MartinLogan
has been making numerous incarnations of its Movement Collection audio system since 2009.
Chief Audioholic Gene DellaSala described among the older Movement audio system as
“very dynamic (with) good bass response.” They weren’t good, however they “had the
means to play loud and clear,” in keeping with Gene. So in February of 2023,
when MartinLogan launched the all-new Movement Collection and Movement XT Collection audio system at an unique occasion hosted
by our mates at Audio Recommendation in North
Carolina, Gene was there to see what the brand new audio system may do. In comparison with the
older variations, the 2023 Movement and Movement XT audio system represented “a giant step
up,” in keeping with Gene, who was “enamored by their efficiency.”
MartinLogan Movement XT F200 Demo & Basis Collection Brings Comparable Tech at Decrease Costs?
Vocals
had been anchored proper within the middle, there was no coloration or bloat.
…Every thing we placed on on this demo actually gave us a way that these audio system
are properly tuned (and) properly balanced.
—
Audioholics founder Gene DellaSala (F100 Listening Impressions)
Given
that the Movement XT Collection maxes out at about $5,500 per pair for the flagship
towers, this sort of efficiency is spectacular certainly. In comparison with MartinLogan’s
well-known electrostatic audio system, the Movement and Movement XT audio system are priced far
extra accessibly, and so they’re additionally simpler to drive and simpler to put in a
room. It’s no surprise, then, that these audio system have been so profitable over
the final dozen years or so. However whereas the costs of the Movement and Movement XT
choices are thought-about very affordable in some circles of the high-end audio
world — and so they’re actually truthful for what you’re getting — the common
shopper at a big-box retailer like Greatest Purchase may not be able to take the
plunge. And so, with the goal of increasing the corporate’s attain to a a lot wider
viewers, MartinLogan is now launching the brand new Movement Basis Collection. This
five-strong vary of loudspeakers is designed to supply unprecedented worth for
“rising audiophiles” and anybody else who desires to get pleasure from great-sounding music
and leisure at dwelling. MartinLogan says that this highly-anticipated line
of audio system “redefines affordability whereas sustaining the model’s dedication
to an uncompromising audio expertise,” and is “designed to seize new
clients” by providing the model’s famend high-performance applied sciences at
decrease costs. The result’s merely distinctive worth and “an immersive audio
expertise (that can) set new requirements in inexpensive efficiency,” in accordance
to the corporate.
Some
of MartinLogan’s signature applied sciences are straightforward to identify, beginning with the
Basis audio system’ 2nd-generation Obsidian Folded Movement Tweeter S, which
reportedly delivers a lot of the identical efficiency discovered within the Movement and Movement
XT Collection tweeters, however in a extra compact and inexpensive design. And like these
costlier audio system, the Basis Collection locations the tweeter inside a
customized Folded Movement Waveguide to ship constant, easy, and managed
sound throughout the listening space. Aluminum midrange and bass drivers, designed
in home, promise sturdy and detailed efficiency all through the vary. These
new drivers, mixed with all new crossovers and cupboards, ought to ship the
“outstanding articulation, element, and realism” that MartinLogan is understood for,
at extra approachable costs than ever earlier than.
The
Movement Basis Collection is a game-changer for MartinLogan and the world of
high-end audio. We’re excited to supply an distinctive audio expertise at a
value level that’s accessible to a broader viewers. This sequence opens up new
potentialities for rising audiophiles, permitting them to raise their
listening experiences and benefit from the unparalleled readability, element, and precision
which have outlined the MartinLogan model for over 40 years.
