In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by MartinLogan. MartinLogan Motion® B10 is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the Motion C10 is a Center Channel speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan Motion B10 and MartinLogan Motion C10 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Motion B10 and Motion C10 are members of MartinLogan's Motion(4th Gen) series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
MartinLogan Motion(4th Gen) Series History
What size room are the MartinLogan Motion B10 and MartinLogan Motion C10 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:
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the MartinLogan Motion B10 and MartinLogan Motion C10 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
Both Motion B10 and Motion C10 are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
MartinLogan Motion B10 |
MartinLogan Motion C10 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.0 x 1.4-inch
|
1.0 x 1.4-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
2 x 5.5-inch
|
Motion B10 features a 1.0 x 1.4" Folded Motion Ribbon Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Woven Fiberglass Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2370Hz. On the other hand, the Motion C10 features a 1.0 x 1.4" Folded Motion Ribbon Tweeter and 2 x 5.5" Woven Fiberglass Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1000Hz and 2000Hz.
Frequency Response
Motion B10 has a frequency range of 56-25k Hz whereas Motion C10 has a frequency range of 63-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 56Hz, the Motion B10 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Motion C10's min frequency of 63Hz.
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 Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
High Frequency
Bookshelf 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 B10 is a 5 ohms speaker compared to the Motion C10 which has a nominal impedance of 4 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 C10 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Motion B10 sensitivity is rated at 92 dB and the Motion C10's is rated at 93 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the MartinLogan Motion C10 a more sensitive speaker compared to MartinLogan Motion B10, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf 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 B10 and Motion C10 has the same power range of 20-200 watts.
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 B10 features Custom 5-way binding posts type posts and Motion C10 has a Custom 5-way binding posts type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
MartinLogan Motion B10's Custom 5-way binding posts terminals
MartinLogan Motion C10's Custom 5-way binding posts terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Motion B10 and Motion C10 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 Motion B10's and MartinLogan Motion C10's external dimensions. MartinLogan Motion B10 has external dimensions of 318 x 178 x 248mm ( 12-1/2inch x 7inch x 9-3/4inch ) whereas MartinLogan Motion C10 has external dimensions of 184 x 483 x 293mm ( 7-1/4inch x 19inch x 11-1/2inch ) .
MartinLogan Motion B10 is 305mm narrower and 45mm less deeper than MartinLogan Motion C10 but it is also 134mm taller.
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 B10 is approximately 441.4cm2 / 68.4inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan Motion C10 is approximately 1415.2cm2 / 219.4inch2. The Motion B10 requires 69% less surface area than the Motion C10 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.