MartinLogan Foundation B1 is a 2-way Passive Bass Reflex Bookshelf speaker by MartinLogan. It was released in 2023. It features a 1" Folded Motion Ribbon Tweeter and 1 x 5-1/2" Aluminum Woofer. The speaker has a frequency range of 48-23k Hz and a sensitivity of 89 dB. MartinLogan Foundation B1 has an MSRP of 599$ per pair but can often be found around 598$ per pair.
Room Size Suitability
The size of the room where you plan to use the MartinLogan Foundation B1 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 | Average |
| Small Room | Good |
| Mid-size Room | Average |
| Large Room | Poor |
| Very Large Room | Bad |
(* 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 Foundation B1 Lifestyle
MartinLogan's Foundation Series of Loudspeakers
Foundation B1 is a member of MartinLogan's Foundation series of Passive speakers. The Foundation range are MartinLogan's speakers built on Folded Motion tweeter technology. Below you can see the main specs of these speakers.
See all 5 MartinLogan Foundation models compared »
MartinLogan Foundation Series Speakers
MartinLogan Foundation Series Speakers
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Frequency Response of the MartinLogan Foundation B1 Speaker
MartinLogan Foundation B1 has a Frequency response range of 48-23k Hz at ±3dB and Power Range of up to 100 watts. With a minimum frequency of 48 Hz, Foundation B1 delivers moderate bass depth so depending on your use case, you might want to consider adding a subwoofer to your system.
Here we have a comparison of how Foundation B1's Low frequency value compares with the average, max and min Low frequency values in its class.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
MartinLogan Foundation B1
Thinking about a subwoofer for the MartinLogan Foundation B1?
Crossover frequency of the MartinLogan Foundation B1?
The crossover frequency of the Foundation B1 is set to 3400Hz. This is the threshold frequency where the higher frequency signals over this level are sent to the tweeter and the lower-frequency signals are sent to the woofer by the crossover component.
Impedance and Sensitivity
MartinLogan Foundation B1's nominal impedance level is
5 ohms and has a sensitivity of
89 dB.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf Speakers
MartinLogan Foundation B1
Nominal Impedance of the 5 Ohms makes the MartinLogan Foundation B1 a relatively difficult to drive speaker compared to more frequently found 8 ohms speakers from nominal Impedance perspective.
Sensitivity
89dB of the MartinLogan Foundation B1 is an average sensitivity for stereo speaker so it is neither easy nor difficult to drive Sensitivity wise. Work out how loud the MartinLogan Foundation B1 plays in your room →
Running more than one pair from a single amplifier? Check the load it would present →
What amplifier does the MartinLogan Foundation B1 need?
At normal listening levels in a medium room, about
15–100 W
per channel into 5 ohms.
Set your own conditions and we will rank every amplifier we cover.
Prefer to browse? Integrated amplifiers under $750, or every amplifier we cover.
Input Type
Foundation B1 features Binding post type connectors. Bi-amping and Bi-wiring are not possible.
Work out what gauge speaker cable this run needs →
MartinLogan Foundation B1 Back View
MartinLogan Foundation B1 External Dimensions and Weight
MartinLogan Foundation B1 has external dimensions of (Height x Width x Depth) 13-5/8inch x 7-1/4inch x 9-1/2inch (347.0 x 185.0 x 242.0mm ).
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 Foundation B1 is approximately 447.7cm2 / 69.4inch2.
To get a better perspective on the real life size of MartinLogan Foundation B1, let's compare it with a standard size Compact Disc which has a diameter of 4.7inch (120mm).
MartinLogan Foundation B1 Speaker Size Compared to a Compact Disc
Here we place the MartinLogan Foundation B1 virtually next to a standard width amplifier and turntable on a BDI Octave Media Cabinet to get a better idea about the size.
MartinLogan Foundation B1 Speaker next to an amplifier and turntable
Find speakers that fit your shelf or alcove → · Work out where they should sit in the room →
WeightThe MartinLogan Foundation B1 weighs 5.23kg / 11.5lbs per piece. Here is a comparison of how Foundation B1's weight compares with the average, max and min weights in its class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
MartinLogan Foundation B1
Weight
Bookshelf Speakers under $750
MartinLogan Foundation B1
MartinLogan Foundation B1 on a Stand
How does the MartinLogan Foundation B1 compare to the MartinLogan-Foundation-B2?
One of the natural alternative to the MartinLogan Foundation B1 is the Foundation B2 which is located one step higher in MartinLogan's Passive Bookshelf selection.
Here is a scaled size comparison of these two speakers to give you an idea how their external dimensions compare:
Comparison image of MartinLogan Foundation B1 and MartinLogan Foundation B2 Size and External Dimensions
Check the Detailed Comparison of MartinLogan Foundation B1 vs Foundation B2 for more details.
Cabinet type and Materials
MartinLogan Foundation B1 has a
Bass Reflex type cabinet. 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.
Port Position
MartinLogan Foundation B1 is a rear-firing port speaker so you have to make sure you leave enough space between the back of the speaker and wall or bookshelf so that it has room to breathe.
Available colors
MartinLogan Foundation B1 is available in Walnut, Black and Satin White.
MartinLogan Foundation B1 Colors
Wall Mounting
Foundation B1 doesn't sport any built-in mounting bracket, so you need an external structure to mount it on walls.
Speaker Stands
MartinLogan sells a dedicated speaker stand for the Foundation B1 with a model name
MartinLogan STAND25. You can check the latest price and availability of these stands at
B&H PHOTO and
Amazon.
MartinLogan STAND25 Speaker Stands for MartinLogan Foundation B1
Does the MartinLogan Foundation B1 come with a Grille?
Foundation B1 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.
MartinLogan Foundation B1 with Grille
Recommended Accessories
Here is a list of accessories that we think you may need for the MartinLogan Foundation B1.
- Speaker Cable and Connectors
- Vibration Isolators: IsoAcoustics isolators are our favorite isolators but you may find more affordable options too.
- Acoustic Panels and Treatments: Your room is as important as your stereo equipment so acoustic treatments goes a long way in improving the overall performance.
- Speaker Stands: Stands bring your bookshelf speakers to ideal height (rule of thumb is to have the tweeter level with your ear in your listening position), helps stability and acoustical isolation.
User's Manual
For more information about how to setup, use and maintain the MartinLogan Foundation B1, use the direct link below to download the official manual document:
Download User Manual for MartinLogan Foundation B1
Official Brochure
Here is a link to download the official brochure for the MartinLogan Foundation B1 speaker:
Official Brochure for MartinLogan Foundation B1
Official Product Page
Official manufacturer's product page for the MartinLogan Foundation B1 speaker can be found below:
Official Product Page for MartinLogan Foundation B1
Warranty
5 years of parts warranty and 5 years of labor warranty is generally provided by the manufacturer.