In this review, we will be comparing Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB and Motion XT F200, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from ELAC and MartinLogan.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Elac Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB and MartinLogan Motion XT F200 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Elac Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB | MartinLogan Motion XT F200 |
|---|
| Brand | ELAC
Germany · founded 1926 | MartinLogan
United States · founded 1982 |
|---|
| Design | 4-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | JET 6 AMT | 1.25 x 2.4" Folded Motion XT |
|---|
| Midrange | 6" | 6.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 7" AS XR cone | 3 x 8" Aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 28-50k Hz | 27-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 92 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | Up to 280 watts | 20-600 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 32.10kg / 70.6lbs | 39.00kg / 85.8lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 51.5" x 10.9" x 13"
1307 x 276 x 332 mm | 50-3/4" x 13-3/4" x 16-1/2"
1289 x 349 x 419mm |
|---|
What size room are the Elac Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB and MartinLogan Motion XT F200 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* |
Elac Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB |
MartinLogan Motion XT F200 |
| Near-field |
Are you nuts? |
Are you nuts? |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Good |
Good |
(* 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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB is a 4-way design whereas the Motion XT F200 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.
Elac Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GBMartinLogan Motion XT F200
MidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Elac Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB |
MartinLogan Motion XT F200 |
|
Driver Setup
|
4-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
1.25 x 2.4-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6-inch |
1 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 7-inch
|
3 x 8-inch
|
Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB features a " JET 6 AMT Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 2 x 7" AS XR cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 140 Hz, 360 Hz, 2700 Hz. On the other hand, the Motion XT F200 features a 1.25 x 2.4" Folded Motion XT Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 3 x 8" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 300Hz and 2600Hz.
Frequency Response
Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB has a frequency range of 28-50k Hz whereas Motion XT F200 has a frequency range of 27-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 27Hz, the Motion XT F200 can go slightly deeper then the Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB's min frequency of 28Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB and Motion XT F200 have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the Motion XT F200's is at 92 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the MartinLogan Motion XT F200 a more sensitive speaker compared to Elac Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
One thing to keep in mind that the lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit comared to higher impedance speakers especially at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB and the Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB can provide this impedance level.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Motion XT F200 can handle a max power of 600 watts RMS, whereas Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB has a max power handling value of 280 watts RMS, 320 watts less than the Motion XT F200.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Elac Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB
MartinLogan Motion XT F200
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB and Motion XT F200 have bottom firing ports.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Elac Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB's and MartinLogan Motion XT F200's external dimensions. Elac Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB has external dimensions of 1307 x 276 x 332 mm (51.5 x 10.9 x 13 inches) whereas MartinLogan Motion XT F200 has external dimensions of 1289 x 349 x 419mm (50-3/4inch x 13-3/4inch x 16-1/2inch).
Elac Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB is 73mm narrower and 87mm less deeper than MartinLogan Motion XT F200 but it is also 18mm taller.
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 Elac Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB is approximately 916.3cm2 / 142.0inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan Motion XT F200 is approximately 1462.3cm2 / 226.7inch2. The Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB requires 37% less surface area than the Motion XT F200 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 Elac Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB weighs 32.10kg / 70.6lbs and the MartinLogan Motion XT F200 weighs 39.00kg / 85.8lbs. This makes the Motion XT F200 21% heavier than the Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB.
Here is a comparison of how Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB and Motion XT F200's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
Elac Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB
MartinLogan Motion XT F200
 Driver Setup |
4-way
vs
3-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 High Frequency Response |
50k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Base Surface Area |
916cm2
vs
1462cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Max Input Power |
600 watts
vs
280 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
92 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
7 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
27 Hz
vs
28 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
1289mm
vs
1307mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
5498USD
vs
7999USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Elac Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB |
MartinLogan Motion® XT F200 |
| Brand |
ELAC |
MartinLogan |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
Up to 280 watts |
20-600 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
92 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.4 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
28-50k Hz |
27-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
3 |
| Woofer Size |
7" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
AS XR cone |
Aluminum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
1.25 x 2.4" |
| Tweeter Type |
JET 6 AMT |
Folded Motion XT |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6" |
6.5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
140 Hz, 360 Hz, 2700 Hz |
300Hz and 2600Hz |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
bottom |
| Suggested Break-in Period |
n/a |
Allow 72 hours of break-in |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1307.0mm (51.5") |
1289.0mm (50.7") |
| Width |
276.0mm (10.9") |
349.0mm (13.7") |
| Depth |
332.0mm (13.1") |
419.0mm (16.5") |
| Weight |
32.10kg (70.6lbs) |
39.00kg (85.8lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
Black High Gloss, White High Gloss, Walnut High Gloss |
Gloss Black, Walnut, and Satin White |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (28Hz vs 27Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | B | MartinLogan Motion XT F200 is more sensitive (92dB vs 89dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | B | MartinLogan Motion XT F200 takes more power (600W vs 280W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Elac Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB is easier to place; MartinLogan Motion XT F200 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | B | MartinLogan Motion XT F200: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | MartinLogan Motion XT F200 is cheaper - $5,498 against $7,999, about 31% less. |
A Elac Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB B MartinLogan Motion XT F200
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
MartinLogan Motion XT F200 is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take Elac Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. In a large or open-plan room, MartinLogan Motion XT F200 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Elac Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB is the easier speaker to get right. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, MartinLogan Motion XT F200 is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.