In this review, we will be comparing Motion 15i and Motion LX16, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by MartinLogan.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan 15i and MartinLogan LX16 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | MartinLogan 15i | MartinLogan LX16 |
|---|
| Brand | MartinLogan
United States · founded 1982 | MartinLogan
United States · founded 1982 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.0 x 1.4" Folded Motion | 1.0 x 1.4" Folded Motion |
|---|
| Woofer | 5.25" Aluminum | 5.25" Aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 60-25k Hz | 60-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 92 dB | 92 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 5 ohms | 5 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-200 watts | 20-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 5.40kg / 11.9lbs | 5.40kg / 11.9lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 11.4" x 6.8" x 9.4"
290.0 x 173.0 x 240.0mm | 11.0" x 6.4" x 9.5"
280.0 x 165.0 x 242.0mm |
|---|
Motion 15i and Motion LX16 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 15i and MartinLogan LX16 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 15i |
MartinLogan LX16 |
| 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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Motion 15i and Motion LX16 are 2-way speakers.
MartinLogan 15iMartinLogan LX16
Woofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
MartinLogan 15i |
MartinLogan LX16 |
|
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 15i 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 LX16 features a 1.0 x 1.4" Folded Motion Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2700Hz.
Frequency Response
Motion 15i and Motion LX16 has exactly the same frequency range of 60-25k Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf 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
Motion 15i and Motion LX16 have the same Impedance of 5 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 92 dB.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Motion 15i and Motion LX16 have the same power range of 20-200 watts.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
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.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Motion 15i features Custom 5-way binding posts type posts and Motion LX16 has a Custom 5-way binding posts type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
MartinLogan 15i's Custom 5-way tool-less binding posts terminals
MartinLogan LX16's Custom 5-way binding posts terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Motion 15i and Motion LX16 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
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 MartinLogan 15i's and MartinLogan LX16's external dimensions. MartinLogan 15i has external dimensions of 290.0 x 173.0 x 240.0mm (11.4 x 6.8 x 9.4inch) whereas MartinLogan LX16 has external dimensions of 280.0 x 165.0 x 242.0mm (11.0 x 6.4 x 9.5inch).
MartinLogan LX16 is 8mm narrower and 10mm shorter than MartinLogan 15i but it is also 2mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of MartinLogan 15i and MartinLogan LX16 in scale.
Comparison image of MartinLogan 15i and MartinLogan LX16 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 MartinLogan 15i is approximately 415.2cm2 / 64.4inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan LX16 is approximately 399.3cm2 / 61.9inch2. The Motion 15i requires 4% more surface area than the Motion LX16 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Here is another comparison that shows both speakers on a BDI Octave Media Cabinet, next to a standard size amplifier and turntable in scale:
Size Comparison image of MartinLogan 15i and MartinLogan LX16 on a Media Console
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 MartinLogan 15i weighs 5.40kg / 11.9lbs and the MartinLogan LX16 weighs 5.40kg / 11.9lbs.
Here is a comparison of how Motion 15i and Motion LX16's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of MartinLogan 15i?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Motion 15i:
- Bookshelf loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Rubber feet
- Users Manual
- Warranty/Registration Information
What's in the Box of MartinLogan LX16?
Here are the items that come with the Motion LX16:
- Bookshelf loudspeaker
- Magnetic grille
- 4 Rubber bumpers
- User's Manual (En/Fr)
 Mounting Bracket |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows mounting on walls |
 Height |
280mm
vs
290mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
399cm2
vs
415cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
480USD
vs
900USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
MartinLogan Motion 15i |
MartinLogan Motion LX16 |
| Brand |
MartinLogan |
MartinLogan |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
20-200 watts |
20-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
92 dB |
92 dB |
| Impedance |
5 ohms |
5 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
60-25k Hz |
60-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminum |
Aluminum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.0 x 1.4" |
1.0 x 1.4" |
| Tweeter Type |
Folded Motion |
Folded Motion |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2700Hz |
2700Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
| Suggested Break-in Period |
Allow 72 hours of break-in at 90 dB |
Allow 72 hours of break-in at 90 dB |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
290.0mm (11.4") |
280.0mm (11") |
| Width |
173.0mm (6.8") |
165.0mm (6.5") |
| Depth |
240.0mm (9.4") |
242.0mm (9.5") |
| Weight |
5.40kg (11.9lbs) |
5.40kg (11.9lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Lacquer |
Piano Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
Gloss Black, Matt White, Red Walnut |
Cherry (dark) |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
3/18-16 threaded insert |
| Recommended Stand Height |
26-28" |
28-31" |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Yrs w/Registration |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Yrs w/Registration |
Siblings in MartinLogan's Motion series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (60Hz vs 60Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (92dB vs 92dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (200W vs 200W). |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Price | B | MartinLogan LX16 is cheaper - $480 against $900, about 47% less; arguably a different class. |
A MartinLogan 15i B MartinLogan LX16
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $420 saved by taking the cheaper pair would buy a subwoofer or a better amplifier, and either usually does more for the sound than the difference between these two.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.