BW HTM71 S2 vs MartinLogan 50XTi Comparison

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BW HTM71 S2

Passive Center Channel | 50-28k Hz

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MartinLogan 50XTi

Passive Center Channel | 50-25k Hz

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BW HTM71 S2

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MartinLogan 50XTi

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BW HTM71 S2

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MartinLogan 50XTi

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BW HTM71 S2 vs MartinLogan 50XTi Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing HTM71 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 HTM71 S2 and MartinLogan 50XTi first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

BW HTM71 S2 Key Specs

3-way Design

1" Decoupled Carbon Dome Tweeter

4" Midrange

2 x 6.5" Aerofoil Profile Woofer

50-28k Hz Frequency Response

89 dB Sensitivity

Impedance: 8ohms

Power Range:30-200watts

Weight:18.05kg

Dimensions (H x W x D): 228.0" x 23-1/4" x 11-7/8"( 228.0 x 591.0 x 302.0mm )

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 HTM71 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 HTM71 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 HTM71 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.

**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Drivers

Both HTM71 S2 and Motion 50XTi are 3-way speakers.

Driver	BW HTM71 S2	MartinLogan 50XTi
Driver Setup	3-way	3-way
Tweeter	1-inch	1.25 x 2.4-inch
Midrange	1 x 4-inch	-
Woofer	2 x 6.5-inch	2 x 6.5-inch

HTM71 S2 features a 1" Decoupled Carbon Dome Tweeter , a 4" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Aerofoil Profile 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

HTM71 S2 has a frequency range of 50-28k Hz whereas Motion 50XTi has a frequency range of 50-25k Hz.

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

HTM71 S2

Motion 50XTi

Min

Average

Max

High Frequency

Center Channel Speakers

BW HTM71 S2

MartinLogan 50XTi

Min

Average

Max

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

HTM71 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. HTM71 S2 sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the Motion 50XTi's is rated at 94 dB. This 5 dB difference makes the MartinLogan 50XTi a more sensitive speaker compared to BW HTM71 S2, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.

Sensitivity

Center Channel Speakers

HTM71 S2

Motion 50XTi

Min

Average

Max

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.

HTM71 S2 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS from the amp the whereas HTM71 S2 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS , 100 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 HTM71 S2 and Motion 50XTi features dual binding post speaker terminals for 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 HTM71 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 HTM71 S2's and MartinLogan 50XTi's external dimensions. BW HTM71 S2 has external dimensions of 228.0 x 591.0 x 302.0mm ( 8-15/16 x 23-1/4 x 11-7/8inch) 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 6mm narrower and 32mm shorter than BW HTM71 S2 but it is also 45mm deeper.

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 HTM71 S2 is approximately 1784.8cm² / 276.6inch² and base area of the MartinLogan 50XTi is approximately 2030.0cm² / 314.7inch². The HTM71 S2 requires 12% less surface area than the Motion 50XTi which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.

Weight Comparison

The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The BW HTM71 S2 weighs 18.05kg / 39.7lbs and the MartinLogan 50XTi weighs 13.86kg / 30.5lbs. This makes the HTM71 S2 30% heavier than the Motion 50XTi.

Here is a comparison of how HTM71 S2 and Motion 50XTi's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Center Channel class.

Weight
All Center Channel Speakers

BW HTM71 S2

MartinLogan 50XTi

Min

Average

Max

What's in the Box of BW HTM71 S2?

Here are the items that are included inside the box of HTM71 S2:

Center-channel loudspeaker

Grille

2 Two-piece foam port plugs

4 Self-adhesive rubber feet

4 Jumper-straps (pre-installed)

Manual

Bowers Wilkins brochure

Warranty Information

What's in the Box of MartinLogan 50XTi?

Here are the items that come with the Motion 50XTi:

Center-channel loudspeaker

Grille

4 Rubber feet

Users Manual

Warranty/Registration Information

Reasons to choose Bowers & Wilkins HTM71 S2 over MartinLogan Motion 50XTi

Nominal Impedance	8 ohms vs 4 ohms	Less selective with amplifiers
High Frequency Response	28k Hz vs 25k Hz	Generates higher frequency
Base Surface Area	1784cm² vs 2030cm²	Takes less floor space

Reasons to choose MartinLogan Motion 50XTi over Bowers & Wilkins HTM71 S2

Max Input Power	300 watts vs 200 watts	Handle more power from your amplifier
Sensitivity	94 dB vs 89 dB	Play louder with same amount of amplification power
Height	196mm vs 228mm	Easier to fit in smaller spaces
Price per pair*	1200USD vs 1999USD	costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)

BW HTM71 S2 vs MartinLogan 50XTi Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Bowers & Wilkins HTM71 S2	MartinLogan Motion 50XTi
Brand	Bowers Wilkins	MartinLogan
Speaker Type	Center channel speaker	Center channel speaker
Power Range	30-200 watts	20-300 watts
Sensitivity	89 dB	94 dB
Impedance	8 ohms	4 ohms
Impedance	3.0 ohms	n/a
Frequency Response	50-28k Hz	50-25k Hz
Drivers
Woofer Quantity	2	2
Woofer Size	6.5"	6.5"
Woofer Composition	Aerofoil Profile	Aluminum
Woofer Surround Material	Rubber	Rubber
Tweeter Size	1"	1.25 x 2.4"
Tweeter Type	Decoupled Carbon Dome	Folded Motion XT
Aimable Tweeter	No	No
Midrange Driver	4"	No
Crossover Frequency	n/a	900Hz and 2200Hz
Firing Direction	rear	rear
Suggested Break-in Period	n/a	Allow 72 hours of break-in at 90 dB
Physical Specs
Height	228.0mm (9")	196.0mm (7.7")
Width	591.0mm (23.3")	585.0mm (23")
Depth	302.0mm (11.9")	347.0mm (13.7")
Weight	18.05kg (39.7lbs)	13.86kg (30.5lbs)
Enclosure	Bass Reflex	Bass Reflex
Finish	n/a	MDF/Lacquer
Available Colors	Gloss Black, Satin White, Rosenut	Walnut
Grille	Yes	Yes
Moisture Resistancy	No	No
Connections
Biamp Inputs	Yes	Yes
Other
Parts Warranty	5 Years	5 Years
Labor Warranty	5 Years	5 Years