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MartinLogan 40i vs MartinLogan 6i Comparison

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MartinLogan 40i

Passive Floor-standing | 40-25k Hz

MartinLogan Motion 40i
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MartinLogan 6i

Passive Center Channel | 120-23k Hz

MartinLogan Motion 6i
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MartinLogan 40i MartinLogan 40i
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MartinLogan 6i MartinLogan 6i
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MartinLogan 40i
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MartinLogan 6i
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MartinLogan 40i vs MartinLogan 6i Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by MartinLogan. MartinLogan Motion 40i is a Floor-standing speaker whereas the Motion 6i is a Center Channel speaker.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of MartinLogan 40i and MartinLogan 6i first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

MartinLogan 40i Key Specs

  • 3-way Design
  • 1.0 x 1.4" Folded Motion Tweeter
  • 5.5" Midrange
  • 2 x 6.5" Aluminum Woofer
  • 40-25k Hz Frequency Response
  • 92 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 4ohms
  • Power Range:20-300watts
  • Weight:20.40kg
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 1055.0" x 7-9/16" x 13-1/16"( 1055.0 x 193.0 x 332.0mm )

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 40i 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
Model Body Frequency SensitivityImpedance Woofer
MartinLogan 15i
  
Bookshelf 60-25k Hz 92 dB5Ω 1 x 5.25"
MartinLogan 35XTi
  
Bookshelf 50-25k Hz 92 dB4Ω 1 x 6.5"
MartinLogan 60XTi
  
Floor-standing 35-25k Hz 94 dB4Ω 2 x 8"
MartinLogan 50XTi
  
Center Channel 50-25k Hz 94 dB4Ω 2 x 6.5"
MartinLogan LX16
  
Bookshelf 60-25k Hz 92 dB5Ω 1 x 5.25"
MartinLogan 40i
Floor-standing 40-25k Hz 92 dB4Ω 2 x 6.5"
MartinLogan 20i
  
Floor-standing 46-25k Hz 90 dB4Ω 2 x 5.5"
MartinLogan 30i
  
Center Channel 65-25k Hz 91 dB4Ω 1 x 5.25"
MartinLogan 6i
Center Channel 120-23k Hz 89 dB6Ω 2 x 3.5"
MartinLogan 8i
  
Center Channel 70-23k Hz 89 dB4Ω 2 x 4"

What size room are the MartinLogan 40i 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 40i MartinLogan 6i
Near-field Bad Poor
Small Room Poor Average
Mid-size Room Average 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 40i and MartinLogan 6i 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

One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Motion 40i is a 3-way design whereas the Motion 6i 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 6i
Driver Setup 3-way 2-way
Tweeter 1.0 x 1.4-inch 1.0 x 1.0-inch
Midrange 1 x 5.5-inch -
Woofer 2 x 6.5-inch 2 x 3.5-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 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 40i has a frequency range of 40-25k Hz whereas Motion 6i has a frequency range of 120-23k 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 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 Floor-standing class in our database.

Low Frequency

Floor-standing Speakers

Motion 40i
Motion 6i
Min
Average
Max
High Frequency

Floor-standing Speakers

MartinLogan 40i
MartinLogan 6i
Min
Average
Max

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 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 40i can provide this impedance level.

These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Motion 40i sensitivity is rated at 92 dB and the Motion 6i's is rated at 89 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the MartinLogan 40i a more sensitive speaker compared to MartinLogan 6i, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.

Sensitivity

Floor-standing Speakers

Motion 40i
Motion 6i
Min
Average
Max

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 6i has a max power handling value of 130 watts RMS, 170 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

Motion 40i 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 40i Terminals
MartinLogan 40i's Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring

MartinLogan 6i Terminals
MartinLogan 6i's Spring post terminals

MartinLogan 40i  Port
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 6i'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 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 921mm shorter and 230mm less deeper than MartinLogan 40i but it is also 252mm 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 40i is approximately 640.8cm2 / 99.3inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan 6i is approximately 453.9cm2 / 70.4inch2. The Motion 40i requires 41% 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 40i?

Here are the items that are included inside the box of Motion 40i:
  • Floorstanding loudspeaker
  • 2 Grilles
  • 4 Rubber feet (pre-installed)
  • 4 Spike feet (w/ nuts attached)
  • 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

  • Reasons to choose MartinLogan Motion 40i over MartinLogan Motion 6i
    Max Input Power 300 watts vs 130 watts Handle more power from your amplifier
    Driver Setup 3-way vs 2-way Have a dedicated mid-range driver
    Sensitivity 92 dB vs 89 dB Play louder with same amount of amplification power
    Woofer Size 6.5 inches vs 3.5 inches Larger woofer
    Low Frequency Response 40 Hz vs 120 Hz Generates deeper bass
    High Frequency Response 25k Hz vs 23k Hz Generates higher frequency

    Reasons to choose MartinLogan Motion 6i over MartinLogan Motion 40i

    Nominal Impedance 6 ohms vs 4 ohms Less selective with amplifiers
    Height 134mm vs 1055mm Easier to fit in smaller spaces
    Base Surface Area 453cm2 vs 640cm2 Takes less floor space
    Price per pair* 300USD vs 2600USD costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)
    MartinLogan 40i vs MartinLogan 6i Specs Table
    Detailed comparison of specifications
    General MartinLogan Motion 40i MartinLogan Motion 6i
    Brand MartinLogan MartinLogan
    Speaker Type Floor-standing speaker Center channel speaker
    Power Range 20-300 watts 20-130 watts
    Sensitivity 92 dB 89 dB
    Impedance 4 ohms 6 ohms
    Frequency Response 40-25k Hz 120-23k Hz
    Drivers
    Woofer Quantity 2 2
    Woofer Size 6.5" 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 5.5" No
    Crossover Frequency 500Hz 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 1055.0mm (41.5") 134.0mm (5.3")
    Width 193.0mm (7.6") 445.0mm (17.5")
    Depth 332.0mm (13.1") 102.0mm (4")
    Weight 20.40kg (44.9lbs) 2.59kg (5.7lbs)
    Enclosure Bass Reflex Passive Radiator
    Finish MDF/Lacquer n/a
    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 n/a
    Other
    Parts Warranty 5 Years 5 Yrs w/ Registration
    Labor Warranty 5 Years 5 Yrs w/ Registration

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