In this review, we will be comparing Motion XT F200 and VELA FS 409, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from MartinLogan and ELAC.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan Motion XT F200 and ELAC VELA FS 409 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
MartinLogan Motion XT F200 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1.25 x 2.4" Folded Motion XT Tweeter
- 6.5" Midrange
- 3 x 8" Aluminum Woofer
- 27-25k Hz Frequency Response
- 92 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:20-600watts
- Weight:39.00kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1289.0" x 13-3/4" x 16-1/2"( 1289 x 349 x 419mm )
ELAC VELA FS 409 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- ---" handmade JET 5 folded ribbon Tweeter
- 6" Midrange
- 2 x 7" Aluminum/Paper Woofer
- 6" Midrange
- 28-50k Hz Frequency Response
- 89 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:40-200watts
- Weight:32.18kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1331.0" x 10-15/16" x 13-9/16"( 1331.0 x 278.0 x 345.0mm )
What size room are the MartinLogan Motion XT F200 and ELAC VELA FS 409 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 F200 |
ELAC VELA FS 409 |
| Near-field |
Are you nuts? |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Good |
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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the MartinLogan Motion XT F200 and ELAC VELA FS 409 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking
through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
Both Motion XT F200 and VELA FS 409 are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
MartinLogan Motion XT F200 |
ELAC VELA FS 409 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.25 x 2.4-inch
|
----inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6.5-inch |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
3 x 8-inch
|
2 x 7-inch
|
Motion XT F200 features a 1.25 x 2.4" Folded Motion XT Tweeter , a 6.5" Midrange and 3 x 8" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 300Hz and 2600Hz. On the other hand, the VELA FS 409 features a ---" handmade JET 5 folded ribbon Tweeter , a 6" Midrange and 2 x 7" Aluminum/Paper Woofer .
Frequency Response
Motion XT F200 has a frequency range of 27-25k Hz whereas VELA FS 409 has a frequency range of 28-50k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 27Hz, the Motion XT F200 can go slightly deeper then the VELA FS 409's min frequency of 28Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
MartinLogan Motion XT F200
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Motion XT F200 and VELA FS 409 have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Motion XT F200 sensitivity is rated at 92 dB and the VELA FS 409's is at 89 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the MartinLogan Motion XT F200 a more sensitive speaker compared to ELAC VELA FS 409, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
One thing to keep in mind that the lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit comared to higher impedance speakers especially at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Motion XT F200 and the Motion XT F200 can provide this impedance level.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. While using
an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the
max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
Motion XT F200 can handle a max power of 600 watts RMS from the amp the whereas VELA FS 409 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 400 watts less than the Motion XT F200.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both Motion XT F200 and VELA FS 409 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
MartinLogan Motion XT F200's Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become 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 F200's and ELAC VELA FS 409's external dimensions. MartinLogan Motion XT F200 has external dimensions of 1289 x 349 x 419mm ( 50-3/4inch x 13-3/4inch x 16-1/2inch ) whereas ELAC VELA FS 409 has external dimensions of 1331.0 x 278.0 x 345.0mm ( 52-3/8 x 10-15/16 x 13-9/16inch) .
ELAC VELA FS 409 is 71mm narrower and 74mm less deeper than MartinLogan Motion XT F200 but it is also 42mm 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 XT F200 is approximately 1462.3cm2 / 226.7inch2 and base area of the ELAC VELA FS 409 is approximately 959.1cm2 / 148.7inch2. The Motion XT F200 requires 52% more surface area than the VELA FS 409 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.