In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by MartinLogan. MartinLogan Masterpiece Focus ESL C18 is a Center Channel speaker whereas the ESL 9 is a Floor-standing speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan Masterpiece Focus ESL C18 and MartinLogan ESL 9 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
MartinLogan Masterpiece Focus ESL C18 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" x 1-7/16"" Folded Motion Ribbon Tweeter
- 18" x 7-1/2"" Midrange
- 2 x 6-1/2" Woofer
- 50-23K Hz Frequency Response
- 90 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Weight:22.73kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 9-5/8" x 43-1/4" x 9-1/4" ( 245.0 x 1099.0 x 235.0mm )
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): 59-13/16" x 10-7/16" x 25-7/16" ( 1520.0 x 266.0 x 647.0mm )
MartinLogan Masterpiece Focus ESL C18 and ESL 9 are members of MartinLogan's Masterpiece series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
MartinLogan Masterpiece Series
History
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the MartinLogan Masterpiece Focus ESL C18 and MartinLogan ESL 9 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that MartinLogan Masterpiece Focus ESL C18 is a 3-way design whereas the ESL 9 is a 2-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 Masterpiece Focus ESL C18 |
MartinLogan ESL 9 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1" x 1-7/16"-inch
|
9.2 x 44-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 18" x 7-1/2"-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6-1/2-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
MartinLogan Masterpiece Focus ESL C18 features a 1" x 1-7/16"" Folded Motion Ribbon Tweeter , a 18" x 7-1/2"" Midrange and 2 x 6-1/2" Woofer . On the other hand, the ESL 9 features a 9.2 x 44" curved electrostatic transducer Tweeter and 2 x 8" high-excursion paper cone Woofer .
Frequency Response
MartinLogan Masterpiece Focus ESL C18 has a frequency range of 50-23K Hz whereas ESL 9 has a frequency range of 34-23k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 34Hz, the ESL 9 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the MartinLogan Masterpiece Focus ESL C18's min frequency of 50Hz.
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 Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel Speakers
MartinLogan Masterpiece Focus ESL C18
High Frequency
Center Channel Speakers
MartinLogan Masterpiece Focus ESL C18
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 Masterpiece Focus ESL C18 and ESL 9 have the same Impedance of 4 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 90 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 Masterpiece Focus ESL C18 and the MartinLogan Masterpiece Focus ESL C18 can provide this impedance level.
Sensitivity
Center Channel Speakers
MartinLogan Masterpiece Focus ESL C18
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
ESL 9 features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. MartinLogan Masterpiece Focus ESL C18 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
MartinLogan ESL 9's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
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 Masterpiece Focus ESL C18's and MartinLogan ESL 9's external dimensions. MartinLogan Masterpiece Focus ESL C18 has external dimensions of 245.0 x 1099.0 x 235.0mm ( 9-5/8inch x 43-1/4inch x 9-1/4inch ) whereas 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) .
MartinLogan Masterpiece Focus ESL C18 is 1275mm shorter and 412mm less deeper than MartinLogan ESL 9 but it is also 833mm 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 Masterpiece Focus ESL C18 is approximately 2582.7cm2 / 400.3inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan ESL 9 is approximately 1721.0cm2 / 266.8inch2. The MartinLogan Masterpiece Focus ESL C18 requires 50% more surface area than the ESL 9 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of MartinLogan ESL 9?
Here are the items that come with the ESL 9:
- Floorstanding hybrid electrostatic loudspeaker
- AC power adapter (w/ attached 10-feet DC cord)
- Grille
- 4 Spike Feet
- Users Manual
- Product Registration Card