MartinLogan Foundation C1 is a 2-way Passive Bass Reflex Center Channel speaker by MartinLogan. Center channel speaker is an important component of a home theater system set-up as it delivers the listener significant part of the on-screen dialogue from your television. It features a 1" Folded Motion Ribbon Tweeter and 2 x 5-1/2" Aluminum Woofer. The speaker has a frequency range of 53-23k Hz and a sensitivity of 91 dB. MartinLogan Foundation C1 has an MSRP of 499$.
Room Size Suitability
The size of the room where you plan to use the MartinLogan Foundation C1 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 | Poor |
| Small Room | Average |
| Mid-size Room | Good |
| Large Room | Average |
| Very Large Room | Poor |
(* 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 C1 Lifestyle
MartinLogan's Foundation Series of Loudspeakers
MartinLogan Foundation C1 is a member of MartinLogan's Foundation series of Passive speakers. Below you can see the main specs of these speakers.
MartinLogan Foundation Series Speakers
MartinLogan Foundation Series Speakers
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Frequency Response of the MartinLogan Foundation C1 Speaker
MartinLogan Foundation C1 has a Frequency response range of 53-23k Hz at ±3dB and Power Range of up to 150 watts.
Here we have a comparison of how MartinLogan Foundation C1's Low and High frequency values compare with the average, max and min Low and High frequency values in its class.
Low Frequency
Center Channel Speakers
MartinLogan Foundation C1
High Frequency
Center Channel Speakers
MartinLogan Foundation C1
Crossover frequency of the MartinLogan Foundation C1?
The Crossover frequency of the MartinLogan Foundation C1 is set to 2900 Hz - 3200 Hz. 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 C1's nominal impedance level is
4 ohms and has a sensitivity of
91 dB.
Sensitivity
Center Channel Speakers
MartinLogan Foundation C1
Nominal Impedance of the 4 Ohms means that the MartinLogan Foundation C1 is a difficult to drive speaker from nominal Impedance perspective, make sure that you choose an amplifier than can provide 4 Ohms for this speaker.
Many AVRs (audio/video receiver) in the market may have difficulty when the speakers dip below the 4 Ohms levels (this may cause clipping or even physical damage), so we recommend to not pair the MartinLogan Foundation C1 with an AVR but use an Integrated Amplifier instead.
Sensitivity
91dB of the MartinLogan Foundation C1 is considered a high sensitivity compared to average stereo speaker which makes MartinLogan Foundation C1 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 Foundation C1 will be a good choice.
Check the amplifiers that are in a similar price range to the MartinLogan Foundation C1:
Input Type
MartinLogan Foundation C1 features Binding post type connectors. Bi-amping and Bi-wiring are not possible.
MartinLogan Foundation C1 Back View
MartinLogan Foundation C1 External Dimensions and Weight
MartinLogan Foundation C1 has external dimensions of (Height x Width x Depth) 7-5/8inch x 20inch x 10inch (194.0 x 508.0 x 254.0mm ).
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 C1 is approximately 1290.3cm2 / 200.0inch2.
To get a better perspective on the real life size of MartinLogan Foundation C1, let's compare it with a standard size Compact Disc which has a diameter of 4.7inch (120mm).
MartinLogan Foundation C1 Speaker Size Compared to a Compact Disc
WeightThe MartinLogan Foundation C1 weighs 8.18kg / 18lbs per piece. Here is a comparison of how MartinLogan Foundation C1's weight compares with the average, max and min weights in its class.
Weight
All Center Channel Speakers
MartinLogan Foundation C1
Weight
Center Channel Speakers under $500
MartinLogan Foundation C1
Cabinet type and Materials
MartinLogan Foundation C1 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.
MartinLogan Foundation C1 - Side View
Port Position
MartinLogan Foundation C1 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 C1 is available in Walnut, Black and Satin White.
MartinLogan Foundation C1 Colors
Does the MartinLogan Foundation C1 come with a Grille?
MartinLogan Foundation C1 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 C1 with Grille
Recommended Accessories
Here is a list of accessories that we think you may need for the MartinLogan Foundation C1.
User's Manual
For more information about how to setup, use and maintain the MartinLogan Foundation C1, use the direct link below to download the official manual document:
Download User Manual for MartinLogan Foundation C1
Official Brochure
Here is a link to download the official brochure for the MartinLogan Foundation C1 speaker:
Official Brochure for MartinLogan Foundation C1
Official Product Page
Official manufacturer's product page for the MartinLogan Foundation C1 speaker can be found below:
Official Product Page for MartinLogan Foundation C1
Warranty
5 years of parts warranty and 5 years of labor warranty is generally provided by the manufacturer.