In this review, we will be comparing Neolith and Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by MartinLogan.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan Neolith and MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | MartinLogan Neolith | MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A |
|---|
| Brand | MartinLogan
United States · founded 1982 | MartinLogan
United States · founded 1982 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | Electrostatic | 11 x 44" E-ST |
|---|
| Woofer | 15" Aluminium | 2 x 8" |
|---|
| Frequency response | 23-22k Hz | 29-23k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 91 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-1300 watts | — |
|---|
| Weight | 175.00kg / 385lbs | 40.82kg / 89.8lbs |
|---|
| 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 | 60-3/4" x 11-15/16" x 27-7/16"
1543.1 x 303.2 x 696.9mm |
|---|
Neolith and Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A 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
Both Neolith and Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A are 2-way speakers.
MartinLogan NeolithMartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A
Woofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
MartinLogan Neolith |
MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
11 x 44-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 15-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
Neolith features a " Electrostatic panel Electrostatic Tweeter and 1 x 15" Aluminium Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 60, 250–400 Hz. On the other hand, the Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A features a 11 x 44" E-ST Tweeter and 2 x 8" Woofer.
Frequency Response
Neolith has a frequency range of 23-22k Hz whereas Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A has a frequency range of 29-23k 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.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A
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
Neolith and Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Neolith sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A's is at 91 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 Neolith and the Neolith can provide this impedance level.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A
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 Impression ESL 11A
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Neolith features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A 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 Neolith's and MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A's external dimensions. 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) whereas MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A has external dimensions of 1543.1 x 303.2 x 696.9mm ().
MartinLogan Neolith is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 465.8mm wider, 355.9mm taller and 173.1mm deeper than MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A.
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 217% more floor or shelf area. MartinLogan Neolith is 173mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. MartinLogan Neolith is 356mm 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 Neolith is approximately 6690.3cm2 / 1,037.0inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A is approximately 2113.0cm2 / 327.5inch2. The Neolith requires 217% more surface area than the Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A which gives it a small disadvantage 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 Neolith weighs 175.00kg / 385lbs and the MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A weighs 40.82kg / 89.8lbs. This makes the Neolith 329% heavier than the Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A.
Here is a comparison of how Neolith and Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A
 Woofer Size |
15 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
23 Hz
vs
29 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
|
Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
 High Frequency Response |
23k Hz
vs
22k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
1543mm
vs
1899mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
2113cm2
vs
6690cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
MartinLogan Neolith |
MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A |
| Brand |
MartinLogan |
MartinLogan |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
91 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
23-22k Hz |
29-23k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
15" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminium |
|
| Tweeter Size |
- |
11 x 44" |
| Tweeter Type |
Electrostatic |
E-ST |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
60, 250–400 Hz |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1899.0mm (74.8") |
1543.1mm (60.8") |
| Width |
769.0mm (30.3") |
303.2mm (11.9") |
| Depth |
870.0mm (34.3") |
696.9mm (27.4") |
| Weight |
175.00kg (385lbs) |
40.82kg (89.8lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Dipole |
|
| Finish |
n/a |
Composite |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Gloss Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
n/a |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |
Siblings in MartinLogan's Masterpiece series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | MartinLogan Neolith digs deeper - 23Hz against 29Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (90dB vs 91dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Size | depends | MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A is easier to place; MartinLogan Neolith is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Cabinet | depends | Dipole vs Sealed. Sealed is tighter and happier near a wall; ported digs lower but wants space behind it. |
| Expandability | A | MartinLogan Neolith: bi-amping. |
A MartinLogan Neolith B MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
MartinLogan Neolith has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 29Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. In a large or open-plan room, MartinLogan Neolith has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A is the easier speaker to get right.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.