In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by MartinLogan. MartinLogan Motion 6i is a Center Channel speaker whereas the Motion 15i is a Bookshelf speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan 6i and MartinLogan 15i first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | MartinLogan 6i | MartinLogan 15i |
|---|
| Brand | MartinLogan
United States · founded 1982 | MartinLogan
United States · founded 1982 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.0 x 1.0" Folded Motion | 1.0 x 1.4" Folded Motion |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 3.5" poly cone woofers with rigid dust caps | 5.25" Aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 120-23k Hz | 60-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 92 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 5 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-130 watts | 20-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 2.59kg / 5.7lbs | 5.40kg / 11.9lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 5-1/4" x 17-1/2" x 4"
134.0 x 445.0 x 102.0mm | 11.4" x 6.8" x 9.4"
290.0 x 173.0 x 240.0mm |
|---|
Motion 6i and Motion 15i 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 6i and MartinLogan 15i 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 6i |
MartinLogan 15i |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Motion 6i and Motion 15i are 2-way speakers.
MartinLogan 6iMartinLogan 15i
Woofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
MartinLogan 6i |
MartinLogan 15i |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.0 x 1.0-inch
|
1.0 x 1.4-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 3.5-inch
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
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. On the other hand, the Motion 15i features a 1.0 x 1.4" Folded Motion Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2700Hz.
Frequency Response
Motion 6i has a frequency range of 120-23k Hz whereas Motion 15i has a frequency range of 60-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 60Hz, the Motion 15i can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Motion 6i's min frequency of 120Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel 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 6i is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the Motion 15i which has a nominal impedance of 5 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Motion 6i sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the Motion 15i's is rated at 92 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the MartinLogan 15i a more sensitive speaker compared to MartinLogan 6i, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Center Channel Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Motion 15i can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas Motion 6i has a max power handling value of 130 watts RMS, 70 watts less than the Motion 15i.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
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 6i features Custom 5-way tool-less binding posts type posts and Motion 15i has a Custom 5-way tool-less binding posts type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
MartinLogan 6i's Spring post terminals
MartinLogan 15i's Custom 5-way tool-less binding posts terminals
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 6i's and MartinLogan 15i's external dimensions. MartinLogan 6i has external dimensions of 134.0 x 445.0 x 102.0mm (5-1/4 x 17-1/2 x 4inch) whereas MartinLogan 15i has external dimensions of 290.0 x 173.0 x 240.0mm (11.4 x 6.8 x 9.4inch).
MartinLogan 6i is 156mm shorter and 138mm less deeper than MartinLogan 15i but it is also 272mm 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 6i is approximately 453.9cm2 / 70.4inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan 15i is approximately 415.2cm2 / 64.4inch2. The Motion 6i requires 9% more surface area than the Motion 15i which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of MartinLogan 6i?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of 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
What's in the Box of MartinLogan 15i?
Here are the items that come with the Motion 15i:
- Bookshelf loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Rubber feet
- Users Manual
- Warranty/Registration Information