In this review, we will be comparing EVO5.2 and Motion XT B100, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Wharfedale and MartinLogan.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale EVO5.2 and MartinLogan Motion XT B100 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Wharfedale EVO5.2 | MartinLogan Motion XT B100 |
|---|
| Brand | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 | MartinLogan
United States · founded 1982 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.375" AMT (Ribbon) | 1.25 x 2.4" Folded Motion XT |
|---|
| Midrange | 2" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" woven Kevlar | 6.5" Kevlar |
|---|
| Frequency response | 44-24k Hz | 45-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 93 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-120 watts | 20-250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 15.05kg / 33.1lbs | 9.30kg / 20.5lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 19.6" x 10.2" x 15.4"
497.0 x 260.0 x 391.0mm | 14-1/2" x 8" x 12-1/2"
368 x 203 x 318mm |
|---|
What size room are the Wharfedale EVO5.2 and MartinLogan Motion XT B100 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 EVO5.2 |
MartinLogan Motion XT B100 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that EVO5.2 is a 3-way design whereas the Motion XT B100 is a 2-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.
Wharfedale EVO5.2MartinLogan Motion XT B100
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Wharfedale EVO5.2 |
MartinLogan Motion XT B100 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.375-inch
|
1.25 x 2.4-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 2-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
EVO5.2 features a 1.375" SilentWeave cotton and felt damping fiber AMT (Ribbon) Tweeter, a 2" Midrange and 1 x 6.5" woven Kevlar Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 800 Hz and 4.3 kHz. On the other hand, the Motion XT B100 features a 1.25 x 2.4" Folded Motion XT Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Kevlar Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2600Hz.
Frequency Response
EVO5.2 has a frequency range of 44-24k Hz whereas Motion XT B100 has a frequency range of 45-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 44Hz, the EVO5.2 can go slightly deeper then the Motion XT B100's min frequency of 45Hz.
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
EVO5.2 and Motion XT B100 have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. EVO5.2 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the Motion XT B100's is at 93 dB. This 5 dB difference makes the MartinLogan Motion XT B100 a more sensitive speaker compared to Wharfedale EVO5.2, 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 EVO5.2 and the EVO5.2 can provide this impedance level.
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 XT B100 can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS, whereas EVO5.2 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 130 watts less than the Motion XT B100.
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 B100
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Motion XT B100 features Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. EVO5.2 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Wharfedale EVO5.2's Binding post terminals
MartinLogan Motion XT B100's Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
EVO5.2 has a bottom firing port whereas Motion XT B100 has a rear firing ports. Wharfedale EVO5.2's bottom-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to MartinLogan Motion XT B100 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 EVO5.2's and MartinLogan Motion XT B100's external dimensions. Wharfedale EVO5.2 has external dimensions of 497.0 x 260.0 x 391.0mm (19.6" × 10.2" × 15.4") whereas MartinLogan Motion XT B100 has external dimensions of 368 x 203 x 318mm (14-1/2-inch x 8inch x 12-1/2inch).
Wharfedale EVO5.2 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 57mm wider, 129mm taller and 73mm deeper than MartinLogan Motion XT B100.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Wharfedale EVO5.2 and MartinLogan Motion XT B100 in scale.
Comparison image of Wharfedale EVO5.2 and MartinLogan Motion XT B100 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 EVO5.2 is approximately 1016.6cm2 / 157.6inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan Motion XT B100 is approximately 645.5cm2 / 100.1inch2. The EVO5.2 requires 57% more surface area than the Motion XT B100 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 Wharfedale EVO5.2 weighs 15.05kg / 33.1lbs and the MartinLogan Motion XT B100 weighs 9.30kg / 20.5lbs. This makes the EVO5.2 62% heavier than the Motion XT B100.
Here is a comparison of how EVO5.2 and Motion XT B100's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
MartinLogan Motion XT B100
What's in the Box of Wharfedale EVO5.2?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of EVO5.2:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 4 Jumper-bars (pre-installed)
- 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- Pair of white cloth gloves
- User Manual
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Low Frequency Response |
44 Hz
vs
45 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Max Input Power |
250 watts
vs
120 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
93 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 High Frequency Response |
25k Hz
vs
24k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
368mm
vs
497mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
645cm2
vs
1016cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1598USD
vs
1799USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Wharfedale EVO5.2 |
MartinLogan Motion® XT B100 |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
MartinLogan |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
25-120 watts |
20-250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
93 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.2 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
44-24k Hz |
45-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
woven Kevlar |
Kevlar |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.375" |
1.25 x 2.4" |
| Tweeter Type |
AMT (Ribbon) |
Folded Motion XT |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
2" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
800 Hz and 4.3 kHz |
2600Hz |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
rear |
| Suggested Break-in Period |
n/a |
Allow 72 hours of break-in |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
497.0mm (19.6") |
368.0mm (14.5") |
| Width |
260.0mm (10.2") |
203.0mm (8") |
| Depth |
391.0mm (15.4") |
318.0mm (12.5") |
| Weight |
15.05kg (33.1lbs) |
9.30kg (20.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-veneer |
MDF/Wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
Walnut, Grey. Black, White |
Gloss Black, Walnut, and Satin White |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
18-22" |
24-28" |
| 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 |
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 | evenly matched | Much the same reach (44Hz vs 45Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | B | MartinLogan Motion XT B100 is more sensitive (93dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | B | MartinLogan Motion XT B100 takes more power (250W vs 120W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | MartinLogan Motion XT B100 is easier to place; Wharfedale EVO5.2 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | B | MartinLogan Motion XT B100: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | MartinLogan Motion XT B100 is cheaper - $1,598 against $1,799, about 11% less. |
A Wharfedale EVO5.2 B MartinLogan Motion XT B100
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 B100 is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take Wharfedale EVO5.2 if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. Match it to your room: we rate Wharfedale EVO5.2 the better fit for a small room, and MartinLogan Motion XT B100 for a large room and a very large room. In a large or open-plan room, Wharfedale EVO5.2 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, MartinLogan Motion XT B100 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.