In this review, we will be comparing Motion XT C100 and VELA CC 401, two Passive Center Channel speakers from MartinLogan and ELAC.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan Motion XT C100 and ELAC VELA CC 401 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | MartinLogan Motion XT C100 | ELAC VELA CC 401 |
|---|
| Brand | MartinLogan
United States · founded 1982 | ELAC
Germany · founded 1926 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.25 x 2.4" Folded Motion XT | JET 5 folded ribbon |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Aluminum | 2 x 6" aluminum/paper sandwich |
|---|
| Frequency response | 42-25k Hz | 30-50k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 93 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 5 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-300 watts | 40-120 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 15.40kg / 33.9lbs | 19.14kg / 42.1lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 8" x 24" x 14-1/2"
203 x 610 x 368mm | 7-9/16" x 25-9/16" x 9-7/16"
193.0 x 650.0 x 240.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the MartinLogan Motion XT C100 and ELAC VELA CC 401 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 XT C100 |
ELAC VELA CC 401 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
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 XT C100 and VELA CC 401 are 2-way speakers.
MartinLogan Motion XT C100ELAC VELA CC 401
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 XT C100 |
ELAC VELA CC 401 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.25 x 2.4-inch
|
-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 6-inch
|
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. On the other hand, the VELA CC 401 features a " JET 5 folded ribbon Tweeter and 2 x 6" aluminum/paper sandwich Woofer.
Frequency Response
Motion XT C100 has a frequency range of 42-25k Hz whereas VELA CC 401 has a frequency range of 30-50k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 30Hz, the VELA CC 401 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Motion XT C100's min frequency of 42Hz.
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 XT C100 is a 5 ohms speaker compared to the VELA CC 401 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 VELA CC 401 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Motion XT C100 sensitivity is rated at 93 dB and the VELA CC 401's is rated at 88 dB. This 5 dB difference makes the MartinLogan Motion XT C100 a more sensitive speaker compared to ELAC VELA CC 401, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
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 VELA CC 401 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 180 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. VELA CC 401 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
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 XT C100 and VELA CC 401 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 XT C100's and ELAC VELA CC 401's external dimensions. MartinLogan Motion XT C100 has external dimensions of 203 x 610 x 368mm (8inch x 24inch x 14-1/2inch) whereas ELAC VELA CC 401 has external dimensions of 193.0 x 650.0 x 240.0mm (7-9/16 x 25-9/16 x 9-7/16inch).
ELAC VELA CC 401 is 10mm shorter and 128mm less deeper than MartinLogan Motion XT C100 but it is also 40mm wider.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
MartinLogan Motion XT C100 needs about 44% more floor or shelf area. MartinLogan Motion XT C100 is 128mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall.
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 XT C100 is approximately 2244.8cm2 / 347.9inch2 and base area of the ELAC VELA CC 401 is approximately 1560.0cm2 / 241.8inch2. The Motion XT C100 requires 44% more surface area than the VELA CC 401 which gives it a small disadvantage 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 XT C100 weighs 15.40kg / 33.9lbs and the ELAC VELA CC 401 weighs 19.14kg / 42.1lbs. This makes the VELA CC 401 24% heavier than the Motion XT C100.
Here is a comparison of how Motion XT C100 and VELA CC 401's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Center Channel class.
Weight
All Center Channel Speakers
MartinLogan Motion XT C100
What's in the Box of ELAC VELA CC 401?
Here are the items that come with the VELA CC 401:
- 1 Center channel speaker
- 2 Jumper straps (pre-installed)
- Operating And Safety Instructions
 Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
120 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
93 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
5 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
6 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
30 Hz
vs
42 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
50k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
193mm
vs
203mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1560cm2
vs
2244cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
2300USD
vs
2998USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
MartinLogan Motion® XT C100 |
ELAC VELA CC 401 |
| Brand |
MartinLogan |
ELAC |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
20-300 watts |
40-120 watts |
| Sensitivity |
93 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
5 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
42-25k Hz |
30-50k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminum |
aluminum/paper sandwich |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
n/a |
| Tweeter Size |
1.25 x 2.4" |
- |
| Tweeter Type |
Folded Motion XT |
JET 5 folded ribbon |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
1300Hz and 2500Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
| Suggested Break-in Period |
Allow 72 hours of break-in |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
203.0mm (8") |
193.0mm (7.6") |
| Width |
610.0mm (24") |
650.0mm (25.6") |
| Depth |
368.0mm (14.5") |
240.0mm (9.4") |
| Weight |
15.40kg (33.9lbs) |
19.14kg (42.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood veneer |
n/a |
| Available Colors |
Gloss Black, Walnut, and Satin White |
Gloss Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
n/a |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
3 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
3 Years |
A generation apart: MartinLogan Motion XT C100 is the newer design, against a 2018 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | ELAC VELA CC 401 digs deeper - 30Hz against 42Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | A | MartinLogan Motion XT C100 is more sensitive (93dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | A | MartinLogan Motion XT C100 is the easier load at 5 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | A | MartinLogan Motion XT C100 takes more power (300W vs 120W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | ELAC VELA CC 401 is easier to place; MartinLogan Motion XT C100 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | A | MartinLogan Motion XT C100: bi-amping. MartinLogan Motion XT C100 sits in a wider range (7 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | ELAC VELA CC 401 is cheaper - $2,300 against $2,998, about 23% less. |
A MartinLogan Motion XT C100 B ELAC VELA CC 401
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system 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?
MartinLogan Motion XT C100 leads across most of the measured areas for a fairly modest premium, which makes it the easier pick if the budget stretches. ELAC VELA CC 401 is the one to take if it does not. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 42Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate MartinLogan Motion XT C100 the better fit for a large room and a very large room, and ELAC VELA CC 401 for a small 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.