MartinLogan - Motion XT C100 2.5-Way Center-Channel with Dual 6.5” Midbass Drivers (Each) - Gloss Black

I wish you could give 10 stars because that is how much I would give this Martin Logan center channel. I tend to typically be disappointed with center channels as they never seem to have enough oomph for the vocals. Most of the time I have turn up the volume on the center channel to get a good mix with all three front speakers. This was the first I did not have to do that. From the start I could easily and clearly hear all the dialogue from the movies I was watching. My favorite part was that at low volume or even high volume the speaker was always clear and full sounding. At low volumes you could hear everything and at high volume I never got distortion or clipping. This is truly an amazing sounding speaker, it is definitely pretty large and have a good amount of weight. They are beautifully designed and have a very premium look and feel. Everything I threw at the speaker sounded amazing I never once struggled understanding any dialogue and the presence it gives is pretty amazing it’s a pretty wide sound from this speaker and it really helps makes you feel like your in the middle of the movie you are watching. Highly highly recommend

The all-new and redesigned Martin Logan XT C100 center speaker provides detailed, realistic, and precise vocals, along with clear dialogue in any film/music I have heard. Setup: The C100 is unique in which the user can either place the speaker one way or flip it upside down. The difference is, depending on the user, the option for sound is unparallel to other center speakers. The idea that I could flip the cabinet over to have sound hit my ears in my listening area without the use of risers is a plus. Since I have a lower shelf/cabinet, flipping the C100 over and directing the sound up was a no-brainer. Included were rubber feet you could stick to the bottom of the speaker (I chose to stick only two rubber feet to the front of the speaker to angle it even more). Additionally, there are four binding posts to bi-wire or bi-amp the C100; I chose to use only two binding posts while I connected it to my powered amplifier. Sound: I first tested 4K films that were heavy in dialogue and tone. One film in particular, Dune, features heavy use of dialogue throughout the film. With the improved Nomex Reinforced Kevlar Midrange, combined with the Gen2 Obsidian FMT XT, I could not believe how much clearer the dialogue was, as well as how accurate without distortion or clipping. More so, the Waveguide profile on the 1.25" x 2.4" tweeter provided excellent sound when I listened to (Dune) at higher volumes (-15 DB). Additionally, I was seated approximately ten feet from the C100 from my listening position, and I did not experience any loss of sound. No matter where I sat in my listening position, the vocals were clear and on point with the film(s) I watched. Lastly, the C100 features an elegant, modern design, and the cabinet is short enough to fit on any surface. The C100 is rated at 5 ohms, so the use of a dedicated power amplifier is ideal (though not required). I found that tone and clarity were unmatched compared to other center speakers I have owned. Overall, the C100, paired with the rest of the Martin Logan XT Motion series of speakers (I am pointing to the F100s or F200s), will deliver the best quality, full-sound rich with clarity and precise audio. Martin Logan has literally rejuvenated a Motion series that will make audiophiles and cinephiles happy.

I was absolutely ecstatic when I got the opportunity to review the new MartinLogan Motion XTs. I am a cinephile, audiophile, technophile type person, and have been a long time fan of MartinLogan's products. I am borrowing some parts of this review from my other reviews of the rest of the Motion XT line. But it is relevant here and may help others who are reading this. I'd like to first start off by outlining the equipment I used to test these speakers. I'd like to note, none of the equipment I own is what I'd consider to be "optimal" to get the absolute best performance out of these speakers in all situations. For my listening/theatre room, the equipment I used is more than ample to produce a stellar listening experience none the less. I simply want to also point out this is an area of extreme subjectivity and one that is argued over by experts (and otherwise) in the industry. What "sounds good" to one audiophile does not always sound "good" to another. This is even more disparaging between casual listeners and casual consumers: Denon AVR-X4700H without a separate amp, single wired with bridge (125 watts RMS in 2 ch modes) Epson Cinema 3200 4k Projector w/ grey 100" static screen I'd like to also point out that the impedance on the C100s are 5ohms (lower the better) which essentially means, it requires more power to deliver optimal sound but the result is less distortion and better sound. Your standard speakers are typically 8ohms, so at 50% greater impedance, these are truly special/high end speakers. My Denon AVR-X4700H claims to be 4ohms capable, however, what this really means (for anyone else looking for a similar setup) is the power draw changes, which technically speaking will register a 4 ohms certification, but in reality, it's just making the receiver work harder, get hotter, and risk burning out the receiver. This receiver is NOT a true 4ohms amp and should be used in it's 8ohms configuration (which is how I operated it). Anyone wanting to learn more should do their own ample research on this topic. Optimal amp to get a true 4ohms at clean, stable power should be used to maximize these speakers. The C100 had no issue what so ever operating at the 8ohms delivered via my Denon. I never have to turn the volume up much over 50% for these to blow the roof off my basement, so for my purposes, additional amplification is not necessarily needed. I'm going to limit this review to just home theatre/movies. I am not a fan of using center channels or rears when listening to music. Despite some albums not being in spatial audio, I prefer 2 channel audio for that type of content. I also imagine anyone using this center will be using it mainly for movies/TV and not audio. The center channel is also THE MOST IMPORTANT speaker in a home theatre setup. This is where most of the audio comes from, and everything else is just supporting audio or ambiance. Setup of this thing is a little different that others. MartinLogan allows the owner to choose the orientation of the speaker, which is either "default right side up" or "upsidedown" which alters the direction of how the audio is thrown. They include the MartinLogan logo which is to be place in the proper orientation once the direction is chosen. I chose the default orientation with the logo at the bottom. They also include feet which are stuck to the bottom using 3M tape. The feet are not adjustable as they are on the Motion F100 floors and this is meant to be placed on an already level shelf, table, rack, etc.. Normally, on every home theatre setup I've ever done in the past 30 years, I ALWAYS boost the center channel db to + 4 or 5 over the rest of the speakers in the setup. These were no different to start. I chose a +5 as my typical and started sampling Alita Battle Angel. I immediately went back in and turned it down to +2, which is where I currently still have it. This is the first time I've ever gotten close to even on a center channel with the rest of the lineup. The clarity this center produces is outstanding. Vocal tracks are crisp, clear, and flawless. I am debating dropping it again down to +1. I tried this at 0 and felt it was still a little too muddled out for my taste. I really like hearing the vocal tracks over booms, and other ambient effects. The horn tweeter offers a range of both harshness (for necessary things, such as, well, horns, or sharper sounds like gun shots, knife swipes, or other "sharp" things. It also lends itself to offer a very warm and smoother sound for lesser more mid range sounds that still require a tweeter. It's pretty remarkable how dynamic this is with a horn based tweeter. Switching to Jurassic Park the experience was no different. All vocal tracks were stellar while also allowing for the large, boomy bass needed for things like the T-Rex chasing after the Jeep in that infamous scene, shine through loud and clear. This center is huge, it sits at around 25" left to right and 8" high. You need to ensure you have a shelf big enough to accommodate this, or if it sits on top, the TV or projector screen is mounted high enough so this does not cover the screen. I'd recommend, whenever possible, to NOT put a center in a cabinet enclosed, and rather sit it on top to give it enough room to breath and fire it's woofer from the back without impedance. I am absolutely in love with this center channel (as well as the entire Motion XT line up). This is the BEST center channel I have ever listened to in year of being around custom theatre setups, and high end audio/theatre equipment. MartinLogan has knocked it out of the park with this center and at the asking price, it is a phenomenal bang for the buck if you can swing the cost. Thank you MartinLogan for the opportunity and experience. I will be raving about this for a very, very long time. You've made a new super fan out of me, and I am so very grateful.