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 MP10 is a Bookshelf speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan Motion C10 and MartinLogan Motion MP10 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 MP10 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1.0 x 1.4" Folded Motion Ribbon Tweeter
- 5.5" Woven Fiberglass Woofer
- 81-25k Hz Frequency Response
- 92 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 5ohms
- Power Range:20-200watts
- Weight:4.40kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 356.0" x 8" x 5"( 356 x 203 x 127mm )
Motion C10 and Motion MP10 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 MP10 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 MP10 |
| 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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the MartinLogan Motion C10 and MartinLogan Motion MP10 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 C10 and Motion MP10 are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
MartinLogan Motion C10 |
MartinLogan Motion MP10 |
|
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 5.5-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 MP10 features a 1.0 x 1.4" Folded Motion Ribbon Tweeter and 1 x 5.5" Woven Fiberglass Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2100Hz.
Frequency Response
Motion C10 has a frequency range of 63-25k Hz whereas Motion MP10 has a frequency range of 81-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 63Hz, the Motion C10 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Motion MP10's min frequency of 81Hz.
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 is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the Motion MP10 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 MP10's is rated at 92 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the MartinLogan Motion C10 a more sensitive speaker compared to MartinLogan Motion MP10, 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. 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 and Motion MP10 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 C10 features Custom 5-way binding posts type posts and Motion MP10 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 MP10's Custom 5-way binding posts terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Motion C10 and Motion MP10 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 C10's and MartinLogan Motion MP10'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 MP10 has external dimensions of 356 x 203 x 127mm ( 14inch x 8inch x 5inch ) .
MartinLogan Motion MP10 is 280mm narrower and 166mm less deeper than MartinLogan Motion C10 but it is also 172mm 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 MP10 is approximately 257.8cm2 / 40.0inch2. The Motion C10 requires 449% more surface area than the Motion MP10 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Sensitivity 
Number of Woofers 
Height 
Nominal Impedance 
Mounting Bracket 
Base Surface Area 
Price per pair*