MartinLogan Motion 15i is a 2-way Passive Bass Reflex Bookshelf speaker by MartinLogan. It features a 1.0 x 1.4" Folded Motion Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Aluminum Woofer. The speaker has a frequency range of 60-25k Hz and a sensitivity of 92 dB. MartinLogan 15i has an MSRP of 900$ per pair but can often be found around 674$ per pair.
Room Size Suitability
The size of the room where you plan to use the MartinLogan 15i is a crucial factor in your decision. We have assessed its suitability for various room sizes based on its dimensions and maximum power output:
| Listening Environment* |
Suitability |
| Near-field | Poor |
| Small Room | Average |
| Mid-size Room | Good |
| Large Room | Average |
| Very Large Room | Poor |
(* 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.)
MartinLogan's Motion Series of Loudspeakers
Motion 15i is a member of MartinLogan's Motion series of Passive speakers. Below you can see the main specs of these speakers.
MartinLogan Motion Series Speakers
MartinLogan Motion Series Speakers
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Frequency Response of the MartinLogan 15i Speaker
MartinLogan 15i has a Frequency response range of 60-25k Hz at ±3dB and Power Range of 20-200 watts. With a minimum frequency of 60 Hz, Motion 15i delivers moderate bass depth so depending on your use case, you might want to consider adding a subwoofer to your system.
To focus on the subwoofers that are in a similar price range with MartinLogan 15i, check out the Powered Subwoofers under $1000. Alternatively, find the Full list of Powered Subwoofers regardless of the price.
Here we have a comparison of how Motion 15i's Low and High frequency values compare with the average, max and min Low and High frequency values in its class.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
High Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
Among the speakers in our database with a max MSRP price of 1000$ (Pair), these are the 3 Passive Bookshelf speakers that have the deeper bass levels than the MartinLogan 15i's 60Hz:
MartinLogan 15i's Folded Motion Tweeter
Crossover frequency of the MartinLogan 15i?
The Crossover frequency of the Motion 15i is set to 2700Hz. This is the threshold frequency where the higher frequency signals over this level are sent to the tweeter and the lower-frequency signals are sent to the woofer by the crossover component.
MartinLogan 15i Crossover is set to 2700Hz
Impedance and Sensitivity
MartinLogan 15i's nominal impedance level is
5 ohms and has a sensitivity of
92 dB.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf Speakers
Nominal Impedance of the 5 Ohms makes the MartinLogan Motion 15i a relatively difficult to drive speaker compared to more frequently found 8 ohms speakers from nominal Impedance perspective.
Sensitivity
92dB of the MartinLogan Motion 15i is considered a high sensitivity compared to average stereo speaker which makes Motion 15i an easy to drive from Sensitivity perspective. If you are planning to power your speaker with a Tube amp which are generally very low power, the MartinLogan 15i will be a good choice.
Check the amplifiers that are in a similar price range to the MartinLogan 15i:
Input Type
Motion 15i features Custom 5-way tool-less binding posts type connectors. Bi-amping and Bi-wiring are not possible.
MartinLogan 15i Back View
MartinLogan 15i's Custom 5-way tool-less binding posts terminals
Recommended Break In
Allow 72 hours of break-in at 90 dB.
MartinLogan 15i External Dimensions and Weight
MartinLogan 15i has external dimensions of (Height x Width x Depth) 11.4 x 6.8 x 9.4inch (290.0 x 173.0 x 240.0mm ).
Base Surface Area
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base area of MartinLogan 15i is approximately 415.2cm2 / 64.4inch2.
To get a better perspective on the real life size of MartinLogan 15i, let's compare it with a standard size Compact Disc which has a diameter of 4.7inch (120mm).
MartinLogan 15i Speaker Size Compared to a Compact Disc
Here we place the MartinLogan 15i virtually next to a standard width amplifier and turntable on a BDI Octave Media Cabinet to get a better idea about the size.
MartinLogan 15i Speaker next to an amplifier and turntable
WeightThe MartinLogan 15i weighs 5.40kg / 11.9lbs per piece. Here is a comparison of how Motion 15i's weight compares with the average, max and min weights in its class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
Weight
Bookshelf Speakers under $1000
Cabinet type and Materials
MartinLogan 15i has a
Bass Reflex type cabinet and a MDF/Lacquer finish. Bass Reflex type loudspeakers (aka Ported, Vented or Reflex Port) have enclosures that uses a port, hole or vent cut into the cabinet. Ported designs are generally more efficient than the Sealed designs.
MartinLogan 15i - Side View
Speaker Feet
MartinLogan 15i comes with
4 Rubber feet which you can use to secure your loudspeaker on the surface that you are putting on. It is always recommended to use some kind of feet under all types of speakers. Besides limiting the movement of the speakers, it also compensates for non-flat surfaces and limits the contact surface area of the speaker. Rubber based feet also help isolating the vibrations within certain frequency ranges.
Port Position
MartinLogan 15i is a rear-firing port speaker so you have to make sure you leave enough space between the back of the speaker and wall or bookshelf so that it has room to breathe.
Available colors
MartinLogan 15i is available in Gloss Black, Matt White and Red Walnut.
MartinLogan 15i Colors
Wall Mounting
Motion 15i doesn't sport any built-in mounting bracket, so you need an external structure to mount it on walls.
Does the MartinLogan 15i come with a Grille?
Motion 15i comes with magnetic grilles. The purpose of the grille is to protect the delicate driver elements from external impacts while still allowing the sound to pass as clearly as possible. Since the included grille of the Motion 15i is magnetic type, it is very easy to put it on and off.
MartinLogan 15i with Grille
What's in the Box of MartinLogan 15i?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Motion 15i:
Bookshelf loudspeaker Grille 4 Rubber feet Users Manual Warranty/Registration Information
Recommended Accessories
Here is a list of accessories that we think you may need for the MartinLogan Motion 15i.
- Speaker Cable and Connectors
- Vibration Isolators: IsoAcoustics isolators more affordable options too.
- Acoustic Panels and Treatments: Your room is as important as your stereo equipment so acoustic treatments goes a long way in improving the overall performance.
- Speaker Stands: Stands bring your bookshelf speakers to ideal height (rule of thumb is to have the tweeter level with your ear in your listening position), helps stability and acoustical isolation.
User's Manual
For more information about how to setup, use and maintain the MartinLogan Motion 15i, use the direct link below to download the official manual document:
Download User Manual for MartinLogan 15i
Official Brochure
Here is a link to download the official brochure for the MartinLogan Motion 15i speaker:
Official Brochure for MartinLogan 15i
Official Product Page
Official manufacturer's product page for the MartinLogan Motion 15i speaker can be found below:
Official Product Page for MartinLogan 15i
Warranty
5 Years of parts warranty and 5 Years of labor warranty is generally provided by the manufacturer.