In this review, we will be comparing Alpha and Motion XT F200, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Triangle and MartinLogan.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Triangle Signature Alpha and MartinLogan Motion XT F200 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Triangle Signature Alpha | MartinLogan Motion XT F200 |
|---|
| Brand | Triangle
France · founded 1980 | MartinLogan
United States · founded 1982 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Horn-Loaded | 1.25 x 2.4" Folded Motion XT |
|---|
| Midrange | 6.5" | 6.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 3 x 6.5" Double ferrite fibreglass | 3 x 8" Aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 32-22k Hz | 27-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 92 dB | 92 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 60-500 watts | 20-600 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 34.50kg / 75.9lbs | 39.00kg / 85.8lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 50" x 9-3/16" x 14-5/8"
1270.0 x 233.0 x 372.0mm | 50-3/4" x 13-3/4" x 16-1/2"
1289 x 349 x 419mm |
|---|
What size room are the Triangle Signature Alpha 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* |
Triangle Signature Alpha |
MartinLogan Motion XT F200 |
| Near-field |
Are you nuts? |
Are you nuts? |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Good |
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.
Drivers
Both Alpha and Motion XT F200 are 3-way speakers.
Triangle Signature AlphaMartinLogan 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 |
Triangle Signature Alpha |
MartinLogan Motion XT F200 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1.25 x 2.4-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6.5-inch |
1 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
3 x 6.5-inch
|
3 x 8-inch
|
Alpha features a 1" Titanium dome Horn-Loaded Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 3 x 6.5" Double ferrite fibreglass Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 290Hz and 2600Hz. 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
Alpha has a frequency range of 32-22k 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 Alpha's min frequency of 32Hz.
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
Alpha is a 8 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.
On the other hand, they have the same sensitivity of 92 dBdB.
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 Alpha has a max power handling value of 140 watts RMS, 460 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.
MartinLogan Motion XT F200
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both Alpha 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
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Alpha has a front firing port whereas Motion XT F200 has a bottom firing ports. Triangle Signature Alpha's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to MartinLogan Motion XT F200 with its rear-firing port.
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 Triangle Signature Alpha's and MartinLogan Motion XT F200's external dimensions. Triangle Signature Alpha has external dimensions of 1270.0 x 233.0 x 372.0mm (50 x 9-3/16 x 14-5/8inch) 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 116mm wider, 19mm taller and 47mm deeper than Triangle Signature Alpha.
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.
MartinLogan Motion XT F200 needs about 69% more floor or shelf area. MartinLogan Motion XT F200 is 47mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. MartinLogan Motion XT F200 is 19mm 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 Triangle Signature Alpha is approximately 866.8cm2 / 134.4inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan Motion XT F200 is approximately 1462.3cm2 / 226.7inch2. The Alpha requires 41% 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 Triangle Signature Alpha weighs 34.50kg / 75.9lbs and the MartinLogan Motion XT F200 weighs 39.00kg / 85.8lbs. This makes the Motion XT F200 13% heavier than the Alpha.
Here is a comparison of how Alpha 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 |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Height |
1270mm
vs
1289mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
866cm2
vs
1462cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Max Input Power |
600 watts
vs
140 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
27 Hz
vs
32 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
25k Hz
vs
22k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Price per pair* |
5498USD
vs
7200USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Triangle Signature Alpha |
MartinLogan Motion® XT F200 |
| Brand |
Triangle |
MartinLogan |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
60-500 watts |
20-600 watts |
| Sensitivity |
92 dB |
92 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.3 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
32-22k Hz |
27-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
3 |
3 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Double ferrite fibreglass |
Aluminum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1.25 x 2.4" |
| Tweeter Type |
Horn-Loaded |
Folded Motion XT |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
290Hz and 2600Hz |
300Hz and 2600Hz |
| Firing Direction |
front |
bottom |
| Suggested Break-in Period |
n/a |
Allow 72 hours of break-in |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1270.0mm (50") |
1289.0mm (50.7") |
| Width |
233.0mm (9.2") |
349.0mm (13.7") |
| Depth |
372.0mm (14.6") |
419.0mm (16.5") |
| Weight |
34.50kg (75.9lbs) |
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 |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
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 32Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (92dB vs 92dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | A | Triangle Signature Alpha is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | B | MartinLogan Motion XT F200 takes more power (600W vs 140W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Triangle Signature Alpha is easier to place; MartinLogan Motion XT F200 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Triangle Signature Alpha: bi-amping; MartinLogan Motion XT F200: bi-amping. MartinLogan Motion XT F200 sits in a wider range (7 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | MartinLogan Motion XT F200 is cheaper - $5,498 against $7,200, about 24% less. |
A Triangle Signature Alpha 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 has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 32Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. In a large or open-plan room, MartinLogan Motion XT F200 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Triangle Signature Alpha is the easier speaker to get right.
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.