In this review, we will be comparing L100 Classic 80 and Motion XT F200, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from JBL and MartinLogan.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of JBL L100 Classic 80 and MartinLogan Motion XT F200 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | JBL L100 Classic 80 | MartinLogan Motion XT F200 |
|---|
| Brand | JBL
United States · founded 1946 | MartinLogan
United States · founded 1982 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Hard-Dome | 1.25 x 2.4" Folded Motion XT |
|---|
| Midrange | 5.25" | 6.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 12" Pulp | 3 x 8" Aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 40Hz-40k Hz | 27-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 92 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-200 watts | 20-600 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 26.59kg / 58.5lbs | 39.00kg / 85.8lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 25-5/16" x 15-3/8" x 14-7/16"
643.0 x 391.0 x 367.0mm | 50-3/4" x 13-3/4" x 16-1/2"
1289 x 349 x 419mm |
|---|
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both L100 Classic 80 and Motion XT F200 are 3-way speakers.
JBL L100 Classic 80MartinLogan 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 |
JBL L100 Classic 80 |
MartinLogan Motion XT F200 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1.25 x 2.4-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.25-inch |
1 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 12-inch
|
3 x 8-inch
|
L100 Classic 80 features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 1 x 12" Pulp 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
L100 Classic 80 has a frequency range of 40Hz-40k 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 significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the L100 Classic 80's min frequency of 40Hz.
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
L100 Classic 80 and Motion XT F200 have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. L100 Classic 80 sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the Motion XT F200's is at 92 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the MartinLogan Motion XT F200 a more sensitive speaker compared to JBL L100 Classic 80, 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 L100 Classic 80 and the L100 Classic 80 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 L100 Classic 80 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 400 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.
MartinLogan Motion XT F200
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both L100 Classic 80 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 JBL L100 Classic 80's and MartinLogan Motion XT F200's external dimensions. JBL L100 Classic 80 has external dimensions of 643.0 x 391.0 x 367.0mm (25-5/16inch x 15-3/8inch x 14-7/16inch) 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).
JBL L100 Classic 80 is 646mm shorter and 52mm less deeper than MartinLogan Motion XT F200 but it is also 42mm wider.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of JBL L100 Classic 80 and MartinLogan Motion XT F200 in scale.
Comparison image of JBL L100 Classic 80 and MartinLogan Motion XT F200 Size and External Dimensions
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 JBL L100 Classic 80 is approximately 1435.0cm2 / 222.4inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan Motion XT F200 is approximately 1462.3cm2 / 226.7inch2. The L100 Classic 80 requires 2% 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 JBL L100 Classic 80 weighs 26.59kg / 58.5lbs and the MartinLogan Motion XT F200 weighs 39.00kg / 85.8lbs. This makes the Motion XT F200 47% heavier than the L100 Classic 80.
Here is a comparison of how L100 Classic 80 and Motion XT F200's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
MartinLogan Motion XT F200
What's in the Box of JBL L100 Classic 80?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of L100 Classic 80:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 4 Terminal jumpers (pre-installed)
- 2 Speaker stands
- Quick Start Guide
 Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
643mm
vs
1289mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1435cm2
vs
1462cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Max Input Power |
600 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
92 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
|
Number of Woofers |
3
vs
1
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
27 Hz
vs
40 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Price per pair* |
5498USD
vs
6999USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
JBL L100 Classic 80 |
MartinLogan Motion® XT F200 |
| Brand |
JBL |
MartinLogan |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
25-200 watts |
20-600 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
92 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
40Hz-40k Hz |
27-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
3 |
| Woofer Size |
12" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Pulp |
Aluminum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1.25 x 2.4" |
| Tweeter Type |
Hard-Dome |
Folded Motion XT |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5.25" |
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 |
643.0mm (25.3") |
1289.0mm (50.7") |
| Width |
391.0mm (15.4") |
349.0mm (13.7") |
| Depth |
367.0mm (14.4") |
419.0mm (16.5") |
| Weight |
26.59kg (58.5lbs) |
39.00kg (85.8lbs) |
| Enclosure |
|
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/wood veneer |
MDF/Wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
Oak |
Gloss Black, Walnut, and Satin White |
| Recommended Stand Height |
9.3125" |
n/a |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5Yrs(spkr) / 1yr(stand) |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5Yrs(spkr) / 1yr(stand) |
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 | B | MartinLogan Motion XT F200 digs deeper - 27Hz against 40Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | MartinLogan Motion XT F200 is more sensitive (92dB vs 90dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | B | MartinLogan Motion XT F200 takes more power (600W vs 200W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | JBL L100 Classic 80 is easier to place; MartinLogan Motion XT F200 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | JBL L100 Classic 80: bi-amping; MartinLogan Motion XT F200: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | MartinLogan Motion XT F200 is cheaper - $5,498 against $6,999, about 21% less. |
A JBL L100 Classic 80 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 JBL L100 Classic 80 if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 40Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. 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, JBL L100 Classic 80 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.