In this review, we will be comparing Motion XT F200 and L800, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from MartinLogan and Polk Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan Motion XT F200 and Polk L800 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | MartinLogan Motion XT F200 | Polk L800 |
|---|
| Brand | MartinLogan
United States · founded 1982 | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.25 x 2.4" Folded Motion XT | 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator |
|---|
| Midrange | 6.5" | 2 x 5.25" |
|---|
| Woofer | 3 x 8" Aluminum | 2 x 10" Polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 27-25k Hz | 32-38k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 92 dB | 87 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-600 watts | 25-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 39.00kg / 85.8lbs | 68.50kg / 150.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 50-3/4" x 13-3/4" x 16-1/2"
1289 x 349 x 419mm | 48-5/8" x 18" x 17-7/16"
1236.0 x 458.0 x 443.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the MartinLogan Motion XT F200 and Polk L800 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 |
Polk L800 |
| Near-field |
Are you nuts? |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Good |
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 F200 and L800 are 3-way speakers.
MartinLogan Motion XT F200Polk L800
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 |
Polk L800 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.25 x 2.4-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6.5-inch |
2 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
3 x 8-inch
|
2 x 10-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 L800 features a 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 2 x 10" Polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 370Hz and 2800Hz.
Frequency Response
Motion XT F200 has a frequency range of 27-25k Hz whereas L800 has a frequency range of 32-38k 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 L800's min frequency of 32Hz.
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 L800 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 L800's is at 87 dB. This 5 dB difference makes the MartinLogan Motion XT F200 a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk L800, 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 L800 has a max power handling value of 300 watts RMS, 300 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 L800 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
Polk L800's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Motion XT F200 has a bottom firing port whereas L800 has a down firing ports.
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 Polk L800'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 Polk L800 has external dimensions of 1236.0 x 458.0 x 443.0mm (48-5/8 x 18 x 17-7/16inch).
MartinLogan Motion XT F200 is 109mm narrower and 24mm less deeper than Polk L800 but it is also 53mm taller.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of MartinLogan Motion XT F200 and Polk L800 in scale.
Comparison image of MartinLogan Motion XT F200 and Polk L800 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 Polk L800 is approximately 2028.9cm2 / 314.5inch2. The Motion XT F200 requires 28% less surface area than the L800 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 Polk L800 weighs 68.50kg / 150.7lbs. This makes the L800 76% heavier than the Motion XT F200.
Here is a comparison of how Motion XT F200 and L800'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 Polk L800?
Here are the items that come with the L800:
- 2 Floorstanding loudspeakers
- 2 Large Grilles
- 2 Small grilles
- Two 15-feet SDA interconnect cables
- 8 Rubber feet
- 8 Spike feet
- 2 Jumper-wires (pre-installed)
- 2 Cleaning cloths
- 2 Hex-keys
- Owners Manual
- Online Registration
 Max Input Power |
600 watts
vs
300 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
92 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
27 Hz
vs
32 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Base Surface Area |
1462cm2
vs
2028cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
5498USD
vs
5998USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
|
Woofer Size |
10 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
38k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Dolby Atmos Drivers |
Optional L900 Height Module Speaker
vs
No
|
Dolby Atmos Compatibility |
 Height |
1236mm
vs
1289mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
| General |
MartinLogan Motion® XT F200 |
Polk Audio Legend L800 |
| Brand |
MartinLogan |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
20-600 watts |
25-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
92 dB |
87 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
2.8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
27-25k Hz |
32-38k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
3 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminum |
Polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.25 x 2.4" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Folded Motion XT |
Pinnacle Ring Radiator |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6.5" |
5.25" |
| Crossover Frequency |
300Hz and 2600Hz |
370Hz and 2800Hz |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
down |
| Suggested Break-in Period |
Allow 72 hours of break-in |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1289.0mm (50.7") |
1236.0mm (48.7") |
| Width |
349.0mm (13.7") |
458.0mm (18") |
| Depth |
419.0mm (16.5") |
443.0mm (17.4") |
| Weight |
39.00kg (85.8lbs) |
68.50kg (150.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood veneer |
MDF/Wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
Gloss Black, Walnut, and Satin White |
Brown Walnut, Black Ash |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 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 32Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | A | MartinLogan Motion XT F200 is more sensitive (92dB vs 87dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | A | MartinLogan Motion XT F200 takes more power (600W vs 300W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | MartinLogan Motion XT F200 is easier to place; Polk L800 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | B | MartinLogan Motion XT F200: bi-amping; Polk L800: bi-amping and Atmos drivers. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($5,498 vs $5,998 a pair). |
A MartinLogan Motion XT F200 B Polk L800
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 has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 32Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate MartinLogan Motion XT F200 the better fit for a very large room; elsewhere the two are rated the same.
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.