In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by MartinLogan. MartinLogan Motion® MP10 is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the Motion C10 is a Center Channel speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan Motion MP10 and MartinLogan Motion C10 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | MartinLogan Motion MP10 | MartinLogan Motion C10 |
|---|
| 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 | 2 x 5.5" Woven Fiberglass |
|---|
| Frequency response | 81-25k Hz | 63-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 92 dB | 93 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 5 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-200 watts | 20-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 4.40kg / 9.7lbs | 10.70kg / 23.5lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 14" x 8" x 5"
356 x 203 x 127mm | 7-1/4" x 19" x 11-1/2"
184 x 483 x 293mm |
|---|
Motion MP10 and Motion C10 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 C10 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 C10 |
| 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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Drivers
Both Motion MP10 and Motion C10 are 2-way speakers.
MartinLogan Motion MP10MartinLogan Motion C10
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 C10 |
|
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
|
2 x 5.5-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 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.
Frequency Response
Motion MP10 has a frequency range of 81-25k Hz whereas Motion C10 has a frequency range of 63-25k 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.
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 is a 5 ohms speaker compared to the Motion C10 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 C10 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Motion MP10 sensitivity is rated at 92 dB and the Motion C10's is rated at 93 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
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 C10 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 C10 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 C10's Custom 5-way binding posts terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Motion MP10 and Motion C10 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 C10's external dimensions. MartinLogan Motion MP10 has external dimensions of 356 x 203 x 127mm (14inch x 8inch x 5inch) whereas MartinLogan Motion C10 has external dimensions of 184 x 483 x 293mm (7-1/4inch x 19inch x 11-1/2inch).
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 MP10 is approximately 257.8cm2 / 40.0inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan Motion C10 is approximately 1415.2cm2 / 219.4inch2. The Motion MP10 requires 82% less surface area than the Motion C10 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.