In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by MartinLogan. MartinLogan Motion 35XTi is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the Motion 6i is a Center Channel speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan 35XTi and MartinLogan 6i 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 6i Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1.0 x 1.0" Folded Motion Tweeter
- 2 x 3.5" poly cone woofers with rigid dust caps Woofer
- 120-23k Hz Frequency Response
- 89 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 6ohms
- Power Range:20-130watts
- Weight:2.59kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 134.0" x 17-1/2" x 4"( 134.0 x 445.0 x 102.0mm )
Motion 35XTi 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 35XTi 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 35XTi |
MartinLogan 6i |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Average |
| 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 6i compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
Both Motion 35XTi and Motion 6i are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
MartinLogan 35XTi |
MartinLogan 6i |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.25 x 2.4-inch
|
1.0 x 1.0-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 3.5-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 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 35XTi has a frequency range of 50-25k Hz whereas Motion 6i has a frequency range of 120-23k 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 6i's min frequency of 120Hz.
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 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 35XTi can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Motion 35XTi sensitivity is rated at 92 dB and the Motion 6i's is rated at 89 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the MartinLogan 35XTi a more sensitive speaker compared to MartinLogan 6i, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
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 6i has a max power handling value of 130 watts RMS, 120 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 6i has a Spring post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
MartinLogan 35XTi's Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
MartinLogan 6i's Spring post terminals
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 6i'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 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 209mm shorter and 198mm less deeper than MartinLogan 35XTi but it is also 253mm 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 35XTi is approximately 576.0cm2 / 89.3inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan 6i is approximately 453.9cm2 / 70.4inch2. The Motion 35XTi requires 27% more surface area than the Motion 6i 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 6i?
Here are the items that come with the Motion 6i:
LCR loudspeakerGrille2 Wall-bracket2 Shoulder bolts4 Rubber bumpersCleaning clothUser-feets Manual (En/Fr)Installation templateProduct Registration Card
Max Input Power 
Sensitivity 
Woofer Size 
High Frequency Response 
Nominal Impedance 
Height 
Base Surface Area 
Price per pair*