just a set of design requirements; it’s a philosophy.
Vojtko Crossovers are hand-built from the highest quality components and avoid overly complex topologies. This crossover has a straightforward objective: breathtaking realism.
Hand-Selected Components
In designing each crossover topology, we take the drivers themselves into consideration. Carefully selected drivers, engineered for specific performance characteristics, are kept within their optimal frequency range by the custom Vojtko Crossover.
Each crossover is handcrafted using exceptional polypropylene and polyester capacitors, custom wound and large steel laminate low-DCR inductors, and double thick PCBs. This precision-tuned network preserves even the most microscopic sonic nuances while handling the full dynamics of any source. It’s a recipe for vanishingly low distortion and seamless driver integration.
The most critical aspect of a Vojtko Crossover design is the final voicing, always conducted in a real-world environment. This uniquely pragmatic approach guarantees that even the most amazing MartinLogan loudspeakers, like the massive Statement 40XW, deliver Truth in Sound in any room, including yours.
On Wall Frames (sold separately)
The appeal of in-wall speakers is well understood, but sometimes it’s just not a practical option. Whether your room’s construction prevents it, or you are just looking to create a more personalized look, these on wall frames transform the Masterpiece CI in-wall speakers into incredible on-wall speakers! At only 4.5” deep, these on wall frames make the Icon, Tribute, or Monument in-wall speakers the perfect solution for a relatively low profile on-wall speaker. Their built-in, sealed enclosures make sure that you get consistent sound no matter which method you choose. On wall frames are shipped in a paintable white finish ready for you to personalize, creating a blank canvas that can add a splash of color or simply disappear. The possibilities are endless!
