In this review, we will be comparing Aspen FR10 and Motion XT F200, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from PS Audio and MartinLogan.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of PS Audio Aspen FR10 and MartinLogan Motion XT F200 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | PS Audio Aspen FR10 | MartinLogan Motion XT F200 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 2.5" Planar Magnetic | 1.25 x 2.4" Folded Motion XT |
|---|
| Midrange | 8" | 6.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Composite sandwich | 3 x 8" Aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 32-20k Hz | 27-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86.5 dB | 92 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-200 watts | 20-600 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 34.10kg / 75lbs | 39.00kg / 85.8lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 41-1/2" x 11-3/4" x 16-1/4"
1054.0 x 298.0 x 413.0mm | 50-3/4" x 13-3/4" x 16-1/2"
1289 x 349 x 419mm |
|---|
What size room are the PS Audio Aspen FR10 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* |
PS Audio Aspen FR10 |
MartinLogan Motion XT F200 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Are you nuts? |
| Small Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Average |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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.
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Drivers
Both Aspen FR10 and Motion XT F200 are 3-way speakers.
PS Audio Aspen FR10MartinLogan 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 |
PS Audio Aspen FR10 |
MartinLogan Motion XT F200 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
2.5-inch
|
1.25 x 2.4-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 8-inch |
1 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
3 x 8-inch
|
Aspen FR10 features a 2.5" Teonex planar magnetic Planar Magnetic Tweeter, a 8" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Composite sandwich Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 550 Hz, 1750 Hz - Linkwitz-Riley 4th order acoustic. 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
Aspen FR10 has a frequency range of 32-20k Hz 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 Aspen FR10'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
Aspen FR10 and Motion XT F200 have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Aspen FR10 sensitivity is rated at 86.5 dB and the Motion XT F200's is at 92 dB. This 5 dB difference makes the MartinLogan Motion XT F200 a more sensitive speaker compared to PS Audio Aspen FR10, 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 Aspen FR10 and the Aspen FR10 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 Aspen FR10 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 400 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
Motion XT F200 features Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Aspen FR10 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
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 PS Audio Aspen FR10's and MartinLogan Motion XT F200's external dimensions. PS Audio Aspen FR10 has external dimensions of 1054.0 x 298.0 x 413.0mm (41-1/2 x 11-3/4 x 16-1/4inch) 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 clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 51mm wider, 235mm taller and 6mm deeper than PS Audio Aspen FR10.
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 PS Audio Aspen FR10 is approximately 1230.7cm2 / 190.8inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan Motion XT F200 is approximately 1462.3cm2 / 226.7inch2. The Aspen FR10 requires 16% less surface area than the Motion XT F200 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 PS Audio Aspen FR10 weighs 34.10kg / 75lbs and the MartinLogan Motion XT F200 weighs 39.00kg / 85.8lbs. This makes the Motion XT F200 14% heavier than the Aspen FR10.
Here is a comparison of how Aspen FR10 and Motion XT F200's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
MartinLogan Motion XT F200
 Passive Radiator |
three 6x9" oval rear-firing
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
 Height |
1054mm
vs
1289mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1230cm2
vs
1462cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Max Input Power |
600 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
92 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
27 Hz
vs
32 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
25k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Price per pair* |
5498USD
vs
9999USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
PS Audio Aspen FR10 |
MartinLogan Motion® XT F200 |
| Brand |
PS Audio |
MartinLogan |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
50-200 watts |
20-600 watts |
| Sensitivity |
86.5 dB |
92 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
32-20k Hz |
27-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
3 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Composite sandwich |
Aluminum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
2.5" |
1.25 x 2.4" |
| Tweeter Type |
Planar Magnetic |
Folded Motion XT |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
8" |
6.5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
550 Hz, 1750 Hz - Linkwitz-Riley 4th order acoustic |
300Hz and 2600Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
bottom |
| Suggested Break-in Period |
n/a |
Allow 72 hours of break-in |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1054.0mm (41.5") |
1289.0mm (50.7") |
| Width |
298.0mm (11.7") |
349.0mm (13.7") |
| Depth |
413.0mm (16.3") |
419.0mm (16.5") |
| Weight |
34.10kg (75lbs) |
39.00kg (85.8lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Passive Radiator |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Gloss Black, Walnut, and Satin White |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - PS Audio Aspen FR10 costs roughly 1.8x what MartinLogan Motion XT F200 does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass |
B |
MartinLogan Motion XT F200 digs deeper - 27Hz against 32Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs |
B |
MartinLogan Motion XT F200 is more sensitive (92dB vs 87dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom |
B |
MartinLogan Motion XT F200 takes more power (600W vs 200W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size |
depends |
PS Audio Aspen FR10 is easier to place; MartinLogan Motion XT F200 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Cabinet |
depends |
Passive Radiator vs Ported. |
| Expandability |
B |
MartinLogan Motion XT F200: bi-amping. MartinLogan Motion XT F200 sits in a wider range (7 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price |
B |
MartinLogan Motion XT F200 is cheaper - $5,498 against $9,999, about 45% less; arguably a different class. |
A PS Audio Aspen FR10
B MartinLogan Motion XT F200
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?
MartinLogan Motion XT F200 is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take PS Audio Aspen FR10 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 32Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate PS Audio Aspen FR10 the better fit for a small room and a mid-size room, and MartinLogan Motion XT F200 for a large room and a very large room.
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.