In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by MartinLogan. MartinLogan Motion® C10 is a Center Channel speaker whereas the Motion F20 is a Floor-standing speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan Motion C10 and MartinLogan Motion F20 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
MartinLogan Motion C10 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1.0 x 1.4" Folded Motion Ribbon Tweeter
- 2 x 5.5" Woven Fiberglass Woofer
- 63-25k Hz Frequency Response
- 93 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:20-200watts
- Weight:10.70kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 184.0" x 19" x 11-1/2"( 184 x 483 x 293mm )
MartinLogan Motion F20 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1.0 x 1.4" Folded Motion Ribbon Tweeter
- 5.5" Midrange
- 2 x 5.5" Aluminum Woofer
- 5.5" Midrange
- 35-25k Hz Frequency Response
- 92 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:20-300watts
- Weight:27.20kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1127.0" x 11-3/4" x 14-1/4"( 1127 x 298 x 362mm )
Motion C10 and Motion F20 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 F20 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 F20 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| 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 C10 and MartinLogan Motion F20 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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Motion C10 is a 2-way design whereas the Motion F20 is a 3-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
| Driver |
MartinLogan Motion C10 |
MartinLogan Motion F20 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.0 x 1.4-inch
|
1.0 x 1.4-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 5.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.5-inch
|
2 x 5.5-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 F20 features a 1.0 x 1.4" Folded Motion Ribbon Tweeter , a 5.5" Midrange and 2 x 5.5" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 230Hz and 2600Hz.
Frequency Response
Motion C10 has a frequency range of 63-25k Hz whereas Motion F20 has a frequency range of 35-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 35Hz, the Motion F20 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 Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel Speakers
High Frequency
Center Channel 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 C10 and Motion F20 have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Motion C10 sensitivity is rated at 93 dB and the Motion F20's is at 92 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the MartinLogan Motion C10 a more sensitive speaker compared to MartinLogan Motion F20, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
One thing to keep in mind that the lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit comared to higher impedance speakers especially at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Motion C10 and the Motion C10 can provide this impedance level.
Sensitivity
Center Channel 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 C10 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Motion C10 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS , 100 watts less than the Motion F20.
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 F20 features Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Motion C10 has a Custom 5-way binding posts which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
MartinLogan Motion C10's Custom 5-way binding posts terminals
MartinLogan Motion F20's Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Motion C10 has a rear firing port whereas Motion F20 has a bottom firing ports. MartinLogan Motion F20's bottom-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to MartinLogan Motion C10 with its rear-firing port.
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 C10's and MartinLogan Motion F20'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 F20 has external dimensions of 1127 x 298 x 362mm ( 44-3/4inch x 11-3/4inch x 14-1/4inch ) .
MartinLogan Motion C10 is 943mm shorter and 69mm less deeper than MartinLogan Motion F20 but it is also 185mm 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 Motion C10 is approximately 1415.2cm2 / 219.4inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan Motion F20 is approximately 1078.8cm2 / 167.2inch2. The Motion C10 requires 31% more surface area than the Motion F20 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Sensitivity 
Height 
Price per pair* 
Max Input Power 
Driver Setup 
Low Frequency Response 
Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring 
Base Surface Area