In this review, we will be comparing HTM6 S2 and Motion 50XTi, two Passive Center Channel speakers from Bowers Wilkins and MartinLogan.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of BW HTM6 S2 and MartinLogan 50XTi first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
BW HTM6 S2 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Decoupled Double Dome Tweeter
- 2 x 5" Continuum Woofer
- 72-28k Hz Frequency Response
- 87 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:30-120watts
- Weight:7.82kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 162.0" x 18-15/16" x 11-1/16"( 162.0 x 482.0 x 281.0mm )
MartinLogan 50XTi Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1.25 x 2.4" Folded Motion XT Tweeter
- 2 x 6.5" Aluminum Woofer
- 50-25k Hz Frequency Response
- 94 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:20-300watts
- Weight:13.86kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 196.0" x 23" x 13-5/8"( 196.0 x 585.0 x 347.0mm )
What size room are the BW HTM6 S2 and MartinLogan 50XTi 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* |
BW HTM6 S2 |
MartinLogan 50XTi |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Average |
(* 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 BW HTM6 S2 and MartinLogan 50XTi 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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through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that HTM6 S2 is a 2-way design whereas the Motion 50XTi 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 |
BW HTM6 S2 |
MartinLogan 50XTi |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1.25 x 2.4-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
HTM6 S2 features a 1" Decoupled Double Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5" Continuum Woofer . On the other hand, the Motion 50XTi features a 1.25 x 2.4" Folded Motion XT Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 900Hz and 2200Hz.
Frequency Response
HTM6 S2 has a frequency range of 72-28k Hz whereas Motion 50XTi has a frequency range of 50-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 50Hz, the Motion 50XTi can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the HTM6 S2's min frequency of 72Hz.
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 Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel Speakers
High Frequency
Center Channel Speakers
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
HTM6 S2 is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the Motion 50XTi which has a nominal impedance of 4 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Motion 50XTi can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. HTM6 S2 sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the Motion 50XTi's is rated at 94 dB. This 7 dB difference makes the MartinLogan 50XTi a more sensitive speaker compared to BW HTM6 S2 , hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Center Channel 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.
HTM6 S2 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS from the amp the whereas HTM6 S2 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS , 180 watts less than the Motion 50XTi.
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
Both HTM6 S2 and Motion 50XTi features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
BW HTM6 S2 's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
MartinLogan 50XTi's Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both HTM6 S2 and Motion 50XTi have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
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 BW HTM6 S2 's and MartinLogan 50XTi's external dimensions. BW HTM6 S2 has external dimensions of 162.0 x 482.0 x 281.0mm ( 6-3/8 x 18-15/16 x 11-1/16inch) whereas MartinLogan 50XTi has external dimensions of 196.0 x 585.0 x 347.0mm ( 7-11/16 x 23 x 13-5/8inch) .
MartinLogan 50XTi is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 103mm wider, 34mm taller and 66mm deeper than BW HTM6 S2 .
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the BW HTM6 S2 is approximately 1354.4cm2 / 209.9inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan 50XTi is approximately 2030.0cm2 / 314.7inch2. The HTM6 S2 requires 33% less surface area than the Motion 50XTi which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.