In this review, we will be comparing ESL and ESL X, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by MartinLogan.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan ESL and MartinLogan ESL X first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | MartinLogan ESL | MartinLogan ESL X |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 8.6x34" curved electrostatic transducer | 8.6 x 40" curved electrostatic transducer |
|---|
| Woofer | 8" high-excursion paper cone | 2 x 8" high-excursion paper cone |
|---|
| Frequency response | 42-22k Hz | 41-22k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91 dB | 91 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-300 watts | 20-400 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 16.14kg / 35.5lbs | 23.64kg / 52lbs |
|---|
| 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 | 59-1/4" x 9-7/16" x 20-3/4"
1505.0 x 240.0 x 528.0mm |
|---|
ESL and ESL X 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 X 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 X |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Are you nuts? |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| 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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
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Drivers
Both ESL and ESL X are 2-way speakers.
MartinLogan ESLMartinLogan ESL X
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 |
MartinLogan ESL X |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
8.6x34-inch
|
8.6 x 40-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 ESL X features a 8.6 x 40" curved electrostatic transducer Tweeter and 2 x 8" high-excursion paper cone Woofer.
Frequency Response
ESL has a frequency range of 42-22k Hz whereas ESL X has a frequency range of 41-22k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 41Hz, the ESL X can go slightly deeper then 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 and ESL X have the same Impedance of 6 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 91 dB.
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 ESL 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. ESL has a Spring post which doesn't 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 MartinLogan ESL X'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 X has external dimensions of 1505.0 x 240.0 x 528.0mm (59-1/4 x 9-7/16 x 20-3/4inch).
MartinLogan ESL X is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 3mm wider, 155mm taller and 108mm deeper than MartinLogan ESL.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of MartinLogan ESL and MartinLogan ESL X in scale.
Comparison image of MartinLogan ESL and MartinLogan ESL X 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 MartinLogan ESL X is approximately 1267.2cm2 / 196.4inch2. The ESL requires 21% less surface area than the ESL X 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 MartinLogan ESL X weighs 23.64kg / 52lbs. This makes the ESL X 46% heavier than the ESL.
Here is a comparison of how ESL and ESL X'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 MartinLogan ESL X?
Here are the items that come with the 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
 Height |
1350mm
vs
1505mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
995cm2
vs
1267cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Max Input Power |
400 watts
vs
300 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
41 Hz
vs
42 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
| General |
MartinLogan ElectroMotion ESL |
MartinLogan ElectroMotion ESL X |
| Brand |
MartinLogan |
MartinLogan |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
20-300 watts |
20-400 watts |
| Sensitivity |
91 dB |
91 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
42-22k Hz |
41-22k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
high-excursion paper cone |
high-excursion paper cone |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
8.6x34" |
8.6 x 40" |
| Tweeter Type |
curved electrostatic transducer |
curved electrostatic transducer |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1350.0mm (53.1") |
1505.0mm (59.3") |
| Width |
237.0mm (9.3") |
240.0mm (9.4") |
| Depth |
420.0mm (16.5") |
528.0mm (20.8") |
| Weight |
16.14kg (35.5lbs) |
23.64kg (52lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
Composite |
Composite |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Yrs w/ Registration |
5 Yrs w/ Registration |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Yrs w/ Registration |
5 Yrs w/ Registration |
Siblings in MartinLogan's ElectroMotion series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass |
evenly matched |
Much the same reach (42Hz vs 41Hz). |
| Amplifier needs |
evenly matched |
Similar sensitivity (91dB vs 91dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom |
B |
MartinLogan ESL X takes more power (400W vs 300W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size |
depends |
MartinLogan ESL is easier to place; MartinLogan ESL X is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability |
B |
MartinLogan ESL X: bi-amping. |
A MartinLogan ESL
B MartinLogan ESL X
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?
MartinLogan ESL X has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. Match it to your room: we rate MartinLogan ESL X the better fit for a very large room; elsewhere the two are rated the same. In a large or open-plan room, MartinLogan ESL X has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, MartinLogan ESL is the easier speaker to get right.
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.