In this review, we will be comparing MartinLogan Foundation F1 and MartinLogan Foundation F2, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by MartinLogan
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan Foundation F1 and MartinLogan Foundation F2 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
MartinLogan Foundation F1 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Folded Motion Ribbon Tweeter
- 5.5" Midrange
- 3 x 5.5" Aluminum Woofer
- 41-23k Hz Frequency Response
- 92 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:up to 200watts
- Weight:21.14kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1053.0" x 8-3/8" x 14-7/16"( 1053.0 x 213.0 x 367.0mm )
MartinLogan Foundation F2 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Folded Motion Ribbon Tweeter
- 5.5" Midrange
- 3 x 6.5" Aluminum Woofer
- 5.5" Midrange
- 36-23k Hz Frequency Response
- 92 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:up to 200watts
- Weight:23.86kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1129.0" x 8-3/4" x 16"( 1129.0 x 223.0 x 407.0mm )
MartinLogan Foundation F1 and MartinLogan Foundation F2 are members of MartinLogan's Foundation series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
MartinLogan Foundation Series
History
What size room are the MartinLogan Foundation F1 and MartinLogan Foundation F2 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 Foundation F1 |
MartinLogan Foundation F2 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
(* 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 Foundation F1 and MartinLogan Foundation F2 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 MartinLogan Foundation F1 and MartinLogan Foundation F2 are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
MartinLogan Foundation F1 |
MartinLogan Foundation F2 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.5-inch |
1 x 5.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
3 x 5.5-inch
|
3 x 6.5-inch
|
MartinLogan Foundation F1 features a 1" Gen2 Obsidian Folded Motion Ribbon Tweeter , a 5.5" Midrange and 3 x 5.5" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 240 Hz - 3700 Hz. On the other hand, the MartinLogan Foundation F2 features a 1" Gen2 Obsidian Folded Motion Ribbon Tweeter , a 5.5" Midrange and 3 x 6.5" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 330 Hz - 3600 Hz.
Frequency Response
MartinLogan Foundation F1 has a frequency range of 41-23k Hz whereas MartinLogan Foundation F2 has a frequency range of 36-23k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 36Hz, the MartinLogan Foundation F2 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the MartinLogan Foundation F1's min frequency of 41Hz.
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 Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
MartinLogan Foundation F1
MartinLogan Foundation F2
High Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
MartinLogan Foundation F1
MartinLogan Foundation F2
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
MartinLogan Foundation F1 and MartinLogan Foundation F2 have the same Impedance of 4 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 92 dB.
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 MartinLogan Foundation F1 and the MartinLogan Foundation F1 can provide this impedance level.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
MartinLogan Foundation F1
MartinLogan Foundation F2
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.
MartinLogan Foundation F1 and MartinLogan Foundation F2 has the same power range of up to 200 watts.
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
MartinLogan Foundation F1 features Binding post type posts and MartinLogan Foundation F2 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
MartinLogan Foundation F1's Binding post terminals
MartinLogan Foundation F2's Binding post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both MartinLogan Foundation F1 and MartinLogan Foundation F2 have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
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 Foundation F1's and MartinLogan Foundation F2's external dimensions. MartinLogan Foundation F1 has external dimensions of 1053.0 x 213.0 x 367.0mm ( 41-7/16inch x 8-3/8inch x 14-7/16inch ) whereas MartinLogan Foundation F2 has external dimensions of 1129.0 x 223.0 x 407.0mm ( 44-7/16inch x 8-3/4inch x 16inch ) .
MartinLogan Foundation F2 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 10mm wider, 76mm taller and 40mm deeper than MartinLogan Foundation F1.
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 Foundation F1 is approximately 781.7cm2 / 121.2inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan Foundation F2 is approximately 907.6cm2 / 140.7inch2. The MartinLogan Foundation F1 requires 14% less surface area than the MartinLogan Foundation F2 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 Foundation F1 weighs 21.14kg / 46.5lbs and the MartinLogan Foundation F2 weighs 23.86kg / 52.5lbs. This makes the MartinLogan Foundation F2 13% heavier than the MartinLogan Foundation F1.
Here is a comparison of how MartinLogan Foundation F1 and MartinLogan Foundation F2's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
MartinLogan Foundation F1
MartinLogan Foundation F2
 Height |
1053mm
vs
1129mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
781cm2
vs
907cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1499USD
vs
1999USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
36 Hz
vs
41 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
| General |
MartinLogan Foundation F1 |
MartinLogan Foundation F2 |
| Brand |
MartinLogan |
MartinLogan |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 200 watts |
up to 200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
92 dB |
92 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
41-23k Hz |
36-23k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
3 |
3 |
| Woofer Size |
5.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminum |
Aluminum |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Folded Motion Ribbon |
Folded Motion Ribbon |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5.5" |
5.5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
240 Hz - 3700 Hz |
330 Hz - 3600 Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1053.0mm (41.5") |
1129.0mm (44.4") |
| Width |
213.0mm (8.4") |
223.0mm (8.8") |
| Depth |
367.0mm (14.4") |
407.0mm (16") |
| Weight |
21.14kg (46.5lbs) |
23.86kg (52.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Available Colors |
Walnut,Black,Satin White |
Walnut,Black,Satin White |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 years |
5 years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 years |
5 years |