—
Allan Tarrant, Senior Vice President at MartinLogan
Key
to the readability, element, and precision that Mr. Tarrant refers to is
MartinLogan’s Gen2 Obsidian Folded Movement Tweeter S. The corporate describes this
“groundbreaking” design as a “technological marvel (that) delivers easy
efficiency that surpasses typical tweeters.” Just like the tweeters within the
Movement and Movement XT Collection audio system, the Folded Movement Tweeter S is an air
movement transformer (AMT) tweeter that makes use of folded skinny movie materials to squeeze
air out and in. Just like the bellows of an accordion, the folded diaphragm permits a
larger floor space of fabric to suit right into a small house, leading to a extra
environment friendly mechanism for transferring air. MartinLogan guarantees “unimaginable element and
readability that brings your favourite content material to life with outstanding realism.” The
tweeter is designed with an indicator function referred to as Managed Dispersion, which
“optimizes room acoustics and minimizes the detrimental results generally
related to speaker placement,” in keeping with the corporate. The sound is
targeted into the listening space in such a manner that it “ensures elevated
flexibility, readability, and enhanced (loudspeaker) placement choices, regardless
of the room’s design.”
Managed
Dispersion is additional enhanced by the Folded Movement Waveguide used across the
tweeter all through the Movement Basis Collection. Just like the waveguide used
within the costlier Movement Collection, this waveguide is designed for a tweeter
dispersion of 90° vertical
x 90° horizontal. (The step-up Movement XT Collection employs a bigger tweeter with
a forty five° x 90° waveguide.) MartinLogan says that the FMT
Waveguide envelops the listening house with distinctive element and precision,
whereas “avoiding performance-robbing room reflections.” The result’s reportedly
a extra constant sound throughout a wider seating space. The FMT Waveguide isn’t
nearly creating an immersive audio expertise for all listeners, nonetheless. It ought to make for a
listening expertise that isn’t solely extra constant but additionally extra correct,
because it’s designed to align “the output of the tweeter and midrange in good
concord,” in keeping with MartinLogan.
Room
acoustics are very important, as all the things within the listening room has an impression on speaker
efficiency. MartinLogan minimizes these dangerous results by focusing the sound
into the listening space.
—
MartinLogan
Of
course, a tweeter can solely accomplish that a lot. The Movement Basis Collection additionally incorporates
new aluminum midrange and bass drivers that includes trickle-down expertise from
the Movement and Movement XT Collection. The drivers use forged aluminum
baskets, which you don’t all the time see on this value vary. The aluminum cones themselves function a unibody
development that helps to “maximize readability, element, and output, making certain an
partaking and fascinating listening expertise,” in keeping with MartinLogan.
The
Movement Basis Collection represents a big milestone for MartinLogan. We
consider in making it doable for a wider viewers to expertise true Excessive
Constancy sound. We leveraged our 40 years of design and engineering expertise
to meticulously refine each facet of those audio system to attain the very best
doable efficiency. This sort of experience shouldn’t be generally seen on this vary
of merchandise. Every element has been fastidiously crafted to offer a unprecedented
audio expertise at a tremendous worth. The Movement Basis Collection represents
the end result of in depth analysis and improvement. Following the method
we used with our premium Movement XT and Movement Collection merchandise, Movement
Basis takes under consideration anechoic measurements, in-room testing, and blind
listening checks leading to a line of audio system that units excessive benchmarks for
efficiency and worth inside their class.
—
Andrew Lindsey, MartinLogan Product Supervisor
Different
superior options embody the Anti-Lobing 2.5-way design used within the
center-channel speaker, which “minimizes tonality alteration generally present in
2-way middle channel designs with out the bigger cupboard necessities usually
related to 3-way designs.” MartinLogan guarantees clearer dialogue and
increased accuracy, all with out sacrificing “furniture-friendly sizing.”
In the meantime, the tower audio system within the Movement Basis Collection have built-in
ground bounce compensation by way of “precision woofer placement and crossover
tuning.” MartinLogan says that these design components mix to ship “a extra
pure and full sound by making the most of a relentless present in all listening
rooms: the ground.” Every speaker within the Movement Basis Collection was extensively
measured (each in an anechoic chamber and in real-world listening rooms) and
subjected to a number of blind listening checks to attain the very best
efficiency from each element, from the drivers to the cupboards to the
low-distortion McCracken-Vojtko Crossovers. (Whereas I don’t know for certain, I
have a sense that these customized crossover networks had been designed by
MartinLogan’s Senior Loudspeaker Design Engineer, Joe McCracken, and the
firm’s longtime Lead Audio Know-how Engineer, Joe Vojtko. Only a hunch.)
