MartinLogan ESL C vs Revel Performa3 C208 Comparison

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MartinLogan ESL C

Passive Center Channel | 66-23k Hz

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Revel Performa3 C208

Passive Center Channel | 50Hz- 20kHz

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MartinLogan ESL C

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Revel Performa3 C208

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MartinLogan ESL C

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Revel Performa3 C208

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MartinLogan ESL C vs Revel Performa3 C208 Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing ElectroMotion ESL C and Revel Performa3 C208, two Passive Center Channel speakers from MartinLogan and Revel.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of MartinLogan ESL C and Revel Performa3 C208 first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

MartinLogan ESL C Key Specs

3-way Design

1 x 1-7/16" Folded Motion Tweeter

2 x 5.25" high-rigidity aluminum woofers Woofer

66-23k Hz Frequency Response

89 dB Sensitivity

Impedance: 4ohms

Power Range:20-300watts

Weight:14.55kg

Dimensions (H x W x D): 194.0" x 22-7/8" x 16-1/8"( 194.0 x 582.0 x 410.0mm )

Revel Performa3 C208 Key Specs

3-way Design

1" dome with proprietary acoustic lens and waveguide Tweeter

4" Midrange

2 x 8" anodized aluminum cone with cast frames Woofer

4" Midrange

50Hz- 20kHz Frequency Response

89 dB Sensitivity

Impedance: 8ohms

Power Range:50-350watts

Weight:23.41kg

Dimensions (H x W x D): 307.0" x 29" x 13-11/16"( 307.0 x 737.0 x 348.0mm )

What size room are the MartinLogan ESL C and Revel Performa3 C208 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 ESL C	Revel Performa3 C208
Near-field	Poor	Are you nuts?
Small Room	Poor	Bad
Mid-size Room	Good	Poor
Large Room	Good	Good
Very Large Room	Average	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.)

In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the MartinLogan ESL C and Revel Performa3 C208 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.

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

Drivers

Both ElectroMotion ESL C and Revel Performa3 C208 are 3-way speakers.

Driver	MartinLogan ESL C	Revel Performa3 C208
Driver Setup	3-way	3-way
Tweeter	1 x 1-7/16-inch	1-inch
Midrange	-	1 x 4-inch
Woofer	2 x 5.25-inch	2 x 8-inch

ElectroMotion ESL C features a 1 x 1-7/16" Folded Motion Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" high-rigidity aluminum woofers Woofer . On the other hand, the Revel Performa3 C208 features a 1" aluminum dome with proprietary acoustic lens and waveguide Tweeter , a 4" Midrange and 2 x 8" anodized aluminum cone with cast frames Woofer .

Frequency Response

ElectroMotion ESL C has a frequency range of 66-23k Hz whereas Revel Performa3 C208 has a frequency range of 50Hz- 20kHz. With a minimum frequency of 50Hz, the Revel Performa3 C208 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the ElectroMotion ESL C's min frequency of 66Hz.

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 Center Channel class in our database.

Low Frequency

Center Channel Speakers

ElectroMotion ESL C

Revel Performa3 C208

Min

Average

Max

High Frequency

Center Channel Speakers

MartinLogan ESL C

Revel Performa3 C208

Min

Average

Max

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

ElectroMotion ESL C is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the Revel Performa3 C208 which has a nominal impedance of 8 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.

On the other hand, they have the same sensitivity of 89 dBdB.

Sensitivity

Center Channel Speakers

ElectroMotion ESL C

Revel Performa3 C208

Min

Average

Max

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.

ElectroMotion ESL C can handle a max power of 350 watts RMS from the amp the whereas ElectroMotion ESL C has a max power handling value of 300 watts RMS , 50 watts less than the Revel Performa3 C208.

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

ElectroMotion ESL C features Binding post type posts and Revel Performa3 C208 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.

MartinLogan ESL C's Binding post terminals

Revel Performa3 C208'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 ESL C's and Revel Performa3 C208's external dimensions. 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) whereas Revel Performa3 C208 has external dimensions of 307.0 x 737.0 x 348.0mm ( 12-1/16 x 29 x 13-11/16inch) .

MartinLogan ESL C is 155mm narrower and 113mm shorter than Revel Performa3 C208 but it is also 62mm 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 MartinLogan ESL C is approximately 2386.2cm² / 369.9inch² and base area of the Revel Performa3 C208 is approximately 2564.8cm² / 397.5inch². The ElectroMotion ESL C requires 7% less surface area than the Revel Performa3 C208 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 ESL C weighs 14.55kg / 32lbs and the Revel Performa3 C208 weighs 23.41kg / 51.5lbs. This makes the Revel Performa3 C208 61% heavier than the ElectroMotion ESL C.

Here is a comparison of how ElectroMotion ESL C and Revel Performa3 C208's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Center Channel class.

Weight
All Center Channel Speakers

MartinLogan ESL C

Revel Performa3 C208

Min

Average

Max

What's in the Box of MartinLogan ESL C?

Here are the items that are included inside the box of ElectroMotion ESL C:

Center-channel loudspeaker

Grille

AC power supply (attached 10-feet DC cord)

User-feets Manual (En/Fr)

Product Registration Card

What's in the Box of Revel Performa3 C208?

Here are the items that come with the Revel Performa3 C208:

Center-channel loudspeaker

Grille

2 Short feet

2 Long feet

2 Terminal jumpers (pre-installed)

Owners Manual

Reasons to choose MartinLogan ElectroMotion ESL C over Revel Performa3 C208

High Frequency Response	23k Hz vs 20k Hz	Generates higher frequency
Height	194mm vs 307mm	Easier to fit in smaller spaces
Base Surface Area	2386cm² vs 2564cm²	Takes less floor space
Price per pair*	1700USD vs 2200USD	costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)

Reasons to choose Revel Performa3 C208 over MartinLogan ElectroMotion ESL C

Max Input Power	350 watts vs 300 watts	Handle more power from your amplifier
Nominal Impedance	8 ohms vs 4 ohms	Less selective with amplifiers
Woofer Size	8 inches vs 5.25 inches	Larger woofer
Low Frequency Response	50 Hz vs 66 Hz	Generates deeper bass

MartinLogan ESL C vs Revel Performa3 C208 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	MartinLogan ElectroMotion ESL C	Revel Performa3 C208
Brand	MartinLogan	Revel
Speaker Type	Center channel speaker	Center channel speaker
Power Range	20-300 watts	50-350 watts
Sensitivity	89 dB	89 dB
Impedance	4 ohms	8 ohms
Frequency Response	66-23k Hz	50Hz- 20kHz
Drivers
Woofer Quantity	2	2
Woofer Size	5.25"	8"
Woofer Composition	high-rigidity aluminum woofers	anodized aluminum cone with cast frames
Tweeter Size	1 x 1-7/16"	1"
Tweeter Type	Folded Motion	dome with proprietary acoustic lens and waveguide
Aimable Tweeter	No	No
Midrange Driver	9 x 6.375"	4"
Suggested Break-in Period	Allow 72 hours of break-in at 90 dB	n/a
Physical Specs
Height	194.0mm (7.6")	307.0mm (12.1")
Width	582.0mm (22.9")	737.0mm (29")
Depth	410.0mm (16.1")	348.0mm (13.7")
Weight	14.55kg (32lbs)	23.41kg (51.5lbs)
Enclosure	Passive Radiator	Passive Radiator
Available Colors	Black	Gloss Black
Grille	Yes	Yes
Moisture Resistancy	No	No
Connections
Other
Parts Warranty	5 Yrs w/ Registration	5 Years
Labor Warranty	5 Yrs w/ Registration	5 Years