Professional Documents
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u s e r ’ s m a n u a l
Summit X
and
The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is Please note, only this product itself falls under the WEEE
intended to alert the user to the presence of important directive. When disposing of packaging and other related
operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in shipping materials we encourage you to recycle these items
the literature accompanying the appliance. through the normal channels.
WARNING! Do not use your Summit X 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 Summit X 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.
4 Contents
Installation in Brief
We know you are eager to hear your Summit X speakers, Step 1: Unpacking
so this section is provided to allow fast and easy set up. Remove your new Summit X 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 Summit X at least two feet from the back wall
possible performance from this most exacting transducer. and angle them slightly toward your listening area. This is
a good place to start. Please see the Placement section
If you should experience any difficulties in the setup or (pages 10–14) of this manual for more details.
operation of your Summit X speakers, please refer to the
Room Acoustics, Placement, or Operation sections of Step 3: Power Connection (AC) (see warning)
this manual. Should you encounter a persistent problem Your Summit X speakers require AC power to energize
that cannot be resolved, please contact your authorized their electrostatic cells and to power the PoweredForce™
MartinLogan dealer. They will provide you with the appro- woofers. Using the AC power cords provided, plug them
priate technical analysis to alleviate the situation. in first to the AC power receptacle on the rear panel of the
speaker, making sure that you have made a firm con-
WARNING! nection, and then to a wall outlet. Please see AC Power
• Hazardous voltages exist inside—do not Connection (pages 8) of this manual for more details.
remove cover.
• Refer servicing to a qualified technician. Step 4: Signal Connection
• To prevent fire or shock hazard, do not Use the best speaker cables you can. Higher quality cables,
expose this module to moisture. available from your specialty dealer, are recommended
• Turn amplifier off and unplug speaker if any and will give you superior performance. Spade connectors
abnormal conditions occur. are suggested for optimum contact and ease of installation.
• Turn amplifier off before making or breaking
any signal connections! Attach your speaker cables to the signal input section on the
• Do not operate if there is any visual damage rear panel. Be consistent when connecting speaker leads to
to the electrostatic panel element. the terminals on the back of the Summit X. Take great care
• Do not drive speaker beyond its rated power. to assign the same color to the (+) terminal on both the
• The power cord should not be installed, left and right channels. If bass is weak and you cannot
removed, or left detached from the speaker discern a tight, coherent image, you may need to reverse
while the other end is connected to an AC the (+) and (–) leads on one side to bring the system into
power source. proper polarity.
• Use only with a grounded electrical outlet.
• No candles or other sources of open flame For detailed setup instructions, please turn to the Controls
should be placed on the speaker. and Connections section (Page 7–9) of this manual for
• No liquids either in glasses or vases should be more details.
placed on speaker.
• Speaker should not be exposed to dripping or Step 5: Control Settings
splashing liquids. Set the 25 and 50 Hz Bass Level Control knobs to 0dB.
• The terminals marked with the lightning bolt Please see 25 and 50Hz Level Control (page 7) for more
symbol should be connected by an instructed details.
person or by way of ready made terminals.
• The power cord should remain readily oper- Step 6: Listen and Enjoy
able should any abnormal conditions occur. Now, you may turn on your system and enjoy!
Installation in Brief 5
Introduction
Congratulations! You have invested in one of the world’s Featuring an advanced crossover topology derived from
premier loudspeaker systems. the award winning CLX™ loudspeaker, MartinLogan
carefully hand-builds each Summit™ X crossover utiliz-
The MartinLogan Summit X™ represents an advanced ing precision point-to-point wiring, audiophile-grade
combination of sonic technologies establishing an unprec- polypropylene capacitors and high-purity air-core coils.
edented direction for audiophile design. The result of This advanced crossover topology flawlessly preserves
years of research, the new Summit X™ hybrid electro- microscopic subtleties while effortlessly handling the
static loudspeaker features PoweredForce™ and XStat™ broadest range of dynamics contained within even the
technologies, dramatically reducing cabinet size, yet most demanding sonic source.
establishing new standards for efficiency, dynamics and
precision in a floorstanding loudspeaker. The materials in your new Summit X speakers are of
the highest quality and will provide years of endur-
The luminous legacy of MartinLogan subwoofer engi- ing enjoyment and deepening respect. The cabinetry is
neering and research not only produced some of the constructed from the highest quality composite material
world’s most sophisticated subwoofers, but has also for acoustical integrity and features hand rubbed wood
yielded new breakthroughs. Through integrated engineer- veneers.
