In contrast, the second dynamic driver, located lower in the cabinet, handles bass only, with crossover points of 5Hz.
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Two 5.5-inch aluminum drivers, with one located immediately below the tweeter, perform both midrange and bass duties. The Motion 20i is a 2.5-way rear-ported design.
Motion fx systems driver#
Fit and finish are excellent, with flawless cabinet quality, and other fine details such as a front trim plate that covers the driver mounting hardware. Matte white and real wood walnut veneer finishes are also available.
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And when combined with their svelte dimensions and aesthetic updates, such as the brushed metal MartinLogan badge about a third way down its column, the 20is creates an overall swanky appearance, allowing these mini-towers to blend nicely in even the most formal of rooms. My samples came in an exquisite high-gloss black finish. Perhaps not quite the reaction I was looking for, but as one can imagine, my better half is not fond of large speakers in our home, and I think she was hoping these little towers would replace the Focal Kanta No. My wife commented, "how adorable," as if she were looking at a newborn baby. Its small stature also results in intriguing (and aesthetically pleasing) proportions. At 36.6 inches tall, 6.8 inches wide, and 11.7 inches deep, its cabinet is genuinely compact, allowing placement where larger speakers would not fit.
Motion fx systems series#
The use of this type of tweeter is not exclusive to MartinLogan, and you're likely familiar with it from its use in speakers running the gamut from Dayton to GoldenEar, but MartinLogan has employed (and improved upon) this design for more than a decade now, and has made it its own.Īs mentioned above, the 20i is the smallest floorstanding speaker in the Motion Series lineup, but it's also the smallest I have ever had in my home for review. The tweeter uses a "low mass diaphragm that squeezes air." This design has more surface area than a typical one-inch dome tweeter, requiring less movement, which leads to a predictable dispersion pattern with ultra-low distortion. This tweeter gives the Motion Series something of an electrostatic characteristic in its sound, but with a traditional speaker design at a more affordable price point, and in the 20i, a very compact package. MartinLogan is known for its award-winning electrostatic speaker technology, but the Motion 20i (along with all of the rest of the Motion Series) relies on the company's Folded Motion tweeter, a variation on Oscar Heil's Air Motion Transformer. More recently, MartinLogan sent me a pair of Motion 20i ($1,800/pair), the smallest floorstanding model of the lineup, for a purely two-channel evaluation, with alternative electronics, room, and ears, for additional insight into this speaker in and of itself. If all of this sounds familiar, it's because Dylan Seeger did a thorough audition of three speakers within the revamped line back in January of this year: the 20i, the 15i, and the 30i center speaker, with a focus on both two-channel music and movies in a 5.1 surround setup. Updates to this lineup included aesthetic refinements, along with some structural cabinet improvements, and modifications to the mid and bass drivers. Recently, MartinLogan updated several models within the Motion Series product line, including three floorstanding models, the 60XTi, 40i, and 20i two monitor models, the 35XTiand 15i two center channels, the 50Xtiand 30i and a dedicated surround channel, the Motion FX.