What's unique about the brand
What reviewers are saying
We read all the reviews. Here's what reviewers feel most strongly about:
- They achieve exceptional sonic purity by utilizing drivers made from materials such as ceramic and diamond, allowing for minimal distortion and maximum clarity across the entire frequency spectrum.
- Marten speakers often utilize a multi-way design, with each driver meticulously integrated through advanced crossover technologies, ensuring a balanced and coherent soundstage.
- The brand utilizes Jorma Design internal wiring in their speakers, ensuring signal purity and maximizing performance by partnering with a cable manufacturer renowned for high-quality audio cables.
Our favorite reviewer quotes:
- "Listening to the Marten Coltrane Supreme 2 MK2 isn't just hearing music; it's experiencing it in a way that challenges your perception of reality. The precision of the imaging, the depth of the soundstage, and the purity of the tonal reproduction create an auditory illusion so convincing that you might find yourself reaching out to touch instruments that aren't there." (https://www.theaudiotailor.com.au/blogs/reviews/marten-coltrane-supreme-2-mk2-review-a-symphony-of-sonic-perfection)
- "From the delicate nuances of a solo piano to the full-throttle assault of a symphony orchestra, the Supreme 2 MK2 handles it all with a grace and authority that's simply unmatched. It's not just about hearing every detail; it's about feeling the emotional impact of the music in a way that few other speakers can match." (https://www.theaudiotailor.com.au/blogs/reviews/marten-coltrane-supreme-2-mk2-review-a-symphony-of-sonic-perfection)
- "The Coltrane Supreme 2 also projects the most natural stereo stage we've heard to date. Not in the laser etched, carved from solid, reach out and touch imagery overt manner of many more initially impressive designs – but definitely the most natural and naturally convincing." (https://hifiplus.com/articles/marten-coltrane-supreme-2-loudspeakers)
- "The ceramic midrange driver offers a level of clarity that must be heard to be believed. Its ability to handle complex vocal arrangements and intricate instrumental passages is nothing short of remarkable." (https://www.theaudiotailor.com.au/blogs/reviews/marten-mingus-quintet-2-review-a-symphony-of-acoustic-excellence)
- "The midrange, often considered the most critical region for music reproduction, is where the Parker Quintet truly shines. Vocals are presented with stunning clarity and emotion, while acoustic instruments retain their natural timbre and resonance." (https://www.theaudiotailor.com.au/blogs/reviews/marten-parker-quintet-floorstanding-speakers-review-a-symphony-of-innovation-and-precision)
Our interview with the brand
What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?
Marten uses high quality drivers that are custom to our models often in exotic materials like diamond, beryllium, ceramics and aluminium. Marten is one of very fiev manufactures that is implementing first order crossover filters. This we do in all models in the Mingus and Coltrane range.
What's your approach to customer support?
Initially customers are advised to contact the dealer they bought their speakers from, when support is needed, if they have bought speakers second hand it's recommended to to contact the appointed distributor. Of course customers are also welcome to contact Marten directly via our info email and get support that way. We value customer support highly and help our dealers and distributors to take care of customers if something has happened. Customers should never ever hesitate to contact us or our partners.
What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?
We have many but here are three of our test tracks, St James Infirmary (live edition) Angela Brown, Someday you'll be sorry Harry Connick Jr, V. Panis angelicus (Soprano) Ensemble vocal de Lausanne.
What other products pair best with yours?
We do a lot of testing and development on brands like Halcro, Audiaflight, MSB and CH-precision. But we also know that customers use Gryphon, Goldmund, Soulution and Esoteric among many other brands in their home systems.
Products
Lineup comparison
We think it's helpful to understand how their products compare. To learn more about each, scroll to the section above to click through to individual product pages.
Oscar
- Positioning: The entry-level lineup, designed to offer high-quality sound at a more accessible price point.
- Description: Delivers the true Marten sound with newly designed drivers that maintain quality while being cost-effective. Unlike the higher-end Coltrane series, focuses on affordability without sacrificing the core sound characteristics, making it ideal for those with budget constraints who still desire high-end audio performance.
