STEREO GUIDE verdict
Extremely powerful all-in-one system with enormous headroom and exceptionally broad connectivity. Limited in mobility, but acoustically and functionally almost unrivaled in its class. However, it is not very portable and does not meet any IP protection class against water and dust.
Pros
- Extremely rich, clean sound with high dynamic reserves
- Very good on-device usability
- Supports AirPlay 2 and Google Cast
- Tool-free replaceable battery with charge level indicator
Cons
- Not easy to transport with side grip recesses
- No IPX-certified protection against water and dust
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Tonal balance / transparency9.1
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Bass / Dynamics9.2
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Usability / Connectivity9.1
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Price/Performance8.8
The first speaker from the Motiv series would have comfortably fit into many a lady’s handbag. In contrast, the recently introduced Teufel Motiv XL doesn’t even fit into a normal backpack. And the all-in-one HiFi speaker, available in black or white, would demand quite a bit from its carrier. It weighs a good 13 kilograms. However, for that, you get a full-fledged 2.1 speaker system with a central subwoofer in the baffle. This heavyweight among mobile wireless boxes wants to be fed either wirelessly via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth or via various analog inputs.
This includes a classic 3.5 mm jack line-in. A CD player, a TV set, or even an external phono preamp can be connected via this. This means the speaker is not limited to streaming but can function as a central hub in the living room.
Additionally, Teufel integrates a microphone input with a crossfader, featuring a combo jack for 6.35 mm and 3-pin XLR for microphones and electronic musical instruments. This is not a gimmick but significantly expands the range of applications. It ranges from spontaneous karaoke sessions to moderations or speeches at parties. On the back, there is also a USB-A socket. However, this connection is only for using the Motiv XL as a power bank to charge smart devices.
The automatic wake-up from standby ensures convenience in everyday use: if a signal is detected via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or the analog AUX input, the speaker is ready to play without noticeable delay. Overall, it shows: The Motiv XL is not a purist streaming client, but a deliberately versatile system with practical connectivity.
Wireless Connectivity
The Motiv XL offers broad wireless capabilities. At its core is Wi-Fi connectivity, which supports AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect, and internet radio via TuneIn. This enables lossless direct streams from the respective apps without the smartphone having to constantly act as a data source. Control, apart from start and stop, remains within the original app of the streaming service.
Bluetooth is also on board and supports AAC for iPhones and iPads, but not high-resolution aptX for Android phones. However, in this case, Bluetooth is primarily intended for quick, uncomplicated connections, for example, when guests spontaneously want to play music. Acoustically, Wi-Fi transmission with AirPlay 2 or Google Cast with supported audio codecs like MP3, FLAC, OGG, WAV, or Apple Lossless is naturally preferable, but Bluetooth remains a useful fallback.
The Roon Ready certification is remarkable. This allows the Motiv XL to be integrated into existing Roon environments and used as a full-fledged endpoint. Those who combine digital collections with streaming services or want to synchronize multiple rooms get a professional management solution for their digital music collection here.
Practical Design
In everyday use, the connectivity impresses with stability and flexibility. The speaker behaves inconspicuously and responsively in the network, and integration is achieved without major hurdles. Thus, the Motiv XL meets the requirements for a modern streaming system, including multiroom options and platform openness.
What might initially be mistaken for a somewhat impractical carrying recess after unpacking the Motiv XL turns out to be the battery compartment upon closer inspection. Contrary to usual practice, the Teufel Motiv XL, equipped with an integrated power supply, comes with a separately enclosed battery module.
Inserting and removing the power source, capable of approximately 13 hours of playtime at medium volume, is very convenient and tool-free. And the fact that the 18-volt lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 5,000 mAh, equipped with a button to display the charge level, can be replaced at all, also contributes to sustainability.
We recently observed similar efforts with the compact Bluetooth speaker Teufel MYND. The Motiv XL also shares with it the use of screws to hold the housing shell and back panel together. Usually, these parts are glued, thus creating obstacles for repairs.
