In this review, we will be comparing EFX and ElectroMotion FX2, two Passive Surround speakers by MartinLogan.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan EFX and MartinLogan ElectroMotion FX2 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | MartinLogan EFX | MartinLogan ElectroMotion FX2 |
|---|
| Brand | MartinLogan
United States · founded 1982 | MartinLogan
United States · founded 1982 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | Electrostatic | AMT |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Aluminium | 6.5" Aluminium |
|---|
| Frequency response | 68-22k Hz | 55-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 93 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 5 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-300 watts | 20-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 11.10kg / 24.4lbs | 7.30kg / 16.1lbs |
|---|
| 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 | 14-15/16" x 14" x 6-3/4"
379.0 x 355.0 x 172.0mm |
|---|
EFX and ElectroMotion FX2 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 ElectroMotion FX2 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 ElectroMotion FX2 |
| Near-field |
Good |
Good |
| Small Room |
Good |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
No way |
(* 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 ElectroMotion FX2 are 2-way speakers.
MartinLogan EFXMartinLogan ElectroMotion FX2
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 ElectroMotion FX2 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 6.5-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 FX2 features a " Folded Motion AMT Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Aluminium Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2,300Hz.
Frequency Response
EFX has a frequency range of 68-22k Hz whereas ElectroMotion FX2 has a frequency range of 55-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 55Hz, the ElectroMotion FX2 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 is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the ElectroMotion FX2 which has a nominal impedance of 5 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. EFX sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the ElectroMotion FX2's is rated at 93 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the MartinLogan ElectroMotion FX2 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.
EFX can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas ElectroMotion FX2 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the EFX.
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.
MartinLogan ElectroMotion FX2
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
EFX features Binding post type posts and ElectroMotion FX2 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers 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 ElectroMotion FX2'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 ElectroMotion FX2 has external dimensions of 379.0 x 355.0 x 172.0mm (14-15/16 x 14 x 6-3/4inch).
MartinLogan EFX is 117mm narrower and 7mm less deeper than MartinLogan ElectroMotion FX2 but it is also 860mm taller.
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 ElectroMotion FX2 needs about 55% more floor or shelf area. MartinLogan EFX is 860mm 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 ElectroMotion FX2 is approximately 610.6cm2 / 94.6inch2. The EFX requires 36% less surface area than the ElectroMotion FX2 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 MartinLogan EFX weighs 11.10kg / 24.4lbs and the MartinLogan ElectroMotion FX2 weighs 7.30kg / 16.1lbs. This makes the EFX 52% heavier than the ElectroMotion FX2.
Here is a comparison of how EFX and ElectroMotion FX2's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Surround class.
Weight
All Surround Speakers
MartinLogan ElectroMotion FX2
 Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Nominal Impedance |
6 ohms
vs
5 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Base Surface Area |
392cm2
vs
610cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Sensitivity |
93 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Low Frequency Response |
55 Hz
vs
68 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
25k Hz
vs
22k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
379mm
vs
1239mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
900USD
vs
4400USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
MartinLogan EFX |
MartinLogan ElectroMotion FX2 |
| Brand |
MartinLogan |
MartinLogan |
| Speaker Type |
Surround speaker |
Surround speaker |
| Power Range |
20-300 watts |
20-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
93 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
5 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
68-22k Hz |
55-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminium |
Aluminium |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Tweeter Type |
Electrostatic |
AMT |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
530Hz |
2,300Hz |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1239.0mm (48.8") |
379.0mm (14.9") |
| Width |
238.0mm (9.4") |
355.0mm (14") |
| Depth |
165.0mm (6.5") |
172.0mm (6.8") |
| Weight |
11.10kg (24.4lbs) |
7.30kg (16.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Dipole |
Bass Reflex |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
|
| Labor Warranty |
|
|
Siblings in MartinLogan's ElectroMotion series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | MartinLogan ElectroMotion FX2 digs deeper - 55Hz against 68Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | MartinLogan ElectroMotion FX2 is more sensitive (93dB vs 90dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | A | MartinLogan EFX is the easier load at 6 ohms. |
| Headroom | A | MartinLogan EFX takes more power (300W vs 200W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | MartinLogan ElectroMotion FX2 is easier to place; MartinLogan EFX is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Cabinet | depends | Dipole vs Ported. |
| Price | B | MartinLogan ElectroMotion FX2 is cheaper - $900 against $4,400, about 80% less; arguably a different class. |
A MartinLogan EFX B MartinLogan ElectroMotion FX2
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system 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?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 68Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. In a large or open-plan room, MartinLogan EFX has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, MartinLogan ElectroMotion FX2 is the easier speaker to get right.
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.