MartinLogan Theater i User's Manual
Contents
1. I I 1 D D D D D j 1 Z Bracket 2 1 8 inch screw lt carn Washer i 1 I 1 i i i U I i i i i i mawn ji l I i i i i 1 i 1 i 1 i 1 i i Figure 7 Using wall anchors for points C and or D Side view Z Bracket Lag Bolt ME lt lt Adi mm uz Washer Stud Sheet Rock Figure 8 Using lag bolts for points C and or D Side view Washers H d SCH 2 1 8 inch Sheet Metal Phillips Head Screw Figure 9 Hardware included with the Theater i may vary Not To Scale ri Lag Bolt ri d Wall Anchor Standard 16 stud A Z Bracket l spacing actual Figure 10 The Theater i mounted in various stud configurations Front View Please note to simplify this illustration the stand is shown without the Theater i attached When mounting the Theater i the stand should not be removed The Lag Bolts Walls Anchors and Z Brackets are also exagger ated in size to make this illustration easier to read Mounting the Theater i On A Wall 9 4 Using a level vertically measure down from point B 41 16 inches 10 3 cm and mark this point point E see figure 11 5 If point E is on or horizontally within 21 2 inches 6 3 cm of a stud Using a level mark a point point F see2. Removal and Installation instructions are provided in case you are using a custom installation that does not require the use of the stand Removing the Stand 1 Support the Theater i body by placing the shipping foam on both ends of the speaker or setting a stack of books beneath both ends of the speaker cabinet The mount should hang down from the Theater i and contact the surface of your table or floor see figure 6 step A 2 Before beginning to remove the mount screws please note that the mount is held in place with 8 screws con nected to 4 brackets These 4 brackets are attached to the Theater i cabinet Do not remove these brackets from the Theater i cabinet To detach the mount use a 1 3 Allen tool to remove 2 screws from each of the 4 brackets see figure 6 step B 3 To remove the stand simply pull it back away from the Theater i cabinet see figure 6 step C Installing the Stand 1 Support the Theater i body by placing the shipping foam on both ends of the speaker or setting a stack of books beneath both ends of the speaker cabinet The speaker cabinet should be raised high enough that when the stand is moved into place it can rest on the surface of the table or floor see figure 6 step A Carefully slide the stand into place so that it aligns with the 4 brackets already attached to the Theater i cabinet see figure 6 step C 3 Using a 1 8 Allen tool insert and tighten 2 screws into
3. available at home the only element missing was the surround sound presentation found in movie houses Fortunately Dolby and DTS encoded movies which include almost all movies have the same surround sound information encoded on home releases as the theater films All that is required to retrieve this information is a decoder and additional speakers and amps to reproduce it Home Theater is a complex purchase and we recommend that you consult your local MartinLogan dealer as they are well versed in this subject Each piece of a surround system can be purchased separately Take your time and buy quality No one has ever complained that the movie was too real The following list and descriptions will only give you a brief outline of the responsibilities and demands placed on each speaker Front Left and Front Right If these speakers will also be the same two used for your stereo playback then they should be of very high quality and able to play loud over 102 dB and reproduce bass below 80 Hz Center Channel This is the most important speaker in a video system as almost all of the dialogue and a large portion of the front speaker information is reproduced by the center channel It is important that the center speaker be designed by the same manufacturer as the front speakers and that it is recommended for use as a center speaker This is not the place to cut corners Surround Speakers We recommend that the surround s
4. circuitry The poor disper sion properties of early models have been addressed by using delay lines acoustical lenses multiple panel arrays or as in our own products by curving the diaphragm Power handling and sensitivity have also been increased These developments allow the consumer the opportunity to own the highest performance loudspeaker products ever built It s too bad Rice and Kellogg were never able to see just how far the technology would be taken Electrostatic Loudspeaker History 17 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Frequently Asked Questions How do I clean my speakers Just use a dust free cloth or a soft brush to remove the dust from your speakers We recommend a specialty cloth available at the Xtatic shop at www martinlogan com that cleans your speakers better than anything else we have tried Do not spray any kind of cleaning agent on or in close proximity to the electrostatic element What is the advantage of ESL Since the diaphragm is uniformly driven over its entire surface unlike a tweeter that is only driven at its edges it is the only technology that can be made large enough to play bass yet is still light enough for high frequencies This unique property allows for the elimination of high fre quency crossover points and their associated distortions What size amplifier should I use We recommend an amplifier with 100 to 200 watts per channel for most applications Probably less would be adequat
5. figure 11 hori zontal to Point E on the stud that is within 21 2 inches 6 3 cm of point E Next pre drill a hole at point F with a 1 8 inch 3mm size drill bit If point E is not within 21 2 inches 5 cm of a stud Using a 2 Phillips screwdriver drive a wall anchor into the wall at point E see figure 7 step 1 6 With the Theater i mount sitting on a flat surface loosen the knobs on the stand arm and pivot the Theater i on the stand so that the front of the speaker is facing up Re tighten the knobs With the help of a second person lift the speaker up and rotate it mount and all so that the mount is parallel to the wall Hang the Theater i on the Z brackets and position the speaker so that point E or F lines up with the long hole in the stand above the cut out MartinLogan zig logo The second person should continue to support the speaker once it is in place At this point the Theater i and mount can be carefully slid to the left or right to fine tune its position 7 For this step you may need to loosen the knobs on the stand arm pivot the speaker enough that you can access the lower center point and re tighten the knobs If point E is on or horizontally within 21 2 inches 6 3 cm of a stud Using a 7 16 inch 11 mm socket sink a lag bolt and a washer into point F making sure that the bolt engages the stud see figure 8 If point E is not within 21 2 inches 6 3 cm of a stud Using a short handled Ph
6. problem that cannot be resolved please contact your authorized MartinLogan dealer They will provide you with the appropriate technical analysis to alleviate the situation WARNING e Hazardous voltages exist inside do not remove cover Refer servicing to a qualified technician To prevent fire or shock hazard do not expose this module to moisture e Turn amplifier off and unplug speaker should any abnormal conditions occur Do not operate if there is any visual damage to the electrostatic panel element Do not drive speaker beyond its rated power The lightning bolt flash with arrowhead symbol within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user to the presence of uninsulated dangerous voltage within the product s enclosure that may be of sufficient mag nitude to constitute a risk of electric shock The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user to the presence of important operating and maintenance servicing instructions in the literature accompanying the appliance INSTALLATION IN BRIEF Step 1 Unpacking Remove your new Theater i speaker from the packaging Step 2 Placement Place the Theater i directly between your front left and right speakers and point it directly at the listening position Please see the Installation section page 6 of this manual for more details Step 3 Power Connection see warning The Theater i requires power to energize it
