MartinLogan Motion 4 Bookshelf Speaker (Piano Black, each) Review

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(More customer reviews)The MartinLogan Motion 4 bookshelf speaker has been a pleasant surprise for me. I think it is a very good value and an excellent way to upgrade a home theater system.
Note that during listening sessions I compared the MartinLogan 4's with my current Yamaha HTIB system (similar to the Yamaha NS-SP1600 5.1-Channel Surround Speaker System (Black)). I also compared them in a retail store with similarly priced Definitive Technology ProMonitor 1000 Bookshelf Speaker. When applicable I will note comparisons to these other products.
Features - The ML Motion 4 includes a unique Folded Motion Tweeter, which is a similar to the Heil tweeters used in the highly regarded ESS speakers of the 70's - 90's. These are paired with a 4" paper woofer and a rear bass port. The Motion 4 has a frequency response of 70 - 20 KHz +/- 3 dB and can handle up to 150 watts. The box also includes a wall mount mechanism.
Sound - In listening to the Motion 4s I was immediately impressed by the clarity of the sound. Compared to my previous Yamaha HTIB speakers I immediately heard a clarity in the midrange and treble that blew me away. To me the Motion 4 is a "forward" sounding speaker, and sometimes that might not be my preference, but in this case the overall sound is still natural and balanced, and the forward sound and clarity make these outstanding home theater speakers. (Note that more extended listening may soften the sound a bit as the speakers continue to break in.)
After switching between the Motion 4 and the Definitive 1000s during a store demo, they were both excellent choices, and I expect I'd be happy with either. But in the end the Definitive 1000s sounded just a tiny bit recessed or nasal compared to the Motion 4, and I found myself drawn to the overall tonal balance and clarity of the MLs.
One note on the Motion 4s or any small bookshelf / satellite speakers - to get a full range of sound for home theater or music a subwoofer is essential. The Motion 4 only gets down to 70 Hz, and attempting to turn up the bass controls to artificially pump up the low frequencies will just ruin the sound of these. If buying these for standalone use just accept the fact that you will not get as much bass as you with a set of full sized speakers with 8" or larger woofers.
Build - Very good. I'm used to wood or MDF enclosures on speakers, so the plastic used in the Motion 4s was a bit off-putting at first. But these speakers are very solid, weighing in at six pounds each, and unless the speakers are subject to very rough handling or drops I would not be concerned about their durability. The speakers come with recessed binding posts; I'm not thrilled with these, as they look very nice but make it a bit tricky to hook up speaker wire as the binding posts are hidden behind large push buttons. The overall curved shape of the Motion 4 is appealing, and while not tiny these are still small enough to be unobtrusive if needed.
Conclusion - great home theater speakers, esp. when paired with a highly quality subwoofer.

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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. Complementing Motion's sonic accuracy is elegant yet understated styling. Flawless high-gloss, piano black finishes and subtle curves, along with our signature perforated grille, give Motion Series speakers an elegant and timeless look. Tower models feature a real-wood veneer finish and a stylish aesthetic certain to blend with any decor. The curves also serve a purpose; they allow Motion compact bookshelves 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. Beauty and brains! 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 Folded Motion Cascading Bass 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 4. 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. Convenient push-style speaker terminals and curved inserts help guide speaker wire effortlessly into place. The rubber end caps on the terminal are also removable for the use of banana plugs instead of bare wire.

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Klipsch Reference Series RF-52 - Left / right channel speaker - 100 Watt - 2-way - black (each) Review

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(More customer reviews)This speakers are nothing short of amazing, for the price they offer tremendous clarity and rock-solid bass. If you're looking for affordable hi-fi towers then look no more, this can rival much more expensive speakers and are a breeze to drive. Being extremely "sensitive" (96dB @ 2.83V / 1m) they can produce large amounts of sound with a relatively low amount of power (ideal if you wish to pair them with "true hi-fi" amps that are expensive when they break the 60 watt mark).
As for the sound goes, these speakers have sparkling highs that are effortlessly spread across the listening area thanks to the horn-loaded titanium dome tweeters. Midrange is vibrant, very present and smooth. Bass is accurate, fast and even earth-shattering. Stereo Imaging is very, very good, for the price is just marvelous; it's not pin-point accurate when compared to much more expensive speakers but for the price is fantastic. They have the ability to perform bass-intensive music with ease and are capable of resolving sonically stressing musical passages with not much effort. Expect these to suit almost every musical needs; from bass-crazy electronic music, to smooth, classical nuances and heavy metal, they will perform superbly.
The cons: even though this isn't exactly the speaker's fault, the horn-loaded tweeters can expose any roughness in the recording, some music suffering from the "loudness war" or that is poorly recorded might sound odd with these floorstanders. Also, their rear-firing port can be tad painful, since it needs at least 25-30 cms (9-11inches) to function perfectly. Owned these for almost a year now and those are the only complaints I have for now.
Amp recommendations: These speakers are really nice, Klipsch made a terrific job here, so please don't go cheap on the amplification. If you wish to go for "big" brands like Maratanz, Onkyo, Denon, Yamaha go ahead, they'll work, but I seriously recommend you look in the grounds of NAD, Rotel, Arcaim, etc. as they WILL sound much, much better. Since they can produce huge amounts of sound with relatively low wattage, true hi-fi amps (which usually don't roam the 100+ watts area, however, anywhere from 40 to 100 watts will do here) are a better way to go. I have a 40watt per channel NAD C315BEE and the whole setup sounds plain awesome, if you wish to go higher and can afford it, do it, the sound will usually increase a bit.
Overall, these speakers are fantastic for the price, as far as sub $600 floorstanders go this are amongst the best. If you wish great sound, earthshattering bass, 'crisp' highs, and lovely vocals then look no more, buy em' you wont regret em'.

