In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers. Wharfedale Elysian 1R is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the Motion XT F100 is a Floor-standing speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale Elysian 1R and MartinLogan Motion XT F100 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Wharfedale Elysian 1R | MartinLogan Motion XT F100 |
|---|
| Brand | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 | MartinLogan
United States · founded 1982 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | AMT (Ribbon) | 1.25 x 2.4" Folded Motion XT |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 6.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 7" Coated glass fibre matrix | 3 x 6.5" Aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 49-22k Hz | 31-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 92 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-175 watts | 20-450 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 15.00kg / 33lbs | 34.50kg / 75.9lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 19-5/16" x 10-3/8" x 12-3/8"
490.0 x 263.0 x 315.0mm | 47-3/4" x 12-1/2" x 15"
1213 x 318 x 381mm |
|---|
What size room are the Wharfedale Elysian 1R and MartinLogan Motion XT F100 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 Elysian 1R |
MartinLogan Motion XT F100 |
| 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.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that ELYSIAN 1R is a 2-way design whereas the Motion XT F100 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.
Wharfedale Elysian 1RMartinLogan Motion XT F100
MidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Wharfedale Elysian 1R |
MartinLogan Motion XT F100 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
1.25 x 2.4-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 7-inch
|
3 x 6.5-inch
|
ELYSIAN 1R features a " AMT (Ribbon) Tweeter and 1 x 7" Coated glass fibre matrix Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2600Hz. On the other hand, the Motion XT F100 features a 1.25 x 2.4" Folded Motion XT Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 3 x 6.5" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 280Hz and 2600Hz.
Frequency Response
ELYSIAN 1R has a frequency range of 49-22k Hz whereas Motion XT F100 has a frequency range of 31-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 31Hz, the Motion XT F100 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the ELYSIAN 1R's min frequency of 49Hz.
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
ELYSIAN 1R and Motion XT F100 have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. ELYSIAN 1R sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the Motion XT F100's is at 92 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the MartinLogan Motion XT F100 a more sensitive speaker compared to Wharfedale Elysian 1R, 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 ELYSIAN 1R and the ELYSIAN 1R 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 F100 can handle a max power of 450 watts RMS, whereas ELYSIAN 1R has a max power handling value of 175 watts RMS, 275 watts less than the Motion XT F100.
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 F100
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both ELYSIAN 1R and Motion XT F100 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
MartinLogan Motion XT F100's Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
ELYSIAN 1R has a rear firing port whereas Motion XT F100 has a bottom firing ports. MartinLogan Motion XT F100's bottom-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Wharfedale Elysian 1R 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 Elysian 1R's and MartinLogan Motion XT F100's external dimensions. Wharfedale Elysian 1R has external dimensions of 490.0 x 263.0 x 315.0mm (19-5/16 x 10-3/8 x 12-3/8inch) whereas MartinLogan Motion XT F100 has external dimensions of 1213 x 318 x 381mm (47-3/4inch x 12-1/2inch x 15inch).
MartinLogan Motion XT F100 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 55mm wider, 723mm taller and 66mm deeper than Wharfedale Elysian 1R.
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 F100 needs about 46% more floor or shelf area. MartinLogan Motion XT F100 is 66mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. MartinLogan Motion XT F100 is 723mm 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 Wharfedale Elysian 1R is approximately 828.5cm2 / 128.4inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan Motion XT F100 is approximately 1211.6cm2 / 187.8inch2. The ELYSIAN 1R requires 32% less surface area than the Motion XT F100 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.