7. systems were highly regarded by all audio enthusiasts As good as these systems were they would soon be sur passed by another electrostatic speaker In 1955 Peter Walker published three articles regarding electrostatic loudspeaker design in Wireless World a British magazine In these articles Walker demonstrated the benefits of the electrostatic loudspeaker He explained that electrostatics permit the use of diaphragms that are low in mass large in area and uniformly driven over their surfaces by electrostatic forces Due to these characteristics electrostats have the inherent ability to produce a wide bandwidth flat frequency response with distortion products being no greater than the electronics driving them By 1956 Walker backed up his articles by introducing a con sumer product the now famous Quad ESL This speaker immediately set a standard of performance for the audio industry due to its incredible accuracy However in actual use the Quad had a few problems It could not be played very loud it had poor bass performance it presented a difficult load that some amplifiers did not like its dispersion was very directional and its power handling was limited to around 70 watts As a result many people continued to use box speakers with cones These developments allow the consumer to own the highest performance loud speaker products ever built In the early 1960s Arthur Janszen joined forces with the KLH loudspeaker co
8. THEATER I user s manual MARTIN LOGAN CONTENTS amp INTRODUCTION Contents Contents amp Introduction ccc cece eeees 2 Contents Introduction Installation in Brief 3 Op rati n aeree nak Qa Pe ea Seo bO Kan 4 Low Voltage Power Connection Signal Connection Using Only One Power Supply 5 Break ln Installation sie guer EI KK KK KK KK KK KK KK KK KK 6 Using the Adjustable Mount Installation Options Rubber Bumper Feet Stand Removal and Installation 7 Removing the Stand Installing the Stand Mounting the Theater i On A Wall 8 Warnings and Notes About the Wall Anchors Mounting the Theater i Dispersion Interactions k n 11 Controlled Horizontal Dispersion Controlled Vertical Dispersion Three Major Types of Dispersion Home Theater i cc cece ccc cece kk kk k 13 Electrostatic Advantages cess kk kk k 14 MartinLogan Exclusives ceecceeeeeee 15 Curvilinear Line Source Transducer Integrity Low Voltage Power Plasma Deposited Diaphragm Controlled Dispersion Array MicroPerf Stator Electrostatic Loudspeaker History 16 Frequently Asked Questions j 18 Troubleshooting 00 kk kk kk kk kk kk kk 20 General Information kk 21 Specifications Warranty and Registration Service Glossary of Audio Terms ekk
9. WARNING Turn your amplifier off before making or breaking any signal connections Using Only One Power Supply You may have noticed a connection on the back of your Theater i s labeled Power Out The use of this connec tion will allow you to daisy chain up to five low voltage MartinLogan products and eliminate the need for multiple low voltage power supplies Power In Power Out DC 15V 18V 0 1 0 Amp AC 10V 14V 50 60Hz AC 10V 0 15 Arms 1 0Arms OArm WARNING AN esr AN DO NOT OPEN AVIS RISQUE DE CHOC ELECTRIQUE NE PAS OUVRIR Figure 3 Connecting power to multiple speakers using one power supply A variety of low voltage interconnect cables may be pur chased at your local MartinLogan dealer Please ask them about options to fit your specific needs To use this connection option choose a primary speaker whichever speaker is most conveinent and connect it as instructed in the Low Voltage Power Connection section on the previous page To attach additional speakers run a low voltage interconnect cable from the Power Out to the next speakers Power In see figure 3 Break In When you first begin to play your Theater i speaker it will sound a bit bass shy This is due to the high quality long life components used in our woofer Our custom made butyl surround woofer requires at least 30 hours of break in at 90 dB moderate listening levels before any critical listening The
10. alue of a given waveform is its RMS value Acoustic power is proportional to the square of the RMS sound pressure Resistance That property of a conductor by which it opposes the flow of electric current resulting in the generation of heat in the conducting material usually expressed in ohms Resistor A device used in a circuit to provide resistance Resonance The effect produced when the natural vibra tion frequency of a body is greatly amplified by reinforcing vibrations at the same or nearly the same frequency from another body Sensitivity The volume of sound delivered for a given elec trical input Stator The fixed part forming the reference for the moving diaphragm in a planar speaker THD The abbreviation for total harmonic distortion See Distortion TIM The abbreviation for transient intermodulation distortion Transducer Any of various devices that transmit energy from one system to another sometimes one that converts the energy in form Loudspeaker transducers convert electrical energy into mechanical motion Transient Applies to that which lasts or stays but a short time A change from one steady state condition to another Tweeter A small drive unit designed to reproduce only high frequencies Wavelength The distance measured in the direction of progression of a wave from any given point characterized by the same phase White noise A random noise used in measurements as it has the same amou
11. and clarity is possible When you look at the problems of traditional electromagnetic drivers you can easily see why this is so beneficial The cones and domes which are used in traditional electromagnetic drivers cannot be driven uniformly because of their design Cones are driven only at the apex Domes are driven at their perimeter As a result the rest of the cone or dome is just along for the ride The very concept of these drivers requires that the cone or dome be perfectly rigid damped and massless Unfortunately these conditions are not available in our world today To make these cones and domes move all electromagnetic drivers must use voice coils wound on formers spider assemblies and surrounds to keep the cone or dome in position see figure 22 These pieces when combined with the high mass of the cone or dome materials used make it an extremely complex unit with many weaknesses and potential for failure These faults contribute to the high distortion products found in these drivers and is a tremendous disadvantage when you are trying to change motion as quickly and as accurately as a loudspeaker must 40 000 times per second Stator Spacer Diaphragm Surround Cone Dust Cap Voice Coil d Former Basket Assembly i Magnet Magnet Voice Coil Magnet Gap Assembly Figure 21 Cut away view of an electrostatic transducer Notice the sim plici