ing of advanced amplification and transducer designs,
PoweredForce™ bass technology results in usable bass Through rigorous testing, the curvilinear electrostatic
extension down to 24Hz, immense bass dynamics and panel has proven itself to be one of the most durable and
precision beyond the reach of traditional passive box reliable transducers available today. Fabricated from a
systems—all from an enclosure not much larger than a custom tool punched high-grade steel, the patented panel
case of wine! Additionally, low-frequency equalization is coated with a special polymer that is applied via a propri-
capabilities, integrated into advanced PoweredForce™ etary electrostatic bonding process. This panel assembly
technology, allow precision calibration for optimal room houses a membrane just 0.0005 of an inch thick. Ruggedly
integration. constructed and insulated, the panel is rated to easily
handle up to 300 watts of continuous power with no del-
Housed within a radical, ultra-rigid extruded aluminum eterious effects.
AirFrame™, the Summit X’s CLS XStat™ transducer builds
upon the legacy of MartinLogan’s electrostatic heritage The other sections of your User’s Manual explain in detail
with the incorporation of advanced vacuum bonding and the operation of your Summit X speakers and the phi-
MicroPerf stat panels, providing even greater efficiency and losophy applied to their design. A clear understanding of
precision. The integration of electrical interface technol- your speakers will insure that you obtain maximum perfor-
ogy developed by MartinLogan’s CLX™ engineering team mance and pleasure from this most exacting transducer. It
extends effortless dynamics and purity, resulting in even has been designed and constructed to give you years of
higher sonic standards of efficiency and precision. trouble-free listening enjoyment.
6 Introduction
Controls and Connections
Your Summit X speakers are wired for the power service WARNING! Turn your amplifier off before
supplied in the country of original consumer sale. The making or breaking any signal connections!
AC power rating applicable to a particular unit is speci-
fied both on the packing carton and on the serial number
plate attached to the speaker. If you remove your Summit X
speakers from the country of original sale, be certain that Break-In
the AC power supplied in any subsequent location is
suitable before connecting and operating the speakers. When you first begin to play your Summit X speakers the
Substantially impaired performance or severe damage may bass will sound weak. This is due to the high quality, long-
occur to a Summit X speaker if operation is attempted from life components used in the woofers. Our custom made,
an incorrect AC power source. butyl surround woofers require approximately 72 hours of
break-in at 90 dB (moderate listening levels) before any
WARNING! The power cord should not be critical listening. The break-in requirements of the cross-
installed, removed, or left detached from the over components (and, to a lesser degree, the electrostatic
speaker while the other end is connected to an panel) are equivalent.
AC power source.
25 & 50 Hz Level Controls
Signal Connection After you have determined the speaker position and pri-
mary listening position (see pages 10–1) you will want to
Use the best speaker cables you can. The length and type adjust the 25Hz and 50Hz level controls.
of speaker cable used in your system will have an audible
effect. Under no circumstance should a wire of gauge On the rear of the Summit X are two knobs that control
higher (thinner) than #16 be used. In general, the lon- the 25Hz and 50Hz frequency responses by ±10db.
ger the length used, the greater the necessity of a lower MartinLogan engineers have found this frequency area
gauge, and the lower the gauge, the better the sound, (20–75Hz) to be problematic. Low frequencies tend to
with diminishing returns setting in around #8 to #12. react to a room environment by creating nodes (boomy
and unnatural bass) or nulls (weak bass). By adjusting the
A variety of cables are available whose manufacturers 25Hz and 50Hz level knobs you can ‘dial out’ undesir-
claim better performance than standard heavy gauge wire. able nodes or nulls and create a balanced and seamless
We have verified this in many cases, and the improvements presentation.
available are often more noticeable than the differences
between wires of different gauge. The effects of cables To help find the optimal setting for your room, play famil-
may be masked if equipment is not of the highest quality. iar material with low frequency information (such as a
1 Start with the 25Hz and 50Hz level knobs set to 0dB.
The person at the listening position needs to become
familiar with the sound at this setting. Remember, only
the person in the listening position should judge the
bass integration. Nodes and nulls change dramatically
throughout every location in a room. A person adjust-
ing the controls on the speaker will experience an
entirely different bass performance than a person sit-
ting in the listening position.