Mingus
- Positioning: Positioned as a high-end option, drawing inspiration from the flagship Coltrane series.
- Description: Incorporates diamond drivers and custom designs that enhance clarity and strength, setting them apart from the Parker series. They offer a more sophisticated sound with advanced driver technology.
Coltrane
- Positioning: The flagship lineup, representing the pinnacle of technological innovation and sound quality.
- Description: Renowned for their first-order crossover and Accuton Cell drivers, providing unmatched time and phase coherence. This series offers the ultimate in sound reproduction with extreme clarity and resolution, surpassing the Mingus series in both performance and price.
Used
Marten
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Featured products
About the brand
Our interview with the brand
What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?
What's your approach to customer support?
What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?
What other products pair best with yours?
Featured products
About the brand
Our interview with the brand
What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?
What's your approach to customer support?
What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?
What other products pair best with yours?
About the brand
The Grand Reference loudspeakers embody and advance the groundbreaking principles initially introduced in IO Design’s Naked speaker concept, pushing technological boundaries and utilizing the highest-quality materials available. Unlike traditional boxed or dipole speaker systems—which inherently produce distortions, compression, and energy loss—IO Design's approach achieves extraordinarily low distortion, minimal interference, and an even distribution of energy across the entire audio spectrum.
The core objective of IO Design is to replicate the immersive energy and emotional impact of a live musical performance within a home environment. Their speakers generate authentic acoustic presence, faithfully capturing dynamics, micro-dynamics, and harmonic nuances, thereby bridging the gap between live sound and home audio reproduction.
IO Design’s meticulous engineering ensures consistent sound pressure at any listening position, maintaining purity, clarity, and naturalness of sound without compromising dynamics or detail. The result is a truly immersive and emotionally compelling listening experience, distinctly superior to conventional speaker designs.
Our interview with the brand
What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?
The concept itself, we are the first and (as of today the only ones) able to produce huge bass and devastating energy in the room with a dipole/baffleless architecture. Design is a factor, crossover another pillar, vibration control and many other points. Every mm2 in the speaker is discussed to the bone always for improvements. Our aim is a formula 1 car no other point than performance, design and crafting.
What's your approach to customer support?
We have distributors and dealers in some countries already and we are evaluating new ones. Being IO Design dealer/distributor is a mission because you are not selling normal hi-end loudspeakers but truly F1 devices. The network will hopefully grow, in the meanwhile, where we don't have dealers, we manage the customers directly or, even better, we ask the Customer to put his dealer in contact with us to make him safe and easy.
If a Customer needs setup advise, we follow up analyzing also the acoustics if needed. Should any tech issue happen, we would support the dealer with parts and repair advise or we would ship back the units for check and fixing.
What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?
It depends from system to system and ambient to ambient. We always choose the more extreme quality tracks to show the true potential of the speakers because it's way above the current competition. Usually we prefer tracks where bass is very evident because it is a strong point (even if it might seem counter intuitive for a baffleless design). Also high transients, because the energy the speakers pushes in the room is much higher than anything else on the market.
What other products pair best with yours?
Any high quality amplification works, digital, tubes, solid state. The important is that the amp has control and current, watts are not so important, even 40-60 can do but the quality of the amp need to be xcellent to get profit of the shocking realism of IO Design speakers. Ypsilon Electronics is well tested for instance. Tubes also perform well, however they are usually a bit more euphonic on bass and they have more distortion; this is a pity because IO Design speakers are so clean and distortion free... In normal boxed speakers you don't notice, because those speakers are themselves distorting music with the box compressions...
Featured products
About the brand
Our interview with the brand
What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?
What's your approach to customer support?
What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?
What other products pair best with yours?
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Featured products
About the brand
Our interview with the brand
What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?
What's your approach to customer support?
What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?
What other products pair best with yours?
Featured products
About the brand
Our interview with the brand
What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?
What's your approach to customer support?
What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?
What other products pair best with yours?