12. break in requirements of the crossover components and to a lesser degree the electrostatic transducer are equal Signal init MARTIN LOGAN C LARITY DC Power In Operation 5 INSTALLATION Using the Adjustable Mount For optimum performance the Theater i must be tilted on its stand towards the main listening position and directed towards the audiences ears see figure 5 After you have placed your Theater i in its final location loosen the 2 knobs located on the stand arm pivot the Theater i towards the main listening position and then re tighten the knobs The stand shipped with the Theater i loudspeaker Z N is designed for use only with the Theater i Use with other appliances may result in instability causing possible injury Installation Options On the Television If your television provides a wide level and stable platform the shielded Theater i can be placed directly on top of the television see figure 5 For this option we recommend installation of the rubber bumper feet On the Wall The adjustable mount stand allows you to mount the Theater i on the wall see figures 5 and Mounting the Theater i On A Wall pages 8 10 If hanging the Theater i on the wall is the best placement for your system the adjustable mount stand will allow you to tilt the Theater i towards the listening position On the Floor Placing the Theater i on the floor will position it too low to blend with the fr
13. cause of the dynamic woofer they employ In the case of our center channel speakers however they are fully shielded and can go anywhere Will my electric bill go sky high by leaving my speakers plugged in all the time No A pair of MartinLogans will draw about 5 watts max imum There is circuitry to turn off the static charge when not in use however actual consumption will remain close to the same The primary purpose of the sensing circuitry is to prevent dust collection on the electrostatic element If the diaphragm is punctured with a pencil or similar item how extensive would the damage to the speaker be Our research department has literally punctured hundreds of holes in a diaphragm neither affecting the quality of the sound nor causing the diaphragm to rip However you will be able to see the actual puncture and it can be a physical nuisance If this is the case replacing the electrostatic transducer will be the only solution Will exposure to sunlight affect the life or performance of my speakers We recommend that you not place any loudspeaker in direct sunlight The ultraviolet UV rays from the sun can cause deterioration of grill cloth speaker cones etc Small exposures to UV will not cause a problem In general the filtering of UV rays through glass will greatly reduce the negative effects on the electrostatic membrane itself Will excessive smoke or dust cause any problems with my electrostatic speake
14. dispersion pattern of our trans ducers That is why you see the gentle curve on our products Figure 14 15 As can be seen here point source concepts invite a great deal of room interaction e While delivering good frequency response to a large listening audience imaging is consequently confused and blurred SA Figure 16 17 Even though they suffer from venetian blind effect angled multiple panel speakers can deliver good imaging but only to specific spots in the listening area Figure 18 19 A controlled 30 degree cylindrical wave front which is a MartinLogan exclusive offers optimal sound distribution with minimal room interaction The result is solid imaging with a wide listening area 12 Dispersion Interactions HOME THEATER Home Theater It had long been the practice of stereo buffs to connect their television to a stereo system The advantage was the use of the larger speakers and more powerful amplifier of the stereo system Even though the sound was greatly improved it was still mono and limited by the broadcast signal In the late 1970 s and early 80 s two new home movie formats became widely available to the public VCR and laser disc By 1985 both formats had developed into very high quality audio video sources In fact the sonic performance of some video formats exceeded audio only formats Now with theater quality sound
15. during the late 1940s audio experi enced a great rebirth Suddenly there was tremendous interest in audio products and with that a great demand for improved audio components No sooner had the cone become established than it was challenged by products developed during this new rebirth In 1947 Arthur Janszen a young Naval engineer took part in a research project for the Navy The Navy was interested in developing a better instrument for testing microphone arrays The test instrument needed an extremely accurate speaker but Janszen found that the cone speakers of the period were too nonlinear in phase and amplitude response to meet his criteria Janszen believed that electrostats were inherently more linear than cones so he built a model using a thin plastic diaphragm treated with a conductive coating This model confirmed Janszen s beliefs for it exhibited remarkable phase and amplitude linearity Janszen was so excited with the results that he continued research on the elec trostatic speaker on his own time He soon thought of insulating the stators to prevent the destructive effects of arcing By 1952 he had an electrostatic tweeter element ready for commercial produc tion This new tweeter soon created a sensation among American audio hobbyists Since Janszen s tweeter element was limited to high frequency reproduction it often found itself used in conjunction with woofers most notably those from Acoustic Research These
16. e for our smaller hybrids or when used in home theater where a subwoofer is employed Our hybrid designs will perform well with either a tube or transis torized amplifier and will reveal the sonic character of either type However it is important that the amplifier be stable operating into varying impedance loads a stable amplifier will be able to deliver twice its rated wattage into 4 Ohms and should again double into 2 Ohms Could you suggest a list of suitable electronics and cables that would be ideal for MartinLogan speakers The area of electronics and cable choice is probably the most common type of question that we receive It is also the most subjective We have repeatedly found that brands that work well in one setup will drive some one else nuts in another We use many brands with great success Again we have no favorites we use elec tronics and cables quite interchangeably We would suggest listening to a number of brands and above all else trust your ears Dealers are always the best source for information when purchasing additional audio equipment 18 Frequently Asked Questions Is there likely to be any interaction between my speakers and the television in my Audio Video system Actually there is less interaction between a television and an electrostatic speaker than between a television and a conventional system However we do recom mend that you keep your speakers at least one foot away from the television be
17. each of the 4 brackets see figure 6 step B Figure 6 Stand removal and installation Stand Removal and Installation 7 MOUNTING THE THEATER i ON A WALL Warnings and Notes WARNING Installing the Theater i on the wall requires 2 people Do not try this alone Mounting the Theater i on a wall requires a mini mum use of 1 lag bolt sunk directly into a stud and 2 wall anchors If you are able to engage more than 1 stud with a lag bolt when mounting the Theater i on a wall we highly recommend doing so see figure 10 NOTE To assure that your Theater i is safely wall mounted these instructions must be carefully followed Study them thoroughly before beginning to install your Theater i NOTE The following instructions assume the mounting surface is of standard wood frame and standard sheet rock construction If you wish to mount the Theater i to another type of material you should consult a bonded contractor About the Wall Anchors When using the special wall anchors provided with the Theater i it is recommended that they are sunk into the wall by hand and not by using an electric screwdriver see figure 7 step 1 Once the special self drilling wall anchors provided with the Theater i have been set into the wall they work as follows after the screw has been inserted approximately 1 2 inch into the wall anchor the screw will hit a seal that requires slight pressure to break Once the seal ha
