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TM
SOURCE
user’s manual
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Thank you—to you the MartinLogan owner, for loving what we do, and for making it possible for us to do what we love. Source Tested to Comply with FCC Standards FOR HOME OR OFFICE USE This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) Serial Numbers: _______________ / _______________ This device may not cause harmful Record your serial numbers here for easy reference. You will need this interference, and (2) this device must inform
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CONTENTS Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Electrostatic Loudspeaker History . . . . . . . . 17 Installation in Brief. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Frequently Asked Questions. . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Low-Volt
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INSTALLATION IN BRIEF We know you are eager to hear your Source speakers, Step 1: Unpacking so this section is provided to allow fast and easy set up. Remove your new Source speakers from their packaging. Once you have them operational, please take the time to read, in depth, the rest of the information in this manual. Step 2: Placement It will give you perspective on how to attain the greatest Place each Source at least two feet from the back wall possible performance from this most exacting
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INTRODUCTION Congratulations! You have invested in one of effortlessly handling the broadest range of dynamics con- the world’s premier loudspeaker systems. tained within even the most demanding sonic source. The MartinLogan Source represents an advanced The materials in your new Source speakers are of the high- combination of sonic technologies establishing an unprec- est quality and will provide years of enduring enjoyment edented direction for audiophile design. The result of and deepening
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CONNECTIONS Low-Voltage (DC) Power Connection Your Source speakers use external low-voltage power sup- plies to energize their electrostatic panels. For this reason the proper low-voltage power supplies are provided. A power supply should be firmly inserted into the ‘DC Power In’ receptacle on the rear connection panel of each speaker, then to any convenient AC wall outlet. Your Source speak- ers integrate a signal sensing circuit which will switch the Source off after a few minutes of no m
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Speaker Level Connection Break-In Use the best speaker cables you can. The length and When you first begin to play your Source speakers, they type of speaker cable used in your system will have an will sound a bit bass shy. This is due to the high quality, audible effect. Under no circumstance should a wire of long-life components used in our woofer. Our custom gauge higher (thinner) than #16 be used. In general, the made, butyl surround woofer requires approximately longer the length used, the
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PLACEMENT & ROOM ACOUSTICS Listening Position Your speakers should be placed approximately two to The front surface ideally should be one long wall without three feet from the front wall, the wall in front of the lis- any doors or openings. If you have openings, the reflection tening position, and about two feet from the side walls. and bass characteristics from each channel can be different. Your sitting distance should be further than the distance between the speakers themselves. You are tryi
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Tilting the Speakers Backwards and Forwards 12° of tilt beyond the standard 1°. Experimenting with As the diagrams show in the Dispersion Interactions sec- increased tilt may yield a superior listening experience. tion of this manual (page 12), the vertical dispersion is directional above and below the stator panel itself. In 1 Turn off you amplifier. Unplug the speakers and discon- some instances, if you are sitting close to the floor, slight nect all wires from the back of the Purity. forw
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your speaker slightly forward into the room. What hap- Your room is actually a component and an important part pened to the bass response? What happened to the of your system. It can dramatically add to, or subtract imaging? If the imaging is more open and spacious and from, a great musical experience. the bass response is tightened, that is a superior posi- tion. Move the speakers back six inches from the initial All sound is composed of waves. Each note has its own setup position and again
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Clap your hands. Can you hear an instant echo respond the precious timing information that carries the clues to imag- back? You have near-field reflections. Stomp your foot. ing. Consequently the result is blurred imaging and excessive Can you hear a “boom”? You have standing waves or brightness. Soft walls, curtains, wall hangings, or sound large panel resonances such as a poorly supported wall. dampeners (your dealer can give you good information here) Put your head in a small cavity area a
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DISPERSION INTERACTIONS Controlled Horizontal Dispersion Three Major Types of Dispersion Your Source’s launch a 30 degree horizontal dispersion pat- It is a known fact that as the sound wave becomes pro- tern. This horizontal dispersion field gives a choice of good gressively smaller than the transducer producing it, seats for the performance while minimizing interactions with the dispersion of that wave becomes more and more side walls (see figure 7). Make sure both speakers stand narrow, or d
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HOME THEATER It had long been the practice of stereo buffs to connect their and that it is recommended for use as a center speaker. television to a stereo system. The advantage was the use This is not the place to cut corners. of the larger speakers and more powerful amplifier of the stereo system. Even though the sound was greatly improved, it Surround Speakers was still mono and limited by the broadcast signal. We recommend (along with the film industry) that the sur- round speakers play dow
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ELECTROSTATIC ADVANTAGES How can sound be reproduced by something that you are push-pull operation and is a major contributor to the sonic able to see through? Electrostatic energy makes this possible. purity of the electrostatic concept due to its exceptional linearity and low distortion. Where the world of traditional loudspeaker technology deals with cones, domes, diaphragms and ribbons that Since the diaphragm of an electrostatic speaker is uniform- are moved with magnetism, the world of
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MARTINLOGAN EXCLUSIVES Full Range Operation Another significant advantage of MartinLogan’s exclusive these drivers must be designed to operate within a nar- transducer technology reveals itself when you look at exam- row, fixed bandwidth of the frequency range, and then ples of other loudspeaker products on the market today. combined electrically so that the sum of the parts equals the total signal. While nice in theory, we must deal with The Source uses no crossover networks above 470 Hz rea
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CLS™ (Curvilinear Line Source) MicroPerf Stator Since the beginning of audio, achieving smooth dispersion Sleek. Compact. MicroPerf stator technology, featured in has been a problem for all designers. Large panel trans- Source’s electrostatic transducer, reveals more open play- ducers present unique challenge because the larger the able area in each panel, offering increased performance panel, the more directional the dispersion pattern becomes. from even more compact stat panels. It is si
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ELECTROSTATIC HISTORY In the late 1800’s, any loudspeaker was considered exotic. After a short time, Rice and Kellogg had narrowed the field Today, most of us take the wonders of sound reproduction for of “contestants” down to the cone and the electrostat. The out- granted. come would dictate the way that future generations would refer to loudspeakers as being either “conventional” or “exotic”. It was 1880 before Thomas Edison had invented the first phonograph. This was a horn-loaded diaphrag
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In 1947, Arthur Janszen, a young Naval engineer, took part was very directional and its power handling was limited to in a research project for the Navy. The Navy was interest- around 70 watts. As a result, many people continued to use ed in developing a better instrument for testing microphone box speakers with cones. arrays. The test instrument needed an extremely accurate speaker, but Janszen found that the cone speakers of the peri- In the early 1960’s Arthur Janszen joined forces with th
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS How do I clean my speakers? Is there likely to be any interaction between my Use a dust free cloth or a soft brush to remove the dust speakers and the television in my Audio/Video from your speakers. We also recommend a specialty system? cloth (available at the Xtatic shop at www.martinlogan. Actually, there is less interaction between a television com) that cleans your speakers better than anything else and an electrostatic speaker than between a television we ha
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Will excessive smoke or dust cause any prob- tremendous difference in the consistent performance of lems with my electrostatic speakers? our product. There may be a little more maintenance Exposure to excessive contaminants such as smoke involved in humid regions when not in an air condi- or dust may potentially affect the performance of the tioned environment. Simply enough, the concern is to electrostatic membrane, and may cause discoloration keep the electrostatic panels dust free. Humidit
