In this review, we will be comparing D320 and Motion 35XTi, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Wharfedale and MartinLogan.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale D320 and MartinLogan 35XTi first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Wharfedale D320 | MartinLogan 35XTi |
|---|
| Brand | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 | MartinLogan
United States · founded 1982 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | 1.25 x 2.4" Folded Motion XT |
|---|
| Woofer | 5" Woven Kevlar | 6.5" Aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 56-20k Hz | 50-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 92 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-100 watts | 20-250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 6.02kg / 13.2lbs | 8.40kg / 18.5lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 12-5/8" x 7-1/8" x 10-7/8"
321.0 x 181.0 x 277.0mm | 13.5" x 7.5" x 11.8"
343.0 x 192.0 x 300.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Wharfedale D320 and MartinLogan 35XTi 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* |
Wharfedale D320 |
MartinLogan 35XTi |
| Near-field |
Average |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Good |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Bad |
Average |
(* 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 D320 and Motion 35XTi are 2-way speakers.
Wharfedale D320MartinLogan 35XTi
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Wharfedale D320 |
MartinLogan 35XTi |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1.25 x 2.4-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
D320 features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5" Woven Kevlar Woofer. On the other hand, the Motion 35XTi features a 1.25 x 2.4" Folded Motion XT Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2200Hz.
Frequency Response
D320 has a frequency range of 56-20k Hz whereas Motion 35XTi has a frequency range of 50-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 50Hz, the Motion 35XTi can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the D320's min frequency of 56Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf 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
D320 is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the Motion 35XTi 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 35XTi can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. D320 sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the Motion 35XTi's is rated at 92 dB. This 5 dB difference makes the MartinLogan 35XTi a more sensitive speaker compared to Wharfedale D320, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf 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 35XTi can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS, whereas D320 has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 150 watts less than the Motion 35XTi.
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.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Motion 35XTi features Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. D320 has a Post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Wharfedale D320's Post terminals
MartinLogan 35XTi's Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
D320 has a bottom firing port whereas Motion 35XTi has a rear firing ports. Wharfedale D320's bottom-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to MartinLogan 35XTi 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 Wharfedale D320's and MartinLogan 35XTi's external dimensions. Wharfedale D320 has external dimensions of 321.0 x 181.0 x 277.0mm (12-5/8 x 7-1/8 x 10-7/8inch) whereas MartinLogan 35XTi has external dimensions of 343.0 x 192.0 x 300.0mm (13.5 x 7.5 x 11.8inch).
MartinLogan 35XTi is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 11mm wider, 22mm taller and 23mm deeper than Wharfedale D320.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Wharfedale D320 and MartinLogan 35XTi in scale.
Comparison image of Wharfedale D320 and MartinLogan 35XTi Size and External Dimensions
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 Wharfedale D320 is approximately 501.4cm2 / 77.7inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan 35XTi is approximately 576.0cm2 / 89.3inch2. The D320 requires 13% less surface area than the Motion 35XTi which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
Here is another comparison that shows both speakers on a BDI Octave Media Cabinet, next to a standard size amplifier and turntable in scale:
Size Comparison image of Wharfedale D320 and MartinLogan 35XTi on a Media Console
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 Wharfedale D320 weighs 6.02kg / 13.2lbs and the MartinLogan 35XTi weighs 8.40kg / 18.5lbs. This makes the Motion 35XTi 40% heavier than the D320.
Here is a comparison of how D320 and Motion 35XTi's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of Wharfedale D320?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of D320:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Tweeter grilles (pre-installed)
- 2 Woofer grilles (pre-installed)
- User-feets Manual
- Installation Guide
What's in the Box of MartinLogan 35XTi?
Here are the items that come with the Motion 35XTi:
- Bookshelf loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Rubber feet
- 2 Jumper-straps (pre-installed)
- Users Manual
- Warranty/Registration Information
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Height |
321mm
vs
343mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
501cm2
vs
576cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
249USD
vs
1500USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
250 watts
vs
100 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
92 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
50 Hz
vs
56 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
25k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
| General |
Wharfedale D320 |
MartinLogan Motion 35XTi |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
MartinLogan |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
25-100 watts |
20-250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
92 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.8 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
56-20k Hz |
50-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Woven Kevlar |
Aluminum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Foamed Polyether |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1.25 x 2.4" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
Folded Motion XT |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
2200Hz |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
rear |
| Suggested Break-in Period |
n/a |
Allow 72 hours of break-in at 90 dB |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
321.0mm (12.6") |
343.0mm (13.5") |
| Width |
181.0mm (7.1") |
192.0mm (7.6") |
| Depth |
277.0mm (10.9") |
300.0mm (11.8") |
| Weight |
6.02kg (13.2lbs) |
8.40kg (18.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
MDF/Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
Rosewood, Black, White, Walnut |
Gloss Black, Matt White, Red Walnut |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
22-24" |
24-26" |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - MartinLogan 35XTi costs roughly 6x what Wharfedale D320 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 35XTi digs deeper - 50Hz against 56Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | MartinLogan 35XTi is more sensitive (92dB vs 87dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | A | Wharfedale D320 is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | B | MartinLogan 35XTi takes more power (250W vs 100W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | B | MartinLogan 35XTi: bi-amping. MartinLogan 35XTi sits in a wider range (18 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | A | Wharfedale D320 is cheaper - $249 against $1,500, about 83% less; arguably a different class. |
A Wharfedale D320 B MartinLogan 35XTi
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?
The usual trade-off: MartinLogan 35XTi measures better, Wharfedale D320 costs about about 6x the price% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 56Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Wharfedale D320 much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate Wharfedale D320 the better fit for near-field listening and a small room, and MartinLogan 35XTi for a mid-size room, 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.