18. ed 30 degrees This was achieved by curving the electrostatic transducer element itself an elegantly simple solution System Frequency Response 70 22 000 Hz 3 dB Dispersion 30 degrees Sensitivity 90 dB 2 83 volts meter Impedance Nominal 4 ohms Minimum 3 1 ohms 140 Hz Crossover Frequencies 300 3000 Hz Woofer Type Two 6 5 16 5cm magnetically shielded Non resonance asymmetrical chamber format CLS Mid Range Patented CLS curvilinear line source electrostatic transducer High Frequency Drivers Three 1 2 7cm soft dome controlled dispersion array Power Handling 250 watts rms Weight With Mount Stand 57 Ibs 26kg Size Without Mount Stand 43 inches W x 11 5 inches D x 10 5 inches H 109 2cm W x 29 2cm D x 26 7cm H Size With Mount Stand 43 inches W x 11 5 inches D x 13 inches H 109 2cm W x 29 2cm D x 33cm H GENERAL INFORMATION Warranty and Registration Your Theater i speaker is provided with an automatic Limited 90 Day Warranty coverage You have the option at no additional charge to receive a Limited 5 Year Warranty coverage To obtain the Limited 5 Year Warranty coverage you need to complete and return the Certificate of Registration included with your speakers and provide a copy of your dealer receipt to MartinLogan within 30 days of purchase For your convenience MartinLogan also offers online warranty registration at www martinlogan com MartinLogan may not hono
19. en itself to be one of the most durable and reli able transducers available today Fabricated from a custom tool punched high grade steel the patented panel is coat ed with a special polymer that is applied via a proprietary electrostatic bonding process This panel assembly houses a membrane just 0 0005 of an inch thick Ruggedly con structed and insulated as much as 200 watts of continuous power has driven the Theater i s energized diaphragm into massive excursions with no deleterious effects The other sections of your User s Manual will explain in detail the operation of your Theater i speaker and the philoso phy applied to their design A clear understanding of your speakers will insure that you obtain maximum perfor mance and pleasure from this most exacting transducer It has been designed and constructed to give you years of trouble free listening enjoyment Installation in Brief We know you are eager to hear your new Theater i center channel so this section is provided to allow fast and easy set up Once you have it operational please take the time to read in depth the rest of the information in this manual It will give you perspective on how to attain the greatest possible performance from this most exacting transducer If you should experience any difficulties in the setup or operation of your Theater i speaker please refer to the Operation or Installation sections of this manual Should you encounter a persistent
20. evels 22 Glossary of Audio Terms DC Abbreviation for direct current Diffraction The breaking up of a sound wave caused by some type of mechanical interference such as a cabinet edge grill frame or other similar object Diaphragm A thin flexible membrane or cone that vibrates in response to electrical signals to produce sound waves Distortion Usually referred to in terms of total harmonic distortion THD which is the percentage of unwanted harmonics of the drive signal present with the wanted signal Generally used to mean any unwanted change introduced by the device under question Driver See transducer Dynamic Range The range between the quietest and the loudest sounds a device can handle often quoted in dB Efficiency The acoustic power delivered for a given electrical input Often expressed as decibels watt meter dB w m ESL The abbreviation for electrostatic loudspeaker Headroom The difference in decibels between the peak and RMS levels in program material Hybrid A product created by the marriage of two different technologies Meant here as the combination of a dynamic woofer with an electrostatic transducer Hz Hertz Unit of frequency equivalent to the number of cycles per second Imaging To make a representation or imitation of the original sonic event Impedance The total opposition offered by an electric circuit to the flow of an alternating current of a single frequency It is a co
21. g intestine that was covered with fine gold leaf to con duct the audio signal When Rice and Kellogg began playing the new electrically cut records through the electrostat they were shocked and impressed The electrostat performed splendidly They had never heard instrumental timbres reproduced with such realism This system sounded like real music rather than the honking squawking rendition of the acoustic gramophone Immediately they knew they were on to something big The acoustic gramophone was des tined to become obsolete Due to Rice and Kellogg s enthusiasm they devoted a considerable amount of time researching the electrostatic design However they soon encountered the same diffi culties that even present designers face planar speakers require a very large surface area to reproduce the lower frequencies of the audio spectrum Because the management at Bell Labs considered large speakers unacceptable Rice and Kellogg s work on electrostatics would never be put to use for a com mercial product Reluctantly they advised the Bell management to go with the cone For the next 30 years the electrostatic design lay dormant During the Great Depression of the 1930s consumer audio almost died The new electrically amplified loudspeaker never gained acceptance as most people continued to use their old Victrola style acoustic gramophones Prior to the end of World War Il consumer audio saw little if any progress However
22. han the static electricity that builds up on the surface of your television screen How do MartinLogan speakers hold up over a long term in the humidity of tropical climates We should tell you that MartinLogan indeed has a very substantial number of customers in tropical regions of the world Our speakers have been serving them nicely for many years This concern may have come from our earlier design of speakers which were charged continuously Since 1993 all of our speakers have been designed so that they only charge the panel while music is being played This improvement has made a tremendous difference in the consistent performance of our product There may be a little more maintenance involved in humid regions when not in an air conditioned environment Simply enough the concern is to keep the electrostatic panels dust free Humidity will combine with any dust on the panel to make it slightly conductive This will result in a slight pathway for the charge to leave the membrane of the speaker The solution is simple They only require occasional vacuuming with a strong vacuum hose How do I vacuum my MartinLogan speakers Vacuuming will be most effective if the speakers have been unplugged for six hours or overnight You need not worry about the vacuum pressure damaging the delicate membrane It is extraordinarily durable Dirt and dust may be vacuumed off with a brush attach ment connected to your vacuum cleaner or you may blow t