Listening Position
By now your speakers should be placed approximately The front surface should be one long wall without any
two to three feet from the front wall (the wall in front of doors or openings. If you have openings, the reflection and
the listening position) and at least two feet from the side bass characteristics from each channel can be different.
walls. Your sitting distance should be further than the dis-
tance between the speakers themselves. You are trying to The Side Walls
attain the impression of good center imaging and stage
width. A good rule of thumb is to have the side walls as far away
from the speakers as possible. However, MartinLogan’s
The correct distance between the speakers and listener is unique controlled dispersion electrostatic transducer
related to the size and shape of your room. In long rooms inherently minimizes side wall reflections—a position
the distance between the speakers may be far less than as little as two feet from the side walls often proves ade-
the distance from you to the speaker system. However, quate. Sometimes, if the system is bright or the imaging
in a wide room, you will still find that if the distance from is not to your liking, and the side walls are very near, try
the listener to the speakers becomes smaller than the dis- putting curtains or softening material to the side of each
tance between the speakers themselves, the image will no speaker.
longer focus in the center.
Final Placement
After the full break in period, obtaining good wall treat-
ments, and the proper toe-in angle, begin to experiment
with the distance from the wall behind the speakers.
Move your speaker slightly forward into the room. What
happened to the bass response? What happened to the
imaging? If the imaging is more open and spacious and
the bass response is tightened, that is a superior posi-
tion. Move the speakers back six inches from the initial
setup position and again listen to the imaging and bass
response. There will be a position where you will have
pinpoint imaging and good bass response. That position
is the point of the optimal placement from the front wall.
Placement 11
good pinpoint focusing. Your ideal listening position to obtain the best performance from your system.
and speaker position will be determined by:
Your room is actually a component and an important part
•Tightness and extension of bass response of your system. This component is a very large variable
•Width of the stage and can dramatically add to, or subtract from, a great
•Pinpoint focusing of imaging musical experience.
Once you have determined the best of all three of these All sound is composed of waves. Each note has its own
considerations, you will have your best speaker location. wave size, with the lower bass notes literally encompass-
ing from 10’ feet to over 40’ feet. Your room participates
The Extra “Tweak” in this wave experience like a three dimensional pool with
waves reflecting and becoming enhanced depending on
This extra “tweak” may be useful when your speakers the size of the room and the types of surfaces in the room.
are placed in a dedicated listening room. Use the fol-
lowing procedure and measurements for your speakers Remember, your audio system can literally generate all of
placement to see what can happen to your system’s per- the information required to recreate a musical event in
formance. These formulas will help determine optimum time, space, and tonal balance. Ideally, your room should
placement of your speakers to minimize standing waves. not contribute to that information. However, every room
does contribute to the sound to some degree. Fortunately
1 Distance from the front wall (in front of the listening MartinLogan has designed the Summit X to minimize
position) to the center of the curvilinear transducer: To these anomalies
determine distance from the front wall, measure the
ceiling height (inches) and multiply the figure by 0.618 Let’s talk about a few important terms before we begin.
(i.e. ceiling height (inches) x 0.618 = the distance from
the front wall to the center of the curvilinear transducer). Terminology
2 Distance from the side-walls to the center of the cur- Standing Waves
vilinear transducer: To determine distance from the The parallel walls in your room will reinforce certain notes
side walls, measure the width of your room in inches to the point that they will sound louder than the rest of
and divide by 18. Next, multiply the quotient by 5 (i.e. the audio spectrum and cause “one note bass”, “boomy
room width in inches / 18 x 5 = the distance from the bass” or “bloated bass”. For instance, 100Hz represents a
side-walls to the center of the curvilinear transducer). 10 feet wavelength. Your room will reinforce that specific
frequency if one of the dominant dimensions is 10 feet.
