JoeRod

11-14-14

MARTIN LOGAN MOTION VISION SOUNDBAR

This is my "Take" on the Motion Vision single-speaker 5 channel surround system. After using a soundbar from Pinnacle for quite some time with a Mits Diamond DLP TV we didn't know what our eyes and ears were in for... We ended up getting a SONY Curved KDL-65S990A and combined it with the ML Motion Vision. Actually the TV on its own produced the best sound I have heard in the past decade from a TV. Very close in performance with the Pinnacle I had been using. Then enter the ML MV. Dialog was very clear and distinct as we tried it out with one of the Wife's favorite movie series, Step Up All In. The music numbers freaked us all out in the room. This was hands down the best sound we have heard in our Family room. I am using it with a subwoofer (Sub Out) and the combo really produces excellent results. The people I have talked to have always been a little apprehensive about setting up a soundbar with their tv. Mainly due to the volume with their current remotes. I am pleased to say I was able to get the volume to work with my DirecTV remotes. More on that in a little bit...

The ML MV has folded motion tweeters and high-performance woofers. It will simulate rear left and rear right channels which do a nice job of tricking your ears. It has dual rear-firing bass ports which help provide deep bass. They made bass a top priority and it shows. You can also pair it with a wireless subwoofer like their Dynamo 700W from ML or connect a wired one. As of now I have a wired Subwoofer connected. If I add their wireless in the future I will update this Review. SEE BELOW!

As good as it sounds it looks just as classy. Piano black finish with a curved backside match the curve of the TV perfectly. The little credit card size remote can be used to help set up parameters but can be tucked away once you get your main remote to learn the basic commands. Speaking of... It really is easy to do. Those that have a more complex remote going will also find it easy. We like our remotes from DirecTV for everywhere except the theater downstairs. So when that remote was paired with the Sony Curved TV for turning on and off we had a slight issue. Whenever we would do volume up and down the TV would flash a message saying TV VOLUME IS FIXED. This can be quite annoying. I googled to see if there was a simple solution. I found none. The next morning I had an idea. What if I tricked my remote into thinking it was connected to any basic sound system and left the TV as it was? So I did it and when I had the ML MV learn the commands for volumes and mute the TV quit saying TV VOLUME IS FIXED. Mission accomplished. Now our one remote from DirecTV does everything again. 

We connected the TV's optical out into the ML MV. We run our DirecTV, Xbox One through a Sony BDV Blu-ray/Receiver system. Only now we are using it as a switcher/Blu-ray player. I also connected our old fashioned Wii to the TV and Sony BDV System. We get all sound through the ML MV. 

Sound with our movies, TV shows and video games is excellent. The crowd when playing Madden had that feeling of "at the game" as well. 

Other things... The  blue ML is not on constant. It briefly pops up when you change Volume or Mute. Also, everything comes on automatically when I turn on the TV and DirecTV DVR. This is super Wife friendly. It also all turns off using the DirecTV remote. 

The Martin Logan Motion Vision was engineered with advanced digital processing (DSP) technology which creates a vivid, 3D soundstage. This one speaker solution or as we call them soundbars is the best I have heard to date. Sure it has a higher MSRP but it deserves the price of admission for this kind of performance... Don't compromise!

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Special thank you to my Wife and her friends for letting me try the TV sound alone for a bit, then the Pinnacle soundbar followed by the Martin Logan Motion Vision. Hands down the ML MV won. And now it resides in our Family room...

Thank you to Audio Video Interiors Chicago for suggesting the ML MV and everything else! If you are near the Oakbrook Mall check them out across the street. Call them at (630) 607 0054.

UPDATED, SEE BLOW.

So instead of the Dynamo 700w I ended up with their 1000w (pic to the right) instead. Set up was too easy! And I mean that. I didn't even have to set up the included SWT-2 Wireless Transmitter. The Motion Vision has a built in Transmitter which synced after pushing the Sync button on the Dynamo 1000w. In no time we were getting terrific bass. Jaclyn was excited to get her music going while she cleaned. Voices sound better with the 1000w on and movies have the theater impact effect going. The best part is we are able to hide it in the corner of the room (not that it is ugly of course) which makes the installation look even cleaner. --->

So now we are even more excited with the clarity and distinct impact the Martin Logan Motion Vision and Dynamo 1000w Subwoofer combo have. Them both supporting wireless connections really help with the WAF (Wife Acceptance Factor) which is really very important when you are setting up a system in your living or family room. Kudos to Martin Logan for making both sexes happy...