23. hem off with compressed air Should I unplug my speakers during a thunderstorm Yes or before It s a good idea to disconnect all of your audio video components during stormy weather Frequently Asked Questions 19 TROUBLESHOOTING Troubleshooting No Output Check that all your system components are turned on Check your speaker wires and connections Check all interconnecting cables Weak Output from Electrostatic Panel Loss of Highs Check the power cord Is it properly connected to the speaker and to the wall Is the power cord connected to a switched outlet Dirt and dust may need to be vacuumed off Please see the FAQ regarding vacuuming 20 Troubleshooting Popping and Ticking Sounds Funny Noises These occasional noises are harmless and will not hurt your audio system or your speakers All electrostatic speakers are guilty of making odd noises at one time or another It is the result of airborne contaminates most notably dust Vacuuming is recommended These noises may be caused by dirt and dust particles collecting on the speaker by high humidity Dirt and dust may need to be vacuumed off Please see the FAQ regarding vacuuming Specifications The Theater i hybrid speaker system consists of a broad range single element electrostatic transducer integrated with a quick response woofer This approach takes advantage of the benefits that both technologies have to offer Dispersion is a controll
24. hen you learned in a science or physics class that like charges repel each other and opposite charges attract each other Well this principle is the foundation of the electrostatic concept An electrostatic transducer consists of three pieces the stators the diaphragm and the spacers see figure 21 The diaphragm is what actually moves to excite the air and create music The stator s job is to remain stationary hence the word stator and to provide a reference point for the moving diaphragm The spacers provide the diaphragm with a fixed distance in which to move between the stators As your amplifier sends music signals to an electrostatic speaker these signals are changed into two high voltage signals that are equal in strength but opposite in polarity These high voltage signals are then applied to the stators The resulting electrostatic field created by the opposing high voltage on the stators works simultaneously with and against the diaphragm consequently moving it back and forth producing music This technique is known as push pull operation and is a major contributor to the sonic purity of the electrostatic concept due to its exceptional linearity and low distortion Since the diaphragm of an electrostatic speaker is uniformly driven over its entire area it can be extremely light and flexible This allows it to be very responsive to transients thus perfectly tracing the music signal As a result great delicacy nuance
25. illips screwdriver or electric drill sink a 218 inch 5 4 cm sheet metal Phillips head screw and washer into the wall anchor at point E see fig ure 7 and About the Wall Anchors on page 8 8 Securely tighten all of the lag bolts and screws The second person may now release the Theater i 9 To direct the speaker to the desired listening position support the Theater i with one hand slightly loosen the knobs on either side of the stand arm and rotate the Theater i to its desired listening position Securely re tight en both knobs 13 in 33 cm 0 in 13 in 0 cm 33 cm 0 in 0 cm 2 3 8 in W 6 cm 4 1 16 in Y 10 3 cm 2 1 2 in 6 3 cm 0 in 2 1 2 in 0 cm 6 3 cm Figure 11 Measurements and point locations required to mount the Theater i Please note to simplify this illustration the stand is shown without the Theater i attached When mounting the Theater i the stand shou d not be removed 10 Mounting the Theater i On A Wall Controlled Horizontal Dispersion The convex electrostatic panel launches a 30 degree dis persion pattern when viewed from above This horizontal dispersion field gives you a choice of good seats for the performance while minimizing interaction with side walls see figure 12 DISPERSION INTERACTIONS Controlled Vertical Dispersion As you can see below see figure 13 your Theater i speaker projects a controlled di
26. k kk 22 2 Contents Introduction Congratulations You have invested in a new world of home theater The MartinLogan Theater i represents the culmination of an intensive dedicated group research program directed toward establishing a world class reference monitor utilizing leading edge technology without compromising durability reliability craftsmanship or aesthetic design The advantages of MartinLogan hybrid technology will present themselves to you from the moment the movie begins The box effect a phenomenon similar to cupping your hand around your mouth when speaking produced by dynamic midrange drivers is absent and the natural openness of the human voice comes through Never before in home theatre has the midrange been so clear Sounds float around the screen clearly defining the area from where they were created not the area of the speaker that created them This superior performance is made possible through the use of our proprietary curved electrostatic transducer This is the same design technology that is used in state of the art MartinLogan loudspeaker systems The materials in your new Theater i speaker are of the high est quality and will provide years of enduring enjoyment and deepening respect The cabinetry is constructed from the highest quality composite material for acoustical integrity and is finished with our attractive custom finish Through rigorous testing the curvilinear electrostatic panel has prov
27. le than the differences between wires of different gauge The effects of cables may be masked if the equip ment is not of the highest quality We also recommend if possible that short runs of speaker cable connect the power amplifier and speaker and that 4 Operation 0 08Amp AC 10V 14 50Hz 0 15 Arms 1 0Arms DO NOT OPEN AVIS RISQUE DE CHOC ELECTRIQUE NE PAS OUVRIR Figure 1 Power connection One channel shown AMPLIFIER Signal Output THEATER ignal P signa 250 watts 4 ohms A MARTIN LOGAN The Loudspeaker Technology Company 2003 MartinLogan Ltd All rights reserved Lawrence Kansas USA www martinlogan com Figure 2 Single wire connection One channel shown high quality long interconnect cables be used to connect the preamplifier and power amplifier This results in the power amplifiers being close to the speakers which may be practically or cosmetically difficult but if the length of the speaker cables can be reduced to a few meters sonic advantages may be obtained Connections are done at the signal input section on the rear electronics panel of the Theater i see figure 2 Use spade connectors for optimum contact Make certain that all of your connections are tight Be consistent when connecting speaker leads to the terminals on the back of the Theater i Take great care to assign the same color to the terminal on both the speaker and the amplifier
28. learance above or below in order to access the knobs and tilt the speaker up and down 2 Using a level vertically measure down 23 8 inches 6 cm from point A and mark this point point B see figure 11 Next measure horizontally to the left of point Ba minimum of 23 4 inches 7 cm and mark the nearest stud or put a mark at 13 inches 33 cm whichever comes first point C see figure 11 Repeat the same to the right of point B point D see figure 11 Pre drill holes at points C and D with a 1 8 inch 3 mm size drill bit 3 If point s C and or D are on a stud Using a 16 inch 11 mm socket attach a Z bracket to point s C and or D with a lag bolt making sure that the bolt engages the stud Make sure that the Z bracket is snug to the wall but not overly tightened see figure 8 If point s C and or D are not on a stud Using a 2 Phillips screwdriver drive a wall anchor into point s C and or D Next attach a Z bracket by sinking a 2 inch 5 4 cm sheet metal Phillips head screw and washer into the wall anchor see About the Wall Anchors and figure 7 Make sure that the Z bracket is snug to the wall but not overly tightened NOTE When the Z bracket is properly installed on a wall its thickest half should hang down and its thinner half should point up The bend at the top of the Z bracket should point away from the wall Screw Driver Wall Anchor y _ Sheet Rock
