In this review, we will be comparing Motion 30i and Motion 6i, two Passive Center Channel speakers by MartinLogan.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan 30i and MartinLogan 6i first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | MartinLogan 30i | MartinLogan 6i |
|---|
| 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 1.0" Folded Motion |
|---|
| Woofer | 5.25" Aluminum | 2 x 3.5" poly cone woofers with rigid dust caps |
|---|
| Frequency response | 65-25k Hz | 120-23k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-200 watts | 20-130 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 8.18kg / 18lbs | 2.59kg / 5.7lbs |
|---|
| 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 | 5-1/4" x 17-1/2" x 4"
134.0 x 445.0 x 102.0mm |
|---|
Motion 30i and Motion 6i 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 6i 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 6i |
| 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 30i and Motion 6i are 2-way speakers.
MartinLogan 30iMartinLogan 6i
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 6i |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.0 x 1.4-inch
|
1.0 x 1.0-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
2 x 3.5-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 6i features a 1.0 x 1.0" Folded Motion Tweeter and 2 x 3.5" poly cone woofers with rigid dust caps Woofer.
Frequency Response
Motion 30i has a frequency range of 65-25k Hz whereas Motion 6i has a frequency range of 120-23k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 65Hz, the Motion 30i can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Motion 6i's min frequency of 120Hz.
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 is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the Motion 6i which has a nominal impedance of 6 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 30i sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the Motion 6i's is rated at 89 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the MartinLogan 30i a more sensitive speaker compared to MartinLogan 6i, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
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 30i can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas Motion 6i has a max power handling value of 130 watts RMS, 70 watts less than the Motion 30i.
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 30i features Spring post type posts and Motion 6i has a Spring post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
MartinLogan 30i's Custom 5-way tool-less binding posts terminals
MartinLogan 6i's Spring post terminals
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 6i'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 6i has external dimensions of 134.0 x 445.0 x 102.0mm (5-1/4 x 17-1/2 x 4inch).
MartinLogan 6i is 43mm shorter and 179mm less deeper than MartinLogan 30i but it is also 22mm 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 6i is approximately 453.9cm2 / 70.4inch2. The Motion 30i requires 162% more surface area than the Motion 6i which gives it a small disadvantage 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 6i weighs 2.59kg / 5.7lbs. This makes the Motion 30i 216% heavier than the Motion 6i.
Here is a comparison of how Motion 30i and Motion 6i'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 6i?
Here are the items that come with the Motion 6i:
- LCR loudspeaker
- Grille
- 2 Wall-bracket
- 2 Shoulder bolts
- 4 Rubber bumpers
- Cleaning cloth
- User-feets Manual (En/Fr)
- Installation template
- Product Registration Card
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
130 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
5.25 inches
vs
3.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
65 Hz
vs
120 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
25k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Nominal Impedance |
6 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
|
Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
 Height |
134mm
vs
177mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
453cm2
vs
1188cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
300USD
vs
900USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
MartinLogan Motion 30i |
MartinLogan Motion 6i |
| Brand |
MartinLogan |
MartinLogan |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
20-200 watts |
20-130 watts |
| Sensitivity |
91 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
65-25k Hz |
120-23k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
3.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminum |
poly cone woofers with rigid dust caps |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
n/a |
| Tweeter Size |
1.0 x 1.4" |
1.0 x 1.0" |
| Tweeter Type |
Folded Motion |
Folded Motion |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
400Hz and 2600Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
n/a |
| 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") |
134.0mm (5.3") |
| Width |
423.0mm (16.7") |
445.0mm (17.5") |
| Depth |
281.0mm (11.1") |
102.0mm (4") |
| Weight |
8.18kg (18lbs) |
2.59kg (5.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Passive Radiator |
| Finish |
MDF/Lacquer |
n/a |
| Available Colors |
White |
Gloss Black, Matt White, Red Walnut |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
n/a |
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 | A | MartinLogan 30i digs deeper - 65Hz against 120Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | A | MartinLogan 30i is more sensitive (91dB vs 89dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | MartinLogan 6i is the easier load at 6 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | A | MartinLogan 30i takes more power (200W vs 130W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | MartinLogan 6i is easier to place; MartinLogan 30i is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Cabinet | depends | Ported vs Passive Radiator. |
| Price | B | MartinLogan 6i is cheaper - $300 against $900, about 67% less; arguably a different class. |
A MartinLogan 30i B MartinLogan 6i
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 30i measures better, MartinLogan 6i costs about about 3x the price% 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 120Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper MartinLogan 6i much easier to justify. In a large or open-plan room, MartinLogan 30i has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, MartinLogan 6i is the easier speaker to get right.
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.