In this review, we will be comparing Motion 60XTi and ESL X, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by MartinLogan Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan 60XTi and MartinLogan ESL X first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the MartinLogan 60XTi and MartinLogan ESL X speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size and max power parameters:
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the MartinLogan 60XTi and MartinLogan ESL X 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 Motion 60XTi is a 3-way design whereas the ESL X 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 60XTi |
MartinLogan ESL X |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.25 x 2.4-inch
|
8.6 x 40-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6.5-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
Motion 60XTi features a 1.25 x 2.4" Folded Motion XT Tweeter , a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 8" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 400Hz and 2200Hz. On the other hand, the ESL X features a 8.6 x 40" curved electrostatic transducer Tweeter and 2 x 8" high-excursion paper cone Woofer .
Frequency Response
Motion 60XTi has a frequency range of 35-25k Hz whereas ESL X has a frequency range of 41-22k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 35Hz, the Motion 60XTi can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the ESL X's min frequency of 41Hz.
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
High Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
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
Motion 60XTi is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the ESL X which has a nominal impedance of 6 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 Motion 60XTi can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Motion 60XTi sensitivity is rated at 94 dB and the ESL X's is rated at 91 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the MartinLogan 60XTi a more sensitive speaker compared to MartinLogan ESL X, 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. While using an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
Motion 60XTi and ESL X has the same power range of 20-400 watts.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both Motion 60XTi and ESL X features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
MartinLogan 60XTi's Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts 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 60XTi's and MartinLogan ESL X's external dimensions. MartinLogan 60XTi has external dimensions of 1174.0 x 231.0 x 396.0mm ( 46-3/16 x 9-1/16 x 15-9/16inch) whereas MartinLogan ESL X has external dimensions of 1505.0 x 240.0 x 528.0mm ( 59-1/4 x 9-7/16 x 20-3/4inch) .
MartinLogan ESL X is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 9mm wider, 331mm taller and 132mm deeper than MartinLogan 60XTi.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of MartinLogan 60XTi and MartinLogan ESL X in scale.
Comparison image of MartinLogan 60XTi and MartinLogan ESL X 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 60XTi is approximately 914.8cm2 / 141.8inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan ESL X is approximately 1267.2cm2 / 196.4inch2. The Motion 60XTi requires 28% less surface area than the ESL X which gives it a small advantage 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 60XTi weighs 30.00kg / 66lbs and the MartinLogan ESL X weighs 23.64kg / 52lbs. This makes the Motion 60XTi 27% heavier than the ESL X.
Here is a comparison of how Motion 60XTi and ESL X'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 60XTi?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Motion 60XTi:
Floorstanding loudspeaker2 Grilles4 Rubber feet (pre-installed)4 Spike feet (w/ nuts attached)2 Feet stabizers4 BoltsHex-keyUsers ManualWarranty/Registration Information
What's in the Box of MartinLogan ESL X?
Here are the items that come with the ESL X:
Floor-standing hybrid electrostatic loudspeakerAC power adapter (w/ attached 10-feet DC cord)Cloth grille (installed)4 Pre-installed feetUsers Manual (En/Fr)Product Registration Card
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
94 dB
vs
91 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Low Frequency Response |
35 Hz
vs
41 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
25k Hz
vs
22k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
1174mm
vs
1505mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
914cm2 (231x396mm)
vs
1267cm2 (240x528mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Nominal Impedance |
6 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
| General |
MartinLogan Motion 60XTi |
MartinLogan ElectroMotion ESL X |
| Brand |
MartinLogan |
MartinLogan |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
20-400 watts |
20-400 watts |
| Sensitivity |
94 dB |
91 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
35-25k Hz |
41-22k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminum |
high-excursion paper cone |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.25 x 2.4" |
8.6 x 40" |
| Tweeter Type |
Folded Motion XT |
curved electrostatic transducer |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6.5" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
400Hz and 2200Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
n/a |
| Suggested Break-in Period |
Allow 72 hours of break-in at 90 dB |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1174.0mm (46.2") |
1505.0mm (59.3") |
| Width |
231.0mm (9.1") |
240.0mm (9.4") |
| Depth |
396.0mm (15.6") |
528.0mm (20.8") |
| Weight |
30.00kg (66lbs) |
23.64kg (52lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Lacquer |
Composite |
| Available Colors |
Gloss Black, Matt White, Red Walnut |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Yrs w/ Registration |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Yrs w/ Registration |