In this review, we will be comparing Gold 500 6G and Motion XT F200, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Monitor Audio and MartinLogan.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Monitor Audio Gold 500 6G and MartinLogan Motion XT F200 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Monitor Audio Gold 500 6G | MartinLogan Motion XT F200 |
|---|
| Brand | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 | MartinLogan
United States · founded 1982 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" | 1.25 x 2.4" Folded Motion XT |
|---|
| Midrange | 3" | 6.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 8" HDT C-CAM | 3 x 8" Aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 44 Hz – 60 kHz | 27-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88.5 dB | 92 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 300 watts | 20-600 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 26.56kg / 58.4lbs | 39.00kg / 85.8lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 45-1/2" x 15-1/16" x 18-11/16"
1156.0 x 383.0 x 475.0mm | 50-3/4" x 13-3/4" x 16-1/2"
1289 x 349 x 419mm |
|---|
What size room are the Monitor Audio Gold 500 6G and MartinLogan Motion XT F200 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* |
Monitor Audio Gold 500 6G |
MartinLogan Motion XT F200 |
| Near-field |
Are you nuts? |
Are you nuts? |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Good |
Good |
(* 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 Gold 500 6G and Motion XT F200 are 3-way speakers.
Monitor Audio Gold 500 6GMartinLogan Motion XT F200
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Monitor Audio Gold 500 6G |
MartinLogan Motion XT F200 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1.25 x 2.4-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 3-inch |
1 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8-inch
|
3 x 8-inch
|
Gold 500 6G features a 1" MPD III Tweeter, a 3" Midrange and 2 x 8" HDT C-CAM Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 700 Hz - 2600 Hz. On the other hand, the 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.
Frequency Response
Gold 500 6G has a frequency range of 44 Hz – 60 kHz whereas Motion XT F200 has a frequency range of 27-25k 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 Gold 500 6G's min frequency of 44Hz.
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
Gold 500 6G and Motion XT F200 have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Gold 500 6G sensitivity is rated at 88.5 dB and the Motion XT F200's is at 92 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the MartinLogan Motion XT F200 a more sensitive speaker compared to Monitor Audio Gold 500 6G, 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 Gold 500 6G and the Gold 500 6G 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 Gold 500 6G 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.
Monitor Audio Gold 500 6G
MartinLogan Motion XT F200
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both Gold 500 6G and Motion XT F200 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Monitor Audio Gold 500 6G's Binding post terminals allows 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 Monitor Audio Gold 500 6G's and MartinLogan Motion XT F200's external dimensions. Monitor Audio Gold 500 6G has external dimensions of 1156.0 x 383.0 x 475.0mm (15-1/16 x 45-1/2 x 18-11/16) whereas MartinLogan Motion XT F200 has external dimensions of 1289 x 349 x 419mm (50-3/4inch x 13-3/4inch x 16-1/2inch).
MartinLogan Motion XT F200 is 34mm narrower and 56mm less deeper than Monitor Audio Gold 500 6G but it is also 133mm taller.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Monitor Audio Gold 500 6G and MartinLogan Motion XT F200 in scale.
Comparison image of Monitor Audio Gold 500 6G and MartinLogan Motion XT F200 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 Monitor Audio Gold 500 6G is approximately 1819.3cm2 / 282.0inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan Motion XT F200 is approximately 1462.3cm2 / 226.7inch2. The Gold 500 6G requires 24% more surface area than the Motion XT F200 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 Monitor Audio Gold 500 6G weighs 26.56kg / 58.4lbs and the MartinLogan Motion XT F200 weighs 39.00kg / 85.8lbs. This makes the Motion XT F200 47% heavier than the Gold 500 6G.
Here is a comparison of how Gold 500 6G and Motion XT F200's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
Monitor Audio Gold 500 6G
MartinLogan Motion XT F200
What's in the Box of Monitor Audio Gold 500 6G?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Gold 500 6G:
- 2 Floorstanding loudspeakers
- 6 Grilles
- 4 Jumper-plates (pre-installed)
- 4 Port plugs
- 2 Base plates
- 8 Outrigger feet
- 8 rubber feet (pre-installed in outrigger feet)
- 8 Spikes (pre-installed in outrigger fee)
- 8 Large machine screws
- 24 Small machine screws
- Hex-key
- Quick Setup Guide
- Important Safety Instructions
 High Frequency Response |
60k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
1156mm
vs
1289mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Max Input Power |
600 watts
vs
300 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
92 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
27 Hz
vs
44 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Base Surface Area |
1462cm2
vs
1819cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
5498USD
vs
7499USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Monitor Audio Gold 500 6G |
MartinLogan Motion® XT F200 |
| Brand |
Monitor Audio |
MartinLogan |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 300 watts |
20-600 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88.5 dB |
92 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
44 Hz – 60 kHz |
27-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
3 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
HDT C-CAM |
Aluminum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1.25 x 2.4" |
| Tweeter Type |
n/a |
Folded Motion XT |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
3" |
6.5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
700 Hz - 2600 Hz |
300Hz and 2600Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
bottom |
| Suggested Break-in Period |
2 Base plates| 8 Outrigger feet| 8 rubber feet (pre-installed in outrigger feet)| 8 Spikes |
Allow 72 hours of break-in |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1156.0mm (45.5") |
1289.0mm (50.7") |
| Width |
383.0mm (15.1") |
349.0mm (13.7") |
| Depth |
475.0mm (18.7") |
419.0mm (16.5") |
| Weight |
26.56kg (58.4lbs) |
39.00kg (85.8lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
Macassar Wood Veneer, High-Gloss Black, Satin White |
Gloss Black, Walnut, and Satin White |
| 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 |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | MartinLogan Motion XT F200 digs deeper - 27Hz against 44Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | MartinLogan Motion XT F200 is more sensitive (92dB vs 89dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | B | MartinLogan Motion XT F200 takes more power (600W vs 300W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | depends | Monitor Audio Gold 500 6G: bi-amping; MartinLogan Motion XT F200: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | MartinLogan Motion XT F200 is cheaper - $5,498 against $7,499, about 27% less. |
A Monitor Audio Gold 500 6G B MartinLogan Motion XT F200
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 Monitor Audio Gold 500 6G if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 44Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, MartinLogan Motion XT F200 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.