MartinLogan Motion Foundation B1 2-Way Passive Desktop Bookshelf Speakers - Black

Small Stature, Big Voice

The MartinLogan B1 Bookshelf Speaker is the most compact Motion® Foundation® speaker. The B1 model offers unheard of performance from such a versatile size.

The Gen2 Obsidian Folded Motion® Tweeter S, Folded Motion® Waveguide, and 5.5" aluminum midbass driver work together in the B1 to create a completely unexpected and engaging experience from a compact footprint.

The Foundation® B1 is ideal for small spaces, especially when combined with a subwoofer, to create a highly musical and detailed experience wherever high quality sound is desired. Foundation® B1 is also threaded to work with MartinLogan's STAND25 to create a stable stand mount solution.

MartinLogan Foundation Series

MartinLogan Foundation® Series products set new standards in affordable performance by offering many of MartinLogan’s signature high-performance technologies at approachable prices.

Motion® Foundation® speakers feature the incredible performance of the Gen2 Folded Motion Tweeter S, bringing much of the same performance found in their larger siblings in a more compact and affordable package. This high-performance tweeter is paired with a custom Folded Motion® Waveguide offering consistent, smooth, and controlled sound across the listening space delivering incredible performance in every seat.

Rounding out the sound are specially designed aluminum woofers offering robust and detailed performance across the board.

Gen2 Obsidian Folded Motion® Tweeter S

MartinLogan's signature Folded Motion® Tweeter technology utilizes an extremely low-mass diaphragm that "squeezes" air, thus requiring significantly less excursion than a typical 1-inch dome tweeter. Folding the lightweight film into an accordion-like structure increases the playable surface area while keeping the tweeter size relatively compact. With several times greater surface area than typical tweeters, and an extremely lightweight film, this highly efficient combination provides incredible detail and clarity with virtually zero distortion.

For the Motion® Foundation series, MartinLogan designed its most compact high performance thin film tweeter to date, packing much of the performance found in MartinLogan's Motion® XT, and Motion® series products in a more affordable package. Motion® Foundation redefines what to expect from affordable Hi-Fi speakers, providing an incredible experience that must be heard to believe.

Folded Motion® Waveguide

To further enhance the output and consistency of MartinLogan's latest, and most compact, Gen2 Obsidian Folded Motion® Tweeter S, MartinLogan engineers added the all new Folded Motion® Waveguide to the mix. This waveguide works in tandem with the natural Controlled Dispersion properties of MartinLogan's FMT S to improve the sound consistency across the board, ensuring that every seat gets maximum clarity, especially critical for things like dialog and vocals.

The secondary benefit of the Folded Motion® Waveguide is an increase in the Controlled Dispersion coverage area, enhancing the natural output of the tweeter by 10° in all directions for a generous 90° x 90° pattern. This increase still provides all the benefits of Controlled Dispersion but with a slight increase to the coverage area to help better cope with today’s modern listening spaces, giving you more freedom of placement while still providing the sound quality benefits of controlled dispersion.

"MartinLogan Really Nailed Those Tweeters"

"The build quality is really good but that's pretty much what you would expect from an audio brand like Martin Logan. Anybody looking to get into audio definitely needs to check this out," reports B1 owner champdamien, r/audiophile, via reddit.com, August 11, 2023

Another B1 owner on r/audiophile notes, "MartinLogan really nailed those air motion tweeters," in an August 11, 2023 post.

Aluminum Midrange and Bass Drivers

The Motion® Foundation Series uses aluminum cone woofers with stamped steel baskets a non-resonant sealed chamber format, and unibody cone construction to maximize clarity, detail, and output.

McCracken-Vojtko Crossovers

Combining the Low Distortion Topology of MartinLogan's signature Vojtko Crossover philosophy with a combination of anechoic measurements, proprietary simulation software, in room measurements, and extensive blind listening tests to fine tune the sound profile for each speaker's unique application, MartinLogan refined its signature sound for more output, accuracy and the stunning clarity you can expect from a MartinLogan.

Controlled Dispersion

Room acoustics are vital, as everything in the listening room has an impact on speaker performance. MartinLogan minimizes these harmful effects by focusing the sound into the listening area, increasing flexibility, clarity, and placement options, regardless of the room’s design.

Floor Bounce Compensation

Bringing studio reference sound to reality with precision woofer placement and crossover tuning, MartinLogan engineers have designed their tower models to produce a more natural and full sound by taking advantage of a constant found in all listening rooms: the floor!

Secure-Lock Grilles

Stealth mounting tabs securely hold the grilles in place allowing the listener to customize the appearance of each speaker. Creating a unique look by leaving the grilles on, off, or even rotating them to change the grain of the fabric, providing maximum aesthetic control.