What's Included
- Power cord
- Energy transfer coupler spikes
- Owner's manual
- MartinLogan ElectroMotion ESL 8" Floor Speaker (1 speaker)
Ratings & Reviews
Features
Handles 200W peak power
For robust and controlled audio that is crisp and clear.
8" high-excursion, high-rigidity, doped fiber and paper woofer cone
Features an extended throw driver assembly and asymmetrical chamber format to deliver amazing lows.
34" Xstat Curvilinear Line Source (CLS) electrostatic transducer
With 292 sq. in. radiating surface for brilliant audio. Controlled dispersion sound radiation minimizes side-wall reflections.
AirFrame technology
Rigidifies the electrostatic panel without interfering sound radiation and provides electrical and acoustical isolation to eliminate intermodulated distortion caused by vibration and resonance.
Vojtko topology crossover
Uses a custom air core coil and low DCR steel laminate inductors, polyester film capacitors in series and low DF electrolytic capacitors in parallel.
Energy transfer coupler spikes
Can be used to fine-tune vertical wave launch, improve stability on thick carpets and create tight coupling between the speaker and floor for detailed bass.
Push-style speaker terminals
With curved inserts for an easy connection. Rubber end caps allow for the use of banana plugs instead of bare wire.
42Hz - 22kHz frequency response
For faithful sound reproduction.
91dB sensitivity
For powerful sound.
6 ohms impedance
Conducts power through the speakers.
When it came time for me pull the trigger on a new theater setup, I choose the MartinLogan EM-ESL towers easily. After auditioning a parade of speakers from Def Tech, Sonas Faber, Bowers and Wilkins and Energy, nothing could match the tonal highs and imaging of the EM-ESL's. Clarity, especially vocals, are unreal. Movement, response, tonal imaging and pure rendering are everything I would want in an exceptional loudspeaker. The built-in woofers do a good job enhancing low frequency response, but these speakers are a tad bass shy. A good subwoofer (I went with two Dynamo 700s) will greatly enhance the listening experience. I was worried these speakers would lend themselves to music more than my 7.2 surround sound theater system, but I was sorely wrong. When matched with their complementing set (EM-C2 center channel and FX2 surrounds (I also went with a pair of FX2 surrounds for front highs) the movement and clarity is unmatched. As always, there is no perfect product, let alone speaker. The soundstage could be better, so the listening area is relatively small. If you don't sit dead center on the aligned towers, you will clearly miss audio from one tower and the other tower closer to you will overpower you. Imaging will be become quite distinct and directional. For a theater, this is a drawback because not every seat is going to be dead center. Additionally, your room must be able to accommodate some demanding setup, these speakers are quite fickle about placement. They need to be about 2ft minimum off the wall and as far away from a side wall as possible. They still make great use of whatever space you put them in, but they will sound 10x better once setup correctly. I also LOVE these speakers come with nice black nylon mesh covers embossed with the MartinLogan logo. While they aren't super durable, they will provide exceptional dust protection and is a nice feature. The fact I love these speakers as much as I do, despite their setup and placement compromises, shows just how truly exceptional they are. Pull the trigger, you won't be disappointed.
I would recommend this to a friend