In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by MartinLogan. MartinLogan EFX is a Surround speaker whereas the ESL X is a Floor-standing speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan EFX and MartinLogan ESL X first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | MartinLogan EFX | MartinLogan ESL X |
|---|
| Brand | MartinLogan
United States · founded 1982 | MartinLogan
United States · founded 1982 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | Electrostatic | 8.6 x 40" curved electrostatic transducer |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Aluminium | 2 x 8" high-excursion paper cone |
|---|
| Frequency response | 68-22k Hz | 41-22k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 91 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-300 watts | 20-400 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 11.10kg / 24.4lbs | 23.64kg / 52lbs |
|---|
| 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 | 59-1/4" x 9-7/16" x 20-3/4"
1505.0 x 240.0 x 528.0mm |
|---|
EFX and ESL X 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 X 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 X |
| Near-field |
Good |
Are you nuts? |
| Small Room |
Good |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
Good |
(* 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.
Drivers
Both EFX and ESL X are 2-way speakers.
MartinLogan EFXMartinLogan ESL X
Woofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
MartinLogan EFX |
MartinLogan ESL X |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
8.6 x 40-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 8-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 ESL X features a 8.6 x 40" curved electrostatic transducer Tweeter and 2 x 8" high-excursion paper cone Woofer.
Frequency Response
EFX has a frequency range of 68-22k Hz whereas ESL X has a frequency range of 41-22k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 41Hz, the ESL X can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the EFX's min frequency of 68Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Surround class in our database.
Low Frequency
Surround Speakers
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
EFX and ESL X have the same Impedance of 6 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. EFX sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the ESL X's is at 91 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the MartinLogan ESL X a more sensitive speaker compared to MartinLogan EFX, 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
ESL X can handle a max power of 400 watts RMS, whereas EFX has a max power handling value of 300 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the ESL X.
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.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
ESL X features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. EFX has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
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 MartinLogan EFX's and MartinLogan ESL X'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 X has external dimensions of 1505.0 x 240.0 x 528.0mm (59-1/4 x 9-7/16 x 20-3/4inch).
MartinLogan ESL X is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 2mm wider, 266mm taller and 363mm deeper than MartinLogan EFX.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
MartinLogan ESL X needs about 223% more floor or shelf area. MartinLogan ESL X is 363mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. MartinLogan ESL X is 266mm 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 X is approximately 1267.2cm2 / 196.4inch2. The EFX requires 69% less surface area than the ESL X which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of MartinLogan ESL X?
Here are the items that come with the ESL X:
- Floor-standing hybrid electrostatic loudspeaker
- AC power adapter (w/ attached 10-feet DC cord)
- Cloth grille (installed)
- 4 Pre-installed feet
- Users Manual (En/Fr)
- Product Registration Card