In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers . SVS Ultra Elevation is a Surround speaker whereas the Motion MP10 is a Bookshelf speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of SVS Ultra Elevation and MartinLogan Motion MP10 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
SVS Ultra Elevation Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Dome Tweeter
- 5.25" Composite glass-fiber Woofer
- 48-40k Hz Frequency Response
- 87 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 6ohms
- Power Range:20-150watts
- Weight:5.60kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 283.0" x 7.28" x 9.82"( 283 x 185 x 249.4mm )
MartinLogan Motion MP10 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1.0 x 1.4" Folded Motion Ribbon Tweeter
- 5.5" Woven Fiberglass Woofer
- 81-25k Hz Frequency Response
- 92 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 5ohms
- Power Range:20-200watts
- Weight:4.40kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 356.0" x 8" x 5"( 356 x 203 x 127mm )
What size room are the SVS Ultra Elevation and MartinLogan Motion MP10 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* |
SVS Ultra Elevation |
MartinLogan Motion MP10 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the SVS Ultra Elevation and MartinLogan Motion MP10 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
Both Ultra Elevation and Motion MP10 are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
SVS Ultra Elevation |
MartinLogan Motion MP10 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1.0 x 1.4-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
1 x 5.5-inch
|
Ultra Elevation features a 1" aluminum Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Composite glass-fiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1900Hz. On the other hand, the Motion MP10 features a 1.0 x 1.4" Folded Motion Ribbon Tweeter and 1 x 5.5" Woven Fiberglass Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2100Hz.
Frequency Response
Ultra Elevation has a frequency range of 48-40k Hz whereas Motion MP10 has a frequency range of 81-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 48Hz, the Ultra Elevation can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Motion MP10's min frequency of 81Hz.
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 Surround class in our database.
Low Frequency
Surround Speakers
High Frequency
Surround 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
Ultra Elevation is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the Motion MP10 which has a nominal impedance of 5 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Ultra Elevation sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the Motion MP10's is rated at 92 dB. This 5 dB difference makes the MartinLogan Motion MP10 a more sensitive speaker compared to SVS Ultra Elevation, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Surround 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.
Ultra Elevation can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Ultra Elevation has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS , 50 watts less than the Motion MP10.
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
Ultra Elevation features Custom 5-way binding posts type posts and Motion MP10 has a Custom 5-way binding posts type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
SVS Ultra Elevation's Gold-plated 5-way terminals
MartinLogan Motion MP10's Custom 5-way binding posts terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Ultra Elevation and Motion MP10 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 Ultra Elevation's and MartinLogan Motion MP10's external dimensions. SVS Ultra Elevation has external dimensions of 283 x 185 x 249.4mm ( 11.14 x 7.28 x 9.82”) whereas MartinLogan Motion MP10 has external dimensions of 356 x 203 x 127mm ( 14inch x 8inch x 5inch ) .
SVS Ultra Elevation is 18mm narrower and 73mm shorter than MartinLogan Motion MP10 but it is also 122mm 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 Ultra Elevation is approximately 460.7cm2 / 71.4inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan Motion MP10 is approximately 257.8cm2 / 40.0inch2. The Ultra Elevation requires 79% more surface area than the Motion MP10 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Nominal Impedance 
Low Frequency Response 
High Frequency Response 
Height 
Price per pair* 
Max Input Power 
Sensitivity 
Base Surface Area