In this review, we will be comparing Motion 40i and Motion 20i, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by MartinLogan Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan 40i and MartinLogan 20i first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Motion 40i 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 40i 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:
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the MartinLogan 40i and MartinLogan 20i 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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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 40i is a 3-way design whereas the Motion 20i is a 2-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 40i |
MartinLogan 20i |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.0 x 1.4-inch
|
1.0 x 1.4-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.5-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 5.5-inch
|
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. 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 40i has a frequency range of 40-25k Hz whereas Motion 20i has a frequency range of 46-25k 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 20i's min frequency of 46Hz.
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 Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing 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 40i and Motion 20i have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Motion 40i sensitivity is rated at 92 dB and the Motion 20i's is at 90 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the MartinLogan 40i 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 40i and the Motion 40i can provide this impedance level.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing 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 40i can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Motion 20i 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
Both Motion 40i and Motion 20i features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
MartinLogan 40i'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 40i 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.
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 40i's and MartinLogan 20i's external dimensions. 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) 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 40i is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 18mm wider, 150mm taller and 25mm deeper than MartinLogan 20i.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of MartinLogan 40i and MartinLogan 20i in scale.
Comparison image of MartinLogan 40i 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 40i is approximately 640.8cm2 / 99.3inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan 20i is approximately 537.3cm2 / 83.3inch2. The Motion 40i requires 19% more surface area than the Motion 20i 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 40i weighs 20.40kg / 44.9lbs and the MartinLogan 20i weighs 15.00kg / 33lbs. This makes the Motion 40i 36% heavier than the Motion 20i.
Here is a comparison of how Motion 40i and Motion 20i's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of MartinLogan 40i?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Motion 40i:
Floorstanding loudspeaker2 Grilles4 Rubber feet (pre-installed)4 Spike feet (w/ nuts attached)Users ManualWarranty/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 |
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
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
40 Hz
vs
46 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
905mm
vs
1055mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
537cm2 (175x307mm)
vs
640cm2 (193x332mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
2000USD
vs
2600USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
MartinLogan Motion 40i |
MartinLogan Motion 20i |
| Brand |
MartinLogan |
MartinLogan |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
20-300 watts |
20-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
92 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
40-25k Hz |
46-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
5.5" |
| 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 |
5.5" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
500Hz 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 |
1055.0mm (41.5") |
905.0mm (35.6") |
| Width |
193.0mm (7.6") |
175.0mm (6.9") |
| Depth |
332.0mm (13.1") |
307.0mm (12.1") |
| Weight |
20.40kg (44.9lbs) |
15.00kg (33lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Lacquer |
MDF/Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
Gloss Black, Matt White, Red Walnut |
Gloss Black, Matt White, Red Walnut |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |