In this review, we will be comparing Stella Utopia EM Evo and Motion XT F200, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Focal and MartinLogan.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Focal Stella Utopia EM Evo and MartinLogan Motion XT F200 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Focal Stella Utopia EM Evo | MartinLogan Motion XT F200 |
|---|
| Brand | Focal
France · founded 1979 | MartinLogan
United States · founded 1982 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.1" Inverted Dome | 1.25 x 2.4" Folded Motion XT |
|---|
| Midrange | 2 x 6.5" | 6.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 13" W sandwich | 3 x 8" Aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 22-40k Hz | 27-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 94 dB | 92 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-1000 watts | 20-600 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 170.00kg / 374lbs | 39.00kg / 85.8lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 61-5/16" x 21-3/4" x 32-11/16"
1558.0 x 553.0 x 830.0mm | 50-3/4" x 13-3/4" x 16-1/2"
1289 x 349 x 419mm |
|---|
What size room are the Focal Stella Utopia EM Evo 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* |
Focal Stella Utopia EM Evo |
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
Both Stella Utopia EM Evo and Motion XT F200 are 3-way speakers.
Focal Stella Utopia EM EvoMartinLogan Motion XT F200
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Focal Stella Utopia EM Evo |
MartinLogan Motion XT F200 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1.25 x 2.4-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
2 x 6.5-inch |
1 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 13-inch
|
3 x 8-inch
|
Stella Utopia EM Evo features a 1.1" Beryllium Inverted Dome Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 1 x 13" W sandwich Woofer. 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
Stella Utopia EM Evo has a frequency range of 22-40k Hz whereas Motion XT F200 has a frequency range of 27-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 22Hz, the Stella Utopia EM Evo can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Motion XT F200's min frequency of 27Hz.
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
Stella Utopia EM Evo is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the Motion XT F200 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 XT F200 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Stella Utopia EM Evo sensitivity is rated at 94 dB and the Motion XT F200's is rated at 92 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Focal Stella Utopia EM Evo a more sensitive speaker compared to MartinLogan Motion XT F200, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
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.
Stella Utopia EM Evo can handle a max power of 1000 watts RMS, whereas Motion XT F200 has a max power handling value of 600 watts RMS, 400 watts less than the Stella Utopia EM Evo.
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.
Focal Stella Utopia EM Evo
MartinLogan Motion XT F200
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both Stella Utopia EM Evo and Motion XT F200 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
MartinLogan Motion XT F200's Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
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 Focal Stella Utopia EM Evo's and MartinLogan Motion XT F200's external dimensions. Focal Stella Utopia EM Evo has external dimensions of 1558.0 x 553.0 x 830.0mm (61-5/16 x 21-3/4 x 32-11/16inch) 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).
Focal Stella Utopia EM Evo is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 204mm wider, 269mm taller and 411mm deeper than MartinLogan Motion XT F200.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Focal Stella Utopia EM Evo needs about 214% more floor or shelf area. Focal Stella Utopia EM Evo is 411mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Focal Stella Utopia EM Evo is 269mm 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 Focal Stella Utopia EM Evo is approximately 4589.9cm2 / 711.4inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan Motion XT F200 is approximately 1462.3cm2 / 226.7inch2. The Stella Utopia EM Evo requires 214% more surface area than the Motion XT F200 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 Focal Stella Utopia EM Evo weighs 170.00kg / 374lbs and the MartinLogan Motion XT F200 weighs 39.00kg / 85.8lbs. This makes the Stella Utopia EM Evo 336% heavier than the Motion XT F200.
Here is a comparison of how Stella Utopia EM Evo and Motion XT F200's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
Focal Stella Utopia EM Evo
MartinLogan Motion XT F200
 Max Input Power |
1000 watts
vs
600 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
94 dB
vs
92 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
13 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
22 Hz
vs
27 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
|
Number of Woofers |
3
vs
1
|
More woofers |
 Height |
1289mm
vs
1558mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1462cm2
vs
4589cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
5498USD
vs
149998USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Focal Stella Utopia EM Evo |
MartinLogan Motion® XT F200 |
| Brand |
Focal |
MartinLogan |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
50-1000 watts |
20-600 watts |
| Sensitivity |
94 dB |
92 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
22-40k Hz |
27-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
3 |
| Woofer Size |
13" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
W sandwich |
Aluminum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.1" |
1.25 x 2.4" |
| Tweeter Type |
Inverted Dome |
Folded Motion XT |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
300Hz and 2600Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
bottom |
| Suggested Break-in Period |
n/a |
Allow 72 hours of break-in |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1558.0mm (61.3") |
1289.0mm (50.7") |
| Width |
553.0mm (21.8") |
349.0mm (13.7") |
| Depth |
830.0mm (32.7") |
419.0mm (16.5") |
| Weight |
170.00kg (374lbs) |
39.00kg (85.8lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Gloss Black, Walnut, and Satin White |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Focal Stella Utopia EM Evo costs roughly 27.3x what MartinLogan Motion XT F200 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 | Focal Stella Utopia EM Evo digs deeper - 22Hz against 27Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | A | Focal Stella Utopia EM Evo is more sensitive (94dB vs 92dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | A | Focal Stella Utopia EM Evo is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | A | Focal Stella Utopia EM Evo takes more power (1000W vs 600W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | MartinLogan Motion XT F200 is easier to place; Focal Stella Utopia EM Evo is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Focal Stella Utopia EM Evo: bi-amping; MartinLogan Motion XT F200: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | MartinLogan Motion XT F200 is cheaper - $5,498 against $149,998, about 96% less; arguably a different class. |
A Focal Stella Utopia EM Evo 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?
The usual trade-off: Focal Stella Utopia EM Evo measures better, MartinLogan Motion XT F200 costs about about 27.3x the price% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 27Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper MartinLogan Motion XT F200 much easier to justify. In a large or open-plan room, Focal Stella Utopia EM Evo has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, MartinLogan Motion XT F200 is the easier speaker to get right.
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.