MartinLogan Motion B10 Bookshelf Speaker - Each

The Compact Motion, With the Folded Motion Tweeter

The Motion B10 is the smaller of MartinLogan's two Motion bookshelf speakers. It pairs the Gen2 Obsidian Folded Motion tweeter with a 5.5-inch woven fiberglass woofer in a rear-ported cabinet. It stands 12.5 inches tall and is sold by the each, so order two for stereo.

MartinLogan is best known for electrostatic panels. The Folded Motion tweeter brings some of that character to a box speaker. A pleated film diaphragm squeezes air between its folds, so it barely has to move. The B10's tweeter has 9.2 square inches of surface, several times that of a 1-inch dome.

Why a Folded Diaphragm Sounds Different

A dome tweeter pushes air with a small cup. The folded film moves far less for the same output, which lowers distortion and keeps the treble clean when you turn up the volume. A molded waveguide matches its dispersion to the woofer at the 2,370 Hz crossover.

The Numbers, and What They Ask of You

MartinLogan quotes 56 Hz to 25 kHz within 3 dB and 92 dB sensitivity. Impedance is 5 ohms. Recommended power is 20 to 200 watts. Dispersion is 90 degrees both ways, so the B10 is forgiving about seat height and works well as a surround.

How Much Room It Takes

Each cabinet is 7 inches wide, 12.5 tall and 9.75 deep with feet, and weighs 14.5 pounds. Finishes are gloss black, walnut and satin white. A single pair of 5-way binding posts sits below the port. A threaded insert in the base bolts to the STAND25 stand.

What Reviewers Are Saying

Ken Kessler reviewed the Motion B10 for Hi-Fi News on November 13, 2023, calling it the baby of the range and adding that "this little box is full of big surprises!"

On character: "the Motion B10 immediately declares itself to be 'lively'", which he found a good match for tube amplifiers. Even 10 to 15 watt vintage amplifiers gave ample volume in his room.

His placement warning: "proximity to a back wall seriously undermines bass quality." He found the tweeters at their best at exactly ear level, on solid stands, in free space.

Who Is This Bookshelf Speaker Best For?

• You want the MartinLogan sound in a small footprint — the Folded Motion tweeter in a cabinet under 10 inches deep
• You have a small or medium room — 56 Hz bass and 92 dB sensitivity suit apartments, dens and desks with a little space behind
• You want wide seating — the 90 by 90 degree dispersion gives more than one chair the good seat, and makes the B10 a natural Motion surround speaker
• You run a modest amplifier — 20 watts is enough, and the 5 ohm load is easy for receivers and integrated amplifiers alike
• You want deep bass without a subwoofer — step up to the Motion XT B100, which reaches 45 Hz with the larger XT tweeter

How Do They Connect to Your System?

Speaker cable runs from your amplifier to the binding posts on each cabinet, red to red and black to black. The posts take banana plugs, spades, pins or bare wire. These are passive speakers, so there is nothing else to power.

Put them on stands with the tweeter at seated ear height, well clear of the wall behind the rear port. Hi-Fi News preferred them firing straight ahead rather than toed in, and found position mattered more than stand mass.

Pairs Well With

What finishes the setup. These are the categories most Motion B10 owners shop next.

• MartinLogan STAND25 — bolts to the base and puts the tweeter at ear height, with color-matched trim
• MartinLogan Dynamo 10 subwoofer — crossed over near 60 to 80 Hz, it fills in the octave the B10 leaves out
• Motion XT C100 center channel — the matching center for a Motion home theater
• AV receivers or integrated amplifiers — almost anything from 20 watts up will drive it

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the price for one speaker or a pair?

One speaker. MartinLogan sells the Motion range by the each. Order two for stereo, or add singles as surround or height channels.

How much amplifier does it need?

MartinLogan recommends 20 to 200 watts. At 92 dB sensitivity and 5 ohms, a small integrated amplifier or any receiver will drive it comfortably.

Can it sit on a shelf?

Yes, at under 10 inches deep it fits most shelves. Leave a few inches behind the rear port, and expect tighter bass and better imaging on stands away from the wall.

What is the difference between the B10 and the XT B100?

The XT B100 has a larger tweeter, a 6.5-inch Kevlar woofer, deeper bass and bi-wire posts. The B10 is smaller, lighter, easier on the amplifier and has wider vertical dispersion.

Do I need a subwoofer?

For music at moderate levels, no. The B10 reaches 56 Hz. For film or bass-heavy music, a subwoofer takes over below 60 to 80 Hz.

Does it come with a grille?

A press-in fabric cover for the woofer is supplied. The tweeter sits in its waveguide and stays exposed.

See It in Action

Reviews By WaveTheory reviews the Motion B10:

Erin's Audio Corner measures and discusses the XT B100 and B10:

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