In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by MartinLogan. MartinLogan Masterpiece Focus ESL C18 is a Center Channel speaker whereas the Neolith is a Floor-standing speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan Masterpiece Focus ESL C18 and MartinLogan Neolith first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | MartinLogan Masterpiece Focus ESL C18 | MartinLogan Neolith |
|---|
| Brand | MartinLogan
United States · founded 1982 | MartinLogan
United States · founded 1982 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" x 1-7/16"" Folded Motion Ribbon | Electrostatic |
|---|
| Midrange | 18" x 7-1/2"" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6-1/2" | 15" Aluminium |
|---|
| Frequency response | 50-23K Hz | 23-22k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | — | 20-1300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 22.73kg / 50lbs | 175.00kg / 385lbs |
|---|
| 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 | 74-3/4" x 30-1/4" x 34-1/4"
1899.0 x 769.0 x 870.0mm |
|---|
Masterpiece Focus ESL C18 and Neolith are members of MartinLogan's Masterpiece series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
MartinLogan Masterpiece Series
History
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Masterpiece Focus ESL C18 is a 3-way design whereas the Neolith 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 Neolith |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1" x 1-7/16"-inch
|
-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 18" x 7-1/2"-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6-1/2-inch
|
1 x 15-inch
|
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 Neolith features a " Electrostatic panel Electrostatic Tweeter and 1 x 15" Aluminium Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 60, 250–400 Hz.
Frequency Response
Masterpiece Focus ESL C18 has a frequency range of 50-23K Hz whereas Neolith has a frequency range of 23-22k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 23Hz, the Neolith can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Masterpiece Focus ESL C18's min frequency of 50Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel Speakers
Masterpiece Focus ESL C18
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
Masterpiece Focus ESL C18 and Neolith 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 Masterpiece Focus ESL C18 and the Masterpiece Focus ESL C18 can provide this impedance level.
Sensitivity
Center Channel Speakers
Masterpiece Focus ESL C18
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 Masterpiece Focus ESL C18
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Neolith features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Masterpiece Focus ESL C18 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
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 Masterpiece Focus ESL C18's and MartinLogan Neolith'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 Neolith has external dimensions of 1899.0 x 769.0 x 870.0mm (74-3/4 x 30-1/4 x 34-1/4inch).
MartinLogan Masterpiece Focus ESL C18 is 1654mm shorter and 635mm less deeper than MartinLogan Neolith but it is also 330mm wider.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
MartinLogan Neolith needs about 159% more floor or shelf area. MartinLogan Neolith is 635mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. MartinLogan Neolith is 1654mm taller.
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 Neolith is approximately 6690.3cm2 / 1,037.0inch2. The Masterpiece Focus ESL C18 requires 61% less surface area than the Neolith which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.