VISTA u s e r ’ s m a TM n u a l
Serial Numbers: ________________ / ________________ Record your serial numbers here for easy reference. You will need this information when filling out your warranty registration. Vista’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 Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 AC Power Connection Signal Connection Break-In Jumper Clips Single-Wire Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
INSTALLATION We know you are eager to hear your Vista 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 Vista represents an advanced combination of sonic technologies establishing an unprecedented direction for audiophile design. The result of years of research, the new Vista™ hybrid electrostatic loudspeaker features XStat™ technology, dramatically reducing cabinet size, yet establishing new standards for efficiency, dynamics and precision in a floorstanding loudspeaker.
CONNECTIONS AC Power Connection Because your Vista speakers use an internal power supply to energize their electrostatic cells 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.
Single Wire Connection Please take note of the jumper clips installed under the binding posts. These clips attach the high and low frequency sections of the crossover together. Leaving these in place, connect the (+) wire from your amplifier to either red binding post and the (–) wire from your amplifier to either black binding post (see figure 2). Bi-Wire Connection This connection method replaces the jumper clips installed under the binding posts with individual runs of speaker wire from your amplifier.
Horizontal Passive Bi-Amplification Horizontal bi-amping allows you to use two different types, models or brands of amplifiers (i.e. tubes on top, transistor on the bottom). However, we recommend that you use two identical amplifiers (i.e. same brand and model). If you must use two different amplifiers, it is essential that they have the same gain or that one of the two have adjustable gain so that you can match their gain characteristics.
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.
Tilting the Speakers Backwards and Forwards—As the diagrams show in the Dispersion Interactions section of this manual (page 15), the vertical dispersion is directional above and below the stator panel itself. In some instances, if you are sitting close to the floor, slight forward tilting of the speakers can enhance clarity and precision. Imaging—In their final location, your Vista’s can have a stage width somewhat wider than the speakers themselves.
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 Vista’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 12). 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. 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 are moved with magnetism, the world of electrostatic loudspeakers deals with charged electrons attracting and repelling each other.
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 Vista uses no crossover networks above 450 Hz because they are not needed. The Vista consists of a single, seamless electrostatic membrane reproducing all frequencies above 450 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 Vista 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.
GENERAL INFORMATION Specifications* System Frequency Response: 43–22,000 Hz ± 3db Dispersion Horizontal: 30 Degrees Vertical: 40” (102 cm) line source Sensitivity 90 dB/2.83 volts/meter Impedance Nominal: 4 ohms Minimum: 1.2 ohms @ 20 kHz Crossover Frequency 450 Hz Components Custom-wound toroidal audio transformer, air core coils, polypropylene capacitors Woofer Type 8” (20.
GLOSSARY OF AUDIO TERMS AC. Abbreviation for alternating current. DC. Abbreviation for direct current. Active crossover. Uses active devices (transistors, IC’s, 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. Diaphragm.
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. Inductor. A device designed primarily to introduce inductance into an electrical circuit. Sometimes called a choke or coil. 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.
WARNING! Do not use your Vista 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 Vista 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 tel 785.749.0133 fax 785.749.