The
MartinLogan Movement Basis Collection contains 5 new fashions: two
floorstanders, two stand-mounts, and one center-channel speaker. All are rear-ported, and all
can be found in Black, Walnut, and Satin White finishes. All of them embody
Safe-Lock Grilles with stealth mounting tabs. Notice that MartinLogan lists the
value for every speaker, relatively than for a pair.
Movement
Basis F2: $999.99 every
The
F2 is the flagship tower, designed for “these searching for probably the most dynamic
listening expertise.” The F2 pairs the
Gen2 Obsidian Folded Movement Tweeter S with a 5.5-inch midrange driver and a
trio of 6.5-inch aluminum woofers. It stands simply over 44 inches tall, and
guarantees bass response all the way down to 36Hz (± 3dB ). The F2’s nominal impedance is 4 ohms, and its sensitivity ranking is a
usefully excessive 92dB.
Movement Basis F2 (left) and F1 (proper)
Movement
Basis F1: $749.99 every
The
smaller F1 floorstander makes use of the identical tweeter and midrange driver because the F2.
The three aluminum bass drivers are scaled down to five.5 inches. It stands simply
over 41 inches tall, and guarantees bass response all the way down to 41Hz (± 3dB). The F1’s
nominal impedance is 4 ohms, and its sensitivity is 92dB.
Movement
Basis B2: $399.99 every
The
B2 is the bigger of two bookshelf audio system within the Movement Basis Collection. In
addition to the Gen2 Obsidian FMT S tweeter, it makes use of a 6.5-inch mid-bass
driver. Standing 15 inches tall, the B2 guarantees bass response all the way down to 42Hz (±
3dB). The B2’s nominal impedance is 5 ohms, and its sensitivity is 90dB.
Movement Basis B2 (left) and B1 (proper)
Movement
Basis B1: $299.99 every
The
B1 makes use of a 5.5-inch mid-bass driver in a
cupboard simply over 13-and-a-half inches tall. The B1 guarantees bass response down
to 48Hz (± 3dB). The B1’s nominal impedance is 5 ohms, and its sensitivity is
89dB.
Movement
Basis C1: $499.99 every
The
C1 center-channel speaker is a 2.5-way design utilizing a pair of 5.5-inch drivers
flanking the tweeter. The C1 guarantees bass response all the way down to 53Hz (± 3dB). The
C1’s nominal impedance is 4 ohms, and its sensitivity is 91dB.
Construct Your Basis with MartinLogan?
The
Movement Basis Collection can be found by approved MartinLogan
sellers, like our mates at Audio Recommendation. However given the low costs, I think about that many patrons will
organize them sight unseen. And given their 4-ohm and 5-ohm impedance rankings,
these audio system might not pair properly with entry-level receivers. The excessive
sensitivity of the floorstanders ought to assist, however we would suggest an amp rated
for 4-ohm audio system although the sequence brochure describes the audio system as
“suitable” with amps rated for 8 ohms in case you’re planning to hear at exceedingly loud SPL for lengthy durations of time. Will the “rising audiophiles” and
new clients that MartinLogan is attempting to succeed in know that they’ll want a
stout amplifier to profit from the Movement Basis Collection? I don’t
count on somebody spending $600 on a pair of Movement Basis B1 bookshelf
audio system to have a really costly amp, and there are many good, inexpensive
built-in amps and mid-range AV receivers able to driving these audio system.
However, it’s a caveat value mentioning within the context of a product aimed
at newcomers to the world of high-end audio. Will the Movement Basis Collection
have the ability to provide a big chunk of the spectacular efficiency we’ve seen
from MartinLogan’s costlier Movement and Movement XT Collection? Share your ideas in
the associated discussion board thread beneath.
Except in any other case indicated, it is a preview article for the featured product. A proper overview might or might not observe sooner or later.
