Customer Ratings & Reviews

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.

Very clear with music and movies. They blend very well with the Martin Logan XT F100's. Highly recommended

The Martin Logan - Motion XT C100 is a revelation in the world of audio equipment. This 2.5-Way Center-Channel speaker, equipped with Dual 6.5” Midbass Drivers, has taken the audio experience to a whole new level. The most striking feature of the XT C100 is its ability to deliver crystal clear dialogue. Whether you’re watching a fast-paced action movie or a dialogue-heavy drama, the XT C100 ensures that every word is heard with absolute clarity. The Folded Motion XT Tweeter and dual 6.5” Midbass Drivers work in harmony to produce sound that is not just clear, but also full and rich. This has made voices in TV shows and movies sound so much more lifelike, adding a new dimension to the viewing experience. But the XT C100 doesn’t stop at delivering clear sound. It also excels in producing a full and rich tone, especially in the mid-range. This makes the voices sound warm and natural, further enhancing the overall audio experience. When paired with the Martin Logan - Motion XT F100, the XT C100 truly shines. The two speakers complement each other perfectly, delivering a sound performance that is nothing short of spectacular. The detailed and quick sound of the XT F100, combined with the clear and full sound of the XT C100, creates an immersive audio experience that is hard to match. However, there is one downside to this audio nirvana. Once you start down this road, you’ll find yourself wanting to fill out the rest of your home theater setup with the other matching Martin Logan gear. The quality and performance of the XT C100 and XT F100 are so impressive that they set a high standard for the rest of your audio equipment. But then again, isn’t that a good problem to have? In conclusion, the Martin Logan - Motion XT C100 is a game-changer in the world of audio equipment. Its ability to deliver clear and full sound, especially when it comes to dialogue, sets it apart from other speakers in the market. Whether you’re an audiophile or just someone who appreciates good sound, the XT C100 is definitely worth considering. Just be prepared to want the rest of the Martin Logan lineup once you’ve experienced the XT C100.

This speaker shored up the weak link in my surround setup to where I feel quite confident I won't need to upgrade anything else for a while. I'm looking at the Motion XT F100s, but this alone made a huge difference in my setup. I came from a Polk series center. Astounding difference! Can't recommend this speaker enough!

Awesome center channel speaker. Purchased this one to replace a Definitive Technology center speaker. Great sound.

Paired with other ML Motion XT speakers including F100, B100, MP10 multipurpose and dynamo X800 subs, Marantz Cinema 50 and Epson LS800 projector. XT C100 is easy to hear and matches well with the F100s. Our C100 is low below the projector and it does help to present the speaker upside down to raise the appearance of the sound coming from the screen.

Best center-chnanel on the market. Martin Logan never disappoints.

This review is part of a Martin Logan Speakers set I have got. As you well known, center speakers are designed to improve the chats and dialogues of the movie, being a key part and critical component of any home theater system. The majority of all the chatting, and dialogues will come out from this speaker. Music performance will be not relevant for this purpose. With that in mind, I tested this speaker with a couple of movies that have a lot of action sequences and at the same time many dialogues in between. But first, lets start by the quality and appearance of the speaker. It feels and looks really high end as it is supposed to be. Robust enclosure (and this is very important because you want to isolate the negative sound that comes naturally from the back of the speaker efficiently without affecting the displacing performance of the speaker movement), heavy (big magnets, 34pounds) and powerful (rated 150watts rms at 5ohms impedance, which is a lot), that means that will require 5.5 amps at maximum sound volume. Something that you want to have in consideration for the speaker wire you want to use. Martin Logan design the enclosure in a way that you can choose the orientation so you can flip it upside down to angle the sound up toward your listening position if placing it on a lower shelf. The look is stylish, angled, elegant with a nice grill design and black glossy finish cabinet that you will feel proud to have in your living as part of the rest of the furniture. Mine is Gloss Black, shiny, modern and very stylish. Setup is simple, the speaker comes with an accessory box that includes the “feet” that stuck to the cabinet using tape. A very nice and useful black soft bag to cover it, and the QR code to download the instruction manual, which I always recommend to read it in order to familiarize better with any product you get. In this case, just go to page 13, there you will see the specifications which will help you to understand what amplifier and cables you might need depending on the power that you amp is capable to deliver. The frequency response is surprisingly wide for a center speaker, 42Hz – 25kHz, practically like a high end regular speaker. The packaging reflects the level of quality and care Martin Logan invests on their products, it was really well packaged. It took me some quite time to unpack it, but while I was doing it I realized, that I was in front of a really high end product. My old man used to say, about high end sound equipment, “the heavier, the better”, and even if nowadays the design of modern Sound equipment’s has reduce significantly the size and weight of the components like transformers, magnets and big capacitors, that statement is still valid today. For the test, I have an old school Yamaha 200watts at 4 ohms per channel amplifier, signal noise ratio of 97db, 0,008THD, for the center channel 100watts at 6 ohms, setting up the volume level to 4 to begin with. So, I was watching the remake of “The Godfather 3” and even if this is not a “loud” movie, I was able to hear clearly the chatting of the crowd very distinctively while the main characters were talking in the main scene. This is the level of detail that makes a great sound effect. Watching Thor Ragnarok was very pleasant, even with the explosions, screaming, yelling, lasers, the clarity of dialogues were outstanding and sounded completely independent of the rest of the speaker set. The tweeter is very distinctive to discriminate the voices sounding. But you have to take in consideration, that this center speaker, with the right amplifier really got to the point, which is to centralized the vocal and midrange frequencies efficiently. But something else that surprise me as well, was that I move to different sections of the living room, left, right and I received the this bath of clarity and atmospheric sound involvement, which is something that I wasn’t expecting. I am very pleased with the performance of this center speaker and extremely happy to have the full set to enjoy my listening experience even more.

As detailed in my other review Ill just summarize that I love the look of this speaker. Im a real fan of anything matte black and this center channel speaker looks awesome! What really matters though is the sound and wow is that what you get here. In several of of previous speaker set ups where you buy a complete surround sound system in a single package it seemed like the center channel wasnt utilized like it should be. Well that has completely changed here. I now see how important a great center channel is to get the complete audio experience. Firstly music audio sounds unbelievable! And although its only mid bass it has the kind of bass I prefer. Tight accurate bass vs. low boom just for booms sake. And when it comes to movie audio this is where I really learned what a proper center channel can do. The spatial and moving audio for example when a car or plane goes by is literally head turning. And it compliments the voice and other audio so well its hard to explain. It has to be heard to be heard if you know what I mean. Although I thought I had heard great audio having these Martin Logan speakers has taught me there is an entirely new realm of audio out there. Once you have heard these your not going to settle for less. Pure, crisp, clear, tight, and amazing sound. Highly recommend!