In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by MartinLogan. MartinLogan ElectroMotion ESL 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 and MartinLogan ESL C first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
MartinLogan ESL Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 8.6x34" curved electrostatic transducer Tweeter
- 8" high-excursion paper cone Woofer
- 42-22k Hz Frequency Response
- 91 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 6ohms
- Power Range:20-300watts
- Weight:16.14kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1350.0" x 9-5/16" x 16-1/2"( 1350.0 x 237.0 x 420.0mm )
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 )
ESL 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 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 |
MartinLogan ESL C |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the MartinLogan ESL and MartinLogan ESL C compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that ESL 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.
| Driver |
MartinLogan ESL |
MartinLogan ESL C |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
8.6x34-inch
|
1 x 1-7/16-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 8-inch
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
ESL features a 8.6x34" curved electrostatic transducer Tweeter and 1 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 and 2 x 5.25" high-rigidity aluminum woofers Woofer .
Frequency Response
ESL has a frequency range of 42-22k Hz whereas ElectroMotion ESL C has a frequency range of 66-23k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 42Hz, the ESL 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 Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
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 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 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 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. 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 and ElectroMotion ESL C has the same power range of 20-300 watts.
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 features Binding post type posts and ElectroMotion ESL C has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
MartinLogan ESL C'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's and MartinLogan ESL C'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 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 1156mm shorter and 10mm less deeper than MartinLogan ESL but it is also 345mm 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 is approximately 995.4cm2 / 154.3inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan ESL C is approximately 2386.2cm2 / 369.9inch2. The ESL requires 58% 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?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of ESL:
Floor-standing hybrid electrostatic loudspeakerAC power adapter (w/ attached 10-feet DC cord)Cloth grille (installed)4 Pre-installed feetUsers 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 loudspeakerGrilleAC power supply (attached 10-feet DC cord)User-feets Manual (En/Fr)Product Registration Card
Sensitivity 
Nominal Impedance 
Woofer Size 
Base Surface Area 
Driver Setup 
High Frequency Response 
Height