In this review, we will be comparing Foundation F1 and 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.
| Key Specs | MartinLogan Foundation F1 | MartinLogan Foundation F2 |
|---|
| Brand | MartinLogan
United States · founded 1982 | MartinLogan
United States · founded 1982 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Folded Motion Ribbon | 1" Folded Motion Ribbon |
|---|
| Midrange | 5.5" | 5.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 3 x 5.5" Aluminum | 3 x 6.5" Aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 41-23k Hz | 36-23k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 92 dB | 92 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 200 watts | up to 200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 21.14kg / 46.5lbs | 23.86kg / 52.5lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 41-7/16" x 8-3/8" x 14-7/16"
1053.0 x 213.0 x 367.0mm | 44-7/16" x 8-3/4" x 16"
1129.0 x 223.0 x 407.0mm |
|---|
Foundation F1 and 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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Foundation F1 and Foundation F2 are 3-way speakers.
MartinLogan Foundation F1MartinLogan Foundation F2
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| 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
|
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 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
Foundation F1 has a frequency range of 41-23k Hz whereas Foundation F2 has a frequency range of 36-23k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 36Hz, the Foundation F2 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Foundation F1's min frequency of 41Hz.
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
Foundation F1 and 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 Foundation F1 and the Foundation F1 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.
Foundation F1 and Foundation F2 have the same power range of up to 200 watts.
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 Foundation F1
MartinLogan Foundation F2
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Foundation F1 features Binding post type posts and 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 Foundation F1 and 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
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 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.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of MartinLogan Foundation F1 and MartinLogan Foundation F2 in scale.
Comparison image of MartinLogan Foundation F1 and MartinLogan Foundation F2 Size and External Dimensions
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 Foundation F1 requires 14% less surface area than the 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 Foundation F2 13% heavier than the Foundation F1.
Here is a comparison of how Foundation F1 and 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 |
Siblings in MartinLogan's Foundation series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | MartinLogan Foundation F2 digs deeper - 36Hz against 41Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (92dB vs 92dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (200W vs 200W). |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Price | A | MartinLogan Foundation F1 is cheaper - $1,499 against $1,999, about 25% less. |
A MartinLogan Foundation F1 B MartinLogan Foundation F2
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 Foundation F2 is ahead, but only on 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 33% more. That is a lot of money for a narrow margin on paper - MartinLogan Foundation F1 looks like the sensible buy unless something else about the MartinLogan Foundation F2 appeals to you. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 41Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper MartinLogan Foundation F1 much easier to justify. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $500 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.