In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by MartinLogan. MartinLogan Motion LX16 is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the Motion 8i is a Center Channel speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan LX16 and MartinLogan 8i first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | MartinLogan LX16 | MartinLogan 8i |
|---|
| Brand | MartinLogan
United States · founded 1982 | MartinLogan
United States · founded 1982 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.0 x 1.4" Folded Motion | 1.0 x 1.4" Folded Motion |
|---|
| Woofer | 5.25" Aluminum | 2 x 4" poly cone woofers with rigid dust caps |
|---|
| Frequency response | 60-25k Hz | 70-23k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 92 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 5 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-200 watts | 20-180 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 5.40kg / 11.9lbs | 3.86kg / 8.5lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 11.0" x 6.4" x 9.5"
280.0 x 165.0 x 242.0mm | 5-9/16" x 22-1/8" x 5-1/4"
142.0 x 562.0 x 134.0mm |
|---|
Motion LX16 and Motion 8i are members of MartinLogan's Motion series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
MartinLogan Motion Series
History
What size room are the MartinLogan LX16 and MartinLogan 8i 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 LX16 |
MartinLogan 8i |
| 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.
Drivers
Both Motion LX16 and Motion 8i are 2-way speakers.
MartinLogan LX16MartinLogan 8i
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 LX16 |
MartinLogan 8i |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.0 x 1.4-inch
|
1.0 x 1.4-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
2 x 4-inch
|
Motion LX16 features a 1.0 x 1.4" Folded Motion Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2700Hz. On the other hand, the Motion 8i features a 1.0 x 1.4" Folded Motion Tweeter and 2 x 4" poly cone woofers with rigid dust caps Woofer.
Frequency Response
Motion LX16 has a frequency range of 60-25k Hz whereas Motion 8i has a frequency range of 70-23k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 60Hz, the Motion LX16 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Motion 8i's min frequency of 70Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf 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 LX16 is a 5 ohms speaker compared to the Motion 8i which has a nominal impedance of 4 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 8i can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Motion LX16 sensitivity is rated at 92 dB and the Motion 8i's is rated at 89 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the MartinLogan LX16 a more sensitive speaker compared to MartinLogan 8i, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf 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 LX16 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas Motion 8i has a max power handling value of 180 watts RMS, 20 watts less than the Motion LX16.
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 LX16 features Spring post type posts and Motion 8i has a Spring post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
MartinLogan LX16's Custom 5-way binding posts terminals
MartinLogan 8i's Spring post terminals
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 LX16's and MartinLogan 8i's external dimensions. MartinLogan LX16 has external dimensions of 280.0 x 165.0 x 242.0mm (11.0 x 6.4 x 9.5inch) whereas MartinLogan 8i has external dimensions of 142.0 x 562.0 x 134.0mm (5-9/16 x 22-1/8 x 5-1/4inch).
MartinLogan 8i is 138mm shorter and 108mm less deeper than MartinLogan LX16 but it is also 397mm 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 LX16 is approximately 399.3cm2 / 61.9inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan 8i is approximately 753.1cm2 / 116.7inch2. The Motion LX16 requires 47% less surface area than the Motion 8i which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of MartinLogan LX16?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Motion LX16:
- Bookshelf loudspeaker
- Magnetic grille
- 4 Rubber bumpers
- User's Manual (En/Fr)
What's in the Box of MartinLogan 8i?
Here are the items that come with the Motion 8i:
- LCR loudspeaker
- Grille
- 2 Wall-bracket
- 2 Shoulder bolts
- 4 Rubber bumpers
- Cleaning cloth
- User-feets Manual (En/Fr)
- Installation template
- Product Registration Card