In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by MartinLogan. MartinLogan Motion® XT C100 is a Center Channel speaker whereas the Motion XT B100 is a Bookshelf speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan Motion XT C100 and MartinLogan Motion XT B100 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | MartinLogan Motion XT C100 | MartinLogan Motion XT B100 |
|---|
| Brand | MartinLogan
United States · founded 1982 | MartinLogan
United States · founded 1982 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.25 x 2.4" Folded Motion XT | 1.25 x 2.4" Folded Motion XT |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Aluminum | 6.5" Kevlar |
|---|
| Frequency response | 42-25k Hz | 45-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 93 dB | 93 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 5 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-300 watts | 20-250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 15.40kg / 33.9lbs | 9.30kg / 20.5lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 8" x 24" x 14-1/2"
203 x 610 x 368mm | 14-1/2" x 8" x 12-1/2"
368 x 203 x 318mm |
|---|
Motion XT C100 and Motion XT B100 are members of MartinLogan's Motion XT series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
MartinLogan Motion XT Series
History
What size room are the MartinLogan Motion XT C100 and MartinLogan Motion XT B100 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 |
MartinLogan Motion XT B100 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| 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.)
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 Motion XT B100 are 2-way speakers.
MartinLogan Motion XT C100MartinLogan Motion XT B100
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 |
MartinLogan Motion XT B100 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.25 x 2.4-inch
|
1.25 x 2.4-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 6.5-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 Motion XT B100 features a 1.25 x 2.4" Folded Motion XT Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Kevlar Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2600Hz.
Frequency Response
Motion XT C100 has a frequency range of 42-25k Hz whereas Motion XT B100 has a frequency range of 45-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 42Hz, the Motion XT C100 can go slightly deeper then the Motion XT B100's min frequency of 45Hz.
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 Motion XT B100 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 XT B100 can provide this impedance level.
On the other hand, they have the same sensitivity of 93 dBdB.
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 Motion XT B100 has a max power handling value of 250 watts RMS, 50 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
MartinLogan Motion XT B100
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both Motion XT C100 and Motion XT B100 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
MartinLogan Motion XT C100's Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
MartinLogan Motion XT B100'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 Motion XT B100 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 MartinLogan Motion XT B100's external dimensions. MartinLogan Motion XT C100 has external dimensions of 203 x 610 x 368mm (8inch x 24inch x 14-1/2inch) whereas MartinLogan Motion XT B100 has external dimensions of 368 x 203 x 318mm (14-1/2-inch x 8inch x 12-1/2inch).
MartinLogan Motion XT B100 is 407mm narrower and 50mm less deeper than MartinLogan Motion XT C100 but it is also 165mm taller.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of MartinLogan Motion XT C100 and MartinLogan Motion XT B100 in scale.
Comparison image of MartinLogan Motion XT C100 and MartinLogan Motion XT B100 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 XT C100 is approximately 2244.8cm2 / 347.9inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan Motion XT B100 is approximately 645.5cm2 / 100.1inch2. The Motion XT C100 requires 248% more surface area than the Motion XT B100 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.