In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by MartinLogan. MartinLogan EFX is a Surround speaker whereas the ElectroMotion ESL C is a Center Channel speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan EFX and MartinLogan ESL C first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
MartinLogan EFX Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- " Electrostatic Tweeter
- 6.5" Aluminium Woofer
- 68-22k Hz Frequency Response
- 90 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 6ohms
- Power Range:20-300watts
- Weight:11.10kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 48-3/4" x 9-3/8" x 6-1/2" ( 1239.0 x 238.0 x 165.0mm )
MartinLogan ESL C Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1 x 1-7/16" Folded Motion Tweeter
- 9 x 6.375" Midrange
- 2 x 5.25" high-rigidity aluminum woofers Woofer
- 9 x 6.375" Midrange
- 66-23k Hz Frequency Response
- 89 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:20-300watts
- Weight:14.55kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 7-5/8" x 22-7/8" x 16-1/8" ( 194.0 x 582.0 x 410.0mm )
EFX and ElectroMotion ESL C are members of MartinLogan's ElectroMotion series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
MartinLogan ElectroMotion Series
History
What size room are the MartinLogan EFX 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* |
MartinLogan EFX |
MartinLogan ESL C |
| Near-field |
Good |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Good |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the MartinLogan EFX and MartinLogan ESL C compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that EFX is a 2-way design whereas the ElectroMotion ESL C is a 3-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
| Driver |
MartinLogan EFX |
MartinLogan ESL C |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
1 x 1-7/16-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 9 x 6.375-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
EFX features a " Electrostatic panel Electrostatic Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Aluminium Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 530Hz. 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
EFX has a frequency range of 68-22k Hz whereas ElectroMotion ESL C has a frequency range of 66-23k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 66Hz, the ElectroMotion ESL C can go slightly deeper then the EFX's min frequency of 68Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Surround class in our database.
Low Frequency
Surround Speakers
High Frequency
Surround Speakers
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
EFX is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the ElectroMotion ESL C which has a nominal impedance of 4 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the ElectroMotion ESL C can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. EFX sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the ElectroMotion ESL C's is rated at 89 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the MartinLogan EFX a more sensitive speaker compared to MartinLogan ESL C, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Surround Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. While using
an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the
max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
EFX and ElectroMotion ESL C has the same power range of 20-300 watts.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
EFX features Binding post type posts and ElectroMotion ESL C has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
MartinLogan ESL C's Binding post terminals
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare MartinLogan EFX's and MartinLogan ESL C's external dimensions. MartinLogan EFX has external dimensions of 1239.0 x 238.0 x 165.0mm ( 48-3/4 x 9-3/8 x 6-1/2inch) 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 EFX is 344mm narrower and 245mm less deeper than MartinLogan ESL C but it is also 1045mm taller.
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 MartinLogan EFX is approximately 392.7cm2 / 60.9inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan ESL C is approximately 2386.2cm2 / 369.9inch2. The EFX requires 84% less surface area than the ElectroMotion ESL C which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
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