In this review, we will be comparing Airmotiv C2+ and Motion 50XTi, two Passive Center Channel speakers from Emotiva and MartinLogan.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Emotiva Airmotiv C2+ and MartinLogan 50XTi first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Emotiva Airmotiv C2+ | MartinLogan 50XTi |
|---|
| Brand | Emotiva
United States · founded 2003 | MartinLogan
United States · founded 1982 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 25×32 mm" folded ribbon | 1.25 x 2.4" Folded Motion XT |
|---|
| Midrange | 2 x 3" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" woven fiber cone | 2 x 6.5" Aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 45 Hz – 28 kHz | 50-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 92 dB | 94 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | Up to 150 watts | 20-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 16.40kg / 36.1lbs | 13.86kg / 30.5lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 8-5/8" x 31-15/16" x 10-1/2"
220.0 x 812.0 x 267.0mm | 7-11/16" x 23" x 13-5/8"
196.0 x 585.0 x 347.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Emotiva Airmotiv C2+ 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* |
Emotiva Airmotiv C2+ |
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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Airmotiv C2+ and Motion 50XTi are 3-way speakers.
Emotiva Airmotiv C2+MartinLogan 50XTi
MidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Emotiva Airmotiv C2+ |
MartinLogan 50XTi |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
25×32 mm-inch
|
1.25 x 2.4-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
2 x 3-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
Airmotiv C2+ features a 25×32 mm" folded ribbon Tweeter, a 3" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" woven fiber cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 350 Hz and 3200Hz. 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
Airmotiv C2+ has a frequency range of 45 Hz – 28 kHz whereas Motion 50XTi has a frequency range of 50-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 45Hz, the Airmotiv C2+ can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Motion 50XTi's min frequency of 50Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel 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
Airmotiv C2+ and Motion 50XTi have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Airmotiv C2+ sensitivity is rated at 92 dB and the Motion 50XTi's is at 94 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the MartinLogan 50XTi a more sensitive speaker compared to Emotiva Airmotiv C2+, 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 Airmotiv C2+ and the Airmotiv C2+ can provide this impedance level.
Sensitivity
Center Channel 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 50XTi can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas Airmotiv C2+ has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 150 watts less than the Motion 50XTi.
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.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both Airmotiv C2+ and Motion 50XTi features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Emotiva Airmotiv C2+'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 Airmotiv C2+ 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.
Emotiva Airmotiv C2+ Port
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 Emotiva Airmotiv C2+'s and MartinLogan 50XTi's external dimensions. Emotiva Airmotiv C2+ has external dimensions of 220.0 x 812.0 x 267.0mm (8-5/8 x 31-15/16 x 10-1/2inch) 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 227mm narrower and 24mm shorter than Emotiva Airmotiv C2+ but it is also 80mm 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 Emotiva Airmotiv C2+ is approximately 2168.0cm2 / 336.0inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan 50XTi is approximately 2030.0cm2 / 314.7inch2. The Airmotiv C2+ requires 7% more surface area than the Motion 50XTi which gives it a small disadvantage 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 Emotiva Airmotiv C2+ weighs 16.40kg / 36.1lbs and the MartinLogan 50XTi weighs 13.86kg / 30.5lbs. This makes the Airmotiv C2+ 18% heavier than the Motion 50XTi.
Here is a comparison of how Airmotiv C2+ and Motion 50XTi's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Center Channel class.
Weight
All Center Channel Speakers
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
 Low Frequency Response |
45 Hz
vs
50 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Price per pair* |
499USD
vs
1200USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
150 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
94 dB
vs
92 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Height |
196mm
vs
220mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
2030cm2
vs
2168cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Emotiva Airmotiv C2+ |
MartinLogan Motion 50XTi |
| Brand |
Emotiva |
MartinLogan |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
Up to 150 watts |
20-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
92 dB |
94 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
45 Hz – 28 kHz |
50-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
woven fiber cone |
Aluminum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
25×32 mm" |
1.25 x 2.4" |
| Tweeter Type |
folded ribbon |
Folded Motion XT |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
3" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
350 Hz and 3200Hz |
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 |
220.0mm (8.7") |
196.0mm (7.7") |
| Width |
812.0mm (32") |
585.0mm (23") |
| Depth |
267.0mm (10.5") |
347.0mm (13.7") |
| Weight |
16.40kg (36.1lbs) |
13.86kg (30.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
HDF |
MDF/Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
Black |
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 |
These sit in different price classes - MartinLogan 50XTi costs roughly 2.4x what Emotiva Airmotiv C2+ does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | Emotiva Airmotiv C2+ digs deeper - 45Hz against 50Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | MartinLogan 50XTi is more sensitive (94dB vs 92dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | B | MartinLogan 50XTi takes more power (300W vs 150W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | depends | Emotiva Airmotiv C2+: bi-amping; MartinLogan 50XTi: bi-amping. MartinLogan 50XTi sits in a wider range (18 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | A | Emotiva Airmotiv C2+ is cheaper - $499 against $1,200, about 58% less; arguably a different class. |
A Emotiva Airmotiv C2+ B MartinLogan 50XTi
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 50XTi is ahead, but only on 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 140% more. That is a lot of money for a narrow margin on paper - Emotiva Airmotiv C2+ looks like the sensible buy unless something else about the MartinLogan 50XTi appeals to you. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 50Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate Emotiva Airmotiv C2+ the better fit for a small room, and MartinLogan 50XTi for a large room and a very large room.
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.