Motiv® 3

"The Teufel Motiv 3 speakers are one of the most distinctive 5.1 sets we've ever seen. The stunning looking black and chrome satellites and glossy black subwoofer look great and would suit any modern living room.

Each satellite speaker is a shiny black sphere that measures around 120mm, including the length of the binding posts. There's no dedicated centre speaker and each of the identical satellites is interchangeable. The powered subwoofer, an equally stylish cube in gloss black, has a single phono input that connects it to your AV Receiver.

The satellites come with magnetic mounts that let them sit securely on a flat table or shelf. It's easy to tilt the speakers on the their mounts so they're pointing right at your listening position.

The speakers' reproduction of bass and mid-range tones was excellent (along with the) quality of the rich, vibrant and punchy bass tones generated by the subwoofer. Explosions shook the room with the subwoofer set to half volume; at the top level, we could almost feel our lungs vibrate. The Motiv 3's are also pretty good for music, with a thumping bass that will serve well for parties. Even stereo recordings filled the room, while 5.1 audio tracks had a sense of immediacy that drew us into the sound."

"Assuming that their looks suit your taste and decor, the Motiv 3 speakers have a high-quality sound that justifies their price."

Results: 4 / 5 stars

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These spherical speakers aren't just useful space-savers. The globular build also enhances sound by killing internal standing wave interference. Also they look like alien snooker balls - a big plus in our opinion. Magnetic stands allow you to andle the audio boules into the room, but their single 80mm drive units can't deliver the full frequency range required for meaty sound. That's where the 150W subwoofer steps in, putting a big, bassy boot up the arse of your music and soundtracks.

The centre channel, which has to deliver the lion's share of the sound is the weakest link here. However, if your TV`s built-in speakers aren't dreadful, use them as the centre speaker alongside these and you`ll achieve sound fit for any sonic eventuality.

These are as small as speakers get, but despite their size they still pump out top-notch surround sound effects:

4 / 5 stars.

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Conclusion:

The Motiv 3 presented by Teufel fits the bill by turning even the smallest room into a home theatre thanks to the retro, compact design as well as the sound strength and visually appealing home theatre. And the best is yet to come, because Teufel offers this complete 5.1 system for an unbeatable price of just 499,- euros.

• Sound 70% 1.2
• Labor 15% 1.2
• Practice 15% 1.1
• Spatial representation
• Profound, dynamic bass display

Test judgement: Excellent 1.2

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"From the first glance one thinks that the Motiv 3 is a design object... which can also deliver some sound on the side. What you don't expect is that there's more oompf inside these small round objects than the simple measurements would show. I've tested the Motiv 3 these past few days with my Sony Receiver, and I was really taken with the system. It doesn't matter which product I test from Teufel – I'm always surprised and positively impressed.

The small, well-constructed subwoofer generates hefty and dry bass, as promised, and is properly intensive. And the system is not overstrained by military film special effects. You can always find something better... but I've never seen a better subwoofer with these compact measurements in this price class.

The satellites offer clear music playback as well. High tones were as equally well played as the midranges, which isn't always the case with a broadband loudspeaker. You'll also get clear playback with voices."

Conclusion
"Our conclusion is short and sweet... we recommend the Motiv 3 for everyone who wants a big sounding home cinema system with the most compact measurements.

Sometimes it's practical to not have big standing columns, but rather small satellites that you can integrate into the sitting room cabinets. You don't have to make a lot of space available for the subwoofer; rather, you can tuck it under a table.

That doesn't mean the Motiv 3 should be hidden. The satellites come in a round, retro design and the subwoofer is finished with lovely piano lacquer. And it's not just the design that's pretty. This small surround system doesn't need to be hidden because of its quality sound. The subwoofer with its long stroke driver and powerful suspension generates clean, hefty bass and the small satellites deliver an original, true sound picture with their full range drivers."

Pros:
• Stylish optics thanks to piano lacquer
• Stylish retro design
• Full of sound satellites with broadband technology
• Very compact and performance-heavy subwoofer
• Long guarantee time

"The Motiv 3 has certainly earned the Casemodding Palace Award"

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Sound
The Teufel Motiv 3 surprises in all areas with fantastic sound quality. It doesn’t introduce any distortion, especially at low volumes where in other sound systems you’d hear a light hum. The five satellites work together for a wonderful room sound and good highs. The hefty, aggressive subwoofer takes care of the lower frequencies and you can't tell that you're not in the cinema when you play this baby with movies.

Whether classic or rock music, action films like Starwars or films with beautiful, gentle music scores, the Motiv 3 impresses across the board. The invigorating satellites deliver at the correct volume and give a feeling that you are sitting directly in either the cinema or concert theatre. Teufel's website states the Motiv 3 is good for "rooms of up to 20 m²." In our test, the room was 35 m², almost twice as big. In our opinion, the Motiv 3 has reached the edge of what can be accomplished and has arrived at the potential to fill a large room with excellent sound.

