How hearing the Martin Logan ElectroMotion ESL X made me fall in love with
and the surpreme detail and clarity in electrostatic speakers

Date:
Thu, 20 Aug 2026 19:00:00 +0000

Description:
One of this year's Audio Advice Live's biggest surprises is the Martin Logan ElectroMotion ESL X speakers, and their detailed sound at a somewhat reasonable price.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter One of the nicest things about checking out the best speakers at a big trade show, (in this case, Audio Advice Live in Raleigh, North Carolina) is that sometimes you have family nearby. So, when I was doing my second round of some of the vendors that really stood out to me, I was able to bring my cousin along and if youre within driving distance next year, $30 will get you in the door.

On that short list was one of the three Martin Logan rooms equipped with a pair of the Martin Logan ElectroMotion ESL X. These speakers, the flagship model of the companys entry-level electrostatic line called the ElectroMotion Series, greeted us from the far corners of the room backed just by a big,
wide window and some drapes. Not much for sound dampening. Following my cousins request, Bon Ivers Holocene would be the focus of this listening session. The experience Im not quite sure what I was expecting, but what I heard surprised me. The level of detail was unparalleled. If you want to sit there and listen to the pristine decay of a cymbal hit, you do it on these speakers. When listening to Holocene , Bon Ivers voice has this delicate nature thats not all that noticeable on lesser speakers. And the guitar sparkles similarly. Latest Videos From TechRadar Watch full video here:

Since electrostatic speakers reproduce audio in a different way, the low end had this tight but balanced presentation that made the whole song come across as clearer with better resolution than I had ever heard before.

Plus, it felt more open I could hear the extra dynamic impact of the snare roll on the right side of the song (a more traditional kit plays on the
left), pulling forward and back as it varied in volume. Put on a pair of (non-electrostatic) headphones and youll probably hear what I typically hear a fairly even drum roll throughout the song. You may like I heard JBL's awesome new Summit Everest speakers, and they nearly blasted me out of my
seat 4 of the most detailed and sonically stellar elite hi-fi speakers I
heard Audio at Audio Advice Live Bowers & Wilkins just blew me away with its new 801 D5 speakers heres what I made of the model after attending a demo at High End Vienna

I had already gotten a chance earlier to listen to some jazz, of course a
song with female vocals, and an EDM track or two. And this second go-around just confirmed how I felt the first time around. Essentially, detail for
days, an openness, and a balanced presentation with tight low-end.

Of course, I was less gobsmacked than my cousin who heard things he had never heard before, such as a particular bassline that comes in as the song builds. And this was the song he picked and that he knew well. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. The Martin Logan ElectroMotion
ESL X comes through detailed and clear despite the less-than-stellar room settings. (Image credit: Future / James Holland) The design Since the Martin Logan ElectroMotion ESL X speakers use a 40-inch tall, 8.6-inch wide electrostatic transducer, they do something interesting. Each enclosure disperses audio in a unique pattern, going out at panel height with a 30-degree curvature so that most of what youre hearing is directly from the speaker. The audio is not reflecting off the ceiling or floor, limiting the amount of reflections coming to your ear.

The electrostatic transducer also has very little movement, as its basically
a metal membrane with electricity moving through it, so theres very little speaker cone distortion. It also has the same level of detail regardless of volume. Weve all heard speakers where the high-end starts to roll off as you turn the volume low. Well, thats not the case here.

But, its only semi-correct to call the Martin Logan ElectroMotion ESL X an electrostatic speaker. Its actually a hybrid, with the electrostatic transducer covering a range of 400 to 22,000Hz. At 400 Hz, it crosses over to dual eight-inch passive drivers housed below the transducer in the speaker cabinet. Theres one in front and one in back. And the cabinet is ported.
These drivers go from 400Hz down to 41Hz, a telling cutoff for why the bass sounds so controlled. At the end of the day When I went to Audio Advice
Alive, I heard speaker after speaker that just blew me away. It wasnt all of them, but it was quite a few. But as great as many of them were, most of them are ones that I would never consider buying. For the best of them, its mostly a matter of cost (and a little bit space too). I dont expect to have $65,000 sitting around any time soon for a pair of Bowers & Wilkins 801 D5s, and
thats without including the rest of the signal chain.

The Martin Logan ElectroMotion ESL X is on a very short list of speakers that not only sounded special but I could potentially justify buying. Spending $4,499.98 / 5,500.00 / AU$8,499.00 on a pair of speakers before including an amp, streamer, and cables is still no small chunk of change. But it is within reach. Did you know TechRadar now has membership? (Image credit: Future) Become a TechRadar Insider by simply clicking 'Join Now' at the top of this page. Have a question? Please email membership@techradar.com Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. The best stereo speakers all budgets Our top buys, based on real-world testing and comparisons

Read our full guide to the best stereo speakers 1. Best overall: Q Acoustics M40 HD 2. Best compact: Dali Rubikore 2 3. Best desktop speakers Creative Pebble Nova 4. Best budget buy: Q Acoustics M20 HD



======================================================================
Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/audio/speakers/how-hearing-the-martin-logan-electrom otion-esl-x-made-me-fall-in-love-with-and-the-surpreme-detail-and-clarity-in-e lectrostatic-speakers


--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A49 (Linux/64)
* Origin: tqwNet Technology News (1337:1/100)