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.
| Key Specs | MartinLogan Motion XT F200 | ELAC VELA FS 409 |
|---|
| Brand | MartinLogan
United States · founded 1982 | ELAC
Germany · founded 1926 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.25 x 2.4" Folded Motion XT | handmade JET 5 folded ribbon |
|---|
| Midrange | 6.5" | 6" |
|---|
| Woofer | 3 x 8" Aluminum | 2 x 7" Aluminum/Paper |
|---|
| Frequency response | 27-25k Hz | 28-50k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 92 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-600 watts | 40-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 39.00kg / 85.8lbs | 32.18kg / 70.8lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 50-3/4" x 13-3/4" x 16-1/2"
1289 x 349 x 419mm | 52-3/8" 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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Motion XT F200 and VELA FS 409 are 3-way speakers.
MartinLogan Motion XT F200ELAC VELA FS 409
MidrangeWoofer
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 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.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing 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 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Motion XT F200 can handle a max power of 600 watts RMS, whereas VELA FS 409 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 400 watts less than the Motion XT F200.
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 F200
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
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 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.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of MartinLogan Motion XT F200 and ELAC VELA FS 409 in scale.
Comparison image of MartinLogan Motion XT F200 and ELAC VELA FS 409 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 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.
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 F200 weighs 39.00kg / 85.8lbs and the ELAC VELA FS 409 weighs 32.18kg / 70.8lbs. This makes the Motion XT F200 21% heavier than the VELA FS 409.
Here is a comparison of how Motion XT F200 and VELA FS 409's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
MartinLogan Motion XT F200
What's in the Box of ELAC VELA FS 409?
Here are the items that come with the VELA FS 409:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Base plate
- 2 Jumper straps (pre-installed)
- 4 Spikes
- 4 Pucks
- 4 Rubber pads
- 4 Machine screws
- 4 Washers
- Hex-key
- Operating And Safety Instructions
 Max Input Power |
600 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
92 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
7 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
27 Hz
vs
28 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
1289mm
vs
1331mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
5498USD
vs
7400USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 High Frequency Response |
50k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Base Surface Area |
959cm2
vs
1462cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
MartinLogan Motion® XT F200 |
ELAC VELA FS 409 |
| Brand |
MartinLogan |
ELAC |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
20-600 watts |
40-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
92 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
27-25k Hz |
28-50k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
3 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
7" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminum |
Aluminum/Paper |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.25 x 2.4" |
- |
| Tweeter Type |
Folded Motion XT |
handmade JET 5 folded ribbon |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6.5" |
6" |
| Crossover Frequency |
300Hz and 2600Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
n/a |
| Suggested Break-in Period |
Allow 72 hours of break-in |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1289.0mm (50.7") |
1331.0mm (52.4") |
| Width |
349.0mm (13.7") |
278.0mm (10.9") |
| Depth |
419.0mm (16.5") |
345.0mm (13.6") |
| Weight |
39.00kg (85.8lbs) |
32.18kg (70.8lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood veneer |
MDF/Aluminum |
| Available Colors |
Gloss Black, Walnut, and Satin White |
Gloss Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
3 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
3 Years |
A generation apart: MartinLogan Motion XT F200 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 | evenly matched | Much the same reach (27Hz vs 28Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | A | MartinLogan Motion XT F200 is more sensitive (92dB vs 89dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | A | MartinLogan Motion XT F200 takes more power (600W vs 200W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | ELAC VELA FS 409 is easier to place; MartinLogan Motion XT F200 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | MartinLogan Motion XT F200: bi-amping; ELAC VELA FS 409: bi-amping. MartinLogan Motion XT F200 sits in a wider range (7 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | A | MartinLogan Motion XT F200 is cheaper - $5,498 against $7,400, about 26% less. |
A MartinLogan Motion XT F200 B ELAC VELA FS 409
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 F200 is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take ELAC VELA FS 409 if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. Match it to your room: we rate MartinLogan Motion XT F200 the better fit for a very large room, and ELAC VELA FS 409 for a mid-size room. In a large or open-plan room, MartinLogan Motion XT F200 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, ELAC VELA FS 409 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.