In this review, we will be comparing Motion XT F200 and ESL 9, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by MartinLogan Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan Motion XT F200 and MartinLogan ESL 9 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the MartinLogan Motion XT F200 and MartinLogan ESL 9 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 Motion XT F200 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.
**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking
through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Motion XT F200 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 Motion XT F200 |
MartinLogan ESL 9 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.25 x 2.4-inch
|
9.2 x 44-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6.5-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
3 x 8-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
Motion XT F200 features a 1.25 x 2.4" Folded Motion XT Tweeter , a 6.5" Midrange and 3 x 8" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 300Hz and 2600Hz. 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
Motion XT F200 has a frequency range of 27-25k Hz whereas ESL 9 has a frequency range of 34-23k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 27Hz, the Motion XT F200 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the ESL 9's min frequency of 34Hz.
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
MartinLogan Motion XT F200
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 XT F200 and ESL 9 have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Motion XT F200 sensitivity is rated at 92 dB and the ESL 9's is at 90 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the MartinLogan Motion XT F200 a more sensitive speaker compared to MartinLogan ESL 9, 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 Motion XT F200 and the Motion XT F200 can provide this impedance level.
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 XT F200 can handle a max power of 600 watts RMS from the amp the whereas ESL 9 has a max power handling value of 400 watts RMS, 200 watts less than the Motion XT F200.
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 XT F200 and ESL 9 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
MartinLogan Motion XT F200's Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts terminals allows Bi-amping or 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 Motion XT F200's and MartinLogan ESL 9's external dimensions. MartinLogan Motion XT F200 has external dimensions of 1289 x 349 x 419mm ( 50-3/4inch x 13-3/4inch x 16-1/2inch ) 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 Motion XT F200 is 231mm shorter and 228mm less deeper than MartinLogan ESL 9 but it is also 83mm 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 Motion XT F200 is approximately 1462.3cm2 / 226.7inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan ESL 9 is approximately 1721.0cm2 / 266.8inch2. The Motion XT F200 requires 15% less surface area than the ESL 9 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 Motion XT F200 weighs 39.00kg / 85.8lbs and the MartinLogan ESL 9 weighs 35.45kg / 78lbs. This makes the Motion XT F200 10% heavier than the ESL 9.
Here is a comparison of how Motion XT F200 and ESL 9's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
MartinLogan Motion XT F200
What's in the Box of MartinLogan ESL 9?
Here are the items that come with the ESL 9:
Floorstanding hybrid electrostatic loudspeakerAC power adapter (w/ attached 10-feet DC cord)Grille4 Spike FeetUsers ManualProduct Registration Card
 Max Input Power |
600 watts
vs
400 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
92 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
| Low Frequency Response |
27 Hz
vs
34 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
25k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
1289mm
vs
1520mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1462cm2 (349x419mm)
vs
1721cm2 (266x647mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
5498USD
vs
7000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
MartinLogan Motion® XT F200 |
MartinLogan Masterpiece Classic ESL 9 |
| Brand |
MartinLogan |
MartinLogan |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
20-600 watts |
20-400 watts |
| Sensitivity |
92 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
27-25k Hz |
34-23k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
3 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminum |
high-excursion paper cone |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.25 x 2.4" |
9.2 x 44" |
| Tweeter Type |
Folded Motion XT |
curved electrostatic transducer |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6.5" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
300Hz and 2600Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
n/a |
| Suggested Break-in Period |
Allow 72 hours of break-in |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1289.0mm (50.7") |
1520.0mm (59.8") |
| Width |
349.0mm (13.7") |
266.0mm (10.5") |
| Depth |
419.0mm (16.5") |
647.0mm (25.5") |
| Weight |
39.00kg (85.8lbs) |
35.45kg (78lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood veneer |
Composite |
| Available Colors |
Gloss Black, Walnut, and Satin White |
Gloss Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years w/ Registration |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years w/ Registration |