Are MartinLogan Subwoofers Good? (Buy or Avoid?)
Finding a perfect subwoofer that can balance soft flowing music with the hard-hitting cinematic movie sounds can be hectic. Most subs usually excel in one area and fail in another, often leaving many questioning their purchase choice.
And, if you’re one of them, worry not. Have you ever heard of MartinLogan? If yes, you may be wondering whether their subs are any good and worth your money. What’s the quality of their subwoofers? Are they good?
Yes. MartinLogan subwoofers are of excellent build, last 10-15 years with good care, have an excellent bass sound quality, and have connection ports for optional wireless systems. In addition, the subs feature the SWT-X Wireless Subwoofer System with excellent dynamic frequency selection and forward error correction. However, as good as they are, the subs are expensive.
So, do the positives outweigh the high pricing? Should you buy one? Read on to find out.
Who Owns the MartinLogan Brand?
MartinLogan is a Canadian/US manufacturer of subwoofers and in-wall hybrid, wall-mounted, and floor-standing speakers. The company generally produces its sound systems and accessories using planar magnetic thin-film technology. Scott Bagby and John Bagby currently own it.
The company was founded in 1979 by Gayle Sanders and Ron Logan Sunderland – two individuals that had a great passion for music and electrostatic loudspeakers. And, up until September 2005, the company was under the ownership of the two founders.
In October 2005, it was acquired by one part of ShoreView Industries, and production moved to Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. It wasn’t until May 13, 2019, that John and Scott Bagby bought the company together with Anthem Electronics and Paradigm Electronics.
Where Are MartinLogan Subwoofers Made?
MartinLogan subwoofers and speakers are made in the city of Mississauga, Canada. The company also has other manufacturing plants in China and Taiwan.
MartinLogan upholds excellent standards in its production processes and uses high-quality raw materials and parts for its sound systems. But first, all designs for their audio appliances start in their in-house design facility in Lawrence, Kansas. After that, the subwoofers are handcrafted and hand-assembled in all their local and international centers.
As shown, the company manufactures some of its products in Asia. And a reason for the shift in production is that the company strives to capitalize on low production costs and improve its profits.
When it comes to its facilities in China and Taiwan, the company seals all possible loopholes that might introduce poor-quality materials into the production process.
Are MartinLogan Subwoofers of Good Quality?
MartinLogan subwoofers are made of high-quality materials and hence are durable, robust, and reliable. Also, the subwoofers are simplistic and minimalistic to occupy less space in your home while offering the same punchy bass you deserve.
The minimalist nature of the subwoofers shows MartinLogan’s dedication to functionality over size. The subwoofers can easily fit in spaces that most other subs won’t – having a subwoofer with such great installation flexibility is a plus for you.
Let’s take a look at why MartinLogan subwoofers are your perfect choice.
They Are Well-Engineered
MartinLogan takes great pride in offering well-engineered and handcrafted subs for its American, Asian, and European markets. According to MartinLogan, their subwoofers are hand-made throughout to extreme standards.
Furthermore, every subwoofer component is hand-inspected and tested before final assembly. Consequently, the company has the BalancedForce and Dynamo series of subwoofers. The BalancedForce subwoofers are designed to be fast to match the accuracy, speed, and loudness of electrostatic loudspeakers. Hence, they feature ultra-heavy duty construction and superior low-frequency technology for higher quality sound.
On the other hand, the Dynamo Series features an Audio Return Channel (ARC) that connects your screen and audio system with a High-Speed HDMI cable. That way, it will eliminate having an extra composite audio cable.
Also, they’re compact, powerful, precise, and offer audiophile-grade performance. And if that’s not enough, the subwoofers have a ton of wireless features for greater comfort while listening to music. Some of the features include app-based controls, optional wireless audio connections, and Anthem Room Correction (ARC).
The Subs Have Excellent Control Features
You’ll get massive control over your subwoofer if you opt to download and install the MartinLogan mobile iOS and Android Sub Control app. The app avails a wide range of options to fine-tune your sound system to your liking.
This includes altering the gain, phase, low-pass filter order and frequency, and polarity of your subwoofer. You’ll also have dedicated Late Night, Music, and Movie preset equalization modes.
Great Bass Sound
Few subwoofers can deliver a flat bass response with a fantastic low-end extension like MartinLogan subs. Having Anthem Room Correction (ARC) software gives the subs excellent automated EQ features that boost their bass performance.
The software picks cues from the surroundings and checks the acoustic abnormalities of the sub’s positioning and bass response, and filters out the unwanted signals. The bass coupled with low distortion levels, a sealed cabinet of inert materials, drivers with excellent damping properties, and clean power sources make the subs an excellent choice for most MartinLogan loyalists.
How Much Do MartinLogan Subwoofers Cost?
MartinLogan subwoofers are generally higher-priced than most mid-range brands.
For example, the MartinLogan Dynamo 800X costs $899.98 on Amazon, whereas the Dynamo 600X costs $699.98.
MartinLogan Subwoofer’s Warranty
MartinLogan offers a limited 3-years warranty on all its powered subwoofers, Outdoor Living Series satellite speakers, and standard subwoofers. That’s quite a generous offering, given that other premium subwoofer brands offer warranty covers for a year or two.
However, you’ll get the cover if you exclusively buy the subwoofers from authorized MartinLogan dealers. Any goods purchased from dealerships and entities that the subwoofer manufacturer doesn’t authorize aren’t entitled to the MartinLogan Limited Warranty cover. You’ll also have to present the original sale receipt from an authorized MartinLogan distributor or dealer.
Significant limitations of the warranty
MartinLogan has clear warranty terms and limitations that you ought to know before purchasing a new or second-hand subwoofer.
Here are some limitations.
- The warranty commences on the day of purchase.
- It’s restricted to the original purchaser of the sub and isn’t transferable to a third person who buys the subwoofer as a second-hand product.
- Also, the warranty covers a subwoofer in regular home use only. Any damages that result from neglect, such as falling, short-circuiting, and overloading, are not covered.
What Do Reviews Say about MartinLogan Subwoofers?
MartinLogan subs are highly-rated and popular on various online review platforms. Generally, reviews place the company as a premium quality brand that focuses on delivering excellent audio systems at “affordable” prices.
For example, the MartinLogan Dynamo 1100X Hi-Res has a 4.9/5 rating on BestBuy.com despite commanding a staggering price tag of $1,299.99. Most reviewers loved its ease of use, great quality, good bass, and fair pricing.
Moreover, some reviewers loved the sub’s sound with the ARC feature. The ARC eliminates the boominess associated with heavy bass sounds leaving you with a very clear bass note.
The MartinLogan Dynamo 1000W is liked for its exceptional musical offering, above-average SPL rating, wireless capability, and the freedom to convert it from a forward-firing to a down-firing setup.
So Should You Buy MartinLogan Subs?
MartinLogan subwoofers are a definite buy for me.
However, only target the higher-rated subs in any category as the company limits the number of features in the cheaper subs to cut production costs and, subsequently, the sale price.
As a result, you may find that the sound isn’t as gut-wrenching as subs from higher-end and costlier brands.
Final Remarks
MartinLogan subs are top-notch performers in most regards. They’re made of high-quality materials, have excellent noise-canceling features, and have easy installation. The fact that you can set them to be forward-firing or down-firing allows you greater freedom when installing.
Also, the subwoofers are finely tuned to allow easy navigation between the subtlety of music and the explosiveness of movie or documentary sound.
However, despite all the excellent features that the subs have, I honestly believe that they could be a bit cheaper.
Sources
Martin Logan: Tour MartinLogan