29. mbination of resistance and reactance and is measured in ohms Remember that a speaker s impedance changes with frequency it is not a constant value Inductance The property of an electrical circuit by which a varying current in it produces a varying magnetic field that introduces voltages in the same circuit or in a nearby circuit It is measured in henrys Inductor A device designed primarily to introduce inductance into an electrical circuit Sometimes called a choke or coil Linearity The extent to which any signal handling process is accomplished without amplitude distortion Midrange The middle frequencies where the ear is the most sensitive NAC The abbreviation for natural ambience compensation Passive crossover Uses no active components transistors ICs tubes and needs no power supply AC DC battery to operate The crossover in a typical loudspeaker is of the passive variety Passive crossovers consist of capacitors inductors and resistors Phase The amount by which one sine wave leads or lags a second wave of the same frequency The difference is described by the term phase angle Sine waves in phase reinforce each other those out of phase cancel Pink noise A random noise used in measurements as it has the same amount of energy in each octave Polarity The condition of being positive or negative with respect to some reference point or object RMS Abbreviation for root mean square The effective v
30. mpany and together they introduced the KLH 9 Due to the large size of the KLH 9 it did not have as many limitations as the Quad The KLH 9 could play markedly louder and lower in frequency than the Quad ESL Thus a rivalry was born Janszen continued to develop electrostatic designs He was instrumental in the design of the Koss Model One the Acoustech and the Dennesen speak ers Roger West the chief designer of the Janszen Corporation became the president of Sound Lab When Janszen Corporation was sold the RTR loudspeaker company bought half of the production tooling This tooling was used to make the elec trostatic panels for the Servostatic a hybrid electrostatic system that was Infinity s first speaker product Other companies soon followed each with their own unique applications of the technology These include Acoustat Audiostatic Beverage Dayton Wright Sound Lab and Stax to name a few Electrostatic speakers have progressed and prospered because they actually do what Peter Walker claimed they would The limitations and problems experienced in the past were not inherent to the electrostatic concept They were related to the applications of these concepts Today these limitations have been resolved Advancements in materials due to the U S space program give designers the ability to harness the superiority of the electrostatic principle Today s electrostats use advanced insulation techniques or provide protection
31. nd dispersion of small stat panels and also increases optical clarity In addition the tighter grid of holes permits the Micro Perf stator to drive the diaphragm extremely uniformly MartinLogan Exclusives 15 ELECTROSTATIC LOUDSPEAKER HISTORY ESL History In the late 1800s any loudspeaker was considered exotic Today most of us take the wonders of sound reproduction for granted It was 1880 before Thomas Edison had invented the first phonograph This was a horn loaded diaphragm that was excited by a playback stylus In 1898 Sir Oliver Lodge invented a cone loudspeaker which he referred to as a bellowing telephone that was very similar to the conventional cone loudspeaker drivers that we know today However Lodge had no intention for his device to reproduce music because in 1898 there was no way to amplify an electrical signal As a result his speaker had nothing to offer over the acoustical gramophones of the period It was not until 1906 that Dr Lee DeForrest invent ed the triode vacuum tube Before this an electrical signal could not be amplified The loudspeaker as we know it today should have ensued then but it did not Amazingly it was almost twenty years before this would occur In 1921 the electrically cut phonograph record became a reality This method of recording was far superior to the mechanically cut record and possessed almost 30 dB of dynamic range The acoustical gramo phone couldn t begin to rep
32. nt of energy at each frequency Woofer A drive unit operating in the bass frequencies only Drive units in two way systems are not true woofers but are more accurately described as being mid bass drivers Glossary of Audio Terms 23 MARTIN LO GA N 2101 Delaware Street Lawrence Kansas 66046 USA tel 785 749 0133 fax 785 749 5320 www martinlogan com 2003 MartinLogan All rights reserved Rev 030303
33. o the diaphragm This uniform surface resistivity controls the electrostatic charge on the diaphragm surface and regulates its migration As a result no discharging or arcing can occur Controlled Dispersion Array The Theater i matches the dispersion and detail characteris tics of our other CLS electrostatic speaker systems while limiting floor and ceiling reflections The result is a seamless soundstage and perfect clarity throughout your home theater In order to provide a high frequency dispersion pattern that matches other MartinLogan speakers we ve added a high frequency controlled dispersion array to the Theater i The Theater i dispersion array consists of three proprietary high frequency drivers and specially engineered electronics which maintain an expanded yet exact vertical dispersion pattern throughout the high frequency spectrum Theater i s Dispersion Array also eliminates lobbing a non uniform pattern resulting from closely spaced wide dispersion transducers firing a signal in the same direction This is addressed by configuring the center driver to play only at frequencies above 8000Hz Above 3000Hz output of the upper and lower drivers is limited Above 10 000Hz the central driver begins to narrow it s dispersion MicroPerf Stator The MicroPerf stator design reduces the size of individual holes in a stator allowing more openings per square inch than a standard MartinLogan stator This maximizes efficiency a
34. o operate Amplitude The extreme range of a signal Usually measured from the average to the extreme Arc The visible sparks generated by an electrical discharge Bass The lowest frequencies of sound Bi Amplification Uses an electronic crossover or line level passive crossover and separate power amplifiers for the high and low frequency loudspeaker drivers Capacitance That property of a capacitor which determines how much charge can be stored in it for a given potential difference between its terminals measured in farads by the ratio of the charge stored to the potential difference Capacitor A device consisting of two or more conducting plates separated from one another by an insulating material and used for storing an electrical charge Sometimes called a condenser Clipping Distortion of a signal by its being chopped off An overload problem caused by pushing an amplifier beyond its capabilities The flat topped signal has high levels of harmon ic distortion which creates heat in a loudspeaker and is the major cause of loudspeaker component failure CLS The abbreviation for curvilinear linesource Crossover An electrical circuit that divides a full bandwidth signal into the desired frequency bands for the loudspeaker components dB decibel A numerical expression of the relative loud ness of a sound The difference in decibels between two sounds is ten times the Base 10 logarithm of the ratio of their power l
