In this review, we will be comparing 3020i and Motion 15, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Q Acoustics and MartinLogan.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Q Acoustics 3020i and MartinLogan 15 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Q Acoustics 3020i | MartinLogan 15 |
|---|
| Brand | Q Acoustics
United Kingdom · founded 2006 | MartinLogan
United States · founded 1982 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 0.9" decoupled | 1.0 x 1.4" Folded Motion |
|---|
| Woofer | 5" Coated paper | 5.25" Aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 64-30k Hz | 60-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 92 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 5 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-75 watts | 20-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 4.80kg / 10.6lbs | 5.40kg / 11.9lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 10.9" x 6.6" x 11.1"
278.0 x 170.0 x 282.0mm | 11.4" x 6.8" x 9.4"
290.0 x 173.0 x 240.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Q Acoustics 3020i and MartinLogan 15 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* |
Q Acoustics 3020i |
MartinLogan 15 |
| Near-field |
Good |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Good |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
Poor |
(* 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 3020i and Motion 15 are 2-way speakers.
Q Acoustics 3020iMartinLogan 15
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Q Acoustics 3020i |
MartinLogan 15 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
0.9-inch
|
1.0 x 1.4-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5-inch
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
3020i features a 0.9" decoupled Tweeter and 1 x 5" Coated paper Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2400Hz. On the other hand, the Motion 15 features a 1.0 x 1.4" Folded Motion Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2700Hz.
Frequency Response
3020i has a frequency range of 64-30k Hz whereas Motion 15 has a frequency range of 60-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 60Hz, the Motion 15 can go slightly deeper then the 3020i's min frequency of 64Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf 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
3020i is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the Motion 15 which has a nominal impedance of 5 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. 3020i sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the Motion 15's is rated at 92 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the MartinLogan 15 a more sensitive speaker compared to Q Acoustics 3020i, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf 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 15 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas 3020i has a max power handling value of 75 watts RMS, 125 watts less than the Motion 15.
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.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
3020i features Custom 5-way tool-less binding posts type posts and Motion 15 has a Custom 5-way tool-less binding posts type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both 3020i and Motion 15 have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
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 Q Acoustics 3020i's and MartinLogan 15's external dimensions. Q Acoustics 3020i has external dimensions of 278.0 x 170.0 x 282.0mm (10.9 x 6.6 x 11.1inch) whereas MartinLogan 15 has external dimensions of 290.0 x 173.0 x 240.0mm (11.4 x 6.8 x 9.4inch).
Q Acoustics 3020i is 3mm narrower and 12mm shorter than MartinLogan 15 but it is also 42mm deeper.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Q Acoustics 3020i needs about 15% more floor or shelf area. Q Acoustics 3020i is 42mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. MartinLogan 15 is 12mm taller.
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 Q Acoustics 3020i is approximately 479.4cm2 / 74.3inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan 15 is approximately 415.2cm2 / 64.4inch2. The 3020i requires 15% more surface area than the Motion 15 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 Q Acoustics 3020i weighs 4.80kg / 10.6lbs and the MartinLogan 15 weighs 5.40kg / 11.9lbs. This makes the Motion 15 13% heavier than the 3020i.
Here is a comparison of how 3020i and Motion 15's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of Q Acoustics 3020i?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of 3020i:
- 2 x 3020i bookshelf speakers
- 2 x Foam Bungs
- 2 x Speaker Grilles
- 1 x User Manual
- 1 x Handling Gloves
- 8 x Rubber Speaker Grips
What's in the Box of MartinLogan 15?
Here are the items that come with the Motion 15:
- Bookshelf loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Rubber feet
- Users Manual
- Warranty/Registration Information
 Nominal Impedance |
6 ohms
vs
5 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 High Frequency Response |
30k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
278mm
vs
290mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
399USD
vs
800USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
75 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
92 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
5.25 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
60 Hz
vs
64 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Base Surface Area |
415cm2
vs
479cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Q Acoustics 3020i |
MartinLogan Motion 15 |
| Brand |
Q Acoustics |
MartinLogan |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
25-75 watts |
20-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
92 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
5 ohms |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
64-30k Hz |
60-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
Coated paper |
Aluminum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
0.9" |
1.0 x 1.4" |
| Tweeter Type |
decoupled |
Folded Motion |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2400Hz |
2700Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
| Suggested Break-in Period |
n/a |
Allow 72 hours of break-in at 90 dB |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
278.0mm (10.9") |
290.0mm (11.4") |
| Width |
170.0mm (6.7") |
173.0mm (6.8") |
| Depth |
282.0mm (11.1") |
240.0mm (9.4") |
| Weight |
4.80kg (10.6lbs) |
5.40kg (11.9lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
Piano Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
Walnut, Black, White, Grey |
Gloss Black, Matt White, Red Walnut |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
n/a |
24-30" |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
4 Years |
5 Yrs w/ Registration |
| Labor Warranty |
4 Years |
5 Yrs w/ Registration |
These sit in different price classes - MartinLogan 15 costs roughly 2x what Q Acoustics 3020i 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 15 digs deeper - 60Hz against 64Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | MartinLogan 15 is more sensitive (92dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | A | Q Acoustics 3020i is the easier load at 6 ohms. |
| Headroom | B | MartinLogan 15 takes more power (200W vs 75W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | depends | Neither adds bi-amping, a sub output or height drivers. MartinLogan 15 sits in a wider range (18 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | A | Q Acoustics 3020i is cheaper - $399 against $800, about 50% less; arguably a different class. |
A Q Acoustics 3020i B MartinLogan 15
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?
The usual trade-off: MartinLogan 15 measures better, Q Acoustics 3020i costs about about 101% more% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. Match it to your room: we rate Q Acoustics 3020i the better fit for near-field listening and a small room, and MartinLogan 15 for a mid-size room and a large room. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, MartinLogan 15 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.