ML Motion 12 Question

Hi,

I'm looking for feed back from current owners of Martin Logan Motion 12/4/Motion C 5.1/7.1 HT systems.

I would like to find out what you like/dislike about this system. and... if you planning to upgrade to a newer/better system? Why?

Also, has any of you had the chance to compare the Motion 12 line against the newer Motion 40 or the electromotion or the esl series (theos/motifx)?

Does the electromotion or esl series provide a huge "movie experience" improvement over the older motion series.

Thank you

Hola. The electrostatic speaker is an an audio experience that you never forget. You can not make any comparison to others because of this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRf5aPulewM The Motion Series, are cone speakers with a unique tweeter. The size of this tweeter is 8 times bigger than a regular one inch dome tweeter, and this is the clue; The diaphragm of this 8 inches tweeter, here is another video by Martin Logan and their recommendations> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rMUn1DnXto The Motions are matched, so you can use them in combination with the electrostatic... but you can improve that, you have to move toward all electrostatic. Take your time, you will have in some days, an very nice singing HT sound system. Happy listening!

I haven't actually heard the Motion 12s, but there are 22 very positive reviews (17 5star, 5 4star) on amazon ... you can buy a pair of them there for just under $500.

I have heard the Motion 40s ... I own a pair ... they are wonderful ... just under $1900 on amazon , but I've been seeing them for around $1500 on eBay.

The woofers on the Motion 12s are doped paper cones, while the new Motion 40s woofers are aluminium cones.

The grill covers on the older 12s are cloth, while the 40s have magnetically attached metal grills.

Part of the complete re-design of the Motion 20s and 40s involve the use of real wood cabinets which are beautifully finished, compared to the Motion 12's wood veneer.

I would venture to guess that the two speakers are sonically quite similar ... visually and aesthetically, however, they are quite different.

Whatever you ultimately decide, I hope you enjoy your ML experience and know that you've bought speakers from a very reputable company that stands behind all of its products 100% ... best of luck

Roberto, would you say that building an HT system using the ML Ethos/motif x or Theos/stage x would provide a significant "movies experience "improvement over the motion/electromotion series. Something like going from in ceiling speaker like the Helos 10 to an electromotion esl speaker for a 2 way listening?

By the way, I'll be using the system in a small 12x17 sealed room with a good subwoofer for HT only.

Hola. I am using my CLXs with a Motif as center channel. I will go for the Ethos/Motif. Happy listening!

MartinL said:

Roberto, would you say that building an HT system using the ML Ethos/motif x or Theos/stage x would provide a significant "movies experience "improvement over the motion/electromotion series. Something like going from in ceiling speaker like the Helos 10 to an electromotion esl speaker for a 2 way listening?

By the way, I'll be using the system in a small 12x17 sealed room with a good subwoofer for HT only.

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When building a HT system from electrostats be aware that its going to sound crap for your guests but really great for you. The center channels are a joke for people sitting off to the far left/right. With my Stage I really dont care as its mostly just me and the wife watching and we paid for it lol. Most logan owners used to go elsewhere for HT speakers so I think its great that ML has came out and addressed the problem with these newlines

The Motion 12 are fantastic speakers and I wish ML would have made another design with a dipole midrage like the open baffle design that only the Motion 12 had. As another uses said here, the motion 12 has paper cones but so what as my ML Source have an 8 inch paper cone and it shakes the room. My only with ML is that they do not realise or wont? that the center channel is the heart of a HT system. They keep bringing out tiny little center channels that are just bollocks to my ears

I hope some one from ML reads this and thinks about just maybe giving us the option to choose more freely. I should be hired by ML as I seem to realise what the HT cinema buffs want and that most of us actually determine what system we want by starting off with the center channel

projectormovielover said:

...
I hope some one from ML reads this and thinks about just maybe giving us the option to choose more freely. I should be hired by ML as I seem to realise what the HT cinema buffs want and that most of us actually determine what system we want by starting off with the center channel

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Psst- I have a 'spare' SL3 with a brand new panel if you want to create a clone of my large center channel. I promise, it really rocks



It only requires a week of full-time work, a $5K speaker processor and a couple of extra amps.


But seriously, you are right, ML needs a much better center. Ideally (I think I've said this before) they engineer a center model that allows for stacking of three to five units to achieve something similar.

Hola Jonfo. It looks like a mini Statement. The crossover for the cone speakers are lower than the crossover for the electrostatic panel, right? Well done! Happy listening!

Hola Roberto, the crossover is at 340hz from panel to the line-array, as the SL3 panel will not play lower than that without distortion at 105dB SPL.
That line array handles frequencies down to 80 Hz, and is then crossed over to the infinite baffle sub with its 4 15" drivers.

This center actually outperforms the Monoliths below 1khz.

Listening to multichannel mixes, like Steve Wilson's new masterpiece "the Raven that refused to sing" on high-Rez BluRay is a revelation with a center that can actually keep up.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Mi compatriota, lo has hecho muy bien!!! When I visited the Martin Logan factory in 2001 with my kids, (Dany is an interior design architect, and Gustavo is an electric engineer), Brian Bentley who used to work there and he was in charge of my account, took us to a place that it is near a rail road, where Martin Logan had a big building where there were a lot of prototypes, and I saw something like yours, also a two double side by side woofer design, and many, many different kind of baffles with electrostatic panels on top of them. My eyes almost popped out when I had this experience. Of course, I did not get the top secret designs, only samples of what they were doing, designing, listening, trying, tons of electronic devices, oscilloscopes, tone generators with very low distortion, different rooms with many different gear of components, and hi-end top brands, to listen a lot of different electronic combinations. Jim Power was there, and he present us with all the Martin Logan team. That was fun! Of course I did ask a lot of common questions regarding the right combination for dynamic speakers and the electrostatic panel. And the frequency cut usually is what you hare doing... not below 300 Hz. I remember too, that at that time, Gayle Sanders was having a friends party at this house, because he was going to get married again. Brian took us there to play with his toys, I remember to see a Sony cd player, very sophisticated, and big electronics that was driving his sound system that was setted up at the back of the house in a basement. A pair of Statement and a big center channel, which I never had seen, was there. Let me tell you that, that was a lot of fun!... Also he had, near the dinning room a pair of speakers that looked alike the Aeon I, driven with two tube small mono-blocks, and their sound was amazing! Jonathan, you really know about this stuff!... happy listening!