In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by MartinLogan. MartinLogan ElectroMotion ESL X is a Floor-standing speaker whereas the ElectroMotion ESL C is a Center Channel speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan ESL X and MartinLogan ESL C first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | MartinLogan ESL X | MartinLogan ESL C |
|---|
| Brand | MartinLogan
United States · founded 1982 | MartinLogan
United States · founded 1982 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 8.6 x 40" curved electrostatic transducer | 1 x 1-7/16" Folded Motion |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 9 x 6.375" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 8" high-excursion paper cone | 2 x 5.25" high-rigidity aluminum woofers |
|---|
| Frequency response | 41-22k Hz | 66-23k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-400 watts | 20-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 23.64kg / 52lbs | 14.55kg / 32lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 59-1/4" x 9-7/16" x 20-3/4"
1505.0 x 240.0 x 528.0mm | 7-5/8" x 22-7/8" x 16-1/8"
194.0 x 582.0 x 410.0mm |
|---|
ESL X 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 ESL X 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 ESL X |
MartinLogan ESL C |
| Near-field |
Are you nuts? |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Good |
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.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that ESL X 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.
MartinLogan ESL XMartinLogan ESL C
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 ESL X |
MartinLogan ESL C |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
8.6 x 40-inch
|
1 x 1-7/16-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 9 x 6.375-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8-inch
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
ESL X features a 8.6 x 40" curved electrostatic transducer Tweeter and 2 x 8" high-excursion paper cone Woofer. 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
ESL X has a frequency range of 41-22k Hz whereas ElectroMotion ESL C has a frequency range of 66-23k 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 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 Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing 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
ESL X 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. ESL X sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the ElectroMotion ESL C's is rated at 89 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the MartinLogan ESL X a more sensitive speaker compared to MartinLogan ESL C, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing 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 ElectroMotion ESL C 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. ElectroMotion ESL C has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
MartinLogan ESL C's Binding post terminals
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 ESL X's and MartinLogan ESL C's external dimensions. 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) 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 1311mm shorter and 118mm less deeper than MartinLogan ESL X but it is also 342mm wider.
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 C needs about 88% more floor or shelf area. MartinLogan ESL X is 118mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. MartinLogan ESL X is 1311mm 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 ESL X is approximately 1267.2cm2 / 196.4inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan ESL C is approximately 2386.2cm2 / 369.9inch2. The ESL X requires 47% 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 X?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of 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
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