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The slender Motion SLM speakers are the newest addition to Martin Logan’s award-winning Motion® Series. Motion SLM features an advanced resolution Folded Motion™ tweeter, two 4-inch high-excursion fiber cone woofers and two passive bass radiators for maximum controlled low-end bass extension – all in an ultra-slim profile designed expressly for super-thin TVs.
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.
TV manufacturers are pushing the physical limits of electronics, making TVs that are thinner than ever at less than 2-inches from the wall. While they look great, creating a thinner television means making compromises to the built-in speakers; tiny drivers, cheaper parts, reduced cabinet volume and placement behind the TV create unnatural, lifeless sound. Worse yet, these speakers are usually underpowered, and easily distort when you turn up the volume. Motion SLM provides a clean, easy to install solution for elevating the aural experience that has been sacrificed with ultra-thin TV technology.
The secret to the Motion SLM’s outstanding performance is the innovative dual 4-inch, ultra-slim fiber cone woofers and dual 4-inch high-velocity passive bass radiators, paired with a Folded Motion tweeter to create stunning acoustical alchemy typically found in much larger speaker systems. Hidden discretely underneath the grille, the drivers are held securely in place by a solid, black-anodized brushed aluminum baffle. The high-gloss black SLM cabinet is only 1.45-inches thin, for a total wall protrusion of 1.83-inches with magnetic grille and included wall mount bracket.
With keyhole slots on the speaker’s back panel that attach easily to the included wall bracket, you’ll have the SLM wall-mounted and playing in no time. While we created the Motion SLM to wall mount next to ultra-flat panel TVs, that’s not their only application. Included with each speaker is a curved black base to allow them to sit on a shelf or equipment cabinet.
The Perfect LCR System
The Folded Motion tweeter has an 80° x 80° dispersion pattern, which allows the Motion SLM to sound exactly the same in a horizontal orvertical orientation, making them perfect for Left-Center-Right (LCR) system applications. The logo on the grille is magnetic and can move and rotate to the proper atheistically pleasing location in any orientation.
Each speaker includes “kick-stand” brackets that attach to the back of the cabinet, allowing them to free-stand for center channel applications. The stands are easily adjustable with the provided screw feet.
At USD450 for a single Motion SLM, this strikes me as ambitious bordering on steep. These slim LCR panels originally retailed around USD300-400 each new a few years back, and used pairs often turn up for USD500-700 total on enthusiast forums—putting a solo unit's fair value closer to USD200-300 in good shape. Unless it's pristine with boxes, you're overpaying for what amounts to a wall-mountable Folded Motion tweeter setup best as surrounds or a center.
Before biting, verify the passive radiators aren't dented or leaking air, as those 4-inch fiber cones push hard and foam surrounds can degrade after 5-7 years. Confirm it includes the wall brackets and any paintable grille—test for clean high-end dispersion too, since the Folded Motion XT can foam out if mishandled. Pair needs at least 100W to shine.
Independent perspective — not a price guarantee. Always verify condition, accessories and provenance before purchase.
MartinLogan emerged in the late 1970s from Lawrence, Kansas, when Gayle Martin Sanders and Ron Logan Sutherland, sharing a passion for electrostatic loudspeakers, united their engineering and design expertise. The duo, whose middle names inspired the brand, unveiled their breakthrough at the 1983 CES with the Monolith—the world's first practical hybrid electrostatic speaker, blending a curved panel for mids and highs with a dynamic woofer for bass. This American innovation addressed longstanding electrostatic limitations like fragility and poor low-end response, propelling the company from a high-end audio store collaboration to a dedicated manufacturing powerhouse.
The brand specializes in electrostatic and hybrid speakers, from flagship floorstanders like the CLX and Summit X to more accessible Motion Series designs, alongside complementary powered subwoofers and select electronics. Their proprietary thin-film transducers, advanced panel assembly, and room-optimized engineering define a lineup that prioritizes transparency and precision over conventional dynamic drivers, eschewing amplifiers, turntables, DACs, headphones, or cables.
Positioned firmly in the high-end market, MartinLogan commands respect among discerning audiophiles for its unwavering commitment to electrostatic purity, delivering ethereal soundstaging and timbral accuracy that make cabinets vanish. Now part of the PML group alongside Paradigm and Anthem, it blends Kansas heritage with rigorous innovation, appealing to buyers seeking reference-level realism in home audio and theater systems.
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