Acoustic Concept and Dynamore Technology
At its core, the Motiv XL is not a typical streaming speaker, but a full-fledged 2.1-way stereo system in a compact housing. A total of five drivers work on the front: a centrally placed 20-centimeter long-throw woofer with a Kevlar cone handles the bass range, flanked by two separate mid-range drivers and two tweeters for the upper frequencies.
The large woofer is designed as a so-called “wok” cone. Teufel uses this term to describe a particularly stiff, flat-shaped membrane whose suspensions are optimized for large excursion. This allows for considerable air displacement with minimal distortion, which is crucial for a single-enclosure system of this size. The Kevlar structure provides a good combination of stiffness and internal damping. The entire system is supported by 24-bit / 96 kHz signal processing and Class-D power amplifiers with a total of 210 watts RMS. The DSP handles frequency division, runtime correction, and level adjustment of the individual paths.
The two mid-range drivers are primarily responsible for speech intelligibility and spatial imaging. Since this is not a classic stereo pair with a large distance between them, but all drivers are located on a relatively compact baffle, digital signal processing takes on particular importance.
Dynamore is designed to give music more space
Here, Teufel relies on its in-house Dynamore technology. The goal is to create the widest possible stereo panorama from a single speaker enclosure. Technically, this is achieved through targeted phase shifts and frequency-dependent signal manipulations that are intended to expand spatial perception. Unlike extreme virtualization algorithms, Dynamore remains comparatively moderately tuned. The stereo image is audibly widened without the mids being heavily thinned out or timbres artificially brightened.
In practice, the tuning determines whether such a method appears natural or tips into being overly artificial. With the Motiv XL, Dynamore is an integral part of the concept: it compensates for the inherently small speaker base and is intended to give the speaker more spatial depth even when placed close to a wall.
In summary, the Motiv XL follows a clear approach: 2.1-way layout, large membrane area with long excursion for bass, digital control over signal distribution, and a targeted but not exaggerated stereo widening. This is structurally significantly more ambitious than many compact streaming systems in this class.
App and Operation
The setup of the Motiv XL with the Teufel Home App, available for iOS and Android, has been really well implemented by the manufacturer. The Berlin-based company avoids all the steps that usually annoy me quite a bit in my daily testing routine. I didn’t have to grant countless permissions, nor did I even have to enter the Wi-Fi password. I particularly hate this part, especially since entering an endlessly long number combination on a tiny on-screen keyboard is, in my opinion, torture. For all owners of older Teufel multiroom boxes, please note: The Motiv XL is not compatible with products from the Teufel Streaming or Raumfeld series and cannot be used with the Teufel Raumfeld App. However, the Wi-Fi speaker is indeed compatible with the Google Home App.
Regarding the functionality of the Teufel Home App, the Berliners are modest. There is no proper equalizer or sound presets, only basic bass and treble controls. I wouldn’t necessarily see this as an obstacle for a well-tuned speaker. However, during the listening test, it became clear that the Motiv XL has a remarkably powerful bass. As is well known, this can quickly lead to booming problems in living rooms. This is especially true if the Wi-Fi speaker, with its rear bass reflex port, is positioned in front of a wall or even in a room corner.
Gets Straight to the Point
Immediately after pairing my iPhone with the Motiv XL via Wi-Fi, the app automatically offered me a software update. Download and installation were comparatively very fast, and I could start playing music just a few minutes after the setup process began. I tried not only Wi-Fi but also Bluetooth and also got an impression of the internet radio stations. What struck me was that when playing music via Qobuz or Spotify, you can see the cover and the title name in the Teufel Home App. However, from within the app, I could only pause and restart playback, but I couldn’t skip between tracks without switching to the apps of the two streaming services. In addition, the integrated TuneIn web radio listed the subscription-based pay channels at the top of the overview.
