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MartinLogan Motion® C10 Review
MartinLogan Motion® C10

Main Features

  • 1.0 x 1.4" Folded Motion Ribbon Tweeter
  • 2 x 5.5" Woven Fiberglass Woofer
  • 63-25k Hz Frequency Response
  • 93 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 4ohms
  • Power Range: 20-200watts
  • Weight:23.50 lbs / 10.70 kg
  • Dimensions(HxWxD): 7-1/4"x19"x11-1/2" / 184 x 483 x 293mm
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MartinLogan Motion C10 Review

MartinLogan Motion® C10 is a 2-way Passive Bass Reflex Center Channel speaker by MartinLogan. Center channel speaker is an important component of a home theater system set-up as it delivers the listener significant part of the on-screen dialogue from your television. It features a 1.0 x 1.4" Folded Motion Ribbon Tweeter and 2 x 5.5" Woven Fiberglass Woofer. The speaker has a frequency range of 63-25k Hz and a sensitivity of 93 dB. MartinLogan Motion C10 has an MSRP of 1998$ per pair.

What size of room is the MartinLogan Motion C10 speaker good for?

The size of the room in which you are planning to use the MartinLogan Motion C10 is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated its suitability to various sizes of environments considering its size and max power parameters:

Listening Environment* Suitability
Near-fieldPoor
Small RoomAverage
Mid-size RoomGood
Large RoomAverage
Very Large RoomPoor

(* 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.)

What are the speakers in MartinLogan's Motion(4th Gen) Series?

Motion C10 is a member of MartinLogan's Motion(4th Gen) series of Passive speakers. Below you can see the main specs of these speakers.

MartinLogan Motion(4th Gen) Series Speakers
Model Frequency SensitivityImpedance Woofer
MartinLogan Motion F10
Compare
38-25k Hz 92 dB4Ω 2 x 5.5"
MartinLogan Motion F20
Compare
35-25k Hz 92 dB4Ω 2 x 5.5"
MartinLogan Motion B10
Compare
56-25k Hz 92 dB5Ω 1 x 5.25"
MartinLogan Motion MP10
Compare
81-25k Hz 92 dB5Ω 1 x 5.5"
MartinLogan Motion C10
63-25k Hz 93 dB4Ω 2 x 5.5"
MartinLogan Motion(4th Gen) Series Speakers
MartinLogan Motion(4th Gen) Series Speakers


**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

What is the Frequency Response of the MartinLogan Motion C10 speaker?

MartinLogan Motion C10 has a Frequency response range of 63-25k Hz at ±3dB and Power Range of 20-200 watts. Here we have a comparison of how Motion C10's Low and High frequency values compare with the average, max and min Low and High frequency values in its class.

Low Frequency
Center Channel Speakers
MartinLogan Motion C10
Min
Average
Max
High Frequency
Center Channel Speakers
MartinLogan Motion C10
Min
Average
Max
MartinLogan Motion C10 Woofer
MartinLogan Motion C10's Woven Fiberglass Woofer



MartinLogan Motion C10 Tweeter
MartinLogan Motion C10's Folded Motion Ribbon Tweeter

What is the Crossover frequency of MartinLogan Motion C10?

The Crossover frequency of the Motion C10 is set to 1000Hz and 2000Hz. 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.

What are the Impedance and Sensitivity of the MartinLogan Motion C10? Is it an easy-to-drive speaker?

MartinLogan Motion C10's nominal impedance level is 4 ohms and has a sensitivity of 93 dB.

Sensitivity
Center Channel Speakers
MartinLogan Motion C10
Min
Average
Max

Nominal Impedance of 4 Ohms means that the MartinLogan Motion® C10 is a difficult to drive speaker from nominal Impedance perspective, make sure that you choose an amplifier than can provide 4 Ohms for this speaker.
Many AVRs (audio/video receiver) in the market may have difficulty when the speakers dip below the 4 Ohms levels (this may cause clipping or even physical damage), so we recommend to not pair the MartinLogan Motion® C10 with an AVR but use an Integrated Amplifier instead.

Sensitivity

93dB of MartinLogan Motion® C10 is considered a high sensitivity compared to average stereo speaker which makes Motion C10 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 Motion C10 will be a good choice.

Check the amplifiers that are in a similar price range to the MartinLogan Motion C10:

  • Integrated Amps under 2000 USD
  • Integrated Amps under 3000 USD
  • Integrated Amps under 5000 USD
  • All Integrated Amplifiers

Input Type

Motion C10 features Custom 5-way binding posts type connectors. Bi-amping and Bi-wiring are not possible.
MartinLogan Motion C10 Back View
MartinLogan Motion C10 Back View

Recommended Break In

Allow 72 hours of break-in.

