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TM
ODYSSEY
user s manual
c l s e l e c t r o s t a t i c
MARTIN LOGAN
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CONTENTS Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Dispersion Interactions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Installation in Brief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Controlled Horizontal Dispersion Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Controlled Vertical Dispersion Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Three Major Ty
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INSTALLATION IN BRIEF We know you are eager to hear your new Odyssey loud- Step 1: Unpacking and Assembly speakers, so this section is provided to allow fast and easy Remove your new Odyssey speakers from their packing set up. Once you have them operational, please take the time and assemble them (page 4) to read, in depth, the rest of the information in this manual. It will give you perspective on how to attain the greatest Step 2: Placement possible performance from this most exacting transduc
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INTRODUCTION AND ASSEMBLY Introduction Congratulations! You have invested in one of the worlds pleasure from this most exacting transducer. It has been premier loudspeaker systems. designed and constructed to give you years of trouble-free listening enjoyment. The MartinLogan Odyssey represents the culmination of an intensive, dedicated group research program directed Assembling the Odyssey toward establishing a world class reference monitor utilizing leading-edge technology, without compromisi
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OPERATION AC Power Connection Because your MartinLogan Odysseys use an internal power We also recommend, if possible, that short runs of speaker supply to energize their electrostatic cells with high-voltage cable connect the power amplifier(s) and speakers and that DC, they must be connected to an AC power source. For this high quality long interconnect cables be used to connect reason they are provided with the proper IEC standard the preamplifier and power amplifier. This results in the power
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Single-Wire Connection Passive Bi-Amplification Please take note of the jumper clips installed under the For those that desire ultimate performance, the Odyssey binding posts. These clips attach the high and low frequency may be passively bi-amplified using the existing internal pas- sections of the crossover together. Leaving these in place, sive crossover elements. connect the (+) wire from your amplifier to either red bind- ing post and the (-) wire from your amplifier to either black WARNING
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amplifiers of choice do not have the same gain charac- teristics, then a sonic imbalance will occur. Low Amplifier speaker output With horizontal bi-amping, one amplifier drives the high pass (ESL) section while the second amplifier drives the low pass (WOOFER) section. To horizontally bi-amp your Odysseys you must loosen the binding posts and remove Jumper clips High Amplifier the jumper clips. Connect the low frequency amplifier to removed the lower set of binding posts of both speakers. Conne
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PLACEMENT Listening Position By now your speakers should be placed approximately sheet rock or textured wall is generally an adequate two to three feet from the front wall, the wall in front of surface if the rest of the room is not too bright and hard. the listening position, and at least one to two feet from the Sometimes walls can be too soft. If the entire front wall side walls. Your sitting distance should be further than the consists of only heavy drapery, your system can sound too distanc
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have pinpoint imaging and good bass response. That position Imaging is the point of the optimal placement from the front wall. In their final location, your Odysseys should have a stage width somewhat wider than the speakers themselves. On Now experiment with placing the speakers farther apart. well recorded music, the instruments should extend beyond As the speakers are positioned farther apart, listen again, the edges of each speaker to the left and to the right, yet a not so much for bass res
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ROOM ACOUSTICS Your Room Resonant Surfaces and Objects This is one of those areas that requires both a little back- All of the surfaces and objects in your room are subject to ground to understand and some time and experimentation the frequencies generated by your system. Much like an to attain the best performance from your system. instrument, they will vibrate and carry on in syncopation with the music, and contribute in a negative way to the Your room is actually a component and an importan
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on the floor or solid surface, it can shake as it produces MartinLogan ETC spikes are also available with a common sound and, consequently, the sound can be compro- 1/4" x 20 thread insert that may be used on your other mised. If your speaker is sitting on the carpet and only foot audio equipment (racks, speakers, etc.), which are avail- gliders are used, the bass can be ill defined and even able from your local MartinLogan dealer or on our website boomy. The use of spikes is recommended to insu
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DISPERSION INTERACTIONS Controlled Horizontal Dispersion Three Major Types of Dispersion Your Odysseys launch a 30 degree dispersion pattern when In the field of loudspeaker design, it is a known fact that as viewed from above. This horizontal dispersion field gives a the sound wave becomes progressively smaller than the choice of good seats for the performance while minimizing transducer producing it, the dispersion of that wave interactions with side walls (See Figure 7). Make sure both become
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Figure 910. As can be seen here, point source concepts invite a great deal of room interaction. While delivering good frequency response to a large listening audience, imaging is consequently confused and blurred. Figure 1112. 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 1314. A controlled 30-degree cylindrical wave-front, which is a MartinLogan exclusive, offers optimal
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HOME THEATER It had long been the practice of stereo buffs to connect their Surround Speakers. television to the stereo system. The advantage was the use We recommend that the surround speakers play down of the larger speakers and more powerful amplifier of the to 80 Hz or below. The surround speakers contain the stereo system. Even though the sound was greatly improved, it information that makes it appear that planes are flying over was still mono and limited by the broadcast signal. your head.
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ELECTROSTATIC ADVANTAGES How can sound be reproduced by something that you are purity of the electrostatic concept due to its exceptional able to see through? Electrostatic energy makes this possible. linearity and low distortion. Where the world of traditional loudspeaker technology deals Since the diaphragm of an electrostatic speaker is uniformly with cones, domes, diaphragms and ribbons that are moved driven over its entire area, it can be extremely light and with magnetism, the world of el
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Full Range Operation The most significant advantage of MartinLogans exclusive narrow, fixed bandwidth of the frequency range, and then transducer technology reveals itself when you look at combined electrically so that the sum of the parts equals examples of other loudspeaker products on the market today. the total signal. While nice in theory, we must deal with real-world conditions. The Odyssey uses no crossover networks above 250 Hz because they are not needed. The Odyssey consists of a In o
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MARTINLOGAN EXCLUSIVES TM Curvilinear Line Source (CLS ) Since the beginning of audio, achieving smooth dispersion The Odyssey solves this problem using its unique bass has been a problem for all loudspeaker designers. Large panel control system that consists of two opposing bass drivers transducers present even more of a challenge because the supported by reference electronics. An 8-inch front-firing larger the panel, the more directional the dispersion driver provides essential bass detail whi
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ELECTROSTATIC LOUDSPEAKER HISTORY The outcome would dictate the way that future generations In the late 1800s, any loudspeaker was considered exotic. would refer to loudspeakers as being either conventional, Today, most of us take the wonders of sound reproduction or exotic. for granted. Bell Laboratorys electrostat was something to behold. It was 1880 before Thomas Edison had invented the first This enormous bipolar speaker was as big as a door. phonograph. This was a horn-loaded diaphragm
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In 1947, Arthur Janszen, a young Naval engineer, took part to around 70 watts. As a result, many people continued in a research project for the Navy. The Navy was interested to use box speakers with cones. in developing a better instrument for testing microphone arrays. The test instrument needed an extremely accurate In the early 1960s Arthur Janszen joined forces with the speaker, but Janszen found that the cone speakers of the KLH loudspeaker company, and together they introduced period were
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS How do I clean my speakers? Is there likely to be any interaction between my speakers Just use a dust free cloth or a soft brush to remove the and the television in my Audio/Video system? dust from your speakers. We recommend a specialty cloth Actually, there is less interaction between a television (available through the XStatic shop at www.martinlogan.com) and an electrostatic speaker than between a television that cleans your speakers better than anything else we a
