In this review, we will be comparing Motion B10 and Motion XT B100, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by MartinLogan
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan Motion B10 and MartinLogan Motion XT B100 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
MartinLogan Motion B10 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1.0 x 1.4" Folded Motion Ribbon Tweeter
- 5.25" Woven Fiberglass Woofer
- 56-25k Hz Frequency Response
- 92 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 5ohms
- Power Range:20-200watts
- Weight:6.60kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 318.0" x 7" x 9-3/4"( 318 x 178 x 248mm )
MartinLogan Motion XT B100 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1.25 x 2.4" Folded Motion XT Tweeter
- 6.5" Kevlar Woofer
- 45-25k Hz Frequency Response
- 93 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:20-250watts
- Weight:9.30kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 368.0" x 8" x 12-1/2"( 368 x 203 x 318mm )
What size room are the MartinLogan Motion B10 and MartinLogan Motion XT B100 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 Motion B10 |
MartinLogan Motion XT B100 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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 Motion B10 and MartinLogan Motion XT B100 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 XT B100 are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
MartinLogan Motion B10 |
MartinLogan Motion XT B100 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.0 x 1.4-inch
|
1.25 x 2.4-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
1 x 6.5-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 XT B100 features a 1.25 x 2.4" Folded Motion XT Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Kevlar Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2600Hz.
Frequency Response
Motion B10 has a frequency range of 56-25k Hz whereas Motion XT B100 has a frequency range of 45-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 45Hz, the Motion XT B100 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Motion B10's min frequency of 56Hz.
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
MartinLogan Motion XT B100
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 XT B100 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 XT B100 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Motion B10 sensitivity is rated at 92 dB and the Motion XT B100's is rated at 93 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the MartinLogan Motion XT B100 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 can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Motion B10 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS , 50 watts less than the Motion XT B100.
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 XT B100 features Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Motion B10 has a Custom 5-way binding posts which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
MartinLogan Motion B10's Custom 5-way binding posts terminals
MartinLogan Motion XT B100's Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Motion B10 and Motion XT B100 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 XT B100'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 XT B100 has external dimensions of 368 x 203 x 318mm ( 14-1/2-inch x 8inch x 12-1/2inch ) .
MartinLogan Motion XT B100 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 25mm wider, 50mm taller and 70mm deeper than MartinLogan Motion B10.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of MartinLogan Motion B10 and MartinLogan Motion XT B100 in scale.
Comparison image of MartinLogan Motion B10 and MartinLogan Motion XT B100 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 B10 is approximately 441.4cm2 / 68.4inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan Motion XT B100 is approximately 645.5cm2 / 100.1inch2. The Motion B10 requires 32% less surface area than the Motion XT B100 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
Here is an another comparison that shows both speakers on a BDI Octave Media Cabinet, next to a standard size amplifier and turntable in scale:
Size Comparison image of MartinLogan Motion B10 and MartinLogan Motion XT B100 on a Media Console