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MartinLogan Motion 4i
Stylish and Compact
Inspired by MartinLogan's ultra-high-end electrostatic loudspeakers, the Motion® Series was created to provide stunning sound for your ultimate-performance home theater or stereo. MartinLogan's dedicated in-house engineers carefully crafted the Motion Series to create an extremely affordable and compact product line that seamlessly blends our exquisite Folded Motion® transducers with powerful, compact bass technology. The result is a smooth, refined sound with stunning dynamic range and jaw-dropping clarity.
Motion 4i Compact Bookshelf Speakers
Audiophile performance without an audiophile price. Inspired by the clarity and detail of MartinLogan's ultra-high-end electrostatic loudspeakers, Motion 4i features a Folded Motion tweeter, 4-inch paper cone woofer, and a proprietary Vojtko crossover network in a compact and affordable package. Low-frequencies are enhanced by a rear-firing Cascading Bass Reflex Port, a unique, long-volume port that delivers surprisingly big bass from a remarkably compact loudspeaker. Flexible installation options allow table top or on-wall installation. Motion 4i can also mount upside down to facilitate placement high on a wall. Available in gloss black.
Engineering, Without Compromises
What makes the Motion Series sound so amazing? MartinLogan's dedicated in-house engineering and design team started by utilizing and refining the most advanced, compact technologies and combining them with innovative engineering and time-honored cabinet construction techniques. The result is an emotionally engaging sound that rivals (and most times trounces) traditional loudspeakers of similar size and price. Our 'no compromise' philosophy gives Motion Series a unique sound you won't find anywhere else.
Sound Inspired by Electrostatic Speakers
The success of the Motion Series is directly attributed to its close relation to MartinLogan’s legendary ultra-high-end electrostatic loudspeakers. The desire to transmute that level of performance into a more traditional loudspeaker at a more affordable price drove the initial design imperatives that created the Motion Series.
Folded Motion® Tweeters
MartinLogan's signature Folded Motion tweeter utilizes an extremely low mass diaphragm that "squeezes" air, thus demanding significantly less excursion than the typical 1-inch dome tweeter. Its folded design allows for a much larger surface area (compared to that of a regular 1-inch dome tweeter), controlled dispersion characteristics, and vanishingly low distortion. It's a miracle of audio engineering that's able to deliver much of the high-frequency detail and speed of a large, dynamic electrostatic panel in a small space.
Proprietary Vojtko ™ Crossover Networks
Compact Motion Series speakers feature proprietary Vojtko crossover networks using custom air core coil inductors, low DCR steel laminate inductors, and polyester film and low-DF electrolytic capacitors for a seamless sonic presentation.
Vojtko crossovers are named after MartinLogan's chief audio technologist, Joe Vojtko. His unique approach to crossover design is as big of a part of the "MartinLogan Sound" as are electrostatic and Folded Motion thin-film driver technologies. A Vojtko crossover isn't so much a set of design requirements as it is a philosophy. Vojtko crossovers are designed in such a way that all drivers are kept within their optimal frequency range and balanced with one another. The drivers themselves are as much a part of a Vojtko crossover as are capacitors and resistors. Before the design of any crossover begins, drivers are carefully selected or designed to operate within a very intentional frequency range and with precise and predictable performance parameters. Vojtko crossovers are always built from high-quality parts, and care is taken to avoid overly complex topologies—a straightforward objective due to the careful selection of woofers and tweeters. The final (and most critical) aspect of a Vojtko Crossover is that final voicing is conducted in a space that is indicative of a real-world environment. This pragmatic approach allows MartinLogan speakers to sound their best in real-world rooms.
Modern Curves and Luxurious Finish
After refining the perfecting the acoustic details, MartinLogan designers focused on elegant yet understated styling that complements flat-panel televisions and other high-end components. To achieve this, we gave compact Motion bookshelf and center channel speakers a flawless gloss black finish and compact, slender enclosures. Subtle curves, along with MartinLogan's signature perforated grille, add to the elegant and timeless look.
Versatile Placement—On a wall, Shelf, or Stands
Not only do the curves on the compact Motion bookshelf speaker Series look great, but they also serve a purpose—allowing them to mount at two different angles with the included wall bracket. This means you can point sound directly toward the desired listening area for high or low wall mounting applications. Motion 2i and 4i speakers don't have to be mounted. In fact, they look and sound great on speaker stands, or sitting next to your TV on a shelf.
Easy Hookup
Convenient, high-quality, push-style binding posts are recessed into the speaker's cabinet along with curved guides that allow wires to slide into place effortlessly. These binding posts are also designed to facilitate the use of banana plug connectors.
