In this review, we will be comparing Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A and Neolith, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by MartinLogan
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A and MartinLogan Neolith first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 11 x 44" E-ST Tweeter
- 2 x 8" Woofer
- 29-23k Hz Frequency Response
- 91 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Weight:kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 60-3/4" x 11-15/16" x 27-7/16"
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 )
Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A 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 Impression ESL 11A 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
Both Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A and Neolith are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A |
MartinLogan Neolith |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
11 x 44-inch
|
-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8-inch
|
1 x 15-inch
|
Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A features a 11 x 44" E-ST Tweeter and 2 x 8" 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 Impression ESL 11A has a frequency range of 29-23k 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 Impression ESL 11A's min frequency of 29Hz.
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
Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A
High Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A
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
Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A and Neolith have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the Neolith's is at 90 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A a more sensitive speaker compared to MartinLogan Neolith, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
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 Impression ESL 11A and the Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A can provide this impedance level.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A 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 Impression ESL 11A's and MartinLogan Neolith's external dimensions. MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A has external dimensions of ( ) 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 Neolith is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 769mm wider, 1899mm taller and 870mm deeper than MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A.