What Are Electrostats?

What is a MartinLogan electrostatic (ESL) speaker?

MartinLogan electrostatic speaker

It is a special breed of speaker offering extraordinary, compellingly realistic audio reproduction. The magical sound of MartinLogan electrostats results from a uniquely fast, super light-weight diaphragm capable of instantaneous movement that creates sound with unflinching accuracy.

Additionally, a single electrostatic driver is capable of reproducing the entire frequency range where human hearing is most sensitive to the delicacy and richness of sound. This unique technology assures that what you hear is faithful to the original recording by eliminating the need for complex crossovers and multiple driver arrays (which cause distortion).

Listen to any MartinLogan electrostatic speaker and the difference will be immediately apparent.

How does a MartinLogan electrostatic (ESL) speaker work?

Electrostatic speakers have three basic parts: the stators on the front and back (the black screens), a super-thin visually transparent electrostatic diaphragm, and spacing spars that suspend the diaphragm in the middle. Your amplifier's signal is applied to the stators to create an electrostatic field that moves the diaphragm and excites the air, creating the legendary MartinLogan sound that has captivated listeners for over 25 years.

Why do MartinLogan speakers also have woofers?

Small electrostatic speakers cannot reproduce deep bass (below 500Hz) as effectively as a cone woofer. MartinLogan's solution is a hybrid design that provides the best of both worlds—a high quality cone woofer to reproduce low bass and a single electrostatic driver to reproduce sound in the frequencies where human hearing is most sensitive to nuance.

Uncompromising performance. Unflinching accuracy. Unwavering reliability. Harnessing the myriad technical advantages of electrostatic principles to recreate sound in its truest form—this is what MartinLogan is all about.