MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A

A masterpiece speaker from MartinLogan

MartinLogan has always been at the forefront of electrostatic speaker technology, and they continually work to refine the exquisite sound of their signature speaker lines. The Impression ESL 11A towers from the company’s Masterpiece Series represent another step forward, with nuanced upgrades to the design, and a newly added compatibility with industry-leading room correction software. Long story short, these speakers are an improvement on an audiophile classic.

Efficient, elegant electrostatic panel design

If you’re used to traditional woofers and tweeters, welcome to something different, and very cool. Instead of domes and cones, this speaker uses an electrostatic panel to reproduce treble and midrange. It’s an ultra-thin diaphragm that’s suspended between two electrically charged perforated steel plates. The diaphragm’s light weight allows it to move back and forth between the plates thousands of times a second, creating incredibly detailed, lifelike sound.

The ESL 11A’s curved panel is a perfect blend of high-end form and function. Efficient MicroPerf technology exposes more of the electrostatic diaphragm surface, allowing the speaker to create a wide soundstage from a relatively narrow panel. Ultra-rigid AirFrame Blade construction — precision manufactured from an aerospace-grade extruded aluminum alloy — reduces vibrations and enhances imaging, sonic detail, and accuracy.

Refined powered woofer array

Previous speakers in the ESL line have offered powerful bass, but MartinLogan made some important tweaks to the Impression ESL 11A. The speaker’s cabinet houses two 8″ high-excursion aluminum cone woofers in an opposing array — one facing forward and one rear-firing — and each is in an individual sealed enclosure. It’s a balanced design that greatly reduces cabinet vibrations that can occur when both woofers face forward.

The woofers are powered by dual 275-watt Class D amplifiers controlled by a refined 24-Bit Vojtko™ DSP engine. MartinLogan’s proprietary PoweredForce™ and ForceForward™ technologies provide musical, detailed bass.

Proprietary crossover network

MartinLogan speakers feature proprietary Vojtko™ crossovers, named after the company’s chief audio technologist, Joe Vojtko. “A Vojtko crossover isn’t so much a set of design requirements as it is a philosophy,” the company explains. Each speaker’s drivers are carefully selected or designed to operate within an intentional frequency range and specific performance parameters. That allows the crossover networks — built from high-quality capacitors and resistors — to be clean and uncomplicated.

Compatible with Anthem Room Correction for flawless bass performance

Anthem’s advanced ARC (Anthem Room Correction) speaker calibration system is one of the best we’ve heard, so it’s a big deal that these superb speakers are ARC-compatible. There’s a setup input on the back of each speaker, and an RJ-45 port that allows you to link a pair of speakers together. If you purchase an optional ARC kit (sold separately) and run the software on your laptop, you can precisely tailor the ESL 11A’s bass output to your space, correcting for problems caused by the speaker’s interaction with the walls, floor, ceiling, and furniture in your listening room. It removes sonic artifacts that can muddy the lower frequencies, leaving you with clear, effortless bass.