In this review, we will be comparing Expression ESL 13A and Renaissance ESL 15A, two Powered Floor-standing speakers by MartinLogan. Being Powered speakers, they both have built-in amplifiers so you don't need an external power amp or an integrated amp to power them.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan Expression ESL 13A and MartinLogan Renaissance ESL 15A first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | MartinLogan Expression ESL 13A | MartinLogan Renaissance ESL 15A |
|---|
| Brand | MartinLogan
United States · founded 1982 | MartinLogan
United States · founded 1982 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Built-in amplifier | 300-watt RMS | 500-watt RMS |
|---|
| Tweeter | Electrostatic | Electrostatic |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 10" Aluminium | 2 x 12" Aluminium |
|---|
| Frequency response | 24-23k Hz | 22-21k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91 dB | 92 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-600 watts | 20-700 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 46.80kg / 103lbs | 63.50kg / 139.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 61-7/16" x 13-3/8" x 27-1/2"
1561.0 x 339.0 x 699.0mm | 69-13/16" x 15-3/4" x 24-15/16"
1773.0 x 400.0 x 633.0mm |
|---|
Expression ESL 13A and Renaissance ESL 15A are members of MartinLogan's Masterpiece series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
MartinLogan Masterpiece Series
History
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Expression ESL 13A and Renaissance ESL 15A are 2-way speakers.
MartinLogan Expression ESL 13AMartinLogan Renaissance ESL 15A
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 Expression ESL 13A |
MartinLogan Renaissance ESL 15A |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 10-inch
|
2 x 12-inch
|
Expression ESL 13A features a " Electrostatic panel Electrostatic Tweeter and 2 x 10" Aluminium Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 300Hz. On the other hand, the Renaissance ESL 15A features a " Electrostatic panel Electrostatic Tweeter and 2 x 12" Aluminium Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 300Hz.
Frequency Response
Expression ESL 13A has a frequency range of 24-23k Hz whereas Renaissance ESL 15A has a frequency range of 22-21k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 22Hz, the Renaissance ESL 15A can go slightly deeper then the Expression ESL 13A's min frequency of 24Hz.
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
Expression ESL 13A and Renaissance ESL 15A have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Expression ESL 13A sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the Renaissance ESL 15A's is at 92 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the MartinLogan Renaissance ESL 15A a more sensitive speaker compared to MartinLogan Expression ESL 13A, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
One thing to keep in mind that the lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit comared to higher impedance speakers especially at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Expression ESL 13A and the Expression ESL 13A can provide this impedance level.
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.
Renaissance ESL 15A can handle a max power of 700 watts RMS, whereas Expression ESL 13A has a max power handling value of 600 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the Renaissance ESL 15A.
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.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Expression ESL 13A features Binding post type posts and Renaissance ESL 15A has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers 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 Expression ESL 13A's and MartinLogan Renaissance ESL 15A's external dimensions. MartinLogan Expression ESL 13A has external dimensions of 1561.0 x 339.0 x 699.0mm (61-7/16 x 13-3/8 x 27-1/2inch) whereas MartinLogan Renaissance ESL 15A has external dimensions of 1773.0 x 400.0 x 633.0mm (69-13/16 x 15-3/4 x 24-15/16inch).
MartinLogan Expression ESL 13A is 61mm narrower and 212mm shorter than MartinLogan Renaissance ESL 15A but it is also 66mm deeper.
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.
Near-identical footprints. MartinLogan Expression ESL 13A is 66mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. MartinLogan Renaissance ESL 15A is 212mm 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 Expression ESL 13A is approximately 2369.6cm2 / 367.3inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan Renaissance ESL 15A is approximately 2532.0cm2 / 392.5inch2. The Expression ESL 13A requires 6% less surface area than the Renaissance ESL 15A 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 Expression ESL 13A weighs 46.80kg / 103lbs and the MartinLogan Renaissance ESL 15A weighs 63.50kg / 139.7lbs. This makes the Renaissance ESL 15A 36% heavier than the Expression ESL 13A.
Here is a comparison of how Expression ESL 13A and Renaissance ESL 15A's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
MartinLogan Expression ESL 13A
MartinLogan Renaissance ESL 15A
 High Frequency Response |
23k Hz
vs
21k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
1561mm
vs
1773mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
2369cm2
vs
2532cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
18000USD
vs
29000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
700 watts
vs
600 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
92 dB
vs
91 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
10 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
22 Hz
vs
24 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
| General |
MartinLogan Expression ESL 13A |
MartinLogan Renaissance ESL 15A |
| Brand |
MartinLogan |
MartinLogan |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
20-600 watts |
20-700 watts |
| Max Amplifier Output |
300 watts |
500 watts |
| Sensitivity |
91 dB |
92 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
24-23k Hz |
22-21k Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
300-watt RMS |
500-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
10" |
12" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminium |
Aluminium |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Tweeter Type |
Electrostatic |
Electrostatic |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
300Hz |
300Hz |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1561.0mm (61.5") |
1773.0mm (69.8") |
| Width |
339.0mm (13.3") |
400.0mm (15.7") |
| Depth |
699.0mm (27.5") |
633.0mm (24.9") |
| Weight |
46.80kg (103lbs) |
63.50kg (139.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Dipole |
Dipole |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
|
| Labor Warranty |
|
|
Siblings in MartinLogan's Masterpiece 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 (24Hz vs 22Hz). |
| Built-in power | B | MartinLogan Renaissance ESL 15A has the bigger amplifier (500W vs 300W RMS). |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Price | A | MartinLogan Expression ESL 13A is cheaper - $18,000 against $29,000, about 38% less; arguably a different class. |
A MartinLogan Expression ESL 13A B MartinLogan Renaissance ESL 15A
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system 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 Renaissance ESL 15A is ahead, but only on 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 61% more. That is a lot of money for a narrow margin on paper - MartinLogan Expression ESL 13A looks like the sensible buy unless something else about the MartinLogan Renaissance ESL 15A appeals to you. Match it to your room: we rate MartinLogan Renaissance ESL 15A the better fit for a very large room; elsewhere the two are rated the same. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $11,000 saved by taking the cheaper pair would buy a subwoofer or a better amplifier, and either usually does more for the sound than the difference between these two.
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.