In this review, we will be comparing Motion C10 and Motion XT C100, two Passive Center Channel speakers by MartinLogan.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan Motion C10 and MartinLogan Motion XT C100 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | MartinLogan Motion C10 | MartinLogan Motion XT C100 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.0 x 1.4" Folded Motion Ribbon | 1.25 x 2.4" Folded Motion XT |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5.5" Woven Fiberglass | 2 x 6.5" Aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 63-25k Hz | 42-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 93 dB | 93 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 5 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-200 watts | 20-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 10.70kg / 23.5lbs | 15.40kg / 33.9lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 7-1/4" x 19" x 11-1/2"
184 x 483 x 293mm | 8" x 24" x 14-1/2"
203 x 610 x 368mm |
|---|
What size room are the MartinLogan Motion C10 and MartinLogan Motion XT C100 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 XT C100 |
| 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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
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through our links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
Both Motion C10 and Motion XT C100 are 2-way speakers.
MartinLogan Motion C10MartinLogan Motion XT C100
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 XT C100 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.0 x 1.4-inch
|
1.25 x 2.4-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-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 XT C100 features a 1.25 x 2.4" Folded Motion XT Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1300Hz and 2500Hz.
Frequency Response
Motion C10 has a frequency range of 63-25k Hz whereas Motion XT C100 has a frequency range of 42-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 42Hz, the Motion XT C100 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 XT C100 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.
On the other hand, they have the same sensitivity of 93 dBdB.
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 XT C100 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas Motion C10 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the Motion XT C100.
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.
MartinLogan Motion XT C100
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Motion XT C100 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 XT C100's Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Motion C10 and Motion XT C100 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 XT C100'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 XT C100 has external dimensions of 203 x 610 x 368mm (8inch x 24inch x 14-1/2inch).
MartinLogan Motion XT C100 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 127mm wider, 19mm taller and 75mm deeper than MartinLogan Motion C10.
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 XT C100 is approximately 2244.8cm2 / 347.9inch2. The Motion C10 requires 37% less surface area than the Motion XT C100 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The MartinLogan Motion C10 weighs 10.70kg / 23.5lbs and the MartinLogan Motion XT C100 weighs 15.40kg / 33.9lbs. This makes the Motion XT C100 44% heavier than the Motion C10.
Here is a comparison of how Motion C10 and Motion XT C100's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Center Channel class.
Weight
All Center Channel Speakers
MartinLogan Motion XT C100
 Height |
184mm
vs
203mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1415cm2
vs
2244cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1998USD
vs
2998USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Nominal Impedance |
5 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
42 Hz
vs
63 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
| General |
MartinLogan Motion® C10 |
MartinLogan Motion® XT C100 |
| Brand |
MartinLogan |
MartinLogan |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
20-200 watts |
20-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
93 dB |
93 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
5 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
63-25k Hz |
42-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Woven Fiberglass |
Aluminum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.0 x 1.4" |
1.25 x 2.4" |
| Tweeter Type |
Folded Motion Ribbon |
Folded Motion XT |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
1000Hz and 2000Hz |
1300Hz and 2500Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
| Suggested Break-in Period |
Allow 72 hours of break-in |
Allow 72 hours of break-in |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
184.0mm (7.2") |
203.0mm (8") |
| Width |
483.0mm (19") |
610.0mm (24") |
| Depth |
293.0mm (11.5") |
368.0mm (14.5") |
| Weight |
10.70kg (23.5lbs) |
15.40kg (33.9lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
Gloss Black, Walnut, and Satin White |
Gloss Black, Walnut, and Satin White |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
Both are MartinLogan, from different ranges - so the house sound is shared and the differences are mostly in scale, engineering and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass |
B |
MartinLogan Motion XT C100 digs deeper - 42Hz against 63Hz. |
| Amplifier needs |
evenly matched |
Similar sensitivity (93dB vs 93dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match |
B |
MartinLogan Motion XT C100 is the easier load at 5 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom |
B |
MartinLogan Motion XT C100 takes more power (300W vs 200W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size |
depends |
MartinLogan Motion C10 is easier to place; MartinLogan Motion XT C100 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability |
B |
MartinLogan Motion XT C100: bi-amping. |
| Price |
A |
MartinLogan Motion C10 is cheaper - $1,998 against $2,998, about 33% less. |
A MartinLogan Motion C10
B MartinLogan Motion XT C100
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, placement or how you will use them.
Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
The usual trade-off: MartinLogan Motion XT C100 measures better, MartinLogan Motion C10 costs about 33% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 63Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper MartinLogan Motion C10 much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate MartinLogan Motion C10 the better fit for a small room, and MartinLogan Motion XT C100 for a large room and a very large room.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.