In this review, we will be comparing A7.2 and Motion XT F200, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Spendor and MartinLogan.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Spendor A7.2 and MartinLogan Motion XT F200 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Spendor A7.2 | MartinLogan Motion XT F200 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.06" | 1.25 x 2.4" Folded Motion XT |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 6.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 7.09" | 3 x 8" Aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 33-27k Hz | 27-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 85 dB | 92 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6.75 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | — | 20-600 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 17.70kg / 38.9lbs | 39.00kg / 85.8lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 36.77" x 7.09" x 12.01"
934.0 x 180.1 x 305.1mm | 50-3/4" x 13-3/4" x 16-1/2"
1289 x 349 x 419mm |
|---|
What size room are the Spendor A7.2 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* |
Spendor A7.2 |
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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that A7.2 is a 2-way design whereas the Motion XT F200 is a 3-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.
Spendor A7.2MartinLogan 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 |
Spendor A7.2 |
MartinLogan Motion XT F200 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.06-inch
|
1.25 x 2.4-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 7.09-inch
|
3 x 8-inch
|
A7.2 features a 1.06" Tweeter and 1 x 7.09" Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2 kHz. 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
A7.2 has a frequency range of 33-27k 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 A7.2'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
A7.2 is a 6.75 ohms speaker compared to the Motion XT F200 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 XT F200 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. A7.2 sensitivity is rated at 85 dB and the Motion XT F200's is rated at 92 dB. This 7 dB difference makes the MartinLogan Motion XT F200 a more sensitive speaker compared to Spendor A7.2, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
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. A7.2 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 Spendor A7.2's and MartinLogan Motion XT F200's external dimensions. Spendor A7.2 has external dimensions of 934.0 x 180.1 x 305.1mm (36.77 x 7.09 x 12.01inch) 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 168.9mm wider, 355mm taller and 113.9mm deeper than Spendor A7.2.
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 Spendor A7.2 is approximately 549.5cm2 / 85.2inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan Motion XT F200 is approximately 1462.3cm2 / 226.7inch2. The A7.2 requires 62% 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 Spendor A7.2 weighs 17.70kg / 38.9lbs and the MartinLogan Motion XT F200 weighs 39.00kg / 85.8lbs. This makes the Motion XT F200 120% heavier than the A7.2.
Here is a comparison of how A7.2 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
 Nominal Impedance |
6.75 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 High Frequency Response |
27k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
934mm
vs
1289mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
549cm2
vs
1462cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
92 dB
vs
85 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
7.09 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Number of Woofers |
3
vs
1
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
27 Hz
vs
33 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Price per pair* |
5498USD
vs
6498USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Spendor A7.2 |
MartinLogan Motion® XT F200 |
| Brand |
Spendor |
MartinLogan |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Sensitivity |
85 dB |
92 dB |
| Impedance |
6.75 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Impedance |
5.4 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
33-27k Hz |
27-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
3 |
| Woofer Size |
7.09" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
Aluminum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.06" |
1.25 x 2.4" |
| Tweeter Type |
n/a |
Folded Motion XT |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
6.5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
2 kHz |
300Hz and 2600Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
bottom |
| Suggested Break-in Period |
n/a |
Allow 72 hours of break-in |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
934.0mm (36.8") |
1289.0mm (50.7") |
| Width |
180.1mm (7.1") |
349.0mm (13.7") |
| Depth |
305.1mm (12") |
419.0mm (16.5") |
| Weight |
17.70kg (38.9lbs) |
39.00kg (85.8lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
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 |
n/a |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| 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 85dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match |
A |
Spendor A7.2 is the easier load at 6.75 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Size |
depends |
Spendor A7.2 is easier to place; MartinLogan Motion XT F200 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability |
B |
MartinLogan Motion XT F200: bi-amping. |
| Price |
B |
MartinLogan Motion XT F200 is cheaper - $5,498 against $6,498, about 15% less. |
A Spendor A7.2
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 Spendor A7.2 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. Match it to your room: we rate Spendor A7.2 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.