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Apple Hi-Fi Home Stereo for iPod (White) Review

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(More customer reviews)It is obvious that Apple made a mistake claiming the Ipod Hi Fi would replace an Audiophile's home system. That claim has opened them up for criticism but, that is the only thing that can be criticized. The Hi Fi system is what it is - and that is a pretty amazing little device. I am not an expert, nor am I a novice in the art of high fidelity. I am, however, a Musician who has held Music and sound quality close to my heart for many, many years. I went to the Apple store with my AAC compressed 4 gig Nano and plugged into the system. Honestly, the sound at the store did not "blow me away"; I was in a busy store with much background noise. Realizing that the environment has much to do with sound quality, I took a chance and purchased it. I had dismissed most of the reviews that I read as sour grapes (for some reason) against Apple from people who do not own the system - had to be, some of the reviews were written before the system was even available! I was right; when I got this home and listened to it I was impressed. I do not listen to music that has that "wall' of sound (i.e. power chords, screaming vocals, retarded drums) I listen to music that has dimension (i.e. Jazz, Funk, Fusion). I wanted an audio device that would allow me to control my Ipod via remote, hold most of my favorite tunes, not fill my living room up with audio equipment, and be loud and clear enough to surround me with un-distorted sound. This system fills that bill. My one complaint is: you need to crank it up a bit for it to "come alive". At loud volumes, I find the tone control set to treble boost works best and at lower volumes set it to bass boost, meaning you need to re-adjust it upon volume changes. One other point, some of the lower end tunes on my Ipod sometimes distort when listening through the ear buds. This system seems to clean that up when cranking through the system. The added bonus being that I can use it in my backyard.
It is expensive? Yes. It is worth it? Yes, but keep in mind, it is what it is.


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Fill your home with sound, not stereo components. Keep your music collection at your fingertips, not in countless CD cases. Change the way you experience digital music. iPod Hi-Fi delivers crystal-clear, audiophile-quality sound in a clean, compact design. Hear, hear.
Where did the stereo go? Just slide your iPod(1) into the built-in Universal Dock to turn on and tune in to digital music as you've never heard it before. From pumping bass to bright treble, iPod Hi-Fi delivers natural, room-filling sound. Close your eyes and you'd think you were listening to a huge stack of speakers. But iPod Hi-Fi measures just 17.0" x 6.6" x 6.9."
Virtuoso performance As versatile as it is compact, iPod Hi-Fi incorporates thoughtful touches that make playing your music pure pleasure. Use the included Apple Remote to control music playback from anywhere in the room. Charge your iPod through the iPod Hi-Fi dock while you play music. Or take your show on the road courtesy of D-cell battery(2) power. All that makes iPod Hi-Fi pretty extraordinary. Just like iPod.
Rock-solid enclosure The innovative design of iPod Hi-Fi transforms consumer-grade materials into the ideal enclosure for high-fidelity sound. The high-end sound of iPod Hi-Fi pours out of a double-walled plastic shell redesigned for maximum stiffness to prevent vibration and resonance--two major causes of sonic imperfection. And airtight sealing allows voluminous, unobstructed sound, effectively preventing buzzing and clatter.
The right balance iPod Hi-Fi features three speaker cones custom designed to provide balanced sound across the frequency range. The result of numerous rigorous acoustic tests, this design delivers room-filling stereo imaging. The two 80 mm wide-range cones are set in dedicated chambers and isolated on the front plate, providing mid and high frequencies that sound vivid and bright. The natural bass of iPod Hi-Fi is generated by a 130 mm woofer. Thanks to the airtight sealing, the low frequencies are enriched inside the enclosure and then directed via tuned tubes through ports in the front.
Energy bar No need to find a place to hide an unsightly power brick, as iPod Hi-Fi houses all power components internally. Or run iPod Hi-Fi on six D-cell batteries(2). Either way, it plays your music with big, warm sound. In DC mode, custom electronics manage the energy to enhance battery life and sound, even adjusting volume as necessary. And iPod Hi-Fi will charge your iPod from its batteries when the iPod runs low.
Look who's talking Seamless integration means more than just plopping your iPod into a set of speakers. That's why iPod Hi-Fi actually communicates with your iPod. Just connect your iPod to the built-in Universal Dock and a simple, intuitive Speakers menu(3) lets you personalize iPod Hi-Fi to match your music. Take tone control, for starters. You can choose settings like "Normal," "Treble Boost," or "Bass Boost" to produce tones perfectly suited to your surroundings. You can also choose to display album art in a large, easily viewable format while iPod Hi-Fi plays. Set the backlight to remain on while playing and that album art positively pops off your iPod.
Take charge iPod Hi-Fi not only plays nice with any iPod(4) using a dock adapter, it charges the iPod, too. Just drop your iPod into the built-in dock and you can play music and charge your iPod all at once. When plugged into an AC outlet, iPod Hi-Fi fully charges the iPod battery. And if you're running iPod Hi-Fi on D-cell batteries(2), it even provides your iPod with a charge so you can still play on the go.
iPod sold separately
D-cell batteries sold separately
Speakers menu and Tone Control only available on iPod nano and iPod with video
iPod models without a dock connector require an audio cable, sold separately

iPod Compatibility iPod nano 1G, iPod nano 2G, iPod mini, iPod 3G, iPod 4G (Clickwheel), iPod Color, iPod 5G/5.5G Video

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