In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by MartinLogan. MartinLogan Motion 35XTi is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the Motion 20i is a Floor-standing speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan 35XTi and MartinLogan 20i first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
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 )
MartinLogan 20i Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1.0 x 1.4" Folded Motion Tweeter
- 2 x 5.5" Aluminum Woofer
- 46-25k Hz Frequency Response
- 90 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:20-200watts
- Weight:15.00kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 905.0" x 6-7/8" x 12-1/16"( 905.0 x 175.0 x 307.0mm )
Motion 35XTi and Motion 20i 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 35XTi and MartinLogan 20i 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 35XTi |
MartinLogan 20i |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the MartinLogan 35XTi and MartinLogan 20i 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 35XTi and Motion 20i are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
MartinLogan 35XTi |
MartinLogan 20i |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.25 x 2.4-inch
|
1.0 x 1.4-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 5.5-inch
|
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. On the other hand, the Motion 20i features a 1.0 x 1.4" Folded Motion Tweeter and 2 x 5.5" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 500Hz and 2600Hz.
Frequency Response
Motion 35XTi has a frequency range of 50-25k Hz whereas Motion 20i has a frequency range of 46-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 46Hz, the Motion 20i can go slightly deeper then the Motion 35XTi's min frequency of 50Hz.
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 Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
High Frequency
Bookshelf 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 35XTi and Motion 20i have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Motion 35XTi sensitivity is rated at 92 dB and the Motion 20i's is at 90 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the MartinLogan 35XTi a more sensitive speaker compared to MartinLogan 20i, 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 35XTi and the Motion 35XTi can provide this impedance level.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf 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 35XTi can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Motion 20i 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
Both Motion 35XTi and Motion 20i features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
MartinLogan 35XTi's Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
MartinLogan 20i's Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Motion 35XTi and Motion 20i 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 35XTi's and MartinLogan 20i's external dimensions. MartinLogan 35XTi has external dimensions of 343.0 x 192.0 x 300.0mm ( 13.5 x 7.5 x 11.8inch) whereas MartinLogan 20i has external dimensions of 905.0 x 175.0 x 307.0mm ( 35-5/8 x 6-7/8 x 12-1/16inch) .
MartinLogan 35XTi is 562mm shorter and 7mm less deeper than MartinLogan 20i but it is also 17mm wider.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of MartinLogan 35XTi and MartinLogan 20i in scale.
Comparison image of MartinLogan 35XTi and MartinLogan 20i 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 35XTi is approximately 576.0cm2 / 89.3inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan 20i is approximately 537.3cm2 / 83.3inch2. The Motion 35XTi requires 7% more surface area than the Motion 20i which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of MartinLogan 35XTi?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Motion 35XTi:
Bookshelf loudspeaker Grille 4 Rubber feet 2 Jumper-straps (pre-installed) Users Manual Warranty/Registration Information
What's in the Box of MartinLogan 20i?
Here are the items that come with the Motion 20i:
Floorstanding loudspeaker2 Grilles4 Rubber feet (pre-installed)4 Spike feet (w/ nuts attached)Users ManualWarranty/Registration Information
Max Input Power 
Sensitivity 
Woofer Size 
Height 
Price per pair* 
Base Surface Area