In this review, we will be comparing R6 Meta and Motion C10, two Passive Center Channel speakers from KEF and MartinLogan.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KEF R6 Meta and MartinLogan Motion C10 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | KEF R6 Meta | MartinLogan Motion C10 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Uni-Q driver | 12th Generation Uni-Q | — |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Hard-Dome | 1.0 x 1.4" Folded Motion Ribbon |
|---|
| Midrange | 5" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Hybrid Aluminum | 2 x 5.5" Woven Fiberglass |
|---|
| Frequency response | 65-28k Hz | 63-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 93 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 15-250 watts | 20-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 17.82kg / 39.2lbs | 10.70kg / 23.5lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 7-15/16" x 24-5/8" x 13-5/16"
202.0 x 626.0 x 339.0mm | 7-1/4" x 19" x 11-1/2"
184 x 483 x 293mm |
|---|
What size room are the KEF R6 Meta and MartinLogan Motion C10 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* |
KEF R6 Meta |
MartinLogan Motion C10 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
Poor |
(* 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.
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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that R6 Meta is a 3-way design whereas the Motion C10 is a 2-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.
KEF R6 MetaMartinLogan Motion C10
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
KEF R6 Meta |
MartinLogan Motion C10 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1.0 x 1.4-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 5.5-inch
|
R6 Meta features a 1" Aluminum with MAT absorber Hard-Dome Tweeter, a 5" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Hybrid Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 500Hz and 2400Hz. On the other hand, the Motion C10 features a 1.0 x 1.4" Folded Motion Ribbon Tweeter and 2 x 5.5" Woven Fiberglass Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1000Hz and 2000Hz.
Frequency Response
R6 Meta has a frequency range of 65-28k Hz whereas Motion C10 has a frequency range of 63-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 63Hz, the Motion C10 can go slightly deeper then the R6 Meta's min frequency of 65Hz.
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
R6 Meta and Motion C10 have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. R6 Meta sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the Motion C10's is at 93 dB. This 5 dB difference makes the MartinLogan Motion C10 a more sensitive speaker compared to KEF R6 Meta, 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 R6 Meta and the R6 Meta 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.
R6 Meta can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS, whereas Motion C10 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the R6 Meta.
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
R6 Meta features Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Motion C10 has a Custom 5-way binding posts which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
KEF R6 Meta's Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
MartinLogan Motion C10's Custom 5-way binding posts terminals
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 KEF R6 Meta's and MartinLogan Motion C10's external dimensions. KEF R6 Meta has external dimensions of 202.0 x 626.0 x 339.0mm (7-15/16-inch x 24-5/8-inch x 13-5/16-inch) whereas MartinLogan Motion C10 has external dimensions of 184 x 483 x 293mm (7-1/4inch x 19inch x 11-1/2inch).
KEF R6 Meta is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 143mm wider, 18mm taller and 46mm deeper than MartinLogan Motion C10.
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 KEF R6 Meta is approximately 2122.1cm2 / 328.9inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan Motion C10 is approximately 1415.2cm2 / 219.4inch2. The R6 Meta requires 50% more surface area than the Motion C10 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 KEF R6 Meta weighs 17.82kg / 39.2lbs and the MartinLogan Motion C10 weighs 10.70kg / 23.5lbs. This makes the R6 Meta 67% heavier than the Motion C10.
Here is a comparison of how R6 Meta and Motion C10'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 KEF R6 Meta?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of R6 Meta:
- 1 R2 Meta
- 1 microfiber grille
- Rubber feet
- User manual and warranty information
 Max Input Power |
250 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Sensitivity |
93 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
|
Low Frequency Response |
63 Hz
vs
65 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
184mm
vs
202mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1415cm2
vs
2122cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1998USD
vs
1999USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
KEF R6 Meta |
MartinLogan Motion® C10 |
| Brand |
KEF |
MartinLogan |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
15-250 watts |
20-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
93 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.2 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
65-28k Hz |
63-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
5.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Hybrid Aluminum |
Woven Fiberglass |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1.0 x 1.4" |
| Tweeter Type |
Hard-Dome |
Folded Motion Ribbon |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
500Hz and 2400Hz |
1000Hz and 2000Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
| Suggested Break-in Period |
n/a |
Allow 72 hours of break-in |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
202.0mm (8") |
184.0mm (7.2") |
| Width |
626.0mm (24.6") |
483.0mm (19") |
| Depth |
339.0mm (13.3") |
293.0mm (11.5") |
| Weight |
17.82kg (39.2lbs) |
10.70kg (23.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Sealed |
Bass Reflex |
| Available Colors |
Black Gloss, White Gloss, Walnut |
Gloss Black, Walnut, and Satin White |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 years |
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 (65Hz vs 63Hz). |
| Amplifier needs |
B |
MartinLogan Motion C10 is more sensitive (93dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom |
A |
KEF R6 Meta takes more power (250W vs 200W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size |
depends |
MartinLogan Motion C10 is easier to place; KEF R6 Meta is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Cabinet |
depends |
Sealed vs Ported. Sealed is tighter and happier near a wall; ported digs lower but wants space behind it. |
| Expandability |
A |
KEF R6 Meta: bi-amping. |
| Price |
evenly matched |
Much the same money ($1,999 vs $1,998 a pair). |
A KEF R6 Meta
B MartinLogan Motion C10
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, placement 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?
KEF R6 Meta has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. Match it to your room: we rate KEF R6 Meta the better fit for a large room and a very large room, and MartinLogan Motion C10 for a small room. In a large or open-plan room, KEF R6 Meta has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, MartinLogan Motion C10 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.