Emotiva Airmotiv C2+ vs MartinLogan ESL C Comparison

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Emotiva Airmotiv C2+

Passive Center Channel | 45 Hz – 28 kHz

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MartinLogan ESL C

Passive Center Channel | 66-23k Hz

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Emotiva Airmotiv C2+

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MartinLogan ESL C

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Emotiva Airmotiv C2+

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MartinLogan ESL C

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Emotiva Airmotiv C2+ vs MartinLogan ESL C Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing Airmotiv C2+ and ElectroMotion ESL C, two Passive Center Channel speakers from Emotiva and MartinLogan.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Emotiva Airmotiv C2+ and MartinLogan ESL C first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Key Specs	Emotiva Airmotiv C2+	MartinLogan ESL C
Design	3-way	3-way
Tweeter	25×32 mm" folded ribbon	1 x 1-7/16" Folded Motion
Midrange	2 x 3"	9 x 6.375"
Woofer	2 x 6.5" woven fiber cone	2 x 5.25" high-rigidity aluminum woofers
Frequency response	45 Hz – 28 kHz	66-23k Hz
Sensitivity	92 dB	89 dB
Impedance	4 ohms	4 ohms
Power range	Up to 150 watts	20-300 watts
Weight	16.40kg / 36.1lbs	14.55kg / 32lbs
Dimensions (H x W x D)	8-5/8" x 31-15/16" x 10-1/2" 220.0 x 812.0 x 267.0mm	7-5/8" x 22-7/8" x 16-1/8" 194.0 x 582.0 x 410.0mm

What size room are the Emotiva Airmotiv C2+ and MartinLogan ESL C speakers good for?

The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size and max power parameters:

Listening Environment*	Emotiva Airmotiv C2+	MartinLogan ESL C
Near-field	Poor	Poor
Small Room	Average	Poor
Mid-size Room	Good	Good
Large Room	Average	Good
Very Large Room	Poor	Average

(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m², Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m², Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m², Very Large: > 400 sq. ft / 36 m². Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening position, speaker locations, etc.)

The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.

**This post contains affiliate links, and we will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through our links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Drivers

Both Airmotiv C2+ and ElectroMotion ESL C are 3-way speakers.

Emotiva Airmotiv C2+

MartinLogan ESL C

MidrangeWoofer

Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.

Driver	Emotiva Airmotiv C2+	MartinLogan ESL C
Driver Setup	3-way	3-way
Tweeter	25×32 mm-inch	1 x 1-7/16-inch
Midrange	2 x 3-inch	1 x 9 x 6.375-inch
Woofer	2 x 6.5-inch	2 x 5.25-inch

Airmotiv C2+ features a 25×32 mm" folded ribbon Tweeter, a 3" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" woven fiber cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 350 Hz and 3200Hz. On the other hand, the ElectroMotion ESL C features a 1 x 1-7/16" Folded Motion Tweeter, a 9 x 6.375" Midrange and 2 x 5.25" high-rigidity aluminum woofers Woofer.

Frequency Response

Airmotiv C2+ has a frequency range of 45 Hz – 28 kHz whereas ElectroMotion ESL C has a frequency range of 66-23k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 45Hz, the Airmotiv C2+ can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the ElectroMotion ESL C's min frequency of 66Hz.

The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Center Channel class in our database.

Low Frequency

Center Channel Speakers

Airmotiv C2+

ElectroMotion ESL C

Min

Average

Median

Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.

Impedance and Sensitivity

Airmotiv C2+ and ElectroMotion ESL C have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Airmotiv C2+ sensitivity is rated at 92 dB and the ElectroMotion ESL C's is at 89 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Emotiva Airmotiv C2+ a more sensitive speaker compared to MartinLogan ESL C, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.

One thing to keep in mind that the lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit comared to higher impedance speakers especially at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Airmotiv C2+ and the Airmotiv C2+ can provide this impedance level.

Sensitivity

Center Channel Speakers

Airmotiv C2+

ElectroMotion ESL C

Min

Average

Median

Power Range

Power range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.

ElectroMotion ESL C can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas Airmotiv C2+ has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 150 watts less than the ElectroMotion ESL C.

Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays on a real amplifier.

Which plays louder on your amplifier?

Starting with a popular amplifier — change it to the one you own, or any you are considering, and watch both numbers move.

Amplifier — change this

Distance

Playing as

Emotiva Airmotiv C2+

MartinLogan ESL C

Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring

Airmotiv C2+ features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. ElectroMotion ESL C has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.

Emotiva Airmotiv C2+'s Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring

MartinLogan ESL C's Binding post terminals

Emotiva Airmotiv C2+ Port

Physical Specs

The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Emotiva Airmotiv C2+'s and MartinLogan ESL C's external dimensions. Emotiva Airmotiv C2+ has external dimensions of 220.0 x 812.0 x 267.0mm (8-5/8 x 31-15/16 x 10-1/2inch) whereas MartinLogan ESL C has external dimensions of 194.0 x 582.0 x 410.0mm (7-5/8 x 22-7/8 x 16-1/8inch).

