In this review, we will be comparing Motion XT F200 and Cornwall IV, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from MartinLogan and Klipsch.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan Motion XT F200 and Klipsch Cornwall IV first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | MartinLogan Motion XT F200 | Klipsch Cornwall IV |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.25 x 2.4" Folded Motion XT | 1" horn-loaded |
|---|
| Midrange | 6.5" | 1.75" |
|---|
| Woofer | 3 x 8" Aluminum | 15" Fiber composite |
|---|
| Frequency response | 27-25k Hz | 34-20k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 92 dB | 102 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-600 watts | up to 100 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 39.00kg / 85.8lbs | 44.55kg / 98lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 50-3/4" x 13-3/4" x 16-1/2"
1289 x 349 x 419mm | 38" x 25-5/16" x 15-1/2"
966.0 x 643.0 x 394.0mm |
|---|
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
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Drivers
Both Motion XT F200 and Cornwall IV are 3-way speakers.
MartinLogan Motion XT F200Klipsch Cornwall IV
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
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 |
Klipsch Cornwall IV |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.25 x 2.4-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6.5-inch |
1 x 1.75-inch |
|
Woofer
|
3 x 8-inch
|
1 x 15-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 Cornwall IV features a 1" titanium-diaphragm compression horn-loaded Tweeter, a 1.75" Midrange and 1 x 15" Fiber composite Woofer.
Frequency Response
Motion XT F200 has a frequency range of 27-25k Hz whereas Cornwall IV has a frequency range of 34-20k 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 Cornwall IV's min frequency of 34Hz.
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 is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the Cornwall IV 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 Cornwall IV's is rated at 102 dB. This 10 dB difference makes the Klipsch Cornwall IV 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. 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 Cornwall IV has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 500 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 Cornwall IV 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 Klipsch Cornwall IV'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 Klipsch Cornwall IV has external dimensions of 966.0 x 643.0 x 394.0mm (38 x 25-5/16 x 15-1/2inch).
Klipsch Cornwall IV is 323mm shorter and 25mm less deeper than MartinLogan Motion XT F200 but it is also 294mm wider.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of MartinLogan Motion XT F200 and Klipsch Cornwall IV in scale.
Comparison image of MartinLogan Motion XT F200 and Klipsch Cornwall IV 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 Klipsch Cornwall IV is approximately 2533.4cm2 / 392.7inch2. The Motion XT F200 requires 42% less surface area than the Cornwall IV 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 Klipsch Cornwall IV weighs 44.55kg / 98lbs. This makes the Cornwall IV 14% heavier than the Motion XT F200.
Here is a comparison of how Motion XT F200 and Cornwall IV'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 Klipsch Cornwall IV?
Here are the items that come with the Cornwall IV:
- 2 Floorstanding loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- Owners Manual
- Congratulations letter
- Klipsch brochure
 Max Input Power |
600 watts
vs
100 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Number of Woofers |
3
vs
1
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
27 Hz
vs
34 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
25k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Base Surface Area |
1462cm2
vs
2533cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
5498USD
vs
6598USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Sensitivity |
102 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 |
15 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Height |
966mm
vs
1289mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
| General |
MartinLogan Motion® XT F200 |
Klipsch Heritage Cornwall IV |
| Brand |
MartinLogan |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
20-600 watts |
up to 100 watts |
| Sensitivity |
92 dB |
102 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
27-25k Hz |
34-20k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
3 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
15" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminum |
Fiber composite |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.25 x 2.4" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Folded Motion XT |
horn-loaded |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6.5" |
1.75" |
| 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") |
966.0mm (38") |
| Width |
349.0mm (13.7") |
643.0mm (25.3") |
| Depth |
419.0mm (16.5") |
394.0mm (15.5") |
| Weight |
39.00kg (85.8lbs) |
44.55kg (98lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood veneer |
MDF/Wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
Gloss Black, Walnut, and Satin White |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
10 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
10 Years |
A generation apart: MartinLogan Motion XT F200 is the newer design, against a 2019 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass |
A |
MartinLogan Motion XT F200 digs deeper - 27Hz against 34Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs |
B |
Klipsch Cornwall IV is more sensitive (102dB vs 92dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match |
B |
Klipsch Cornwall IV is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom |
A |
MartinLogan Motion XT F200 takes more power (600W vs 100W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size |
depends |
MartinLogan Motion XT F200 is easier to place; Klipsch Cornwall IV is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability |
depends |
MartinLogan Motion XT F200: bi-amping; Klipsch Cornwall IV: bi-amping. Klipsch Cornwall IV sits in a wider range (12 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price |
A |
MartinLogan Motion XT F200 is cheaper - $5,498 against $6,598, about 17% less. |
A MartinLogan Motion XT F200
B Klipsch Cornwall IV
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, placement 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?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 34Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Klipsch Cornwall IV is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
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.