In this review, we will be comparing Motion 50XTi and HDI-4500, two Passive Center Channel speakers from MartinLogan and JBL.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan 50XTi and JBL HDI-4500 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
MartinLogan 50XTi Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1.25 x 2.4" Folded Motion XT Tweeter
- 2 x 6.5" Aluminum Woofer
- 50-25k Hz Frequency Response
- 94 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:20-300watts
- Weight:13.86kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 196.0" x 23" x 13-5/8"( 196.0 x 585.0 x 347.0mm )
JBL HDI-4500 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" horn-loaded high-frequency compression Tweeter
- 4 x 5.25" Advanced Aluminum Matrix cone Woofer
- 50-30k Hz Frequency Response
- 90 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:20-250watts
- Weight:20.15kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 197.0" x 33-1/8" x 12-3/16"( 197.0 x 842.0 x 310.0mm )
What size room are the MartinLogan 50XTi and JBL HDI-4500 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 50XTi |
JBL HDI-4500 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
Average |
(* 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 50XTi and JBL HDI-4500 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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Motion 50XTi is a 3-way design whereas the HDI-4500 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 50XTi |
JBL HDI-4500 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.25 x 2.4-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
4 x 5.25-inch
|
Motion 50XTi features a 1.25 x 2.4" Folded Motion XT Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 900Hz and 2200Hz. On the other hand, the HDI-4500 features a 1" horn-loaded high-frequency compression Tweeter and 4 x 5.25" Advanced Aluminum Matrix cone Woofer .
Frequency Response
Motion 50XTi has a frequency range of 50-25k Hz whereas HDI-4500 has a frequency range of 50-30k Hz.
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 Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel Speakers
High Frequency
Center Channel 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 50XTi and HDI-4500 have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Motion 50XTi sensitivity is rated at 94 dB and the HDI-4500's is at 90 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the MartinLogan 50XTi a more sensitive speaker compared to JBL HDI-4500, 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 50XTi and the Motion 50XTi can provide this impedance level.
Sensitivity
Center Channel 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 50XTi can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS from the amp the whereas HDI-4500 has a max power handling value of 250 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Motion 50XTi.
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 50XTi features Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. HDI-4500 has a 5-Way post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
MartinLogan 50XTi's Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
JBL HDI-4500's 5-Way post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Motion 50XTi and HDI-4500 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 50XTi's and JBL HDI-4500's external dimensions. MartinLogan 50XTi has external dimensions of 196.0 x 585.0 x 347.0mm ( 7-11/16 x 23 x 13-5/8inch) whereas JBL HDI-4500 has external dimensions of 197.0 x 842.0 x 310.0mm ( 7-3/4 x 33-1/8 x 12-3/16inch) .
MartinLogan 50XTi is 257mm narrower and 1mm shorter than JBL HDI-4500 but it is also 37mm deeper.
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 50XTi is approximately 2030.0cm2 / 314.7inch2 and base area of the JBL HDI-4500 is approximately 2610.2cm2 / 404.6inch2. The Motion 50XTi requires 22% less surface area than the HDI-4500 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.