MartinLogan ElectroMotion ESL C 3-Way Hybrid Center Channel Matte Black

The mighty EM-ESL C is a high-performance electrostatic center channel loudspeaker. With the exceptional midrange dynamics of an electrostatic panel, the remarkable detail provided by a Folding Motion Tweeter, and the addition of a new DualForce CenterForce system, the most surprising thing about the EM-ESL C isn't its superior performance. It's that the EM-ESL C is compact enough to fit easily into today's most popular A/V cabinets. With the EM-ESL C electrostatic center channel speaker, you can match the acoustic signature of ElectroMotion Series speakers and create a truly stunning home theater system.

Expanding Center Channel Performance Dynamics

By adding a compact electrostatic panel to a center channel speaker, MartinLogan engineers have expanded the performance dynamics of the most important speaker in the home theater. The center channel speaker must be capable of reproducing the finest high-frequency detail. The midrange must be expansive; to reproduce every whisper of dialogue. Deep bass adds impact to onstage effects that anchor the action to the screen. The EM-ESL C accomplishes all this and more.

The EM-ESL C features a low-height CLS (Curvilinear Line) electrostatic panel wrapped around the front of the speaker. The panel's slight horizontal curvature enhances the output of its deceptively compact 114-square-inch radiating area, extending midrange dispersion patterns and blending the performance seamlessly with the ElectroMotion speakers onstage.

Just behind the electrostatic panel, in a specially designed enclosure, is MartinLogan's exclusive Folding Motion Tweeter. The Folding Motion Tweeter's low-mass diaphragm minimizes distortion, and its short excursion length tightens its high-frequency response at high velocity. The EM-ESL C's 1 x 1.4-inch Folding Motion tweeter has a total diaphragm area of 9.2 inches, giving it the ability to reproduce fine detail; one of the most important jobs of a center channel speaker.

The New CenterForce™ System

Designing a high-performance electrostatic channel speaker sized to fit in A/V cabinets was no easy task. Adding a dual woofer system seemed impossible! But MartinLogan's skilled audio engineers came up with an innovative solution, and they call it CenterForce.

Instead of taking up space by placing the woofers on each side of the electrostatic panel, they designed a central slot within the cabinet for the woofers. Now, dual woofers reside in a well-braced enclosure located behind the tweeter and electrostatic panel.

This new CenterForce solution allows the speaker to be more compact and encourages the woofers to produce a generous amount of deep, well-blended bass. The EM-ESL C's CenterForce system features two custom-designed 5.25-inch aluminum cone woofers. Rigid yet lightweight, this material reduces flexure, minimizing response times. Their efficient construction optimizes the suspension and magnetic flux field, further reducing potential sources of distortion. The EM-ESL C bases its performance on accurate, musical bass response.

This is a center channel speaker that offers full-range performance, combining an electrostatic panel with a Folding Motion Tweeter, supported by the CenterForce bass system. The compact EM-ESL C goes where you want it, and does what you need it to, for your high-performance ElectroMotion home theater system.

SPECIFICATIONS

Finish: Matte Black

Frequency Response: 66-23,000 Hz ± 3dB

Recommended Amplifier Power: 20-300 watts per channel

Horizontal Dispersion: 30°

Vertical Dispersion: 6-inch Line Source

Sensitivity: 89 dB / 2.83 volts/meter

Impedance: 4 Ohms Compatible with 4, 6 or 8 Ohm amplifiers

Crossover Frequency: 600, 3400 Hz

High Frequency Transducer: One 2.6x3.6 cm folded transducer with 13.3x4.4 cm diaphragm

Mid-frequency transducer: XStat™ CLS™ electrostatic transducer. Panel dimensions: 16.1x58.4 cm. Radiating Area: 940 cm²

Low Frequency Transducer: Two 13.3 cm high-excursion high-rigidity aluminum cones with extended throw driver assembly, non-resonant asymmetrical chamber format

Components: Custom-wound audio transformer, air-cored coils, low DCR steel-laminated coils, polyester capacitors

Inputs: Custom 5-way tool-less binding posts

Weight: 14.5 kg

Dimensions: 19.3 x 57.9 x 40.9 cm