MartinLogan ESL C is 230mm narrower and 26mm shorter than Emotiva Airmotiv C2+ but it is also 143mm deeper.

Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited. The base surface area of the Emotiva Airmotiv C2+ is approximately 2168.0cm² / 336.0inch² and base area of the MartinLogan ESL C is approximately 2386.2cm² / 369.9inch². The Airmotiv C2+ requires 9% less surface area than the ElectroMotion ESL C which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.

Weight Comparison

The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The Emotiva Airmotiv C2+ weighs 16.40kg / 36.1lbs and the MartinLogan ESL C weighs 14.55kg / 32lbs. This makes the Airmotiv C2+ 13% heavier than the ElectroMotion ESL C.

Here is a comparison of how Airmotiv C2+ and ElectroMotion ESL C's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Center Channel class.

Weight
All Center Channel Speakers

Emotiva Airmotiv C2+

MartinLogan ESL C

Min

Average

Max

What's in the Box of MartinLogan ESL C?

Here are the items that come with the ElectroMotion ESL C:

Center-channel loudspeaker
Grille
AC power supply (attached 10-feet DC cord)
User-feets Manual (En/Fr)
Product Registration Card

Reasons to choose Emotiva Airmotiv C2+ over MartinLogan ElectroMotion ESL C

Sensitivity	92 dB vs 89 dB	Play louder with same amount of amplification power
Woofer Size	6.5 inches vs 5.25 inches	Larger woofer
Low Frequency Response	45 Hz vs 66 Hz	Generates deeper bass
High Frequency Response	28k Hz vs 23k Hz	Generates higher frequency
Base Surface Area	2168cm² vs 2386cm²	Takes less floor space
Price per pair*	499USD vs 1700USD	costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)

Reasons to choose MartinLogan ElectroMotion ESL C over Emotiva Airmotiv C2+

Max Input Power	300 watts vs 150 watts	Handle more power from your amplifier
Height	194mm vs 220mm	Easier to fit in smaller spaces

Emotiva Airmotiv C2+ vs MartinLogan ESL C Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Emotiva Airmotiv C2+	MartinLogan ElectroMotion ESL C
Brand	Emotiva	MartinLogan
Speaker Type	Center channel speaker	Center channel speaker
Power Range	Up to 150 watts	20-300 watts
Sensitivity	92 dB	89 dB
Impedance	4 ohms	4 ohms
Frequency Response	45 Hz – 28 kHz	66-23k Hz
Drivers
Woofer Quantity	2	2
Woofer Size	6.5"	5.25"
Woofer Composition	woven fiber cone	high-rigidity aluminum woofers
Tweeter Size	25×32 mm"	1 x 1-7/16"
Tweeter Type	folded ribbon	Folded Motion
Aimable Tweeter	No	No
Midrange Driver	3"	9 x 6.375"
Crossover Frequency	350 Hz and 3200Hz	n/a
Firing Direction	rear	n/a
Suggested Break-in Period	n/a	Allow 72 hours of break-in at 90 dB
Physical Specs
Height	220.0mm (8.7")	194.0mm (7.6")
Width	812.0mm (32")	582.0mm (22.9")
Depth	267.0mm (10.5")	410.0mm (16.1")
Weight	16.40kg (36.1lbs)	14.55kg (32lbs)
Enclosure	Bass reflex	Passive Radiator
Finish	HDF	n/a
Available Colors	Black	Black
Grille	Yes	Yes
Moisture Resistancy	No	No
Connections
Biamp Inputs	Yes	n/a
Other
Parts Warranty	5 Years	5 Yrs w/ Registration
Labor Warranty	5 Years	5 Yrs w/ Registration

Verdict

These sit in different price classes - MartinLogan ESL C costs roughly 3.4x what Emotiva Airmotiv C2+ does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.

Area	Better	Why
Bass	A	Emotiva Airmotiv C2+ digs deeper - 45Hz against 66Hz.
Amplifier needs	A	Emotiva Airmotiv C2+ is more sensitive (92dB vs 89dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier.
Headroom	B	MartinLogan ESL C takes more power (300W vs 150W) - more in hand in a big room.
Size	depends	Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit.
Cabinet	depends	Ported vs Passive Radiator.
Expandability	A	Emotiva Airmotiv C2+: bi-amping. Emotiva Airmotiv C2+ sits in a wider range (9 models), so a matched surround system is easier later.
Price	A	Emotiva Airmotiv C2+ is cheaper - $499 against $1,700, about 71% less; arguably a different class.

A Emotiva Airmotiv C2+ B MartinLogan ESL C
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, placement or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.

Which should you choose?

Emotiva Airmotiv C2+ is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take MartinLogan ESL C if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 66Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate Emotiva Airmotiv C2+ the better fit for a small room, and MartinLogan ESL C for a large room and a very large room.

And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.