In this review, we will be comparing MC1 and Motion SLM X3, two Passive On-wall speakers from Magnepan and MartinLogan.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Magnepan MC1 and MartinLogan Motion SLM X3 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Magnepan MC1 | MartinLogan Motion SLM X3 |
|---|
| Brand | Magnepan
United States · founded 1969 | MartinLogan
United States · founded 1982 |
|---|
| Design | — | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | — | AMT |
|---|
| Woofer | — | 6 x 4" Aluminium |
|---|
| Frequency response | 80-24k Hz | 120-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 93 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | — | 20-140 watts |
|---|
| Weight | — | 5.90kg / 13lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 38.25" x 10.25" x 1"
971.6 x 260.4 x 25.4mm | 6-3/8" x 48-1/16" x 2"
162.0 x 1220.0 x 51.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Magnepan MC1 and MartinLogan Motion SLM X3 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 MC1 |
MartinLogan Motion SLM X3 |
| Near-field |
Good |
Good |
| Small Room |
Good |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
No way |
(* 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.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that MC1 is a -way design whereas the Motion SLM X3 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.
| Driver |
Magnepan MC1 |
MartinLogan Motion SLM X3 |
|
Driver Setup
|
-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
x -inch
|
6 x 4-inch
|
MC1 features a " Tweeter and x " Woofer. On the other hand, the Motion SLM X3 features a " Folded Motion AMT Tweeter and 6 x 4" Aluminium Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 3,000 Hz.
Frequency Response
MC1 has a frequency range of 80-24k Hz whereas Motion SLM X3 has a frequency range of 120-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 80Hz, the MC1 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Motion SLM X3's min frequency of 120Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the On-wall class in our database.
Low Frequency
On-wall 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
MC1 and Motion SLM X3 have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. MC1 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the Motion SLM X3's is at 93 dB. This 5 dB difference makes the MartinLogan Motion SLM X3 a more sensitive speaker compared to Magnepan MC1, 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 MC1 and the MC1 can provide this impedance level.
Sensitivity
On-wall 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 SLM X3
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 MC1's and MartinLogan Motion SLM X3's external dimensions. Magnepan MC1 has external dimensions of 971.6 x 260.4 x 25.4mm (38.25 x 10.25 x 1inch) whereas MartinLogan Motion SLM X3 has external dimensions of 162.0 x 1220.0 x 51.0mm (6-3/8 x 48-1/16 x 2inch).
Magnepan MC1 is 959.6mm narrower and 25.6mm less deeper than MartinLogan Motion SLM X3 but it is also 809.6mm taller.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
MartinLogan Motion SLM X3 needs about 841% more floor or shelf area. MartinLogan Motion SLM X3 is 26mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Magnepan MC1 is 810mm taller.
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 MC1 is approximately 66.1cm2 / 10.2inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan Motion SLM X3 is approximately 622.2cm2 / 96.4inch2. The MC1 requires 89% less surface area than the Motion SLM X3 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.