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 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.
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 Neolith Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- " Electrostatic Tweeter
- 15" Aluminium Woofer
- 23-22k Hz Frequency Response
- 90 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:20-1300watts
- Weight:175.00kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 74-3/4" x 30-1/4" x 34-1/4" ( 1899.0 x 769.0 x 870.0mm )
MartinLogan 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
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the MartinLogan Masterpiece Focus ESL C18 and MartinLogan Neolith 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 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
|
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 Neolith features a " Electrostatic panel Electrostatic Tweeter and 1 x 15" Aluminium Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 60, 250–400 Hz.
Frequency Response
MartinLogan 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 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 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 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
MartinLogan Masterpiece Focus ESL C18 features Binding post type posts and Neolith has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/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 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.
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 MartinLogan Masterpiece Focus ESL C18 requires 61% less surface area than the Neolith which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.