Comparison of Motion 35XTi to Motion 20i/40i/60XTi

[bryanschmiedeler]

I am building up my main home theatre system and looking for some advice.

I have a pair of Motion 4is as front and left speakers and a Motion 50XTi as a center. I know that is an odd combination.

The 4is were a good price and got me started with ML. I wanted to get a fantastic center and I got that now.

The goal is to replace the 4is with something more appropriate, and I am looking at either the 35XTis or one its three bigger brothers. The problem is there is nowhere near me where I can actually listen to the 35s. I am actually leaning toward them has they have rave reviews, are cheaper and smaller.

But also very intrigued by the floor standing models.

Any suggestions?

 

[spkrdctr]

Bryan, I was just in a Best Buy Magnolia room a few weeks ago listening to these various speakers. First off you bought an amazing, awesome center channel. That center all by itself will easily fill a room with theater level sound. It is worth every penny. For your left and right speakers it is really an issue of the size of the room and if you can have speakers on stands or not. I find cats like to knock speaker stands over and then look at you saying "Why did you knock that over? It wasn't me" attitude. Anyways, the 35s will play loudly and effortlessly in a medium size room. If it was a large to extra large room than the floor standing speakers would be required, especially for music. But I'm saying this only if you like to listen at loud to very loud levels. So the 35s will work on stands and perform very, very well. If you end up thinking that you want the floor standiners then I would recommend not bothering with the 20s. Just start at the 40s and if cost is no object you can get the 60s. I have read reviews and they all said that it really is not worth going from a 35 to a 20. Really none of the reviewers were all that impressed with the 20s. So, if you buy right the first time you will have a minimum of 15 years of fantastic sound! So, it is now up to you. 35s or 40s? Regardless you will have no volume limitations with either speaker and they will sound awesome once set up properly in your room. Good Luck and have fun!

 

[bryanschmiedeler]

Thanks so much for this information, it is exactly what I needed. Yup, we have a cat and so have the problem with him wanting to use the speakers as playthings. Kind of horrifies me , less so my wife. Excellent point about the 20s, will ignore them, which means I will probably get the 35s. Our room is not very big, we don't turn up the volume, and I have stands that will work great for the 35s. I have a TV system downstairs with speakers and a Denon and old old Folks, so downstairs will be where hand me downs go. If I get ambitious or find a sale on the 60s I and get them the 35s could always go down there or be used as another pair of fronts. Either way I cannot go wrong.

Thanks again!

 

[barjohn]

I recently sold a pair of 40s to buy ESLs. The 40s can play very load and take no more floor space than a smaller bookshelf with stand. The 60s I have listened to and compared to 40s have better base but are larger. Used 40s (not 40i's) can be found for under $1k per pair.

 

[markad1776]

I recently sold a pair of 40s to buy ESLs. The 40s can play very load and take no more floor space than a smaller bookshelf with stand. The 60s I have listened to and compared to 40s have better base but are larger. Used 40s (not 40i's) can be found for under $1k per pair.

I am looking at the Motion 60XTi and the 40i. I like both, but prefer the 60.
The 60s sound fine just as is, without a subwoofer, but the 40i's sounded amazing with a subwoofer, in fact it seemed like the speakers themselves disappeared into the room. Pretty cool.
But my problem is my room height. I have drop ceilings, about 6.5 ft high.
The 4 ft tall 60XTi may work okay in the room, but it is the dispersion of the tweeters on both models that is questionable. The 60XTi tweeter dispersion is 30 degrees and the 40i's dispersion is a huge 80 degrees. I am trying to determine if I will have some ceiling bounce issues with either speaker. From my calculations the 40i's may be the worst match for the room because at least the taller towers' dispersion is much less, albeit the height of the speaker itself is about 6" taller than the 40's.
Advice?

 

[markad1776]

Bryan, I was just in a Best Buy Magnolia room a few weeks ago listening to these various speakers. First off you bought an amazing, awesome center channel. That center all by itself will easily fill a room with theater level sound. It is worth every penny. For your left and right speakers it is really an issue of the size of the room and if you can have speakers on stands or not. I find cats like to knock speaker stands over and then look at you saying "Why did you knock that over? It wasn't me" attitude. Anyways, the 35s will play loudly and effortlessly in a medium size room. If it was a large to extra large room than the floor standing speakers would be required, especially for music. But I'm saying this only if you like to listen at loud to very loud levels. So the 35s will work on stands and perform very, very well. If you end up thinking that you want the floor standiners then I would recommend not bothering with the 20s. Just start at the 40s and if cost is no object you can get the 60s. I have read reviews and they all said that it really is not worth going from a 35 to a 20. Really none of the reviewers were all that impressed with the 20s. So, if you buy right the first time you will have a minimum of 15 years of fantastic sound! So, it is now up to you. 35s or 40s? Regardless you will have no volume limitations with either speaker and they will sound awesome once set up properly in your room. Good Luck and have fun!

I am looking at the Motion 60XTi and the 40i. I like both, but prefer the 60.
The 60s sound fine just as is, without a subwoofer, but the 40i's sounded amazing with a subwoofer, in fact it seemed like the speakers themselves disappeared into the room. Pretty cool.
But my problem is my room height. I have drop ceilings, about 6.5 ft high.
The 4 ft tall 60XTi may work okay in the room, but it is the dispersion of the tweeters on both models that is questionable. The 60XTi tweeter dispersion is 30 degrees and the 40i's dispersion is a huge 80 degrees. I am trying to determine if I will have some ceiling bounce issues with either speaker. From my calculations the 40i's may be the worst match for the room because at least the taller towers' dispersion is much less, albeit the height of the speaker itself is about 6" taller than the 40's.
Advice?