In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by MartinLogan. MartinLogan Motion 4i is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the Motion 40i is a Floor-standing speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan Motion 4i and MartinLogan 40i first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | MartinLogan Motion 4i | MartinLogan 40i |
|---|
| Brand | MartinLogan
United States · founded 1982 | MartinLogan
United States · founded 1982 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1 x 1.4" Folded Motion Ribbon | 1.0 x 1.4" Folded Motion |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 5.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 4" | 2 x 6.5" Aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 70-23k Hz | 40-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 92 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | — | 20-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 2.72kg / 6lbs | 20.40kg / 44.9lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 12-11/16" x 5-11/16" x 5-11/16"
322.3 x 144.5 x 144.5mm | 41-1/2" x 7-9/16" x 13-1/16"
1055.0 x 193.0 x 332.0mm |
|---|
Motion 4i and Motion 40i are members of MartinLogan's Motion series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
MartinLogan Motion Series
History
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Motion 4i is a 2-way design whereas the Motion 40i is a 3-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.
MartinLogan Motion 4iMartinLogan 40i
MidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
MartinLogan Motion 4i |
MartinLogan 40i |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1 x 1.4-inch
|
1.0 x 1.4-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 5.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 4-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
Motion 4i features a 1 x 1.4" Folded Motion Ribbon Tweeter and 1 x 4" Woofer. On the other hand, the 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.
Frequency Response
Motion 4i has a frequency range of 70-23k Hz whereas Motion 40i has a frequency range of 40-25k 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 4i's min frequency of 70Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf 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 4i and Motion 40i have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Motion 4i sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the Motion 40i's is at 92 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the MartinLogan 40i a more sensitive speaker compared to MartinLogan Motion 4i, 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 4i and the Motion 4i can provide this impedance level.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf Speakers
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 40i features Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Motion 4i has a Spring post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
MartinLogan 40i's Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
MartinLogan 40i Port
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 Motion 4i's and MartinLogan 40i's external dimensions. MartinLogan Motion 4i has external dimensions of 322.3 x 144.5 x 144.5mm () whereas 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).
MartinLogan 40i is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 48.5mm wider, 732.7mm taller and 187.5mm deeper than MartinLogan Motion 4i.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of MartinLogan Motion 4i and MartinLogan 40i in scale.
Comparison image of MartinLogan Motion 4i and MartinLogan 40i 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 Motion 4i is approximately 208.8cm2 / 32.4inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan 40i is approximately 640.8cm2 / 99.3inch2. The Motion 4i requires 67% less surface area than the Motion 40i which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of MartinLogan 40i?
Here are the items that come with the Motion 40i:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- 2 Grilles
- 4 Rubber feet (pre-installed)
- 4 Spike feet (w/ nuts attached)
- Users Manual
- Warranty/Registration Information