MartinLogan Motion C10 External Dimensions and Weight

MartinLogan Motion C10 has external dimensions of (Height x Width x Depth) 7-1/4inch x 19inch x 11-1/2inch (184 x 483 x 293mm ).

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 Motion C10 is approximately 1415.2cm2 / 219.4inch2.

Weight

The MartinLogan Motion C10 weighs 10.70kg / 23.5lbs per piece. Here is a comparison of how Motion C10's weight compares with the average, max and min weights in its class.

Weight
All Center Channel Speakers
MartinLogan Motion C10
Min
Average
Max
Weight
Center Channel Speakers under $3000
MartinLogan Motion C10
Min
Average
Max

Cabinet type and Materials

MartinLogan Motion C10 has a Bass Reflex type cabinet. 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 Motion C10  - Side View
MartinLogan Motion C10 - Side View

Port Position

MartinLogan Motion C10 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 Motion C10 is available in Gloss Black, Walnut and and Satin White.

MartinLogan Motion C10  Colors
MartinLogan Motion C10 Colors

Does the MartinLogan Motion C10 come with a Grille?

Motion C10 comes with Secure-Lock 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.

MartinLogan Motion C10  with Grille
MartinLogan Motion C10 with Grille

Official Brochure

Here is a link to download the official brochure for the MartinLogan Motion® C10 speaker:
Official Brochure for MartinLogan Motion C10

Official Product Page

Official manufacturer's product page for the MartinLogan Motion® C10 speaker can be found below:
Official Product Page for MartinLogan Motion C10

Warranty

5 Years of parts warranty and 5 Years of labor warranty is generally provided by the manufacturer.

MartinLogan Motion C10  Lifestyle
MartinLogan Motion C10 Lifestyle

MartinLogan Motion® C10 Alternatives in Passive Center Channel Speakers
Model Type Sensitivity Impedance Frequency
BW HTM71 S2
Compare
3-way 89 dB 8 ohms 50-28k Hz
Sonus Sonetto Center II
Compare
3-way 91 dB 4 ohms 42-25k Hz
Klipsch RC-64 III
Compare
2-way 99 dB 8 ohms 57-24k Hz
Polk L400
Compare
3-way 87.5 dB 4 ohms 55-38k Hz
B&W HTM71 S3
Compare
3-way 89 dB 8 ohms 50-28k Hz
Revel Performa3 C208
Compare
3-way 89 dB 8 ohms 50Hz- 20kHz
MartinLogan ESL C
Compare
3-way 89 dB 4 ohms 66-23k Hz
Wharfedale Elysian C
Compare
3-way 91 dB 6 ohms 35-22k Hz
ELAC VELA CC 401
Compare
2-way 88 dB 4 ohms 30-50k Hz
JBL HDI-4500
Compare
2-way 90 dB 4 ohms 50-30k Hz
Frequently Asked Questions about MartinLogan Motion® C10
What is the External Dimensions of MartinLogan Motion® C10
What is the Speaker Sensitivity of MartinLogan Motion® C10
is the MartinLogan Motion® C10 an easy to drive speaker?



MartinLogan Motion C10 Detailed Specifications

General
BrandMartinLogan
Full Model NameMartinLogan Motion® C10
Speaker Type2-way Center Channel
Suggested Break-in PeriodAllow 72 hours of break-in
Power Range20-200 watts
Sensitivity93 dB
Impedance4 ohms
Frequency Response63-25k Hz
DRIVERS
Woofer Size5.5-inch
Woofer CompositionWoven Fiberglass
Woofer SurroundRubber
Tweeter Size1.0 x 1.4-inch
Tweeter TypeFolded Motion Ribbon
Crossover freq1000Hz and 2000Hz
Port Positionrear

CONNECTIONS
Connector TypeCustom 5-way binding posts
Biamp InputsNo
Port Positionrear
PHYSICAL SPECS
Height184.0mm ( 7-1/4-inch)
Width483.0mm ( 19-inch)
Depth293.0mm ( 11-1/2-inch)
Height184.0mm ( 7-1/4-inch)
Weight10.70kg ( 23.50 lbs)
EnclosureBass Reflex
Available ColorsGloss Black, Walnut, and Satin White
Mounting BracketNo
GrilleYes
Moisture ResistanceNo
OTHER
Handheld RemoteNo
Parts Warranty5 Years
Labor Warranty5 Years
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