In this review, we will be comparing Sonetto VIII G2 and Motion XT F200, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Sonus faber and MartinLogan.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 and MartinLogan Motion XT F200 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 | MartinLogan Motion XT F200 |
|---|
| Brand | Sonus faber
Italy · founded 1983 | MartinLogan
United States · founded 1982 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.1" Soft-dome | 1.25 x 2.4" Folded Motion XT |
|---|
| Midrange | 6.5" | 6.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 8" Paper Pulp | 3 x 8" Aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 33-40k Hz | 27-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 92 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-400 watts | 20-600 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 45.10kg / 99.2lbs | 39.00kg / 85.8lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 46-13/16" x 13-3/16" x 19-7/16"
1190.0 x 335.0 x 494.0mm | 50-3/4" x 13-3/4" x 16-1/2"
1289 x 349 x 419mm |
|---|
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Sonetto VIII G2 and Motion XT F200 are 3-way speakers.
Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2MartinLogan 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 |
Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 |
MartinLogan Motion XT F200 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1.25 x 2.4-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6.5-inch |
1 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8-inch
|
3 x 8-inch
|
Sonetto VIII G2 features a 1.1" Soft-dome Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 8" Paper Pulp Woofer. 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
Sonetto VIII G2 has a frequency range of 33-40k 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 Sonetto VIII G2's min frequency of 33Hz.
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
Sonetto VIII G2 and Motion XT F200 have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Sonetto VIII G2 sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the Motion XT F200's is at 92 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the MartinLogan Motion XT F200 a more sensitive speaker compared to Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2, 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 Sonetto VIII G2 and the Sonetto VIII G2 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 Sonetto VIII G2 has a max power handling value of 400 watts RMS, 200 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.
Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2
MartinLogan Motion XT F200
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both Sonetto VIII G2 and Motion XT F200 features dual binding post speaker terminals for 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 Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2's and MartinLogan Motion XT F200's external dimensions. Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 has external dimensions of 1190.0 x 335.0 x 494.0mm (46-13/16inch x 13-3/16inch x 19-7/16inch) 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).
Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 is 14mm narrower and 99mm shorter than MartinLogan Motion XT F200 but it is also 75mm 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 Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 is approximately 1654.9cm2 / 256.5inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan Motion XT F200 is approximately 1462.3cm2 / 226.7inch2. The Sonetto VIII G2 requires 13% 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 Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 weighs 45.10kg / 99.2lbs and the MartinLogan Motion XT F200 weighs 39.00kg / 85.8lbs. This makes the Sonetto VIII G2 16% heavier than the Motion XT F200.
Here is a comparison of how Sonetto VIII G2 and Motion XT F200's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2
MartinLogan Motion XT F200
What's in the Box of Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Sonetto VIII G2:
- 2 Floorstanding loudspeakers
- 6 Grilles
- 4 Jumper-straps (pre-installed)
- 2 Binding-post covers (pre-installed)
- 8 Rubber feet
- 8 Spikes 8 Protective discs
- 8 Locking washers
- Wrench
- Dust cloth
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
1190mm
vs
1289mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Max Input Power |
600 watts
vs
400 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
92 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
27 Hz
vs
33 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Base Surface Area |
1462cm2
vs
1654cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
5498USD
vs
9000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 |
MartinLogan Motion® XT F200 |
| Brand |
Sonus faber |
MartinLogan |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
50-400 watts |
20-600 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
92 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
33-40k Hz |
27-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
3 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Paper Pulp |
Aluminum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.1" |
1.25 x 2.4" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-dome |
Folded Motion XT |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
300Hz and 2600Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
bottom |
| Suggested Break-in Period |
n/a |
Allow 72 hours of break-in |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1190.0mm (46.9") |
1289.0mm (50.7") |
| Width |
335.0mm (13.2") |
349.0mm (13.7") |
| Depth |
494.0mm (19.4") |
419.0mm (16.5") |
| Weight |
45.10kg (99.2lbs) |
39.00kg (85.8lbs) |
| Enclosure |
|
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
Wood/Leather/Concrete |
MDF/Wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Gloss Black, Walnut, and Satin White |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
2 Yrs (8 Yrs registered) |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
2 Yrs (8 Yrs registered) |
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 costs roughly 1.6x 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 33Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | MartinLogan Motion XT F200 is more sensitive (92dB vs 90dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | B | MartinLogan Motion XT F200 takes more power (600W vs 400W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | depends | Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2: bi-amping; MartinLogan Motion XT F200: bi-amping. Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 sits in a wider range (11 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | MartinLogan Motion XT F200 is cheaper - $5,498 against $9,000, about 39% less; arguably a different class. |
A Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 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 Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 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 33Hz 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.