MartinLogan Masterpiece Classic ESL 9 is a 2-way Passive Bass Reflex Floor-standing speaker by MartinLogan. It features a 9.2 x 44" curved electrostatic transducer Tweeter and 2 x 8" high-excursion paper cone Woofer. The speaker has a frequency range of 34-23k Hz and a sensitivity of 90 dB. MartinLogan ESL 9 has an MSRP of 7000$ per pair.
Room Size Suitability
The size of the room where you plan to use the MartinLogan ESL 9 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 | Are you nuts? |
| Small Room | Poor |
| Mid-size Room | Average |
| Large Room | Good |
| Very Large Room | Good |
(* 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.)
**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.
Frequency Response of the MartinLogan ESL 9 Speaker
MartinLogan ESL 9 has a Frequency response range of 34-23k Hz at ±3dB and Power Range of 20-400 watts. With a minimum frequency of 34 Hz, ESL 9 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.
Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available subwoofer options.
Here we have a comparison of how ESL 9's Low and High frequency values compare with the average, max and min Low and High frequency values in its class.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Among the speakers in our database with a max MSRP price of 10000$ (Pair), these are the 5 Passive Floor-standing speakers that have the deeper bass levels than the MartinLogan ESL 9's 34Hz:
Impedance and Sensitivity
MartinLogan ESL 9's nominal impedance level is
4 ohms and has a sensitivity of
90 dB.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
Nominal Impedance of the 4 Ohms means that the MartinLogan Masterpiece Classic ESL 9 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 Masterpiece Classic ESL 9 with an AVR but use an Integrated Amplifier instead.
Sensitivity
90dB of the MartinLogan Masterpiece Classic ESL 9 is an average sensitivity for stereo speaker so it is neither easy nor difficult to drive Sensitivity wise.
Check the amplifiers that are in a similar price range to the MartinLogan ESL 9:
Input Type
ESL 9 has Binding post type connectors and lets bi-amping/bi-wiring. Bi-wiring can enhance the overall transparency of your loudspeakers by using separate speaker wires for the low and high-frequency drivers from a single amplifier. Bi-amping, on the other hand, involves using separate amplifiers for the high and low-frequency drivers, potentially resulting in a greater dynamic range and reduced distortion.
MartinLogan ESL 9 Back View
MartinLogan ESL 9 External Dimensions and Weight
MartinLogan ESL 9 has external dimensions of (Height x Width x Depth) 59-13/16 x 10-7/16 x 25-7/16inch (1520.0 x 266.0 x 647.0mm ).
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 9 is approximately 1721.0cm2 / 266.8inch2.
WeightThe MartinLogan ESL 9 weighs 35.45kg / 78lbs per piece. Here is a comparison of how ESL 9's weight compares with the average, max and min weights in its class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
Weight
Floor-standing Speakers under $10000
Cabinet type and Materials
MartinLogan ESL 9 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 9 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 9 is available in Gloss Black.
Does the MartinLogan ESL 9 come with a Grille?
ESL 9 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 9?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of ESL 9:
Floorstanding hybrid electrostatic loudspeakerAC power adapter (w/ attached 10-feet DC cord)Grille4 Spike FeetUsers ManualProduct Registration Card
Recommended Accessories
Here is a list of accessories that we think you may need for the MartinLogan Masterpiece Classic ESL 9.
User's Manual
For more information about how to setup, use and maintain the MartinLogan Masterpiece Classic ESL 9, use the direct link below to download the official manual document:
Download User Manual for MartinLogan ESL 9
Official Brochure
Here is a link to download the official brochure for the MartinLogan Masterpiece Classic ESL 9 speaker:
Official Brochure for MartinLogan ESL 9
Official Product Page
Official manufacturer's product page for the MartinLogan Masterpiece Classic ESL 9 speaker can be found below:
Official Product Page for MartinLogan ESL 9
Warranty
5 Years w/ Registration of parts warranty and 5 Years w/ Registration of labor warranty is generally provided by the manufacturer.
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