In this review, we will be comparing ESL 9 and BP-9080X, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from MartinLogan and Definitive Technology.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan ESL 9 and Definitive BP-9080X first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
MartinLogan ESL 9 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 9.2 x 44" curved electrostatic transducer Tweeter
- 2 x 8" high-excursion paper cone Woofer
- 34-23k Hz Frequency Response
- 90 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:20-400watts
- Weight:35.45kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1520.0" x 10-7/16" x 25-7/16"( 1520.0 x 266.0 x 647.0mm )
Definitive BP-9080X Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" dome Tweeter
- 5.25" Midrange
- 12" Polypropelene Woofer
- 5.25" Midrange
- 16-40k Hz Frequency Response
- 92 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:50-300watts
- Weight:28.18kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1309.0" x 12-1/2" x 16-1/8"( 1309.0 x 318.0 x 410.0mm )
What size room are the MartinLogan ESL 9 and Definitive BP-9080X 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 ESL 9 |
Definitive BP-9080X |
| Near-field |
Are you nuts? |
Are you nuts? |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Good |
Good |
(* 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 ESL 9 and Definitive BP-9080X 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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that ESL 9 is a 2-way design whereas the BP-9080X is a 3-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
| Driver |
MartinLogan ESL 9 |
Definitive BP-9080X |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
9.2 x 44-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
4 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8-inch
|
1 x 12-inch
|
ESL 9 features a 9.2 x 44" curved electrostatic transducer Tweeter and 2 x 8" high-excursion paper cone Woofer . On the other hand, the BP-9080X features a 1" annealed aluminum dome Tweeter , a 5.25" Midrange and 1 x 12" Polypropelene Woofer .
Frequency Response
ESL 9 has a frequency range of 34-23k Hz whereas BP-9080X has a frequency range of 16-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 16Hz, the BP-9080X can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the ESL 9's min frequency of 34Hz.
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
High Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Impedance and Sensitivity
ESL 9 is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the BP-9080X which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the ESL 9 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. ESL 9 sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the BP-9080X's is rated at 92 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Definitive BP-9080X a more sensitive speaker compared to MartinLogan ESL 9, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing 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.
ESL 9 can handle a max power of 400 watts RMS from the amp the whereas BP-9080X has a max power handling value of 300 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the ESL 9.
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
ESL 9 features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. BP-9080X has a 5-Way post, RCA which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
MartinLogan ESL 9's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Definitive BP-9080X's 5-Way post, RCA terminals
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 ESL 9's and Definitive BP-9080X's external dimensions. MartinLogan ESL 9 has external dimensions of 1520.0 x 266.0 x 647.0mm ( 59-13/16 x 10-7/16 x 25-7/16inch) whereas Definitive BP-9080X has external dimensions of 1309.0 x 318.0 x 410.0mm ( 51-1/2 x 12-1/2 x 16-1/8inch) .
Definitive BP-9080X is 211mm shorter and 237mm less deeper than MartinLogan ESL 9 but it is also 52mm 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 ESL 9 is approximately 1721.0cm2 / 266.8inch2 and base area of the Definitive BP-9080X is approximately 1303.8cm2 / 202.1inch2. The ESL 9 requires 32% more surface area than the BP-9080X which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.