Enjoy Yourself Large objects in the room such as cabinetry or furniture
can help to minimize this potential problem. Some seri-
The Summit X is a very refined speaker and benefits from ous “audiophiles” will literally build a special room with
care in setup. With these tips in mind you will find, over no parallel walls just to help eliminate this phenomenon.
your months of listening, that small changes can result in
measurable differences. As you live with your speakers, Reflective Surfaces (near-field reflections)
do not be afraid to experiment with their positioning until The hard surfaces of your room, particularly if close to your
you find the optimal relationship between your room and speaker system, will reflect some waves back into the room
speaker system that gives to you the best results. Your over and over again, confusing the clarity and imaging of
efforts will be rewarded. your system. The smaller sound waves are mostly affected
here, and occur in the mid and high frequencies. This is
Your Room where voice and frequencies as high as the cymbals occur.
This is one of those areas that requires both a little back- Resonant Surfaces and Objects
ground to understand and some time and experimentation All of the surfaces and objects in your room are subject to
12 Placement
the frequencies generated by your system. Much like an are used, the bass can be ill defined and even boomy. The
instrument, they will vibrate and “carry on” in syncopation use of spikes is recommended to insure secured footing for
with the music, and contribute in a negative way to the your speakers. (See ‘Solid Footing’ for spike information
music. Ringing, boominess, and even brightness can occur and installation instructions).
simply because they are “singing along” with your music.
Dipolar Speakers and Your Room
Resonant Cavities
Small alcoves or closet type areas in your room can be MartinLogan electrostatic loudspeakers are known as
chambers that create their own “standing waves” and can dipolar radiators. This means that they produce sound
drum their own “one note” sounds. from both their fronts and their backs. Consequently,
musical information is reflected by the wall behind them
Clap your hands. Can you hear an echo respond back? and may arrive, either in or out of step, with the informa-
You have near-field reflections. Stomp your foot on the tion produced by the front of the speaker.
floor. Can you hear a “boom”? You have standing waves or
large panel resonances such as a poorly supported wall. Put The low frequencies can either be enhanced or nulled
your head in a small cavity and talk loudly. Can you hear a by the position from the front wall. Your Summit X’s
booming? You’ve just experienced a cavity resonance. have been designed to be placed two to three feet from
the front wall (the wall in front of the listening position)
Rules of Thumb to obtain the best results; however, your room may see
things differently. So listening to the difference of the bass
Hard vs. Soft Surfaces response as a result of the changes in distance from the
If the front or back wall of your listening room is soft, it front wall can allow you to get the best combination of
might benefit you to have a hard or reflective wall in depth of bass and tonal balance.
opposition. The ceiling and floor should follow the same
basic guideline as well. However, the side walls should be Now that you know about reflective surfaces and reso-
roughly the same in order to deliver a focused image. nant objects, you can see how the midrange and high
frequencies can be affected. The timing of the initial wave
This rule suggests that a little reflection is good. As a mat- as it radiates to your ears, and then the reflected informa-
ter of fact, some rooms can be so “over damped” with tion as it arrives at your ears later in time, can result in
carpeting, drapes and sound absorbers that the music confusion of the precious timing information that carries
system can sound dull and lifeless. On the other hand, the clues to imaging. Consequently the result is blurred
rooms can be so hard that the system can sound like a imaging and excessive brightness. Soft walls, curtains, wall
gymnasium with too much reflection and brightness. The hangings, or sound dampeners (your dealer can give you
point is that balance is the optimum environment. good information here) can be effective if these negative
conditions occur.
Breakup Objects
Objects with complex shapes, such as bookshelves, cabinetry Solid Footing
and multiple shaped walls can help break up those
sonic gremlins and diffuse any dominant frequencies. After living and experimenting with your Summit X’s, you
may want to use ETC (energy transfer coupler) spikes sup-
Solid Coupling plied with the Summit X (see figure 5). With the use of
Your loudspeaker system generates frequency vibrations or these spikes, the Summit X will become more firmly plant-
waves into the room. This is how it creates sound. These ed on the floor and, consequently, bass will tighten and
vibrations vary from 20 per second to 20,000 per sec- imaging will become more coherent and detailed. It is
ond. If your speaker system is not securely planted on the best not to implement the spikes, however, until you are
floor or solid surface, it can shake as it produces sound secure in the positioning, as the spikes can damage the
and, consequently, the sound can be compromised. If floor if the speaker is moved. The feet that attach to the
your speaker is sitting on the carpet and only foot gliders bottom of the Summit X use a common 3/8 - 16 thread.
Room Acoustics 13
The Summi X’s feet can be configured to adjust the rake 3 Tighten the jam nut snugly by hand. Do not over tighten.
of the speaker from –1° to 11° allowing precise control of
the speaker’s vertical dispersion (figure 4). 4 Right the speaker.
