ETHOS u s e r ’ s m a n tm u a l
Ethos Tested to Comply with FCC Standards Serial Numbers: ________________ / ________________ Record your serial numbers here for easy reference. You will need this information when filling out your warranty registration. Ethos’s serial number is located near the bottom of the backplate and on the shipping container. Each individual unit has a unique serial number.
Thank you—to you the MartinLogan owner, for loving what we do, and for making it possible for us to do what we love.
Contents Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Installation in Brief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Controls and Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 AC Power Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Installation We know you are eager to hear your Ethos speakers, 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 Ethos represents an advanced combination of sonic technologies establishing an unprecedented direction for audiophile design. The result of years of research, the new Ethos™ hybrid electrostatic loudspeaker features XStat™ technology, dramatically reducing cabinet size, yet establishing new standards for efficiency, dynamics and precision in a floorstanding loudspeaker.
Controls and Connections Bass Control Knob The Bass Control knob significantly adjusts the level under 100Hz by ±10dB. This is an area where peaks and dips of different amplitudes often manifest in real environments. This setting is dependent on room size and construction, system configuration and personal preference. ESL Signal Input These binding posts provides a place to connect the signal that drives the XStat™ ESL transducer and the PoweredForce™ woofer.
AC Power Connection Because your MartinLogan Ethos speakers use an internal power supply to energize their electrostatic cells and PoweredForce™ woofer, 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 about two feet from the side walls. Your sitting distance should be further than the distance between the speakers themselves. You are trying to attain the impression of good center imaging and stage width. There is no exact distance between speakers and listener, but there is a relationship.
extend beyond the edges of each speaker (left and right), yet a vocalist should appear directly in the middle. The size of the instruments should be neither too large nor too small, subject to the intent and results of each unique audio recording. Additionally, you should find good clues as to stage depth. Make sure that the vertical alignment, distance from the front wall, and toe-in is exactly the same for both speakers. This will greatly enhance the quality of your imaging.
Enjoy Yourself (i.e. ceiling height (inches) x 0.618 = the distance from the front wall to the center of the curvilinear transducer). 2 Distance from the side-walls to the center of the curvilinear transducer: To determine distance from the side walls, measure the width of your room in inches and divide by 18. Next, multiply the quotient by 5 (i.e.
Room Acoustics Your Room This is one of those areas that requires both a little background to understand and some time and experimentation to obtain 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.
ond. If your speaker system is not securely planted 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).
Dispersion Interactions Controlled Horizontal Dispersion Your Ethos’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 9). 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 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. The Ethos uses no crossover networks above 375 Hz because they are not needed. The Ethos consists of a single, seamless electrostatic membrane reproducing all frequencies above 375 Hz simultaneously.
MartinLogan Exclusives XStat™ Transducer XStat™ transducers incorporate a myriad of technology and design innovations including CLS™, MicroPerf, Generation 2 Diaphragms, ClearSpars™, and Vacuum Bonding. CLS™ (Curvilinear Line Source) Since the beginning of audio, achieving smooth dispersion has been a problem for all designers. Large panel transducers present unique challenge because the larger the panel, the more directional the dispersion pattern becomes.
MicroPerf Stator Sleek. Compact. MicroPerf stator technology, featured in all XStat™ transducers, reveals more open playable area in each panel, offering increased performance from even more compact stat panels. It is significant to note that the XStat™ transducer in the radical new Ethos loudspeaker supports the bandwidth and dynamics associated with traditional electrostatic panels nearly twice its size.
Electrostatic history In the late 1800’s, any loudspeaker was considered exotic. Today, most of us take the wonders of sound reproduction for granted. 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. 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 three or four times a year.
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.
Dimensional Drawings Dimensional Drawings 25
General Information Specifications* System Frequency Response: 34–23,000 Hz ± 3db Dispersion Horizontal: 30 Degrees Vertical: 44” (112 cm) line source Sensitivity 92 dB/2.83 volts/meter Impedance Nominal: 4 ohms, 0.8 ohms @ 20 kHz Crossover Frequency 375 Hz Components Custom-wound audio transformer, air core coils, polypropylene capacitors. DSP based pre-amplifier (used with woofer amplifier). Bass Control ±10dB under 100 Hz Woofer Type 8” (20.
Glossary 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.
WARNING! Do not use your Ethos 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 Ethos 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. Linearity.