35. ont speakers see figure 5 If placing the Theater i on the floor is the best placement for your sys tem the adjustable mount stand will allow you to tilt the Theater i towards the listening position For this option we recommend installation of the rubber bumper feet WARNING Installation other than that described in the body of this document requires specific documentation from MartinLogan 6 Installation Rubber Bumper Feet If you are using the Theater i on top of your television or setting it on any type of surface we recommend installing the 5 rubber bumper feet included with the Theater i Rubber Bumper Feet Installation Instructions 1 Prepare a surface to work on by laying down a towel or large soft cloth on top of a large flat surface 2 Securely tighten the 2 knobs on the theater i stand arm making sure the Theater i cabinet is level with the stand 3 Turn the Theater i upside down so that the bottom of the stand is pointing up 4 Insert the 5 rubber bumper feet in the 5 outer holes see figure 4 Figure 4 The Theater i stand shown from the bottom with bumper insertion locations shown g Figure 5 Theater i installation on the floor on a television and on a wall STAND REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION Required Tools not included 1 8 Allen tool NOTE The Theater i is intended to be used with its stand attached in almost all installation options Stand
36. peakers play down to 80 Hz or below The surround speakers contain the information that makes it appear that planes are flying over your head Some may suggest that this is the place to save money and purchase a small inexpensive speaker If you choose to do so be prepared to upgrade in the future as discrete six channel digital encoding becomes available and the demands on the surround speakers increase Subwoofer With any good surround system you will need a high quality subwoofer the 1 in a 5 1 channel surround system Most movie soundtracks contain large amounts of bass informa tion as part of the special effects Good subwoofers will provide a foundation for the rest of the system J Figure 20 Ascent i speakers as front channels Theater i as the center channel Script i speakers as side surround effects channels and Depth subwoofers as 0 1 effects channel Home Theater 13 ELECTROSTATIC ADVANTAGES Electrostatic Advantages How can sound be reproduced by something that you are able to see through Electrostatic energy makes this possible Where the world of traditional loudspeaker technology deals with cones domes diaphragms and ribbons that are moved with magnetism the world of electrostatic loudspeakers deals with charged electrons attracting and repelling each other To fully understand the electrostatic concept some background information will be helpful Remember w
37. r warranty service claims unless we have a completed Warranty Registration card on file If you did not receive a Certificate of Registration with your new Theater i speaker you cannot be assured of hav ing received new units If this is the case please contact your authorized MartinLogan dealer Service Should you be using your MartinLogan product in a country other than the one in which it was originally purchased we ask that you note the following 1 The appointed MartinLogan distributor for any given country is responsible for warranty servicing only on units distributed by or through it in that country in accordance with its applicable warranty 2 Should a MartinLogan product require servicing in a country other than the one in which it was originally purchased the end user may seek to have repairs per formed by the nearest MartinLogan distributor subject to that distributor s local servicing policies but all cost of repairs parts labor transportation must be born by the owner of the MartinLogan product 3 If after owning your speakers for six months you relocate to a country other than the one in which you purchased your speakers your warranty may be transferable Contact MartinLogan for details General Information 21 GLOSSARY OF AUDIO TERMS Glossary of Audio Terms AC Abbreviation for alternating current Active crossover Uses active devices transistors ICs tubes and some form of power supply t
38. rity All MartinLogan transducers begin with two pieces of high grade cold rolled steel These steel pieces are then custom perforated and insulated with a unique composite coating This proprietary coating insulates the stator to three times its actual needed working voltage and gives the Theater i a wide margin of safe operation In addition to the electrical insulation properties this coating also provides the Theater i with a durable attractive finish that dampens the steel to prevent ringing These pieces then sandwich a proprietary diaphragm and spacers into a curved geometry and bond together with aerospace adhesives whose strength exceeds that of welding The result of these advanced technologies is a transducer that is attractive durable highly rigid well dampened and neutral Low Voltage Power To eliminate the need for a traditional IEC power cord and broaden ease of installation especially for custom installers the Theater i features a low voltage power supply MIARTINLOGAN EXCLUSIVES Plasma Deposited Diaphragm The diaphragm in the Theater i employs an extremely sophis ticated conductive surface that has been applied to the polymer surface at an atomic level using a plasma bonding process A proprietary compound is driven into the surface of the polymer film in an oxygen free argon chamber This process allows extremely uniform surface resistivity character istics an optically transparent surface and adds no mass t
39. roduce all of the information on this new disc As a result further developments in loud speakers were needed to cope with this amazing new recording medium By 1923 Bell Telephone Laboratories made the decision to develop a complete musical playback system consisting of an electronic phonograph and a loudspeaker to take advantage of the new recording medium Bell Labs assigned the pro ject to two young engineers C W Rice and E W Kellogg Rice and Kellogg had a well equipped laboratory at their disposal This lab possessed a vacuum tube amplifier with an unheard of 200 watts a large selection of the new electrically cut phonograph records and a variety of loudspeaker prototypes that Bell Labs had been collecting over the past decade Among these were Lodge s cone a speaker that used compressed air a corona discharge plasma speaker and an electrostatic speaker After a short time Rice and Kellogg had narrowed the field of contestants down to the cone and the electrostat The outcome would dictate the way that future generations 16 Electrostatic Loudspeaker History Rice and Kellogg had narrowed the field of contestants down to the cone and the electrostat would refer to loudspeakers as being either conventiona or exotic Bell Laboratory s electrostat was something to behold This enormous bipolar speaker was as big as a door The diaphragm which was beginning to rot was made of a pi
40. rs Exposure to excessive contaminants such as smoke or dust may potentially affect the performance of the electrostatic membrane and may cause discoloration of the diaphragm membrane When not in use for extended periods you should unplug the speakers and cover them with the plastic bags in which the speakers were originally packed It is a good idea to vacuum the electrostatic portion of each speaker once or twice a year See the vacuuming FAQ A problem has recently developed with my MartinLogan speakers The right speaker seems to be hissing even when the amplifier and such are not connected was wondering if this sounds like any problem you have encountered previously and have a simple solution for or might it be something which will need to be looked into more carefully Your speakers are dusty See the vacuuming FAQ The electrostatic charge on the element has attracted airborne dust or pollen Since 1993 all of our speakers have been built with a charging circuit board that only charges the electrostatic element when music plays At other times they are not charged and cannot collect dust You can get the same benefit by simply unplugging them whenever they are not in use A power strip is an easy way to do that Could my children pets or myself be shocked by the high voltage present in the electrostatic panel No High voltage with low current is not dangerous As a matter of fact the voltage in our speakers is 10 times less t
