In this review, we will be comparing RC-64 III and Motion 50XTi, two Passive Center Channel speakers from Klipsch and MartinLogan.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Klipsch RC-64 III and MartinLogan 50XTi first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Klipsch RC-64 III Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1-3/4" Tractrix horn Tweeter
- 4 x 6.5" Cerametallic cone Woofer
- 57-24k Hz Frequency Response
- 99 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:up to 200watts
- Weight:25.00kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 204.0" x 35-3/4" x 15-1/4"( 204.0 x 909.0 x 388.0mm )
MartinLogan 50XTi Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1.25 x 2.4" Folded Motion XT Tweeter
- 2 x 6.5" Aluminum Woofer
- 50-25k Hz Frequency Response
- 94 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:20-300watts
- Weight:13.86kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 196.0" x 23" x 13-5/8"( 196.0 x 585.0 x 347.0mm )
What size room are the Klipsch RC-64 III 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* |
Klipsch RC-64 III |
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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Klipsch RC-64 III and MartinLogan 50XTi compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that RC-64 III is a 2-way design whereas the Motion 50XTi 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.
| Driver |
Klipsch RC-64 III |
MartinLogan 50XTi |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-3/4-inch
|
1.25 x 2.4-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
4 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
RC-64 III features a 1-3/4" titanium Tractrix horn Tweeter and 4 x 6.5" Cerametallic cone Woofer . 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
RC-64 III has a frequency range of 57-24k Hz whereas Motion 50XTi has a frequency range of 50-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 50Hz, the Motion 50XTi can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the RC-64 III's min frequency of 57Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel Speakers
High Frequency
Center Channel Speakers
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
RC-64 III is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the Motion 50XTi 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 50XTi can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. RC-64 III sensitivity is rated at 99 dB and the Motion 50XTi's is rated at 94 dB. This 5 dB difference makes the Klipsch RC-64 III a more sensitive speaker compared to MartinLogan 50XTi, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Center Channel Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. While using
an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the
max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
RC-64 III can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS from the amp the whereas RC-64 III has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS , 100 watts less than the Motion 50XTi.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both RC-64 III and Motion 50XTi features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Klipsch RC-64 III'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
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Klipsch RC-64 III's and MartinLogan 50XTi's external dimensions. Klipsch RC-64 III has external dimensions of 204.0 x 909.0 x 388.0mm ( 8 x 35-3/4 x 15-1/4inch) whereas MartinLogan 50XTi has external dimensions of 196.0 x 585.0 x 347.0mm ( 7-11/16 x 23 x 13-5/8inch) .
Klipsch RC-64 III is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 324mm wider, 8mm taller and 41mm deeper than MartinLogan 50XTi.
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 Klipsch RC-64 III is approximately 3526.9cm2 / 546.7inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan 50XTi is approximately 2030.0cm2 / 314.7inch2. The RC-64 III requires 74% more surface area than the Motion 50XTi which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.