In this review, we will be comparing Prime Center and Motion 30i, two Passive Center Channel speakers from SVS and MartinLogan. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of SVS Prime Center and MartinLogan 30i first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the SVS Prime Center and MartinLogan 30i 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:
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the SVS Prime Center and MartinLogan 30i compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Prime Center is a 3-way design whereas the Motion 30i is a 2-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
Driver |
SVS Prime Center |
MartinLogan 30i |
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1.0 x 1.4-inch
|
Midrange
|
1 x 3-1/2-inch |
- |
Woofer
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
Prime Center features a 1" aluminum dome Tweeter , a 3-1/2" Midrange and 2 x 5.25" polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 350Hz and 2400Hz. On the other hand, the Motion 30i features a 1.0 x 1.4" Folded Motion Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 400Hz and 2600Hz.
Frequency Response
Prime Center has a frequency range of 48-25k Hz whereas Motion 30i has a frequency range of 65-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 48Hz, the Prime Center can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Motion 30i's min frequency of 65Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel Speakers
High Frequency
Center Channel Speakers
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Prime Center is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the Motion 30i which has a nominal impedance of 4 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Motion 30i can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Prime Center sensitivity is rated at 86 dB and the Motion 30i's is rated at 91 dB. This 5 dB difference makes the MartinLogan 30i a more sensitive speaker compared to SVS Prime Center, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Center Channel Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. While using an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
Prime Center and Motion 30i has the same power range of 20-200 watts.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Prime Center features Custom 5-way tool-less binding posts type posts and Motion 30i 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 Prime Center and Motion 30i 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
Size of a speaker can sometimes become an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare SVS Prime Center's and MartinLogan 30i's external dimensions. SVS Prime Center has external dimensions of 196.0 x 475.0 x 232.0mm ( 7-11/16 x 18-11/16 x 9-1/8inch) whereas MartinLogan 30i has external dimensions of 177.0 x 423.0 x 281.0mm ( 6-15/16 x 16-5/8 x 11-1/16inch) .
MartinLogan 30i is 52mm narrower and 19mm shorter than SVS Prime Center but it is also 49mm 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 SVS Prime Center is approximately 1102.0cm2 / 170.8inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan 30i is approximately 1188.6cm2 / 184.2inch2. The Prime Center requires 7% less surface area than the Motion 30i 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 SVS Prime Center weighs 9.18kg / 20.2lbs and the MartinLogan 30i weighs 8.18kg / 18lbs. This makes the Prime Center 12% heavier than the Motion 30i.
Here is a comparison of how Prime Center and Motion 30i's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Center Channel class.
Weight
All Center Channel Speakers
What's in the Box of SVS Prime Center?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Prime Center:
Center channel loudspeakerGrille (pre-installed)4 Self-adhesive rubber bumpersOwners ManualSVS brochureOnline Product Registration Card
What's in the Box of MartinLogan 30i?
Here are the items that come with the Motion 30i:
Center-channel loudspeaker Grille 4 Rubber feet Users Manual Warranty/Registration Information
Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
Low Frequency Response |
48 Hz
vs
65 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
Base Surface Area |
1102cm2 (475x232mm)
vs
1188cm2 (423x281mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
Price per pair* |
399USD
vs
900USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
86 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
Height |
177mm
vs
196mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
General |
SVS Prime Center |
MartinLogan Motion 30i |
Brand |
SVS |
MartinLogan |
Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker (Premium Black Ash) |
Center channel speaker |
Power Range |
20-200 watts |
20-200 watts |
Sensitivity |
86 dB |
91 dB |
Impedance |
8 ohms |
4 ohms |
Frequency Response |
48-25k Hz |
65-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
Woofer Quantity |
2 |
1 |
Woofer Size |
5.25" |
5.25" |
Woofer Composition |
polypropylene |
Aluminum |
Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
Tweeter Size |
1" |
1.0 x 1.4" |
Tweeter Type |
dome |
Folded Motion |
Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
Midrange Driver |
3-1/2" |
No |
Crossover Frequency |
350Hz and 2400Hz |
400Hz and 2600Hz |
Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Suggested Break-in Period |
n/a |
Allow 72 hours of break-in at 90 dB |
Physical Specs |
|
|
Height |
196.0mm (7.7") |
177.0mm (7") |
Width |
475.0mm (18.7") |
423.0mm (16.7") |
Depth |
232.0mm (9.1") |
281.0mm (11.1") |
Weight |
9.18kg (20.2lbs) |
8.18kg (18lbs) |
Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Lacquer |
Available Colors |
Black |
White |
Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
No |
Other |
|
|
Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |