In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by MartinLogan. MartinLogan Motion 15 is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the Motion 30i is a Center Channel speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan 15 and MartinLogan 30i first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
MartinLogan 15 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1.0 x 1.4" Folded Motion Tweeter
- 5.25" Aluminum Woofer
- 60-25k Hz Frequency Response
- 92 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 5ohms
- Power Range:20-200watts
- Weight:5.40kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 290.0" x 6.8" x 9.4"( 290.0 x 173.0 x 240.0mm )
MartinLogan 30i Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1.0 x 1.4" Folded Motion Tweeter
- 5.25" Aluminum Woofer
- 65-25k Hz Frequency Response
- 91 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:20-200watts
- Weight:8.18kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 177.0" x 16-5/8" x 11-1/16"( 177.0 x 423.0 x 281.0mm )
Motion 15 and Motion 30i are members of MartinLogan's Motion series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
MartinLogan Motion Series History
What size room are the MartinLogan 15 and MartinLogan 30i 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* |
MartinLogan 15 |
MartinLogan 30i |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the MartinLogan 15 and MartinLogan 30i 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
Both Motion 15 and Motion 30i are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
MartinLogan 15 |
MartinLogan 30i |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.0 x 1.4-inch
|
1.0 x 1.4-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
Motion 15 features a 1.0 x 1.4" Folded Motion Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2700Hz. On the other hand, the Motion 30i features a 1.0 x 1.4" Folded Motion Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 400Hz and 2600Hz.
Frequency Response
Motion 15 has a frequency range of 60-25k Hz whereas Motion 30i has a frequency range of 65-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 60Hz, the Motion 15 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Motion 30i's min frequency of 65Hz.
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 Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
High Frequency
Bookshelf 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
Motion 15 is a 5 ohms speaker compared to the Motion 30i 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 30i can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Motion 15 sensitivity is rated at 92 dB and the Motion 30i's is rated at 91 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the MartinLogan 15 a more sensitive speaker compared to MartinLogan 30i, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf 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.
Motion 15 and Motion 30i has the same power range of 20-200 watts.
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
Motion 15 features Custom 5-way tool-less binding posts type posts and Motion 30i has a Custom 5-way tool-less binding posts type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
MartinLogan 30i's Custom 5-way tool-less binding posts terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Motion 15 and Motion 30i 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.
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 MartinLogan 15's and MartinLogan 30i's external dimensions. MartinLogan 15 has external dimensions of 290.0 x 173.0 x 240.0mm ( 11.4 x 6.8 x 9.4inch) whereas MartinLogan 30i has external dimensions of 177.0 x 423.0 x 281.0mm ( 6-15/16 x 16-5/8 x 11-1/16inch) .
MartinLogan 15 is 250mm narrower and 41mm less deeper than MartinLogan 30i but it is also 113mm 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 MartinLogan 15 is approximately 415.2cm2 / 64.4inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan 30i is approximately 1188.6cm2 / 184.2inch2. The Motion 15 requires 65% less surface area than the Motion 30i which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of MartinLogan 15?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Motion 15:
Bookshelf loudspeaker Grille 4 Rubber feet Users Manual Warranty/Registration Information
What's in the Box of MartinLogan 30i?
Here are the items that come with the Motion 30i:
Center-channel loudspeaker Grille 4 Rubber feet Users Manual Warranty/Registration Information
Sensitivity 
Nominal Impedance 
Low Frequency Response 
Base Surface Area 
Height