In this review, we will be comparing Motion F20 and BP-9040, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from MartinLogan and Definitive Technology.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan Motion F20 and Definitive BP-9040 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
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
- 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 )
Definitive BP-9040 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" dome Tweeter
- 4.5" Midrange
- 8" Polypropelene Woofer
- 4.5" Midrange
- 22-40k Hz Frequency Response
- 92 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:50-300watts
- Weight:16.36kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 993.0" x 11-1/16" x 13-13/16"( 993.0 x 281.0 x 351.0mm )
What size room are the MartinLogan Motion F20 and Definitive BP-9040 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 F20 |
Definitive BP-9040 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
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 F20 and Definitive BP-9040 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
Both Motion F20 and BP-9040 are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
MartinLogan Motion F20 |
Definitive BP-9040 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.0 x 1.4-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.5-inch |
3 x 4.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.5-inch
|
1 x 8-inch
|
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. On the other hand, the BP-9040 features a 1" annealed aluminum dome Tweeter , a 4.5" Midrange and 1 x 8" Polypropelene Woofer .
Frequency Response
Motion F20 has a frequency range of 35-25k Hz whereas BP-9040 has a frequency range of 22-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 22Hz, the BP-9040 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Motion F20's min frequency of 35Hz.
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 Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing 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 F20 is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the BP-9040 which has a nominal impedance of 8 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 F20 can provide this impedance level.
On the other hand, they have the same sensitivity of 92 dBdB.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing 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.
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. BP-9040 has a 5-Way post, RCA which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
MartinLogan Motion F20's Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Definitive BP-9040's 5-Way post, RCA terminals
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 F20's and Definitive BP-9040's external dimensions. MartinLogan Motion F20 has external dimensions of 1127 x 298 x 362mm ( 44-3/4inch x 11-3/4inch x 14-1/4inch ) whereas Definitive BP-9040 has external dimensions of 993.0 x 281.0 x 351.0mm ( 39-1/16 x 11-1/16 x 13-13/16inch) .
MartinLogan Motion F20 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 17mm wider, 134mm taller and 11mm deeper than Definitive BP-9040.
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 F20 is approximately 1078.8cm2 / 167.2inch2 and base area of the Definitive BP-9040 is approximately 986.3cm2 / 152.9inch2. The Motion F20 requires 9% more surface area than the BP-9040 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.