MartinLogan ElectroMotion ESL is a 2-way Passive Bass Reflex Floor-standing speaker by MartinLogan. It was released in 2011. It features a 8.6x34" curved electrostatic transducer Tweeter and 1 x 8" high-excursion paper cone Woofer. The speaker has a frequency range of 42-22k Hz and a sensitivity of 91 dB.
Room Size Suitability
The size of the room where you plan to use the MartinLogan ESL is a crucial factor in your decision. We have assessed its suitability for various room sizes based on its dimensions and maximum power output:
| Listening Environment* |
Suitability |
| Near-field | Bad |
| Small Room | Poor |
| Mid-size Room | Average |
| Large Room | Good |
| Very Large Room | Average |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2, Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: > 400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening position, speaker locations, etc.)
MartinLogan's ElectroMotion Series of Loudspeakers
ESL is a member of MartinLogan's ElectroMotion series of Passive speakers. The ElectroMotion range are MartinLogan's most affordable electrostatic hybrid speakers. Below you can see the main specs of these speakers.
See all 5 MartinLogan ElectroMotion models compared »
MartinLogan ElectroMotion Series Speakers
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Frequency Response of the MartinLogan ESL Speaker
MartinLogan ESL has a Frequency response range of 42-22k Hz and Power Range of 20-300 watts. With a minimum frequency of 42 Hz, ESL delivers deep bass that will likely satisfy most listeners, especially those who enjoy music. However, movie enthusiasts and music fans who prefer a full range of sound may still benefit from adding a subwoofer.
Here we have a comparison of how ESL's Low frequency value compares with the average, max and min Low frequency values in its class.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Thinking about a subwoofer for the MartinLogan ESL?
Impedance and Sensitivity
MartinLogan ESL's nominal impedance level is
6 ohms and has a sensitivity of
91 dB.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
Nominal Impedance of the 6 Ohms makes the MartinLogan ElectroMotion ESL a relatively difficult to drive speaker compared to more frequently found 8 ohms speakers from nominal Impedance perspective.
Sensitivity
91dB of the MartinLogan ElectroMotion ESL is considered a high sensitivity compared to average stereo speaker which makes ESL an easy to drive from Sensitivity perspective. If you are planning to power your speaker with a Tube amp which are generally very low power, the MartinLogan ESL will be a good choice. Work out how loud the MartinLogan ESL plays in your room →
Running more than one pair from a single amplifier? Check the load it would present →
What amplifier does the MartinLogan ESL need?
At normal listening levels in a medium room, about
8.0–125 W
per channel into 6 ohms.
Set your own conditions and we will rank every amplifier we cover.
Prefer to browse? Integrated amplifiers under $1,500, or every amplifier we cover.
Input Type
ESL features Spring post type connectors. Bi-amping and Bi-wiring are not possible.
Work out what gauge speaker cable this run needs →
MartinLogan ESL External Dimensions and Weight
MartinLogan ESL has external dimensions of (Height x Width x Depth) 53-1/8 x 9-5/16 x 16-1/2inch (1350.0 x 237.0 x 420.0mm ).
Base Surface Area
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base area of MartinLogan ESL is approximately 995.4cm2 / 154.3inch2.
To get a better perspective on the real life size of MartinLogan ESL, let's compare it with a standard size Compact Disc which has a diameter of 4.7inch (120mm).
MartinLogan ESL Speaker Size Compared to a Compact Disc
Here we place the MartinLogan ESL virtually next to a standard width amplifier and turntable on a media center to get a better idea about the size.
MartinLogan ESL Floor-standing Speaker next to a Media Stand
Find speakers that fit your shelf or alcove → · Work out where they should sit in the room →
WeightThe MartinLogan ESL weighs 16.14kg / 35.5lbs per piece. Here is a comparison of how ESL's weight compares with the average, max and min weights in its class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
Cabinet type and Materials
MartinLogan ESL has a
Bass Reflex type cabinet and a Composite finish. Bass Reflex type loudspeakers (aka Ported, Vented or Reflex Port) have enclosures that uses a port, hole or vent cut into the cabinet. Ported designs are generally more efficient than the Sealed designs.
Speaker Feet
MartinLogan ESL comes with 4 Pre-installed feet which you can use to secure your loudspeaker on the surface that you are putting on.
It is always recommended to use some kind of feet under all types of speakers. Besides limiting the movement of the speakers, it also compensates for non-flat surfaces and limits the contact surface area of the speaker. Rubber based feet also help isolating the vibrations within certain frequency ranges.
Available colors
MartinLogan ESL is available in Black.
Does the MartinLogan ESL come with a Grille?
ESL comes with grilles. The purpose of the grille is to protect the delicate driver elements from external impacts while still allowing the sound to pass as clearly as possible.
What's in the Box of MartinLogan ESL?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of ESL:
- Floor-standing hybrid electrostatic loudspeaker
- AC power adapter (w/ attached 10-feet DC cord)
- Cloth grille (installed)
- 4 Pre-installed feet
- Users Manual (En/Fr)
- Product Registration Card
Recommended Accessories
Here is a list of accessories that we think you may need for the MartinLogan ElectroMotion ESL.
Warranty
5 Yrs w/ Registration of parts warranty and 5 Yrs w/ Registration of labor warranty is generally provided by the manufacturer.
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