In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by MartinLogan. MartinLogan Motion 30i is a Center Channel speaker whereas the Motion 35XTi is a Bookshelf speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan 30i and MartinLogan 35XTi first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
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 )
MartinLogan 35XTi Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1.25 x 2.4" Folded Motion XT Tweeter
- 6.5" Aluminum Woofer
- 50-25k Hz Frequency Response
- 92 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:20-250watts
- Weight:8.40kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 343.0" x 7.5" x 11.8"( 343.0 x 192.0 x 300.0mm )
Motion 30i and Motion 35XTi 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 30i and MartinLogan 35XTi 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 30i |
MartinLogan 35XTi |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Average |
(* 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 30i and MartinLogan 35XTi compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking
through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
Both Motion 30i and Motion 35XTi are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
MartinLogan 30i |
MartinLogan 35XTi |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.0 x 1.4-inch
|
1.25 x 2.4-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
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. On the other hand, the Motion 35XTi features a 1.25 x 2.4" Folded Motion XT Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2200Hz.
Frequency Response
Motion 30i has a frequency range of 65-25k Hz whereas Motion 35XTi has a frequency range of 50-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 50Hz, the Motion 35XTi 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 Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel Speakers
High Frequency
Center Channel 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 30i and Motion 35XTi have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Motion 30i sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the Motion 35XTi's is at 92 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the MartinLogan 35XTi a more sensitive speaker compared to MartinLogan 30i, 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 Motion 30i and the Motion 30i can provide this impedance level.
Sensitivity
Center Channel 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 30i can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Motion 30i has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS , 50 watts less than the Motion 35XTi.
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 35XTi features Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Motion 30i has a Custom 5-way tool-less binding posts which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
MartinLogan 30i's Custom 5-way tool-less binding posts terminals
MartinLogan 35XTi's Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Motion 30i and Motion 35XTi 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 30i's and MartinLogan 35XTi's external dimensions. 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) whereas MartinLogan 35XTi has external dimensions of 343.0 x 192.0 x 300.0mm ( 13.5 x 7.5 x 11.8inch) .
MartinLogan 30i is 166mm shorter and 19mm less deeper than MartinLogan 35XTi but it is also 231mm wider.
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 30i is approximately 1188.6cm2 / 184.2inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan 35XTi is approximately 576.0cm2 / 89.3inch2. The Motion 30i requires 106% more surface area than the Motion 35XTi which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of MartinLogan 30i?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Motion 30i:
Center-channel loudspeaker Grille 4 Rubber feet Users Manual Warranty/Registration Information
What's in the Box of MartinLogan 35XTi?
Here are the items that come with the Motion 35XTi:
Bookshelf loudspeaker Grille 4 Rubber feet 2 Jumper-straps (pre-installed) Users Manual Warranty/Registration Information
Height 
Price per pair* 
Max Input Power 
Sensitivity 
Woofer Size 
Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring 
Base Surface Area