In this review, we will be comparing ElectroMotion FX2 and EFX, two Passive Surround speakers by MartinLogan
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan ElectroMotion FX2 and MartinLogan EFX first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
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 )
MartinLogan EFX Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- " Electrostatic Tweeter
- 6.5" Aluminium Woofer
- 68-22k Hz Frequency Response
- 90 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 6ohms
- Power Range:20-300watts
- Weight:11.10kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 48-3/4" x 9-3/8" x 6-1/2" ( 1239.0 x 238.0 x 165.0mm )
ElectroMotion FX2 and EFX 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 ElectroMotion FX2 and MartinLogan EFX 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 ElectroMotion FX2 |
MartinLogan EFX |
| Near-field |
Good |
Good |
| Small Room |
Good |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
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 ElectroMotion FX2 and MartinLogan EFX 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
Both ElectroMotion FX2 and EFX are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
MartinLogan ElectroMotion FX2 |
MartinLogan EFX |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
ElectroMotion FX2 features a " Folded Motion AMT Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Aluminium Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2,300Hz. On the other hand, the EFX features a " Electrostatic panel Electrostatic Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Aluminium Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 530Hz.
Frequency Response
ElectroMotion FX2 has a frequency range of 55-25k Hz whereas EFX has a frequency range of 68-22k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 55Hz, the ElectroMotion FX2 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the EFX's min frequency of 68Hz.
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 Surround class in our database.
Low Frequency
Surround Speakers
High Frequency
Surround 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
ElectroMotion FX2 is a 5 ohms speaker compared to the EFX which has a nominal impedance of 6 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. ElectroMotion FX2 sensitivity is rated at 93 dB and the EFX's is rated at 90 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the MartinLogan ElectroMotion FX2 a more sensitive speaker compared to MartinLogan EFX, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Surround 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.
ElectroMotion FX2 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS from the amp the whereas ElectroMotion FX2 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS , 100 watts less than the EFX.
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
ElectroMotion FX2 features Binding post type posts and EFX has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers 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 ElectroMotion FX2's and MartinLogan EFX's external dimensions. MartinLogan ElectroMotion FX2 has external dimensions of 379.0 x 355.0 x 172.0mm ( 14-15/16 x 14 x 6-3/4inch) whereas MartinLogan EFX has external dimensions of 1239.0 x 238.0 x 165.0mm ( 48-3/4 x 9-3/8 x 6-1/2inch) .
MartinLogan EFX is 117mm narrower and 7mm less deeper than MartinLogan ElectroMotion FX2 but it is also 860mm 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 ElectroMotion FX2 is approximately 610.6cm2 / 94.6inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan EFX is approximately 392.7cm2 / 60.9inch2. The ElectroMotion FX2 requires 55% more surface area than the EFX which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.