MartinLogan Motion 15i Bookshelf Speaker Review

Design: The Definitive Technology Demand Series D11 has modern looks. It is made of high quality MDF and has aluminum front baffle. We love the white color other than the usual black one. Also, removable acoustic transparent grille is available. Place them as on tables, desks or stands. It also comes with integrated rubber pads to improve stability. Performance: Definitive Technology Demand Series D11 are full-range speakers that can produce room-filling sound. The tweeters deliver crisp highs and precise mids. Offset tweeter is designed to lower any unwanted diffraction. It has well-built crossover and the manual suggests to set the receiver at 60Hz.Allow the speakers to go through 30 hours of break-in time. The speakers can produce warm and non-fatiguing sound. It has clear and natural highs and very precise midrange. The top passive radiators work on producing deeper bass. Low ends are great and powerful with adequate oomph. You can connect sub from Definitive Technologies brand or some other brand like SVS, Polk, etc. We suggest to use a powered sub for tighter bass response. Although they are bookshelf speakers, they sound like floorstanding speaker. If you want to improve the bass and treble, go for bi-wiring or bi-amping. Speaker placement process is written in details in the manual. After placing, you can change the position and see how the sound works for you. Connectivity: The connectivity of this passive speaker will depend on the amp ports. It supports bi-wiring and bi-amping with amplifiers. Use case: Definitive Technology Demand Series D11 is best for mid to large sized rooms. Create a 3.1 system and connect the speakers to your TV. Or, connect it to PC, turntable, etc. It can handle music genre like Jazz, classical or tracks that have too much instrumental sounds. Movie sounds, vocals and effects are handled very well too. Compatible device:  You can pair it with Sonos amp, Parasound Halo amp, or from any other brand. Definitive Technology Demand Series D11 bookshelf speaker can be connected to floorstanding loudspeakers (D15/D17), bookshelf loudspeakers (D7/D9), and a center-channel loudspeaker (D5C). Ease of use: This depends on the amplifier connected to the speaker. Cost: The cost of Definitive Technology Demand Series D11 isn’t cheap. However, we think the cost is compensated with brilliant performance. FAQ Do I need professional help to connect D11 to amplifiers? Even if you are a newbie, you might not need professional help to pair these speakers with an amp. The manual gives detailed instruction for setup. Can I use Definitive Technology D11 as rear speakers? The D11 model can be used as front, rear or surround speakers. They can be used alone or as a part of theater system.

Design: Elac Debut 2.0 B6.2 is a modern looking bookshelf speaker that has black ash vinyl finish. The enclosure is made of MDF and the speaker has internal bracing to minimize vibration while improving stiffness. Since it has a port on the front side, placement near walls is flexible. It has a removable cloth grille. Build quality is good and feels durable. Performance: The soft dome tweeter ensures the highs are realistic and lively. It minimizes any diffraction and enhances directivity. It has dual flared port and the 6.5” aramid woofer is much better than polypropylene used in other speakers. With higher stiffness and damping, it can deliver smoother low ends. Since the speakers can get as low as 44Hz, low ends are cleaner and deeper to suit most users. Music, movies, shows or games, you name it. The speaker can be used for any type of content with ease. That said it is better to add additional equipment for specific purpose. Like, create a 5.1 system for movie theater, add a center channel with TV or sub for music listening purpose. Sensitivity and impedance of the speaker is chosen such that it is easy to drive even with a center channel. Allow the speakers to go through long hours of break-in and make sure you give attention to room acoustics. These additional features affect the performance more than we think. For placing the speakers on the front side, create an equilateral triangle between speakers and speaker to user. Alter the position by ‘toe-in’ and like other speakers, it should be at the ear level. If you use them as rear speakers, place them far away compared to front side placement. Keep the speakers at a height that is a bit higher than ear level. Connectivity: Connectivity will depend on the amplifier you choose. Make sure it has your preferred ports like HDMI for TV or built-in preamp for turntable. Use case: Use the Elac Debut B6.2 speaker as a stereo speaker, as front or rear speakers. Or, include them in a home theater. The Debut B6.2 is great for playing music and movies. For audiophiles, we suggest a powered subwoofer. It is best for medium sizes rooms but you can also use it in large spaces. However we suggest to expand it to 3.1 or 5.1 in large spaces. Compatible device: Connect the speaker with a matching amplifier by using high quality speaker wires. You can use Amazon Basics speaker wire. You can use Marantz PM 8006, Peachtree Nova 300, Yamaha r-n303, Onkyo tx-8140, Marantz PM-6007, Yamaha A-S501, Yamaha R-S202, Denon PMA-600NE. Simply choose one that matches your budget and have your desired features. Pair the Debut B6.2 with floorstanding loudspeakers (DF52/DF62), bookshelf loudspeakers (DB52/DB62), center-channel loudspeakers (DC52/DC62), a Dolby Atmos enabled loudspeaker (DA42), and powered subs (S10EQ/S12EQ). Ease of use: This will depend on the amplifier. Most of them are easy to use with good controls. Cost: Elac Debut 2.0 B6.2 sounds bigger than its cost. The price is reasonable and budget-friendly. However, if you add an amp and sub, the total price will increase. FAQ: How to connect a center channel with Elac Debut 2.0 B6.2? In order to pair a center channel with Elac Debut 2.0 B6.2, you need to look for ports on the rear side of your amplifier. You can’t connect them directly as they are passive speakers. Are Elac Debut 2.0 B6.2 reliable speakers? Elac Debut 2.0 B6.2 is one of the best bookshelf speakers for everyday use. It shows brilliant performance, can handle most of the contents and the price is reasonable.

