In this review, we will be comparing Motion XT F200 and Aria 948, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from MartinLogan and Focal. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan Motion XT F200 and Focal Aria 948 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the MartinLogan Motion XT F200 and Focal Aria 948 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:
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the MartinLogan Motion XT F200 and Focal Aria 948 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
Both Motion XT F200 and Aria 948 are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
MartinLogan Motion XT F200 |
Focal Aria 948 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.25 x 2.4-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6.5-inch |
1 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
3 x 8-inch
|
2 x 8.25-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 Aria 948 features a 1" TNF Al/Mg inverted dome Tweeter , a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 8.25" Flax Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 280Hz and 2,600Hz.
Frequency Response
Motion XT F200 has a frequency range of 27-25k Hz whereas Aria 948 has a frequency range of 37-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 27Hz, the Motion XT F200 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Aria 948's min frequency of 37Hz.
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 is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the Aria 948 which has a nominal impedance of 8 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 F200 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Motion XT F200 sensitivity is rated at 92 dB and the Aria 948's is rated at 92.5 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Focal Aria 948 a more sensitive speaker compared to MartinLogan Motion XT F200, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
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 Aria 948 has a max power handling value of 350 watts RMS, 250 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
Motion XT F200 features Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Aria 948 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/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 Focal Aria 948'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 Focal Aria 948 has external dimensions of 1150.0 x 372.0 x 421.0mm ( 45-1/4 x 14-5/8 x 16-9/16inch) .
MartinLogan Motion XT F200 is 23mm narrower and 2mm less deeper than Focal Aria 948 but it is also 139mm 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 Focal Aria 948 is approximately 1566.1cm2 / 242.7inch2. The Motion XT F200 requires 7% less surface area than the Aria 948 which gives it a small advantage 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 Focal Aria 948 weighs 35.00kg / 77lbs. This makes the Motion XT F200 11% heavier than the Aria 948.
Here is a comparison of how Motion XT F200 and Aria 948'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 Focal Aria 948?
Here are the items that come with the Aria 948:
Floorstanding loudspeakerGrilleBase4 Spike feet (pre-installed in base)4 Plastic feet4 ScrewsAllen-keyHex-toolUser Manual
 Max Input Power |
600 watts
vs
350 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
| Low Frequency Response |
27 Hz
vs
37 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Base Surface Area |
1462cm2 (349x419mm)
vs
1566cm2 (372x421mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
5498USD
vs
6598USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Sensitivity |
93 dB
vs
92 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
| Woofer Size |
8.25 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
1150mm
vs
1289mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
| General |
MartinLogan Motion® XT F200 |
Focal Aria 948 |
| Brand |
MartinLogan |
Focal |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
20-600 watts |
50-350 watts |
| Sensitivity |
92 dB |
92.5 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
2.5 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
27-25k Hz |
37-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
3 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
8.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminum |
Flax |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.25 x 2.4" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Folded Motion XT |
inverted dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
300Hz and 2600Hz |
280Hz and 2,600Hz |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
n/a |
| Suggested Break-in Period |
Allow 72 hours of break-in |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1289.0mm (50.7") |
1150.0mm (45.3") |
| Width |
349.0mm (13.7") |
372.0mm (14.6") |
| Depth |
419.0mm (16.5") |
421.0mm (16.6") |
| Weight |
39.00kg (85.8lbs) |
35.00kg (77lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood veneer |
MDF/Glass/Leather |
| Available Colors |
Gloss Black, Walnut, and Satin White |
Gloss Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |