In this review, we will be comparing Motion 30i and Motion 50XTi, two Passive Center Channel speakers by MartinLogan.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan 30i and MartinLogan 50XTi first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | MartinLogan 30i | MartinLogan 50XTi |
|---|
| Brand | MartinLogan
United States · founded 1982 | MartinLogan
United States · founded 1982 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.0 x 1.4" Folded Motion | 1.25 x 2.4" Folded Motion XT |
|---|
| Woofer | 5.25" Aluminum | 2 x 6.5" Aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 65-25k Hz | 50-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91 dB | 94 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-200 watts | 20-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 8.18kg / 18lbs | 13.86kg / 30.5lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 6-15/16" x 16-5/8" x 11-1/16"
177.0 x 423.0 x 281.0mm | 7-11/16" x 23" x 13-5/8"
196.0 x 585.0 x 347.0mm |
|---|
Motion 30i and Motion 50XTi 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 50XTi 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 50XTi |
| 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.)
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 Motion 30i is a 2-way design whereas the Motion 50XTi 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.
MartinLogan 30iMartinLogan 50XTi
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 30i |
MartinLogan 50XTi |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.0 x 1.4-inch
|
1.25 x 2.4-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
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 50XTi features a 1.25 x 2.4" Folded Motion XT Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 900Hz and 2200Hz.
Frequency Response
Motion 30i has a frequency range of 65-25k Hz whereas Motion 50XTi has a frequency range of 50-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 50Hz, the Motion 50XTi can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Motion 30i's min frequency of 65Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel 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 30i and Motion 50XTi 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 50XTi's is at 94 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the MartinLogan 50XTi 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Motion 50XTi can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas Motion 30i has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the Motion 50XTi.
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 50XTi 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 50XTi'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 50XTi 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 30i's and MartinLogan 50XTi'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 50XTi has external dimensions of 196.0 x 585.0 x 347.0mm (7-11/16 x 23 x 13-5/8inch).
MartinLogan 50XTi is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 162mm wider, 19mm taller and 66mm deeper than MartinLogan 30i.
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 50XTi is approximately 2030.0cm2 / 314.7inch2. The Motion 30i requires 41% less surface area than the Motion 50XTi which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
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 30i weighs 8.18kg / 18lbs and the MartinLogan 50XTi weighs 13.86kg / 30.5lbs. This makes the Motion 50XTi 69% heavier than the Motion 30i.
Here is a comparison of how Motion 30i and Motion 50XTi's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Center Channel class.
Weight
All Center Channel Speakers
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 50XTi?
Here are the items that come with the Motion 50XTi:
- Center-channel loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Rubber feet
- Users Manual
- Warranty/Registration Information
 Height |
177mm
vs
196mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1188cm2
vs
2030cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
900USD
vs
1200USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 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 |
94 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 |
50 Hz
vs
65 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
| General |
MartinLogan Motion 30i |
MartinLogan Motion 50XTi |
| Brand |
MartinLogan |
MartinLogan |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
20-200 watts |
20-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
91 dB |
94 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
65-25k Hz |
50-25k 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" |
1.25 x 2.4" |
| Tweeter Type |
Folded Motion |
Folded Motion XT |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
400Hz and 2600Hz |
900Hz and 2200Hz |
| 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") |
196.0mm (7.7") |
| Width |
423.0mm (16.7") |
585.0mm (23") |
| Depth |
281.0mm (11.1") |
347.0mm (13.7") |
| Weight |
8.18kg (18lbs) |
13.86kg (30.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Lacquer |
MDF/Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
White |
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 |
Siblings in MartinLogan's Motion series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | MartinLogan 50XTi digs deeper - 50Hz against 65Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | MartinLogan 50XTi is more sensitive (94dB vs 91dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | B | MartinLogan 50XTi takes more power (300W vs 200W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | MartinLogan 30i is easier to place; MartinLogan 50XTi is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | B | MartinLogan 50XTi: bi-amping. |
| Price | A | MartinLogan 30i is cheaper - $900 against $1,200, about 25% less. |
A MartinLogan 30i B MartinLogan 50XTi
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?
The usual trade-off: MartinLogan 50XTi measures better, MartinLogan 30i costs about about 33% more% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 65Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper MartinLogan 30i much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate MartinLogan 30i the better fit for a small room, and MartinLogan 50XTi for a large room and a very large room.
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.