In this review, we will be comparing Motion XT F200 and Sonetto VIII, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from MartinLogan and Sonus faber.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan Motion XT F200 and Sonus Sonetto VIII first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | MartinLogan Motion XT F200 | Sonus Sonetto VIII |
|---|
| Brand | MartinLogan
United States · founded 1982 | Sonus faber
Italy · founded 1983 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.25 x 2.4" Folded Motion XT | 1.15" high definition DAD Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 6.5" | 6" |
|---|
| Woofer | 3 x 8" Aluminum | 3 x 7" aluminum cone |
|---|
| Frequency response | 27-25k Hz | 36-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 92 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-600 watts | 50-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 39.00kg / 85.8lbs | 26.30kg / 57.9lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 50-3/4" x 13-3/4" x 16-1/2"
1289 x 349 x 419mm | 47" x 11" x 17"
1188.0 x 283.0 x 427.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the MartinLogan Motion XT F200 and Sonus Sonetto VIII 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 |
Sonus Sonetto VIII |
| 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 Sonetto VIII are 3-way speakers.
MartinLogan Motion XT F200Sonus Sonetto VIII
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 |
Sonus Sonetto VIII |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.25 x 2.4-inch
|
1.15-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6.5-inch |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
3 x 8-inch
|
3 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 Sonetto VIII features a 1.15" high definition DAD Dome Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 3 x 7" aluminum cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 270 and 3.000 Hz.
Frequency Response
Motion XT F200 has a frequency range of 27-25k Hz whereas Sonetto VIII has a frequency range of 36-25k 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 Sonetto VIII's min frequency of 36Hz.
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 Sonetto VIII 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 Sonetto VIII's is at 90 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the MartinLogan Motion XT F200 a more sensitive speaker compared to Sonus Sonetto VIII, 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 Sonetto VIII 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 Sonetto VIII 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
Sonus Sonetto VIII's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Motion XT F200 and Sonetto VIII have bottom 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 Sonus Sonetto VIII'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 Sonus Sonetto VIII has external dimensions of 1188.0 x 283.0 x 427.0mm (47 x 11 x 17inch).
Sonus Sonetto VIII is 66mm narrower and 101mm shorter than MartinLogan Motion XT F200 but it is also 8mm deeper.
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 Sonus Sonetto VIII is approximately 1208.4cm2 / 187.3inch2. The Motion XT F200 requires 21% more surface area than the Sonetto VIII 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 Sonus Sonetto VIII weighs 26.30kg / 57.9lbs. This makes the Motion XT F200 48% heavier than the Sonetto VIII.
Here is a comparison of how Motion XT F200 and Sonetto VIII'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 Sonus Sonetto VIII?
Here are the items that come with the Sonetto VIII:
- 8 Spikes
- 8 Under Spikes
- 8 Spike locks
- 2 Masks
- 2 Fabric dust guards
- 2 Basis
- 16 Locking screws
- 2 Jumpers
- 1 Allen Wrench
- 1 Manual
 Max Input Power |
600 watts
vs
300 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
92 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
7 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
27 Hz
vs
36 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Price per pair* |
5498USD
vs
5499USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Height |
1188mm
vs
1289mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1208cm2
vs
1462cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
MartinLogan Motion® XT F200 |
Sonus faber Sonetto VIII |
| Brand |
MartinLogan |
Sonus faber |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
20-600 watts |
50-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
92 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
27-25k Hz |
36-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
3 |
3 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
7" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminum |
aluminum cone |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
n/a |
| Tweeter Size |
1.25 x 2.4" |
1.15" |
| Tweeter Type |
Folded Motion XT |
high definition DAD Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6.5" |
6" |
| Crossover Frequency |
300Hz and 2600Hz |
270 and 3.000 Hz |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
bottom |
| Suggested Break-in Period |
Allow 72 hours of break-in |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1289.0mm (50.7") |
1188.0mm (46.8") |
| Width |
349.0mm (13.7") |
283.0mm (11.1") |
| Depth |
419.0mm (16.5") |
427.0mm (16.8") |
| Weight |
39.00kg (85.8lbs) |
26.30kg (57.9lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood veneer |
n/a |
| Available Colors |
Gloss Black, Walnut, and Satin White |
Wood, White, Black, Wenge |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
|
| Labor Warranty |
5 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 | A | MartinLogan Motion XT F200 digs deeper - 27Hz against 36Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | A | MartinLogan Motion XT F200 is more sensitive (92dB vs 90dB), 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 | Sonus Sonetto VIII 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; Sonus Sonetto VIII: bi-amping. Sonus Sonetto VIII sits in a wider range (11 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($5,498 vs $5,499 a pair). |
A MartinLogan Motion XT F200 B Sonus Sonetto VIII
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 36Hz 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.