Conclusion
The Teufel Motiv 3 surprises in all areas: the installation and usability as well as the connection with the amplifier is completely easy. The design of the globe-formed satellites and high-gloss subwoofer with its rounded box makes for a very modern and chic presentation in the sitting room. The system's worksmanship is also of very high quality, which can especially be seen on the loudspeaker cable connectors. € 499,- is a good price for a super sound system of the upper class.

Pros:

• Easy installation
• Excellent sound picture
• Hefty bass
• Great worksmanship
• High quality worksmanship of the cable connectors

Allround-PC Recommendation

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Conclusion:
When you measure its price against its extremely compact measurements, the Teufel Motiv 3 amazes with excellent sound quality... and the worksmanship is well done. This wonderfully styled set is very practical thanks to flexible installation possibilities. The extremely compact measurements and the attractive price makes the Motiv 3 loudspeaker set a recommended buy for all home cinema beginners with high design expectations.

Test results
• Sound: excellent
• Equipment: excellent
• Verarbeitung: good

Top class
Price/Performance:good to excellent
Total Results: Excellent

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Acoustic conclusion:
With its very even, homogenous sound picture and amazing dynamics the Motiv 3 is certainly right on top of the scene. This compact multichannel system doesn't make you deal with any actual distortion effects or contortions at higher volumes, either. The Motiv 3 is an ambitious multichannel system in and of itself, but is also a valid secondary solution for the surround sound fan. Total results of sound in relation to purchase price: Amazing – excellent.

Conclusion:
Design sound experts from Berlin... you can sum up the Motiv 3 in those few words. The beautifully designed, extravagant and yet price-conscious 5.1 ensemble puts you right into the scene with rich, clear and dynamic sound. These impressions are further supported by excellent worksmanship. Miracles in intensity can't really be expected with the size of the system, but it reaches some serious volume that others would positively be surprised at. Through the sound picture about the acoustic details: we're surprised, what multifaceted, harmonic and grounded acoustics the midrange driver delivers. The very compact active subwoofer is excellent in combination with the satellites and delivers a solid, hefty but never intrusive foundation.

Dynamic, homogenous sound, extravagant design and high quality worksmanship – all of this with the Motiv 3 for a one time price of 499,-.

Pros:
• Surprising spatiality
• Dynamic and quick to react
• Also good for long-term use, consistently excellent sound
• Amazing worksmanship
• Active subwoofer with a hefty and clean bass
• Elegant design
• Fair price
• Extremely high quality loudspeaker cable connectors

Price / Performance: 10 / 10 stars

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In action the Motiv 3 system doesn't disappoint, delivering a surprisingly smooth and persuasive sound with a variety of audio sources. The size of the speakers proves not to be an obstacle at all, as they fill the room with a much grander sound than we were expecting. In fact, rooms up to 20m² in capacity are comfortably catered for, which puts most one-box system speakers to shame.

Our first port of call was "The Dark Knight" on Blu-ray, whose brutal Dolby TrueHD track provides the perfect showcase for the system's talents. Throughout the movie, the satellite speakers prove to be admirably eloquent and versatile, teasing out plenty of detail and delivering the complete frequency range with coherence and control.

Busy action sequences like the car chase or the opening bank robbery reveal surprisingly deep bass capabilities, giving the subwoofer less to do than you might imagine, plus it's distinct in the midrange and treble is conveyed without sounding tinny or brash.

It's complimented by well-rounded and strident dialogue, giving The Joker's creepy monologues an extra air of menace while transient sounds like gun shots and crashes make a resounding impact - for example, you feel each and every punch that Batman lands on the Joker during their interrogation room showdown.

As for the A 300 SW sub, it's a real revelation. We've tested a few one-box system subs recently and have criticised their loose control and flabby output, but this is in a different class - low frequency effects are clean and muscular with a pleasingly dry tone, but kept under firm control and merged seamlessly with the satellites. It may not reach the fiery, foundation-shaking levels of the System 9's monster bass-box, but this is a really impressive effort nonetheless.

Music playback is equally impressive. Corinne Bailey Rae's Since I've Been Loving You on CD is a thing of beauty, lending a beautiful tone to Rae's delicate voice and conveying the double bass with pleasing solidity and admirable timing.

Verdict
If you're looking for a speaker system that doesn't make demands on your precious space but musters a big, sophisticated sound, then the Motiv 3 should be at the top of your shopping list.

Not only do the spherical satellites boast a distinctive design and robust build quality, but they're also assured performers, producing a surprisingly mature, neutral and full-bodied sound that belies their diminutive dimensions.

It's also pleasing to discover that the subwoofer has the ability to reinforce the bottom end without dominating the soundstage, a trait that ruins many a one-box system. Overall, this is a top-notch speaker system that's worth every penny of its price tag.

• Design: 9 / 10
• Features: 8 / 10
• Performance: 9 / 10
• Value: 9 / 10
• Overall: 9 / 10

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