Cascading Bass Reflex Port
MartinLogan engineers were faced with a daunting task—create a compact speaker with low-end bass reproduction found in speakers much, much larger. After many sleepless night and a myriad of prototypes, they created the Cascading Bass Reflex Port. This brilliant solution allows a long tuned port, which is folded over itself (think of a trombone's tuning arm) to be compacted and squeezed into the Motion 4i. The result is amazingly detailed low bass that can play at high volumes with minimum distortion—all thanks to the elegantly simple cascading fold that slows down and controls the air motion of the bass waves.
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Professional Reviews 91/100
Deliciously Crispy
Sound Quality
91/100
Build Quality
86/100
Value for Money
95/100
The Motion 4i brings airy, refined treble and expansive imaging to compact systems, with its Folded Motion tweeter making voices, cymbals and spatial cues feel vividly present. SoundStage Solo praised its cabinet-disappearing stage, while TONEAudio MAGAZINE admired its transparent, low-fatigue presentation. Taut bass and wall-mount flexibility complete a seriously engaging small-speaker package.
What Reviewers Are Saying
Pros
Exceptionally open, smooth and detailed treble from the Folded Motion tweeter.
Broad, precise imaging with strong vocal clarity and a soundstage that extends beyond the cabinets.
Compact, handsome piano-black cabinet with included wall-mount capability and magnetic grille.
&
Cons
Deep bass rolls off below roughly 70Hz; a subwoofer is recommended for full-range weight and bass-heavy music.
Midrange can sound slightly recessed versus more expensive reference speakers.
Recessed spring terminals can be awkward with bare speaker wire.
SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 91/100
Reviewers consistently praise the Motion 4i for an unusually transparent, spacious and refined sound from such a compact enclosure. Its standout Folded Motion tweeter delivers exceptional openness and detail, while the small woofer produces controlled, textured bass rather than deep low-frequency weight.
Bass
87/100
The 4-inch woofer does not reach deeply: reviewers consistently note a steep drop below about 70Hz and recommend a subwoofer for full-range listening or bass-heavy music. Within those limits, bass is repeatedly described as taut, clean, well controlled, textured and surprisingly satisfying for a speaker of this size.
Mid
88/100
Voices are a clear strength, with SoundStage Solo hearing remarkable vibrancy and clarity that let singers float free of the cabinets. One comparison found the midrange slightly recessed, less smooth and less forward than a more expensive KEF, so listeners seeking prominent vocal presence may notice that restraint.
Treble
96/100
The Folded Motion tweeter is the speaker's most celebrated asset. Across the reviews, highs are called exemplary, clean, articulate, brilliantly realistic, open, airy, smooth and refined, with one reviewer judging that refinement beyond competing speakers several times the price.
Soundstage Imaging
94/100
Reviews describe a broad, precisely organized soundstage with strong separation and stable placement of voices and instruments. The speakers disappear effectively, image beyond their cabinet boundaries, and can create an enveloping nearfield presentation as well as a notably large landscape in a bigger room.
Dynamics
89/100
Direct commentary is less extensive here, but reviewers found the Motion 4i no slouch dynamically and noted low distortion during longer sessions. A subwoofer system added more apparent scale and loud-playback ease, while the standalone speaker remains best suited to sensible levels consistent with its compact size.
Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.
Build Quality
86/100
Reviewers note the attractive glossy Piano Black finish, curved rear cabinet treatment, magnetic metal grille and solid-feeling connection hardware. The included wall-mount bracket is useful, although the recessed spring terminals can be awkward when using bare wire.
Value for Money
95/100
At roughly $500 per pair, reviewers repeatedly regard the Motion 4i as a bargain that performs above expectations for its price. It is called a fine value, highly recommended, and among the strongest recommendations near its asking price, particularly for listeners prioritizing treble refinement, clarity and imaging over deep bass.
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- Abt Electronics — online and in-store — Glenview, Illinois, United States (website)
- Acoustic Sounds — online and in-store — Salina, Kansas, United States (website)
- Alpha High End — online and in-store — Brasschaat, Vlaams Gewest, Belgium (website)
- Alta Fedelta — online and in-store — Lombardia, Italy (website)
- AMPL’HIFI — online and in-store — Nîmes, Occitanie, France (website)
- Analogue Seduction — online and in-store — Whittlesey, England, United Kingdom (website)
- Anointed Soundz — in-store — Cedar Hill, Texas, United States (website)
- Apollo HiFi — online and in-store — Marrickville, New South Wales, Australia (website)
- Area Hifi — online and in-store — L'Eixample, Comunidad Valenciana, Spain (website)
- Audible Elegance — online and in-store — Cincinnati, Ohio, United States (website)
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