In this review, we will be comparing RP-8000F II and Motion 40i, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Klipsch and MartinLogan. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Klipsch RP-8000F II and MartinLogan 40i first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the Klipsch RP-8000F II and MartinLogan 40i 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:
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Klipsch RP-8000F II and MartinLogan 40i 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 RP-8000F II is a 2-way design whereas the Motion 40i 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 RP-8000F II |
MartinLogan 40i |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1.0 x 1.4-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 5.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
RP-8000F II features a 1" titanium Tractrix Horn Tweeter and 2 x 8" Cerametallic cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1630 Hz. On the other hand, the Motion 40i features a 1.0 x 1.4" Folded Motion Tweeter , a 5.5" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 500Hz and 2600Hz.
Frequency Response
RP-8000F II has a frequency range of 32-25k Hz whereas Motion 40i has a frequency range of 40-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 32Hz, the RP-8000F II can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Motion 40i's min frequency of 40Hz.
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 Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing 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
RP-8000F II is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the Motion 40i 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 40i can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. RP-8000F II sensitivity is rated at 98 dB and the Motion 40i's is rated at 92 dB. This 6 dB difference makes the Klipsch RP-8000F II a more sensitive speaker compared to MartinLogan 40i, 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. 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.
RP-8000F II can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS from the amp the whereas RP-8000F II has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS , 150 watts less than the Motion 40i.
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 RP-8000F II and Motion 40i features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Klipsch RP-8000F II's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
MartinLogan 40i's Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both RP-8000F II and Motion 40i 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.
MartinLogan 40i Port
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 RP-8000F II's and MartinLogan 40i's external dimensions. Klipsch RP-8000F II has external dimensions of 1097.0 x 277.0 x 447.0mm ( 43-3/16 x 10-7/8 x 17-9/16inch) whereas MartinLogan 40i has external dimensions of 1055.0 x 193.0 x 332.0mm ( 41-1/2 x 7-9/16 x 13-1/16inch) .
Klipsch RP-8000F II is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 84mm wider, 42mm taller and 115mm deeper than MartinLogan 40i.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Klipsch RP-8000F II and MartinLogan 40i in scale.
Comparison image of Klipsch RP-8000F II and MartinLogan 40i 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 Klipsch RP-8000F II is approximately 1238.2cm2 / 191.9inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan 40i is approximately 640.8cm2 / 99.3inch2. The RP-8000F II requires 93% more surface area than the Motion 40i 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 Klipsch RP-8000F II weighs 28.00kg / 61.6lbs and the MartinLogan 40i weighs 20.40kg / 44.9lbs. This makes the RP-8000F II 37% heavier than the Motion 40i.
Here is a comparison of how RP-8000F II and Motion 40i's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of Klipsch RP-8000F II?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of RP-8000F II:
Floorstanding loudspeakerStabilizer feet (pre-installed)Grille2 Terminal jumpers (pre-installed)Rubber cap (pre-installed)User ManualImportant Safety InstructionsWarranty Information
What's in the Box of MartinLogan 40i?
Here are the items that come with the Motion 40i:
Floorstanding loudspeaker2 Grilles4 Rubber feet (pre-installed)4 Spike feet (w/ nuts attached)Users ManualWarranty/Registration Information
 Sensitivity |
98 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 |
8 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
32 Hz
vs
40 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Dolby Atmos Drivers |
Optional
vs
No
|
Dolby Atmos Compatibility |
 Price per pair* |
1798USD
vs
2600USD
|
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 |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Height |
1055mm
vs
1097mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
640cm2 (193x332mm)
vs
1238cm2 (277x447mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-8000F II |
MartinLogan Motion 40i |
| Brand |
Klipsch |
MartinLogan |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 150 watts |
20-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
98 dB |
92 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
32-25k Hz |
40-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Cerametallic cone |
Aluminum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1.0 x 1.4" |
| Tweeter Type |
Tractrix Horn |
Folded Motion |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
5.5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
1630 Hz |
500Hz and 2600Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
| Suggested Break-in Period |
n/a |
Allow 72 hours of break-in at 90 dB |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1097.0mm (43.2") |
1055.0mm (41.5") |
| Width |
277.0mm (10.9") |
193.0mm (7.6") |
| Depth |
447.0mm (17.6") |
332.0mm (13.1") |
| Weight |
28.00kg (61.6lbs) |
20.40kg (44.9lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
MDF/Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
Walnut, Black |
Gloss Black, Matt White, Red 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 |