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MartinLogan 50XTi vs Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G Comparison

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MartinLogan 50XTi

Passive Center Channel | 50-25k Hz

MartinLogan Motion 50XTi
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Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G

Passive Center Channel | 65-35k Hz

Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G
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MartinLogan 50XTi MartinLogan 50XTi
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Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G Monitor Audio Silver...
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MartinLogan 50XTi
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Monitor Audio Silver...
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MartinLogan 50XTi vs Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing Motion 50XTi and Silver C250 7G, two Passive Center Channel speakers from MartinLogan and Monitor Audio .

Let's have a brief look at the main features of MartinLogan 50XTi and Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G 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 )

Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G Key Specs

  • 3-way Design
  • 1" gold dome C-CAM Tweeter
  • 3" Midrange
  • 2 x 5.25" C-CAM with Rigid Surface Technology (RST) Woofer
  • 3" Midrange
  • 65-35k Hz Frequency Response
  • 88.5 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 8ohms
  • Power Range:80-200watts
  • Weight:10.63kg
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 205.0" x 18-15/16" x 10-3/4"( 205.0 x 482.0 x 274.0mm )

What size room are the MartinLogan 50XTi and Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G 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 Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G
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 50XTi and Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G 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

Both Motion 50XTi and Silver C250 7G are 3-way speakers.

Driver MartinLogan 50XTi Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G
Driver Setup 3-way 3-way
Tweeter 1.25 x 2.4-inch 1-inch
Midrange - 1 x 3-inch
Woofer 2 x 6.5-inch 2 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 Silver C250 7G features a 1" gold dome C-CAM Tweeter , a 3" Midrange and 2 x 5.25" C-CAM with Rigid Surface Technology (RST) Woofer .

Frequency Response

Motion 50XTi has a frequency range of 50-25k Hz whereas Silver C250 7G has a frequency range of 65-35k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 50Hz, the Motion 50XTi can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Silver C250 7G's min frequency of 65Hz.

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

Motion 50XTi
Silver C250 7G
Min
Average
Max
High Frequency

Center Channel Speakers

MartinLogan 50XTi
Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G
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 50XTi is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the Silver C250 7G which has a nominal impedance of 8 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 50XTi can provide this impedance level.

These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Motion 50XTi sensitivity is rated at 94 dB and the Silver C250 7G's is rated at 88.5 dB. This 5 dB difference makes the MartinLogan 50XTi a more sensitive speaker compared to Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.

Sensitivity

Center Channel Speakers

Motion 50XTi
Silver C250 7G
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 50XTi can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Silver C250 7G has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 100 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. Silver C250 7G has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.

MartinLogan 50XTi Terminals
MartinLogan 50XTi's Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring

Monitor Audio Silver C250 7GBinding post Terminals
Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G's Binding 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 50XTi's and Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G'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 Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G has external dimensions of 205.0 x 482.0 x 274.0mm ( 8-1/16 x 18-15/16 x 10-3/4inch) .

Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G is 103mm narrower and 73mm less deeper than MartinLogan 50XTi but it is also 9mm taller.

Below you can see the front view size comparison of MartinLogan 50XTi and Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G in scale.

MartinLogan 50XTi vs Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of MartinLogan 50XTi and Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G 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 50XTi is approximately 2030.0cm2 / 314.7inch2 and base area of the Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G is approximately 1320.7cm2 / 204.7inch2. The Motion 50XTi requires 54% more surface area than the Silver C250 7G 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 50XTi weighs 13.86kg / 30.5lbs and the Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G weighs 10.63kg / 23.4lbs. This makes the Motion 50XTi 30% heavier than the Silver C250 7G.

Here is a comparison of how Motion 50XTi and Silver C250 7G's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Center Channel class.

Weight
All Center Channel Speakers
MartinLogan 50XTi
Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G
Min
Average
Max

What's in the Box of MartinLogan 50XTi?

Here are the items that are included inside the box of Motion 50XTi:
  • Center-channel loudspeaker
  • Grille
  • 4 Rubber feet
  • Users Manual
  • Warranty/Registration Information
  • What's in the Box of Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G?

    Here are the items that come with the Silver C250 7G:
  • Center-channel loudspeakers
  • Grille
  • 2 Jumpers (pre-installed)
  • 4 Rubber feet
  • Hex-key
  • Owners Manual
  • Important Safety Instructions

  • Reasons to choose MartinLogan Motion 50XTi over Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G
    Max Input Power 300 watts vs 200 watts Handle more power from your amplifier
    Sensitivity 94 dB vs 89 dB Play louder with same amount of amplification power
    Woofer Size 6.5 inches vs 5.25 inches Larger woofer
    Low Frequency Response 50 Hz vs 65 Hz Generates deeper bass
    Height 196mm vs 205mm Easier to fit in smaller spaces

    Reasons to choose Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G over MartinLogan Motion 50XTi

    Nominal Impedance 8 ohms vs 4 ohms Less selective with amplifiers
    High Frequency Response 35k Hz vs 25k Hz Generates higher frequency
    Base Surface Area 1320cm2 vs 2030cm2 Takes less floor space
    Price per pair* 1100USD vs 1200USD costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)
    MartinLogan 50XTi vs Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G Specs Table
    Detailed comparison of specifications
    General MartinLogan Motion 50XTi Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G
    Brand MartinLogan Monitor Audio
    Speaker Type Center channel speaker Center channel speaker
    Power Range 20-300 watts 80-200 watts
    Sensitivity 94 dB 88.5 dB
    Impedance 4 ohms 8 ohms
    Frequency Response 50-25k Hz 65-35k Hz
    Drivers
    Woofer Quantity 2 2
    Woofer Size 6.5" 5.25"
    Woofer Composition Aluminum C-CAM with Rigid Surface Technology (RST)
    Woofer Surround Material Rubber n/a
    Tweeter Size 1.25 x 2.4" 1"
    Tweeter Type Folded Motion XT gold dome C-CAM
    Aimable Tweeter No No
    Midrange Driver No 3"
    Crossover Frequency 900Hz and 2200Hz n/a
    Firing Direction rear n/a
    Suggested Break-in Period Allow 72 hours of break-in at 90 dB n/a
    Physical Specs
    Height 196.0mm (7.7") 205.0mm (8.1")
    Width 585.0mm (23") 482.0mm (19")
    Depth 347.0mm (13.7") 274.0mm (10.8")
    Weight 13.86kg (30.5lbs) 10.63kg (23.4lbs)
    Enclosure Bass Reflex Acoustic Suspension
    Finish MDF/Lacquer n/a
    Available Colors Walnut White
    Grille Yes Yes
    Moisture Resistancy No No
    Connections
    Biamp Inputs Yes n/a
    Other
    Parts Warranty 5 Years 5 Years
    Labor Warranty 5 Years 5 Years

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