tm u s e r ’ s m a n u a l
CLX Tested to Comply with FCC Standards FOR HOME OR OFFICE USE Serial Numbers: ________________ / ________________ Record your serial numbers here for easy reference. You will need this information when filling out your warranty registration. CLX’s serial number is located near the bottom of the backplate and on the shipping container. Each individual unit has a unique serial number. This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules.
Thank you—the MartinLogan owner, for loving what we do, and making it possible for us to do what we love.
Contents Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Installation in Brief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Controls and Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Installation We know you are eager to hear your CLX speakers, so this section is provided to allow fast and easy set up. Once they are 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.
Introduction Congratulations! You have invested in one of the world’s premier loudspeaker systems. The MartinLogan CLX™ represents an advanced combination of sonic technologies establishing an unprecedented direction for audiophile design. The result of years of research, the new CLX™ loudspeaker features DualForce™ and XStat™ electrostatic technologies, setting new standards for efficiency, dynamics and precision in a floorstanding loudspeaker.
Controls and Connections Figure 1. CLX Controls and Connections AC Power Connection The power cords should be firmly inserted into the AC power receptacle on the rear connection panel of the CLX, then to any convenient AC wall outlet. Your CLX speakers use an internal power supply to energize their electrostatic panels and must be connected to an AC power source with the proper IEC standard power cords.
Setup and Placement Left/Right Speaker Placement Place your CLX speakers so the curvilinear electrostatic transducer is orientated inside, towards the listening position (figure 3). Listening Position By now your speakers should be placed so the electrostatic panels are approximately four feet from the front wall (the wall in front of the listening position) and about two feet from the side walls.
towards the listening area. You will notice the tonal balance and imaging changing. You will notice that as the speakers are toed-in, the system becomes slightly brighter than when toed-out. This design gives you the flexibility to compensate for a soft or bright room. Generally it is found that the ideal listening position is with the speakers slightly toed-in so that you are listening to the inner third of the curved transducer section.
The Extra “Tweak” This may be useful when your speakers are placed in a dedicated listening room. Use the following procedure for your speaker’s placement to see what can happen to your system’s performance. These formulas will help determine optimum placement of your speakers to minimize standing waves.
Room Acoustics Your Room This is the element of your system that requires background to understand and some time and experimentation to obtain best performance. Your room is actually a component and an important part of your system. This component is a very large variable and can dramatically add to, or subtract from, a great musical experience. All sound is composed of waves. Each note has its own wave length, with the lower bass notes ranging from 10’ feet to 40’ feet or more.
and consequently, the sound can be compromised. If your speaker is sitting on the carpet and only foot gliders are used, the bass can be ill defined and even boomy. The use of spikes is recommended to ensure secured footing for your speakers. (See ‘Solid Footing’ for spike information and installation instructions). Dipolar Speakers and Your Room MartinLogan electrostatic loudspeakers are dipolar radiators. This means that they produce sound from both their fronts and their backs.
Dispersion Interactions Controlled Horizontal Dispersion Your CLX’s launch a 30 degree horizontal dispersion pattern. This horizontal dispersion field gives a choice of good seats for the performance while minimizing interactions with side walls (see figure 11). Make sure both speakers stand exactly at the same vertical angle, otherwise the image can be skewed or poorly defined. The wave launch of both speakers is extremely accurate in both the time and spectral domain.
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 1980’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.
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.
Full Range Electrostatic Operation Another significant advantage of MartinLogan’s exclusive transducer technology reveals itself when you look at examples of other loudspeaker products on the market today. row, fixed bandwidth of the frequency range, and then combined electrically so that the sum of the parts equals the total signal—in theory. The CLX uses no crossover networks above 360 Hz because they are not needed.
MartinLogan Exclusives XStat™ Transducer MartinLogan's award winning Curvilinear Line Source™ XStat™ electrostatic (ESL) technology, including CLS™, MicroPerf, Generation 2 Diaphragms, ClearSpars™, and Vacuum Bonding, allows smooth unencumbered dispersion of sound throughout the listening area.
the direct sound while producing a generous amount of ambience-enriching later-arriving reflections off the wall behind them. DualForce™ ESL Bass Technology CLX’s unique DualForce™ ESL double diaphragm, triple stator dipole low-frequency transducer delivers deep, dynamic bass with twice as much force as a standard ESL. Dipole Phase Stabilization CLX’s low-frequency dipole stabilization technology reduces low frequency rear wave cancellation inherent to dipole transducers.
Electrostatic In the late 1800’s, any loudspeaker was considered exotic. Today, most of us take the wonders of sound reproduction for granted. history 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 would refer to loudspeakers as being either “conventional” or “exotic”. It was 1880 before Thomas Edison had invented the first phonograph.
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.
Frequently Asked Questions How do I clean my speakers? Use a dust free cloth or a soft brush to remove the dust from your speakers. We also recommend a specialty cloth (available at the Xtatic shop at www.martinlogan. com) that cleans your speakers better than anything else we have tried. For the wood surfaces it is acceptable to slightly dampen the cloth. The EcoSound material on the CLX requires special care—see the next FAQ.
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 speakers? 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.
Troubleshooting No Output • Check that all your system components are turned on. • Check your speaker wires and connections. • Check all interconnecting cables. • Try hooking up a different set of speakers. The lack of output could point to a problem with other equipment in your system (amp, pre-amp, processor, etc.) Weak or no Output from Electrostatic Panel, Loss of Highs • Check the power cord.
General Information Specifications* System Frequency Response: 56–23,000 Hz ± 3db Dispersion Horizontal: 30 Degrees Vertical: 57” (145cm) line source High-Frequency Transducer 57” (145 cm) CLS™ XStat™ electrostatic transducer Low-Frequency Transducer 57” (145 cm) DualForce™ ESL double diaphragm, triple stator dipole electrostatic transducer Sensitivity 90 dB/2.83 volts/meter Impedance Nominal: 6 ohms, Minimum: 0.
Dimensional Drawings Dimensional Drawings 25
Glossary of Audio Terms AC. Abbreviation for alternating current. Active crossover. Uses active devices (transistors, IC’s, tubes) and some form of power supply to 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.
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. Passive crossover. Uses no active components (transistors, IC’s, 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.
WARNING! Do not use your CLX loudspeakers outside of the country of original sale—voltage requirements vary by country. Improper voltage can cause damage that will be potentially expensive to repair. The CLX is shipped to authorized MartinLogan distributors with the correct power supply for use in the country of intended sale. A list of authorized distributors can be accessed at www.martinlogan.com or by emailing info@martinlogan.com. ® Lawrence, Kansas, USA t e l 785 . 749 . 0 1 3 3 f a x 785 . 749 .
