In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by MartinLogan. MartinLogan ElectroMotion ESL X is a Floor-standing speaker whereas the ElectroMotion FX2 is a Surround speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan ESL X and MartinLogan ElectroMotion FX2 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
MartinLogan ESL X Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 8.6 x 40" curved electrostatic transducer Tweeter
- 2 x 8" high-excursion paper cone Woofer
- 41-22k Hz Frequency Response
- 91 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 6ohms
- Power Range:20-400watts
- Weight:23.64kg
- 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 )
MartinLogan ElectroMotion FX2 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- " AMT Tweeter
- 6.5" Aluminium Woofer
- 55-25k Hz Frequency Response
- 93 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 5ohms
- Power Range:20-200watts
- Weight:7.30kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 14-15/16" x 14" x 6-3/4" ( 379.0 x 355.0 x 172.0mm )
ESL X 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 ESL X 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 ESL X |
MartinLogan ElectroMotion FX2 |
| Near-field |
Are you nuts? |
Good |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Good |
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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the MartinLogan ESL X and MartinLogan ElectroMotion FX2 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 ESL X and ElectroMotion FX2 are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
MartinLogan ESL X |
MartinLogan ElectroMotion FX2 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
8.6 x 40-inch
|
-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8-inch
|
1 x 6.5-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 FX2 features a " Folded Motion AMT Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Aluminium Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2,300Hz.
Frequency Response
ESL X has a frequency range of 41-22k Hz whereas ElectroMotion FX2 has a frequency range of 55-25k 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 FX2's min frequency of 55Hz.
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 Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
MartinLogan ElectroMotion FX2
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
ESL X 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. ESL X sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the ElectroMotion FX2's is rated at 93 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the MartinLogan ElectroMotion FX2 a more sensitive speaker compared to MartinLogan ESL X, 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. 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.
ESL X can handle a max power of 400 watts RMS from the amp the whereas ElectroMotion FX2 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 200 watts less than the ESL X.
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
ESL X features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. ElectroMotion FX2 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
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 X's and MartinLogan ElectroMotion FX2'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 ElectroMotion FX2 has external dimensions of 379.0 x 355.0 x 172.0mm ( 14-15/16 x 14 x 6-3/4inch) .
MartinLogan ElectroMotion FX2 is 1126mm shorter and 356mm less deeper than MartinLogan ESL X but it is also 115mm wider.
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 ElectroMotion FX2 is approximately 610.6cm2 / 94.6inch2. The ESL X requires 108% more surface area than the ElectroMotion FX2 which gives it a small disadvantage 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