The Motion Legacy

The Motion Series is inspired by the performance of MartinLogan’s ultra-high-end electrostatic loudspeakers, and features cutting edge Folded Motion tweeter, exceptional components, and hand-built crossovers. They deliver a richly detailed audio experience at an unrivaled price.

Engineering, Without Compromises

What makes the Motion Series sound so amazing? MartinLogan's dedicated in-house engineering and design team started by utilizing and refining the most advanced, compact technologies and combining them with innovative engineering and time-honored cabinet construction techniques. The result is an emotionally engaging sound that rivals (and most times trounces) traditional loudspeakers of similar size and price. Their ‘no compromise’ philosophy gives Motion Series a unique sound you won’t find anywhere else.

Sound Inspired by Electrostatic Speakers

The success of the Motion Series is directly attributed to its close relation to MartinLogan’s legendary ultra-high-end electrostatic loudspeakers. The desire to transmute that level of performance into a more traditional speaker at a more affordable price drove the initial design imperatives that created the Motion Series.

Folded Motion Tweeters

MartinLogan’s signature Folded Motion tweeter utilizes an extremely low mass diaphragm that “squeezes” air, thus demanding significantly less excursion than the typical 1-inch dome tweeter. Its folded design allows for a much larger surface area (compared to that of a regular 1-inch dome tweeter), controlled dispersion characteristics, and vanishingly low distortion. It’s a miracle of audio engineering that’s able to deliver much of the high-frequency detail and speed of a large, dynamic electrostatic panel in a small space.

Motion 60XTi, 50XTi, and 35XTi feature Folded Motion XT tweeters, with a 40% larger radiating surface and 80x30-degree controlled dispersion. This tweak increases audible bandwidth without sacrificing details and minimizes distortion to an unprecedented level while increasing efficiency and the tweeter’s already lightning-fast response time. The result—superior realism and alarming specificity is aurally astounding, and only by MartinLogan.

Powerful Aluminum Cone Mid-Frequency and Bass Drivers

Custom built, low-distortion drivers pair high-power magnet structures with aluminum cone diaphragms to deliver massive excursion and sound output, preserve minute bass details, and maximize power handling capability, all without a hint of distortion. A unique concave dust cap design reinforces the strength and rigidity of the cone while reducing break up modes.

The use of aluminum for cones maximizes the rigidity and strength of the drivers without adding excessive weight. This, along with the exceptional damping properties of aluminum, ensures the smooth, non-resonant response necessary for seamless blending with high-resolution Folded Motion tweeters. An added benefit of aluminum is its outstanding thermal conduction capability which allows cones to serve as efficient heat sinks for voice coils.

To deliver accuracy in the critical midrange, mid-frequency drivers feature a specially engineered "stiff" suspension. Stiffening the suspension (the spider and surround) raises the driver's resonant frequency and optimizes its performance to achieve a natural roll-off and inherently operates within an ideal range for a mid-frequency reproduction (as opposed to a comparably sized woofer).

Low-Mounted Woofers Minimize Floor Bounce

Floorstanding Motion models utilize 2.5-way designs that feature woofers positioned low in the cabinet and close to the floor. This deliberate design addresses a phenomenon known as floor bounce where sound reflected off the floor (from drivers positioned high on a cabinet), and those aimed directly at the listener interfere with each other. Without addressing these issues, listeners would experience bloated bass and massive increases and decreases in sound levels throughout critical midrange frequencies. Through careful crossover design and driver positioning, floorstanding Motion speakers deliver a flat, balanced response through the bass and midrange regions. Such considerations are crucial when seeking to achieve accurate reproduction of vocals and instruments such as kick drums. Proprietary Vojtko Crossover Networks Premium Motion Series speakers feature proprietary Vojtko crossover networks using polypropylene and low-DF electrolytic capacitors, custom-wound inductors, and thermal and current protection. Vojtko crossovers are named after MartinLogan's chief audio technologist, Joe Vojtko. His unique approach to crossover design is as big of a part of the “MartinLogan Sound” as are electrostatic and Folded Motion thin-film driver technologies. A Vojtko crossover isn't so much a set of design requirements as it is a philosophy. Vojtko crossovers are designed in such a way that all drivers are kept within their optimal frequency range and balanced with one another. The drivers themselves are as much a part of a Vojtko crossover as are capacitors and resistors. Before the design of any crossover begins, drivers are carefully selected or designed to operate within a very intentional frequency range and with precise and predictable performance parameters. Vojtko crossovers are always built from high-quality parts, and care is taken to avoid overly complex topologies—a straightforward objective due to the careful selection of woofers and tweeters. The final (and most critical) aspect of a Vojtko Crossover is that final voicing is conducted in a space that is indicative of a real-world environment. This pragmatic approach allows MartinLogan speakers to sound their best in real-world rooms.

Modern Design Featuring Luxurious Finishes

Discreetly hidden behind fabric wrapped magnetic grilles, Folded Motion and aluminum cone drivers are held securely in place beneath matte black trim that masks tweeter and woofer mounting hardware for a clean, modern aesthetic. Solid cabinets, designed to eliminate fidelity robbing vibrations, are constructed from 18mm (0.7-inch) MDF with 31mm (1.2-inch) thick front baffles. Motion 60XTi and 50XTi feature additional internal bracing to further reduce cabinet resonance.

These new Motion Series speakers are available in three luxurious finishes and matching metallic trim—gloss black with black grilles and gunmetal grey trim, matte white with silver grilles and silver trim, and red walnut with black grilles and champagne-colored trim.

Custom 5-Way Tool-less Binding Posts

Premium gold-plated 5-way tool-less binding posts assure a stable connection while accommodating a wide range of connections. Select models feature two sets of binding posts accommodate bi-wire connections to increase signal carrying conductors and allow each portion of the crossover to be directly coupled to the amplifier.

• Application: Bookshelf
• Frequency Response: 50–25,000 Hz ±3 dB
• Dispersion: 80° x 30°
• Sensitivity: 92 dB @ 2.83 volts/ meter
• Impedance: 4 Ohms. Compatible with 4, 6, or 8 Ohm rated amplifiers
• Crossover Frequency: 2,200 Hz
• High-Frequency Driver: 1.2” x 2.4” (3.2cm x 6.1cm) Folded Motion Transducer with 4.5” x 2.75” (11.4cm x 7cm) diaphragm
• Low-Frequency Drivers: 6.5” (13.3cm) aluminum cone with cast aluminum basket. Non-resonant asymmetrical chamber format. Rigid structured dust cap to reduce cone break-up modes.
• Components: Custom air core coil and low DCR steel laminate inductors. Polypropylene film capacitors in series and low DF electrolytic capacitors in parallel. Tweeter thermal/current protection.
• Recommended Amp Power: 20–250 watts
• Binding Post Inputs: Custom 5-way tool-less binding posts
• Weight: 17 lbs. (7.7 kg)
• Dimensions (HxWxD): 13.5” x 7.56” x 11.68” (343 x 192 x 296.75 mm)