In this review, we will be comparing ESL 9 and Kendall, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from MartinLogan and KLH.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan ESL 9 and KLH Kendall first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | MartinLogan ESL 9 | KLH Kendall |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 9.2 x 44" curved electrostatic transducer | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 5.25" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 8" high-excursion paper cone | 2 x 6.5" Woven Kevlar |
|---|
| Frequency response | 34-23k Hz | 25-23k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 96 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-400 watts | up to 250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 35.45kg / 78lbs | 22.14kg / 48.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 59-13/16" x 10-7/16" x 25-7/16"
1520.0 x 266.0 x 647.0mm | 40-3/16" x 8-5/16" x 14-15/16"
1021.0 x 212.0 x 380.0mm |
|---|
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that ESL 9 is a 2-way design whereas the Kendall 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.
MartinLogan ESL 9KLH Kendall
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 ESL 9 |
KLH Kendall |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
9.2 x 44-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8-inch
|
2 x 6.5-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 Kendall features a 1" anodized aluminum Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Woven Kevlar Woofer.
Frequency Response
ESL 9 has a frequency range of 34-23k Hz whereas Kendall has a frequency range of 25-23k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 25Hz, the Kendall can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the ESL 9's min frequency of 34Hz.
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
ESL 9 is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the Kendall 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 Kendall's is rated at 96 dB. This 6 dB difference makes the KLH Kendall 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
ESL 9 can handle a max power of 400 watts RMS, whereas Kendall has a max power handling value of watts RMS, 400 watts less than the ESL 9.
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.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both ESL 9 and Kendall features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
MartinLogan ESL 9's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
KLH Kendall's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
New
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 ESL 9's and KLH Kendall'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 KLH Kendall has external dimensions of 1021.0 x 212.0 x 380.0mm (40-3/16 x 8-5/16 x 14-15/16inch).
MartinLogan ESL 9 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 54mm wider, 499mm taller and 267mm deeper than KLH Kendall.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of MartinLogan ESL 9 and KLH Kendall in scale.
Comparison image of MartinLogan ESL 9 and KLH Kendall 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 ESL 9 is approximately 1721.0cm2 / 266.8inch2 and base area of the KLH Kendall is approximately 805.6cm2 / 124.9inch2. The ESL 9 requires 114% more surface area than the Kendall which gives it a small disadvantage 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 ESL 9 weighs 35.45kg / 78lbs and the KLH Kendall weighs 22.14kg / 48.7lbs. This makes the ESL 9 60% heavier than the Kendall.
Here is a comparison of how ESL 9 and Kendall's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of MartinLogan ESL 9?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of ESL 9:
- Floorstanding hybrid electrostatic loudspeaker
- AC power adapter (w/ attached 10-feet DC cord)
- Grille
- 4 Spike Feet
- Users Manual
- Product Registration Card
What's in the Box of KLH Kendall?
Here are the items that come with the Kendall:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- Foam port
- 4 Rubber feet
- 4 Spike feet (with nuts)
- 4 Protective discs
- Manual
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
96 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
25 Hz
vs
34 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
1021mm
vs
1520mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
805cm2
vs
1721cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1500USD
vs
7000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
MartinLogan Masterpiece Classic ESL 9 |
KLH Kendall |
| Brand |
MartinLogan |
KLH |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
20-400 watts |
up to 250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
96 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
34-23k Hz |
25-23k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
high-excursion paper cone |
Woven Kevlar |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Butyl Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
9.2 x 44" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
curved electrostatic transducer |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
5.25" |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1520.0mm (59.8") |
1021.0mm (40.2") |
| Width |
266.0mm (10.5") |
212.0mm (8.3") |
| Depth |
647.0mm (25.5") |
380.0mm (15") |
| Weight |
35.45kg (78lbs) |
22.14kg (48.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
Composite |
MDF/Wood Veneer |
| Available Colors |
Gloss Black |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years w/ Registration |
10 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years w/ Registration |
10 Years |
These sit in different price classes - MartinLogan ESL 9 costs roughly 4.7x what KLH Kendall does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass |
B |
KLH Kendall digs deeper - 25Hz against 34Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs |
B |
KLH Kendall is more sensitive (96dB vs 90dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match |
B |
KLH Kendall is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Size |
depends |
KLH Kendall is easier to place; MartinLogan ESL 9 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability |
depends |
MartinLogan ESL 9: bi-amping; KLH Kendall: bi-amping. MartinLogan ESL 9 sits in a wider range (7 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price |
B |
KLH Kendall is cheaper - $1,500 against $7,000, about 79% less; arguably a different class. |
A MartinLogan ESL 9
B KLH Kendall
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, placement 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?
KLH Kendall is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take MartinLogan ESL 9 if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 34Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. In a large or open-plan room, MartinLogan ESL 9 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, KLH Kendall is the easier speaker to get right.
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.