In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by MartinLogan. MartinLogan ElectroMotion FX2 is a Surround speaker whereas the ESL is a Floor-standing speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan ElectroMotion FX2 and MartinLogan ESL first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | MartinLogan ElectroMotion FX2 | MartinLogan ESL |
|---|
| Brand | MartinLogan
United States · founded 1982 | MartinLogan
United States · founded 1982 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | AMT | 8.6x34" curved electrostatic transducer |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Aluminium | 8" high-excursion paper cone |
|---|
| Frequency response | 55-25k Hz | 42-22k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 93 dB | 91 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 5 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-200 watts | 20-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 7.30kg / 16.1lbs | 16.14kg / 35.5lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 14-15/16" x 14" x 6-3/4"
379.0 x 355.0 x 172.0mm | 53-1/8" x 9-5/16" x 16-1/2"
1350.0 x 237.0 x 420.0mm |
|---|
ElectroMotion FX2 and ESL 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 ESL 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 ESL |
| Near-field |
Good |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Good |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both ElectroMotion FX2 and ESL are 2-way speakers.
MartinLogan ElectroMotion FX2MartinLogan ESL
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 ElectroMotion FX2 |
MartinLogan ESL |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
8.6x34-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 8-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 ESL features a 8.6x34" curved electrostatic transducer Tweeter and 1 x 8" high-excursion paper cone Woofer.
Frequency Response
ElectroMotion FX2 has a frequency range of 55-25k Hz whereas ESL has a frequency range of 42-22k 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 FX2's min frequency of 55Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Surround class in our database.
Low Frequency
Surround 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
ElectroMotion FX2 is a 5 ohms speaker compared to the ESL 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 ESL's is rated at 91 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the MartinLogan ElectroMotion FX2 a more sensitive speaker compared to MartinLogan ESL, 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. 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 ElectroMotion FX2 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 100 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.
MartinLogan ElectroMotion FX2
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
ESL features Spring 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
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 ElectroMotion FX2's and MartinLogan ESL'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 ESL has external dimensions of 1350.0 x 237.0 x 420.0mm (53-1/8 x 9-5/16 x 16-1/2inch).
MartinLogan ElectroMotion FX2 is 971mm shorter and 248mm less deeper than MartinLogan ESL but it is also 118mm wider.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
MartinLogan ESL needs about 63% more floor or shelf area. MartinLogan ESL is 248mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. MartinLogan ESL is 971mm 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 ESL is approximately 995.4cm2 / 154.3inch2. The ElectroMotion FX2 requires 39% less surface area than the ESL which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of MartinLogan ESL?
Here are the items that come with the 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