In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by MartinLogan. MartinLogan Motion® C10 is a Center Channel speaker whereas the Motion B10 is a Bookshelf speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan Motion C10 and MartinLogan Motion B10 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | MartinLogan Motion C10 | MartinLogan Motion B10 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.0 x 1.4" Folded Motion Ribbon | 1.0 x 1.4" Folded Motion Ribbon |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5.5" Woven Fiberglass | 5.25" Woven Fiberglass |
|---|
| Frequency response | 63-25k Hz | 56-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 93 dB | 92 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 5 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-200 watts | 20-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 10.70kg / 23.5lbs | 6.60kg / 14.5lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 7-1/4" x 19" x 11-1/2"
184 x 483 x 293mm | 12-1/2" x 7" x 9-3/4"
318 x 178 x 248mm |
|---|
Motion C10 and Motion B10 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 C10 and MartinLogan Motion B10 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 C10 |
MartinLogan Motion B10 |
| 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.
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Drivers
Both Motion C10 and Motion B10 are 2-way speakers.
MartinLogan Motion C10MartinLogan Motion B10
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 Motion C10 |
MartinLogan Motion B10 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.0 x 1.4-inch
|
1.0 x 1.4-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.5-inch
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
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. On the other hand, the 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.
Frequency Response
Motion C10 has a frequency range of 63-25k Hz whereas Motion B10 has a frequency range of 56-25k 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.
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 C10 is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the Motion B10 which has a nominal impedance of 5 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 C10 sensitivity is rated at 93 dB and the Motion B10's is rated at 92 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
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 C10 and Motion B10 have the same power range of 20-200 watts.
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 C10 features Custom 5-way binding posts type posts and Motion B10 has a Custom 5-way binding posts type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
MartinLogan Motion C10's Custom 5-way binding posts terminals
MartinLogan Motion B10's Custom 5-way binding posts terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Motion C10 and Motion B10 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
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 Motion C10's and MartinLogan Motion B10's external dimensions. MartinLogan Motion C10 has external dimensions of 184 x 483 x 293mm (7-1/4inch x 19inch x 11-1/2inch) whereas MartinLogan Motion B10 has external dimensions of 318 x 178 x 248mm (12-1/2inch x 7inch x 9-3/4inch).
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 C10 is approximately 1415.2cm2 / 219.4inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan Motion B10 is approximately 441.4cm2 / 68.4inch2. The Motion C10 requires 221% more surface area than the Motion B10 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.