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MartinLogan 30i vs MartinLogan 40i Comparison

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MartinLogan 30i

Passive Center Channel | 65-25k Hz

MartinLogan Motion 30i
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MartinLogan 40i

Passive Floor-standing | 40-25k Hz

MartinLogan Motion 40i
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MartinLogan 30i MartinLogan 30i
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MartinLogan 40i MartinLogan 40i
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MartinLogan 30i
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MartinLogan 40i
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MartinLogan 30i vs MartinLogan 40i Speaker Comparison

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 40i is a Floor-standing speaker.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of MartinLogan 30i and MartinLogan 40i 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 40i Key Specs

  • 3-way Design
  • 1.0 x 1.4" Folded Motion Tweeter
  • 5.5" Midrange
  • 2 x 6.5" Aluminum Woofer
  • 5.5" Midrange
  • 40-25k Hz Frequency Response
  • 92 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 4ohms
  • Power Range:20-300watts
  • Weight:20.40kg
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 1055.0" x 7-9/16" x 13-1/16"( 1055.0 x 193.0 x 332.0mm )

Motion 30i and Motion 40i are members of MartinLogan's Motion series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.

MartinLogan Motion Series History
Model Body Frequency SensitivityImpedance Woofer
MartinLogan 15i
  
Bookshelf 60-25k Hz 92 dB5Ω 1 x 5.25"
MartinLogan 35XTi
  
Bookshelf 50-25k Hz 92 dB4Ω 1 x 6.5"
MartinLogan 60XTi
  
Floor-standing 35-25k Hz 94 dB4Ω 2 x 8"
MartinLogan 50XTi
  
Center Channel 50-25k Hz 94 dB4Ω 2 x 6.5"
MartinLogan LX16
  
Bookshelf 60-25k Hz 92 dB5Ω 1 x 5.25"
MartinLogan 40i
Floor-standing 40-25k Hz 92 dB4Ω 2 x 6.5"
MartinLogan 20i
  
Floor-standing 46-25k Hz 90 dB4Ω 2 x 5.5"
MartinLogan 30i
Center Channel 65-25k Hz 91 dB4Ω 1 x 5.25"
MartinLogan 6i
  
Center Channel 120-23k Hz 89 dB6Ω 2 x 3.5"
MartinLogan 8i
  
Center Channel 70-23k Hz 89 dB4Ω 2 x 4"

What size room are the MartinLogan 30i and MartinLogan 40i 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 40i
Near-field Poor Bad
Small Room Average Poor
Mid-size Room Good Average
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 40i 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

One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Motion 30i is a 2-way design whereas the Motion 40i 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 MartinLogan 30i MartinLogan 40i
Driver Setup 2-way 3-way
Tweeter 1.0 x 1.4-inch 1.0 x 1.4-inch
Midrange - 1 x 5.5-inch
Woofer 1 x 5.25-inch 2 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 40i features a 1.0 x 1.4" Folded Motion Tweeter , a 5.5" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 500Hz and 2600Hz.

Frequency Response

Motion 30i has a frequency range of 65-25k Hz whereas Motion 40i has a frequency range of 40-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 40Hz, the Motion 40i 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

Motion 30i
Motion 40i
Min
Average
Max
High Frequency

Center Channel Speakers

MartinLogan 30i
MartinLogan 40i
Min
Average
Max

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 40i 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 40i's is at 92 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the MartinLogan 40i 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

Motion 30i
Motion 40i
Min
Average
Max

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 300 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Motion 30i has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS , 100 watts less than the Motion 40i.

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 40i 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 Terminals
MartinLogan 30i's Custom 5-way tool-less binding posts terminals

MartinLogan 40i Terminals
MartinLogan 40i'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 40i 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.

MartinLogan 40i  Port
MartinLogan 40i Port

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 40i'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 40i has external dimensions of 1055.0 x 193.0 x 332.0mm ( 41-1/2 x 7-9/16 x 13-1/16inch) .

MartinLogan 30i is 878mm shorter and 51mm less deeper than MartinLogan 40i but it is also 230mm 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 40i is approximately 640.8cm2 / 99.3inch2. The Motion 30i requires 85% more surface area than the Motion 40i 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 40i?

    Here are the items that come with the Motion 40i:
  • Floorstanding loudspeaker
  • 2 Grilles
  • 4 Rubber feet (pre-installed)
  • 4 Spike feet (w/ nuts attached)
  • Users Manual
  • Warranty/Registration Information

  • Reasons to choose MartinLogan Motion 30i over MartinLogan Motion 40i
    Height 177mm vs 1055mm Easier to fit in smaller spaces
    Price per pair* 900USD vs 2600USD costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)

    Reasons to choose MartinLogan Motion 40i over MartinLogan Motion 30i

    Max Input Power 300 watts vs 200 watts Handle more power from your amplifier
    Driver Setup 3-way vs 2-way Have a dedicated mid-range driver
    Sensitivity 92 dB vs 91 dB Play louder with same amount of amplification power
    Woofer Size 6.5 inches vs 5.25 inches Larger woofer
    Number of Woofers 2 vs 1 More woofers
    Low Frequency Response 40 Hz vs 65 Hz Generates deeper bass
    Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring Yes vs No Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections
    Base Surface Area 640cm2 vs 1188cm2 Takes less floor space
    MartinLogan 30i vs MartinLogan 40i Specs Table
    Detailed comparison of specifications
    General MartinLogan Motion 30i MartinLogan Motion 40i
    Brand MartinLogan MartinLogan
    Speaker Type Center channel speaker Floor-standing speaker
    Power Range 20-200 watts 20-300 watts
    Sensitivity 91 dB 92 dB
    Impedance 4 ohms 4 ohms
    Frequency Response 65-25k Hz 40-25k Hz
    Drivers
    Woofer Quantity 1 2
    Woofer Size 5.25" 6.5"
    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 5.5"
    Crossover Frequency 400Hz and 2600Hz 500Hz and 2600Hz
    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 177.0mm (7") 1055.0mm (41.5")
    Width 423.0mm (16.7") 193.0mm (7.6")
    Depth 281.0mm (11.1") 332.0mm (13.1")
    Weight 8.18kg (18lbs) 20.40kg (44.9lbs)
    Enclosure Bass Reflex Bass Reflex
    Finish MDF/Lacquer MDF/Lacquer
    Available Colors White Gloss Black, Matt White, Red Walnut
    Grille Yes Yes
    Moisture Resistancy No No
    Connections
    Biamp Inputs No Yes
    Other
    Parts Warranty 5 Years 5 Years
    Labor Warranty 5 Years 5 Years

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