41. s broken the screw will continue to slide into the wall anchor another 11 2 inch At this point the screw will have rotated the anchor out and into position inside of your wall see figure 7 step 2 and 3 The screw will now require slight pressure to engage the anchor When the anchor has been engaged the screw will continue to slide into the wall anchor until it is flush see figure 7 step 4 You will notice however that the screw continues to freely turn at this point The screw is now pulling the anchor up against the back of the drywall The screw will tighten and stop turning when it has securely engaged the anchor with the back of the drywall see figure 7 step 5 8 Mounting the Theater i On A Wall Mounting the Theater i Required Tools not included 24 inch 60 cm or longer ruler level pencil electric drill 1s inch 3 mm drill bit Phillips head bit 7 16 inch 11 mm socket wrench 2 Phillips head screw driver Required Hardware included see figure 9 2 wall anchors 2 Z brackets 2 21 8 inches 5 4 cm sheet metal Phillips head screws 2 lag bolts 4 washers 1 Locate and mark the center point point A see figure 11 where you would like to position the top of the Theater i Measure 24 inches 61 cm horizontally in each direc tion from the center point This area should be clear of any obstructions in order to mount the Theater i Also make certain that there will be at least 12 inches 30 5 cm of c
42. s electrostatic panel Plug the provided power supply first into the Power In power receptacle on the rear panel of the speaker making sure that you have made a firm connection and then to a convenient wall outlet Please see the Operation section pages 4 5 of this manual for more details Step 4 Signal Connection Use the best speaker cables you can Higher quality cables available from your specialty dealer are recommended and will give you superior performance Spade connectors are suggested for optimum contact Attach your speaker cables to the signal input section on the rear panel Be consistent when connecting speaker leads to the terminals on the back of the Theater i Take great care to assign the same color to the terminal on both the speaker and the amplifier Please see the Operation section pages 4 5 of this manual for more details Step 5 Listen and Enjoy Now you may turn on your system and enjoy Installation in Brief 3 OPERATION Low Voltage Power Connection Your Theater i uses an external low voltage power supply to energize its electrostatic panel For this reason the proper low voltage power supply is provided The power supply should be firmly inserted into the Power In receptacle on the rear connection panel of the speaker then to any con venient AC wall outlet see figure 1 Your Theater i integrates a signal sensing circuit which will switch the Theater i off after a few minutes of no m
43. spersion pattern This vertical dis persion profile minimizes interactions with the floor and the ceiling The controlled dispersion triple dipole array extends the frequency range over which this happens gt Figure 12 The MartinLogan Theater i delivers a 30 degree wave launch dispersion pattern distributed horizontally Figure 13 The MartinLogan Theater i vertical dispersion profile mini mizes interactions with the floor and ceiling Dispersion Interactions 11 Three Major Types of Dispersion In the field of loudspeaker design it is a known fact that as the sound wave becomes progressively smaller than the transducer producing it the dispersion of that wave becomes more and more narrow or directional This fact occurs as long as the transducer is a flat surface Large flat panel speakers exhibit venetian blind effects due to this phenomenon This is why most manufacturers opt for small drivers i e tweeters and midrange to approximate what is known as a point source wave launch Historically most attempts to achieve smooth dispersion from large flat panel transducers resulted in trade offs After exhaustive testing of these different solution attempts we found an elegantly simple yet difficult to execute solu tion By curving the radiating surface we create the effect of a horizontal arc This allows the engineers at MartinLogan to control the high frequency
44. ty due to minimal parts usage 14 Electrostatic Advantages Figure 22 Cut away view of a typical moving coil driver Notice the com plexity due to the high number of parts Curvilinear Line Source CLS Since audio began achieving smooth dispersion has been a problem for loudspeaker designers Full range electrostats have long been one of the most problematic transducers because they attain their full range capabilities via a large surface area It looked as if they were in direct conflict to smooth dispersion and almost every attempt to correct this resulted in either poor dispersion or a serious compromise in sound quality After extensive research MartinLogan engineers discovered an elegantly simple solution to achieve a smooth pattern of dispersion without degrading sound quality By curving the horizontal plane of the electrostatic transducer a con trolled horizontal dispersion pattern could be achieved yet the purity of the almost massless electrostatic diaphragm remained uncompromised After creating this technology MartinLogan developed the production capability to bring it out of the laboratory and into the market place You will find this proprietary MartinLogan technology used in all of our products It is one of the many reasons behind our reputation for high quality sound with practical usability This is also why you see the unique see through cylindrical shape of all MartinLogan products Transducer Integ
45. usic signal and requires less than two seconds to recharge the panel when a music signal is present Your Theater i speaker is provided with a power supply for the power service supplied in the country of original con sumer sale The AC power rating applicable to a particular unit is specified both on the packing carton and on the power supply If you remove your Theater i speakers from the country of original sale be certain that the AC power supplied in any subsequent location is suitable before connecting the low voltage power supply Substantially impaired performance or severe damage may occur to a Theater i speaker if opera tion is attempted from an incorrect AC power source WARNING The power supply should not be Z N installed removed or left detached from the speaker while connected to an AC power source Signal Connection Use the best speaker cables you can The length and type of speaker cable used in your system will have an audible effect Under no circumstance should a wire of gauge higher thinner than 16 be used In general the longer the length used the greater the necessity of a lower gauge and the lower the gauge the better the sound with diminishing returns setting in around 8 to 12 A variety of speaker cables are now available whose manufacturers claim better performance than standard heavy gauge wire We have verified this in many cases and the improvements available are often more notice ab
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