In this review, we will be comparing 2.7i and Motion XT F200, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Magnepan and MartinLogan.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Magnepan 2.7i and MartinLogan Motion XT F200 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Magnepan 2.7i | MartinLogan Motion XT F200 |
|---|
| Design | — | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | — | 1.25 x 2.4" Folded Motion XT |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 6.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | — | 3 x 8" Aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 40-30k Hz | 27-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86 dB | 92 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | — | 20-600 watts |
|---|
| Weight | — | 39.00kg / 85.8lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 71" x 22" x 1.75"
1803.4 x 558.8 x 44.5mm | 50-3/4" x 13-3/4" x 16-1/2"
1289 x 349 x 419mm |
|---|
What size room are the Magnepan 2.7i 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* |
Magnepan 2.7i |
MartinLogan Motion XT F200 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Are you nuts? |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
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.
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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that 2.7i is a -way design whereas the Motion XT F200 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 |
Magnepan 2.7i |
MartinLogan Motion XT F200 |
|
Driver Setup
|
-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
1.25 x 2.4-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
x -inch
|
3 x 8-inch
|
2.7i features a " Tweeter and x " 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
2.7i has a frequency range of 40-30k 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 2.7i'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
2.7i and Motion XT F200 have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. 2.7i sensitivity is rated at 86 dB and the Motion XT F200's is at 92 dB. This 6 dB difference makes the MartinLogan Motion XT F200 a more sensitive speaker compared to Magnepan 2.7i, 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 2.7i and the 2.7i can provide this impedance level.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
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
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 Magnepan 2.7i's and MartinLogan Motion XT F200's external dimensions. Magnepan 2.7i has external dimensions of 1803.4 x 558.8 x 44.5mm (71 x 22 x 1.75inch) 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).
MartinLogan Motion XT F200 is 209.8mm narrower and 514.4mm shorter than Magnepan 2.7i but it is also 374.5mm deeper.
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 Magnepan 2.7i is approximately 248.7cm2 / 38.5inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan Motion XT F200 is approximately 1462.3cm2 / 226.7inch2. The 2.7i requires 83% less surface area than the Motion XT F200 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.