SCENARIO u s e r ’ s c l TM m a n u a l s e l e c t r MA R T I N LOGA N o s t a t i c
CONTENTS Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Installation in Brief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 AC Power Connection Signal Connection Break-In Placement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
INSTALLATION We know you are eager to hear your new Scenario loudspeakers, so this section is provided to allow fast and easy set up. Once you have them 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 Scenario 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.
OPERATION AC Power Connection Because your MartinLogan Scenario’s use an internal power supply to energize their electrostatic cells with high-voltage DC, they must be connected to an AC power source. For this reason they are provided with the proper IEC standard power cords. These cords should be firmly inserted into the AC power receptacles on the rear connection panel of the speakers, then to any convenient AC wall outlet.
PLACEMENT Listening Position By now your speakers should be placed approximately two to three feet from the front wall, the wall in front of the listening position, and at least one to two feet from the side walls. Your sitting distance should be further than the distance between the speakers themselves. What you are trying to attain is the impression of good center imaging and stage width. There is no exact distance between speakers and listener, but there is a relationship.
Imaging In their final location, your Scenario’s should have a stage width somewhat wider than the speakers themselves. On well recorded music, the instruments should extend beyond the edges of each speaker to the left and to the right, yet a vocalist should appear directly in the middle. The size of the instruments should be neither too large nor too small. Additionally, you should find good clues as to stage depth.
ROOM ACOUSTICS Your Room This is one of those areas that requires both a little background to understand and some time and experimentation to attain the best performance from your system. 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.
Solid Footing on the floor or solid surface, it can shake as it produces sound 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 insure secured footing for your speakers. (See ‘Solid Footing’ for spike information and installation instructions). Dipolar Speakers and Your Room MartinLogan electrostatic loudspeakers are known as dipolar radiators.
DISPERSION INTERACTIONS Controlled Horizontal Dispersion Your Scenario’s launch a 30 degree dispersion pattern when viewed from above. This horizontal dispersion field gives a choice of good seats for the performance while minimizing interactions with side walls (See Figure 6). 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.
Figure 8– 9. 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 10–11. 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 11–12.
HOME THEATER It had long been the practice of stereo buffs to connect their television to the 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. Surround Speakers.
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 Operation The most significant advantage of MartinLogan’s exclusive transducer technology reveals itself when you look at examples of other loudspeaker products on the market today. The Scenario uses no crossover networks above 500 Hz because they are not needed. The Scenario consists of a single, seamless electrostatic membrane reproducing all frequencies above 500 Hz simultaneously.
MARTINLOGAN EXCLUSIVES Curvilinear Line Source (CLSTM) Since the beginning of audio, achieving smooth dispersion has been a problem for all loudspeaker designers. Large panel transducers present even more of a challenge because the larger the panel, the more directional the dispersion pattern becomes. Full range electrostats have long been one of the most problematic transducers because they attain their full range capabilities via a large surface area.
ELECTROSTATIC LOUDSPEAKER HISTORY In the late 1800s, any loudspeaker was considered exotic. Today, most of us take the wonders of sound reproduction for granted. 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. This was a horn-loaded diaphragm that was excited by a playback stylus.
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.
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 through the XStatic shop at www.martinlogan.com) that cleans your speakers better than anything else we have ever tried. Do not spray any kind of cleaning agent on or in close proximity to the electrostatic element.
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. 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.
TROUBLESHOOTING No Output •Check that all your system components are turned on. •Check your speaker wires and connections. •Check all interconnecting cables. Weak Output, Loss of Highs •Check the power cord. Is it properly connected to the speaker? Exaggerated Highs, Brightness •Check the toe-in of the speakers. Read Placement (pages 8–9) for more information. Muddy Bass •Check placement. Try moving the speakers closer to the front and side walls. •Check the type of feet that are being used.
GENERAL INFORMATION Specifications The Scenario hybrid speaker system consists of a broad-range single element electrostatic transducer integrated with a quickresponse woofer. This approach takes advantage of the benefits that both technologies have to offer. Dispersion is a controlled 30 degrees. This was achieved by curving the electrostatic transducer element itself, an elegantly simple solution.
GLOSSARY OF AUDIO TERMS AC. Abbreviation for alternating current. DC. Abbreviation for direct current. Active crossover. Uses active devices (transistors, ICs, tubes) and some form of power supply to operate. 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. Amplitude. The extreme range of a signal. Usually measured from the average to the extreme. Arc.
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. Resistor. A device that is used in a circuit primarily to provide resistance. Inductor. A device designed primarily to introduce inductance into an electrical circuit. Sometimes called a choke or coil. Resonance.
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