In this review, we will be comparing two different type 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.
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 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): 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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the MartinLogan ElectroMotion FX2 and MartinLogan ESL compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking
through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
Both ElectroMotion FX2 and ESL are 2-way speakers.
| 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.
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 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. 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 ESL.
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 Spring post type posts and ESL has a Spring 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 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.
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