Design: The DBR62 belongs to the ELAC Debut Reference line of speakers. It is compact is size and uses similar MDF material for enclosure. Instead of usual black, we love the white color and blends with our décor easily. It has ‘full perimeter brace’ for top and side panels. This is done to minimize any cabinet vibration. Build quality is good and it comes with a removable acoustically transparent cloth grille. Performance: ELAC Debut Reference DBR62 has one tweeter and one woofer in each cabinet. Along with decent build quality, the drivers are well-designed. There is cast chassis woofer that improves stiffness while minimizing any resonance. To boost up the bass and minimize any noise, it has dual flared slot ports. This also makes placement easier. The speaker has wide-open soundstage and they sound quite musical. Trebles and mids are good, low ends pack a punch. Mids are clean, clear and gives you a sweet listening experience. Compared to its compact size, bass is full and impressive. If you want to go lower than 44Hz, easily pair an 8” subwoofer via the amp. Allow the bass to open up by connecting an Elac Sub 1010. While 2200Hz crossover is listed for the speaker, keep it to 70 to 80 Hz for the subwoofer given that you are creating a 2.1 system. Allow the speakers to go through break-in period so that you can listen to rich and warm sound. For placement, Elac wants users to follow basic rule where you need to place the speaker 1 to 2 feet away from walls and corners. Place them, then toe-in to get the best position for optimum performance. Instrumental sounds are clear and accurate. Use it for music and movies or connect it to your PC via an amp to play games. Connectivity and control: Connection ports and controlling the speaker volume will depend on the amp you are using. If the amp allows, you can connect the speaker to PC, laptop, turntable, mobile, TC, CD player, etc. Use case: You can use it in average sized living room, kitchen or small office spaces. If you can compromise the sound, you can also place it in large spaces, then expand when you have the budget. It can handle music very well; we suggest pairing a sub for audiophiles. For movies, create a 3.1 system with a center channel. Compatible device: Pair the Elac Debut Reference DBR62 with Denon PMA-600NE, Rega Brio, Cambridge CXA61, Optonica SA-5905, Yamaha A-801, etc. Or, simply choose as per your own preference. Connect the floorstanding loudspeaker (DFR52), bookshelf loudspeaker (DBR62), and center-channel loudspeaker (DCR52) from Debut Reference series and create home theater system. Some compatible subs are Elac powered subwoofer (SUB310 or SUB312). Cost: Going above $500, Elac Debut Reference DBR62 isn’t the cheapest speaker in the market. Consider this a mid-priced model. We suggest going for it if you already have a sub, otherwise the total cost will increase further. FAQ: How to improve Elac Debut Refernce DBR62 performance? In order to improve Elac Debut Refernce DBR62 sound quality, you can use damping pads under the speaker. Allow the speakers to go through long hours of break-in. Lastly be aware of the fact that room acoustics play important role in audio performance. Use EQ options or room calibration in the amp. For home theaters, make sure to use materials to improve room acoustics. Is it mandatory to use a speaker stand with Elac Debut Reference DBR62? Speaker stands are not mandatory at all. As long as you can place the speakers on table or shelves making sure they are at user’s ear level, you are good to go.