The operation on the Wi-Fi speaker itself is very well done. There is a central wheel on the top, between the illuminated buttons (which even have brightness sensors), for adjusting volume and bass level. And there are hidden tricks you should know to get the most out of the Motiv XL. For example, the trick of double-pressing the standby button to display the battery charge status via a series of LEDs behind the baffle cover, or activating the power-saving function by double-clicking the Dynamore button. This slightly reduces dynamics and bass to curb power consumption and extend battery life.
The three preset buttons can be assigned to favorites in the app. These can be radio stations, tracks, or playlists. However, direct access only works in conjunction with TuneIn or Spotify.
Listening Test: Endless Power
In the listening test in my living room, which is quite large because it flows directly into the dining area and workspace and also absorbs bass quite well with its sloping drywall ceilings, I was quite surprised how loud and powerful the mobile wireless speaker could play. While the Motiv XL may fundamentally resemble an oversized Sonos speaker, its sound is more reminiscent of an even larger party box. It seems as if the Berliners wanted to kill several birds with one stone with this not-so-portable speaker.
At home, the Motiv XL can realize multiroom audio in conjunction with other compatible Teufel boxes in different listening zones. These include, in addition to the Stereo L, the speaker models Motiv Home and Stereo M, which we have already tested.
However, on the go, you can also really let loose in the park. There are no problems with room modes that make the bass reflex speaker boom. This wasn’t the case at my home, but a colleague from AUDIO magazine apparently had problems with it in his test. The Motiv XL not only sounds as loud and powerful as a full-fledged stereo system. It also requires careful placement, similar to classic living room speakers.
Be Careful with Placement
You should neither place the bass maker directly against a wall nor in a room corner, so that the bass is not excessively amplified by room reflections. If you heed this, you get an astonishingly deep, powerful, and even crisp bass. Those who like rock, pop, or especially dance music will be thrilled by the rhythm and punch this speaker delivers, which is still quite light at 13 kilograms compared to its immense performance.
Fortunately, the Motiv XL also makes no mistakes in the mids and highs. While it foregoes artificial warmth or exaggerated softness, its lively, clearly articulated highs avoid unpleasant harshness despite all their directness. Thus, Teufel manages the balancing act between the usually rather harsh vocal reproduction of party boxes and HiFi speakers trimmed for naturalness.
Dynamore widens the stage
With the Teufel, you can listen very deeply into the recording and discover a lot of details thanks to its high resolution and lively reactions to the smallest impulses. The sound detaches itself exceptionally well from the speaker and leaves nothing to be desired for an all-in-one system of this size in terms of imaging, even if the Dynamore system does not interfere with the sound. After all, Teufel’s surround sound technology in the Motiv XL does not appear exaggerated like a soft focus that makes the reproduction too diffuse. So everyone can activate surround sound in the app or via the Dynamore button on top of the device according to their own taste, without worrying about naturalness.
I listened to a wide variety of recordings and was thrilled by the great impulsiveness and playfulness. The level stability is truly impressive. Many stereo systems with two large speakers and large amplifiers cannot play this loud. Thus, I see the Teufel as a universal talent that can replace a stereo system for many users in the living room, but also leaves nothing to be desired at a garden party or a celebration in a large venue.
Teufel Motiv XL: Conclusion and Alternatives
The Teufel Motiv XL can be used very universally. As already mentioned, it can take on a lot of tasks in terms of robust sound reinforcement, from the party cellar to the living room to the garden. However, with its side grip recesses instead of a handle and without attachment options for a strap, it is only conditionally mobile. But it combines immense power reserves with excellent connectivity, ranging from adjustable microphone input to Bluetooth, AirPlay 2, and Google Chromecast. All in all, this makes it quite unrivaled.
Teufel Motiv XL: Technical Specifications
- Manufacturer’s suggested retail price: 900 euros
- Dimensions (W x H x D): 56 x 27.9 x 25.3 cm
- Weight: 12.9 kg
- Battery life up to 13 hours
- Special features: Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi, app control, replaceable 5,000 mAh battery, removable front cover, combined jack/XLR input for microphones and instruments, side carrying recesses
- More at: teufel.de
