In this review, we will be comparing ESL and R-820F, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from MartinLogan and Klipsch.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan ESL and Klipsch R-820F first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | MartinLogan ESL | Klipsch R-820F |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 8.6x34" curved electrostatic transducer | 1" |
|---|
| Woofer | 8" high-excursion paper cone | 2 x 8" Copper-spun IMG |
|---|
| Frequency response | 42-22k Hz | 35-21k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91 dB | 97 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-300 watts | up to 150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 16.14kg / 35.5lbs | 24.55kg / 54lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 53-1/8" x 9-5/16" x 16-1/2"
1350.0 x 237.0 x 420.0mm | 43-1/8" x 10-7/8" x 16-3/4"
1096.0 x 277.0 x 426.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the MartinLogan ESL and Klipsch R-820F 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 |
Klipsch R-820F |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
Poor |
(* 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.
**This post contains affiliate links, and we will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking
through our links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
Both ESL and R-820F are 2-way speakers.
MartinLogan ESLKlipsch R-820F
TweeterWoofer
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 |
Klipsch R-820F |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
8.6x34-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 8-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
ESL features a 8.6x34" curved electrostatic transducer Tweeter and 1 x 8" high-excursion paper cone Woofer. On the other hand, the R-820F features a 1" Tweeter and 2 x 8" Copper-spun IMG Woofer.
Frequency Response
ESL has a frequency range of 42-22k Hz whereas R-820F has a frequency range of 35-21k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 35Hz, the R-820F can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the ESL's min frequency of 42Hz.
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 is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the R-820F which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. ESL sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the R-820F's is rated at 97 dB. This 6 dB difference makes the Klipsch R-820F a more sensitive speaker compared to MartinLogan ESL, 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 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas R-820F has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 150 watts less than the ESL.
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 features Post type posts and R-820F has a 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 ESL's and Klipsch R-820F's external dimensions. MartinLogan ESL has external dimensions of 1350.0 x 237.0 x 420.0mm (53-1/8 x 9-5/16 x 16-1/2inch) whereas Klipsch R-820F has external dimensions of 1096.0 x 277.0 x 426.0mm (43-1/8 x 10-7/8 x 16-3/4inch).
MartinLogan ESL is 40mm narrower and 6mm less deeper than Klipsch R-820F but it is also 254mm taller.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of MartinLogan ESL and Klipsch R-820F in scale.
Comparison image of MartinLogan ESL and Klipsch R-820F Size and External Dimensions
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 is approximately 995.4cm2 / 154.3inch2 and base area of the Klipsch R-820F is approximately 1180.0cm2 / 182.9inch2. The ESL requires 16% less surface area than the R-820F 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 weighs 16.14kg / 35.5lbs and the Klipsch R-820F weighs 24.55kg / 54lbs. This makes the R-820F 52% heavier than the ESL.
Here is a comparison of how ESL and R-820F's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of MartinLogan ESL?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of ESL:
- 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 Klipsch R-820F?
Here are the items that come with the R-820F:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille (installed)
- 2 Feet
- 4 Screws
- Quick Setup Guide
- Important Safety Instructions
- Warranty Information
- Loudspeaker Feet note
 Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
150 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 High Frequency Response |
22k Hz
vs
21k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Base Surface Area |
995cm2
vs
1180cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Sensitivity |
97 dB
vs
91 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
35 Hz
vs
42 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
1096mm
vs
1350mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
| General |
MartinLogan ElectroMotion ESL |
Klipsch Reference R-820F |
| Brand |
MartinLogan |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
20-300 watts |
up to 150 watts |
| Sensitivity |
91 dB |
97 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
42-22k Hz |
35-21k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
high-excursion paper cone |
Copper-spun IMG |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
8.6x34" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
curved electrostatic transducer |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1350.0mm (53.1") |
1096.0mm (43.1") |
| Width |
237.0mm (9.3") |
277.0mm (10.9") |
| Depth |
420.0mm (16.5") |
426.0mm (16.8") |
| Weight |
16.14kg (35.5lbs) |
24.55kg (54lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
Composite |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Yrs w/ Registration |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Yrs w/ Registration |
5 Years |
A generation apart: Klipsch R-820F is the newer design, against a 2011 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass |
B |
Klipsch R-820F digs deeper - 35Hz against 42Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs |
B |
Klipsch R-820F is more sensitive (97dB vs 91dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match |
B |
Klipsch R-820F is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom |
A |
MartinLogan ESL takes more power (300W vs 150W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size |
depends |
Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
A MartinLogan ESL
B Klipsch R-820F
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, placement 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?
Klipsch R-820F has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 42Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate MartinLogan ESL the better fit for a very large room, and Klipsch R-820F for a mid-size room.
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.