In this review, we will be comparing Motion MP10 and Motion B10, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by MartinLogan.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan Motion MP10 and MartinLogan Motion B10 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | MartinLogan Motion MP10 | MartinLogan Motion B10 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.0 x 1.4" Folded Motion Ribbon | 1.0 x 1.4" Folded Motion Ribbon |
|---|
| Woofer | 5.5" Woven Fiberglass | 5.25" Woven Fiberglass |
|---|
| Frequency response | 81-25k Hz | 56-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 92 dB | 92 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 5 ohms | 5 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-200 watts | 20-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 4.40kg / 9.7lbs | 6.60kg / 14.5lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 14" x 8" x 5"
356 x 203 x 127mm | 12-1/2" x 7" x 9-3/4"
318 x 178 x 248mm |
|---|
Motion MP10 and Motion B10 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 MP10 and MartinLogan Motion B10 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 MP10 |
MartinLogan Motion B10 |
| 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.
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through our links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
Both Motion MP10 and Motion B10 are 2-way speakers.
MartinLogan Motion MP10MartinLogan Motion B10
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 MP10 |
MartinLogan Motion B10 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.0 x 1.4-inch
|
1.0 x 1.4-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.5-inch
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
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. On the other hand, the Motion B10 features a 1.0 x 1.4" Folded Motion Ribbon Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Woven Fiberglass Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2370Hz.
Frequency Response
Motion MP10 has a frequency range of 81-25k Hz whereas Motion B10 has a frequency range of 56-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 56Hz, the Motion B10 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Motion MP10's min frequency of 81Hz.
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 MP10 and Motion B10 have the same Impedance of 5 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 92 dB.
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 MP10 and Motion B10 have the same power range of 20-200 watts.
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 MP10 features Custom 5-way binding posts type posts and Motion B10 has a Custom 5-way binding posts type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
MartinLogan Motion MP10's Custom 5-way binding posts terminals
MartinLogan Motion B10's Custom 5-way binding posts terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Motion MP10 and Motion B10 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 MP10's and MartinLogan Motion B10's external dimensions. MartinLogan Motion MP10 has external dimensions of 356 x 203 x 127mm (14inch x 8inch x 5inch) whereas MartinLogan Motion B10 has external dimensions of 318 x 178 x 248mm (12-1/2inch x 7inch x 9-3/4inch).
MartinLogan Motion B10 is 25mm narrower and 38mm shorter than MartinLogan Motion MP10 but it is also 121mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of MartinLogan Motion MP10 and MartinLogan Motion B10 in scale.
Comparison image of MartinLogan Motion MP10 and MartinLogan Motion B10 Size and External Dimensions
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 MP10 is approximately 257.8cm2 / 40.0inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan Motion B10 is approximately 441.4cm2 / 68.4inch2. The Motion MP10 requires 42% less surface area than the Motion B10 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
Here is another comparison that shows both speakers on a BDI Octave Media Cabinet, next to a standard size amplifier and turntable in scale:
Size Comparison image of MartinLogan Motion MP10 and MartinLogan Motion B10 on a Media Console
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 MP10 weighs 4.40kg / 9.7lbs and the MartinLogan Motion B10 weighs 6.60kg / 14.5lbs. This makes the Motion B10 50% heavier than the Motion MP10.
Here is a comparison of how Motion MP10 and Motion B10's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
 Woofer Size |
5.5 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Mounting Bracket |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows mounting on walls |
 Base Surface Area |
257cm2
vs
441cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
998USD
vs
1198USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
|
Low Frequency Response |
56 Hz
vs
81 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
318mm
vs
356mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
| General |
MartinLogan Motion® MP10 |
MartinLogan Motion® B10 |
| Brand |
MartinLogan |
MartinLogan |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
20-200 watts |
20-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
92 dB |
92 dB |
| Impedance |
5 ohms |
5 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
81-25k Hz |
56-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5.5" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
Woven Fiberglass |
Woven Fiberglass |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.0 x 1.4" |
1.0 x 1.4" |
| Tweeter Type |
Folded Motion Ribbon |
Folded Motion Ribbon |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2100Hz |
2370Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
| Suggested Break-in Period |
Allow 72 hours of break-in |
Allow 72 hours of break-in |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
356.0mm (14") |
318.0mm (12.5") |
| Width |
203.0mm (8") |
178.0mm (7") |
| Depth |
127.0mm (5") |
248.0mm (9.8") |
| Weight |
4.40kg (9.7lbs) |
6.60kg (14.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Available Colors |
Gloss Black, Walnut, and Satin White |
Gloss Black, Walnut, and Satin White |
| Mounting Bracket |
Yes |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
n/a |
24-28" |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
Siblings in MartinLogan's Motion(4th Gen) series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass |
B |
MartinLogan Motion B10 digs deeper - 56Hz against 81Hz. |
| Amplifier needs |
evenly matched |
Similar sensitivity (92dB vs 92dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom |
evenly matched |
Similar power handling (200W vs 200W). |
| Size |
depends |
MartinLogan Motion MP10 is easier to place; MartinLogan Motion B10 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Price |
A |
MartinLogan Motion MP10 is cheaper - $998 against $1,198, about 17% less. |
A MartinLogan Motion MP10
B MartinLogan Motion B10
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 B10 measures better, MartinLogan Motion MP10 costs about 17% 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 81Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper MartinLogan Motion MP10 much easier to justify. In a large or open-plan room, MartinLogan Motion B10 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, MartinLogan Motion MP10 is the easier speaker to get right.
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.