Spike Installation Instructions: Caution: Make sure your hands and any cabling are
clear of the spikes. Do not slide speaker as spikes are
1 Carefully lay your speaker on its side. sharp and can damage your floor or carpet.
2 Remove existing feet. Thread the spikes into the holes 5 Adjust to level by rotating spikes. Tighten the jam nut
and screw them in all of the way. If the speaker does securely when satisfied that speaker is level.
not sit level loosen one spike until level is achieved.
A 11° D B 9° D A 7° B D 5° C B 3° A D 1° B D –1° A
A B C D
14 Placement
Dispersion Interactions
Dispersion Interactions 15
Home Theater
It had long been the practice of stereo buffs to connect their speaker, and that it is recommended for use as a center
television to a stereo system. The advantage was the use of speaker. This is not the place to cut corners.
the larger speakers and more powerful amplifier of the
stereo system. Even though the sound was greatly improved, Surround Speakers
it was still mono and limited by the broadcast signal. We recommend (along with the film industry) that the sur-
round speakers play down to at least 80 Hz. Surround
In the late 1970’s and early 1980’s two new home movie speakers contain the information that makes it appear that
formats became widely available to the public: VCR and planes are flying over your head. Some may suggest that this
laser disc. is the place to save money and purchase small, inexpensive
speakers. If you choose to do so, be prepared to upgrade
By 1985, both formats had developed into very high quality in the future as discrete multi-channel digital encoding is
audio/video sources. In fact, the sonic performance of some proliferating rapidly and the demands on surround speak-
video formats exceeded audio-only formats. Now, with ers have increased.
theater-quality sound available at home, the only element
missing was the "surround sound" presentation found in Subwoofer
movie houses. With any good surround system you will need one or
more high-quality subwoofers (the .1 in a 5.1, 6.1, or
Fortunately, Dolby and DTS encoded DVD’s emerged 7.1 channel surround system). Most movie soundtracks
with the same surround sound information encoded contain large amounts of bass information as part of the
on home releases as the theatrical release. Additionally, special effects. Good subwoofers will provide a founda-
new high-resolution home-viewing formats such as Blu- tion for the rest of the system.
Ray as well as high-definition content provided via cable
or satellite have evolved which include multi-channel
encoded audio that is virtually master tape quality. All that
is required to retrieve this information is a decoder and
additional speakers and amps to reproduce it.
Center Channel
This is the most important speaker in a home theater
system, as almost all of the dialogue and a large portion
of the front speaker information is reproduced by the Figure 11. Summit X speakers as front channels, the Stage as the center
center channel. It is important that the center speaker and surround channels, and Descent i subwoofers as 0.1 (effects) channel.
be extremely accurate and mate well with the front
16 Home Theater
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 electrostatic ly driven over its entire area, it can be extremely light and
loudspeakers deals with charged electrons attracting and flexible. This allows it to be very responsive to transients,
repelling each other. thus perfectly tracing the music signal. As a result, great
delicacy, nuance and clarity is possible. When you look
To fully understand the electrostatic concept, some back- at the problems of traditional electromagnetic drivers,
ground information will be helpful. Remember when you you can easily see why this is so beneficial. The cones and
learned in a science or physics class that like charges repel domes which are used in traditional electromagnetic driv-
each other and opposite charges attract each other? Well, ers cannot be driven uniformly because of their design.
this principle is the foundation of the electrostatic concept. Cones are driven only at the apex. Domes are driven at
their perimeter. As a result, the rest of the cone or dome
An electrostatic transducer consists of three pieces: stators, is just “along for the ride”. The very concept of these
the diaphragm and spacers (see figure 12). The diaphragm drivers requires that the cone or dome be perfectly rigid,
is what actually moves to excite the air and create music. damped and massless. Unfortunately, these conditions are
The stator’s job is to remain stationary, hence the word not available in our world today.
stator, and to provide a reference point for the moving dia-
phragm. The spacers provide the diaphragm with a fixed To make these cones and domes move, all electromag-
distance in which to move between the stators. netic drivers must use voice coils wound on formers,
spider assemblies, and surrounds to keep the cone or
As your amplifier sends music signals to an electrostatic dome in position (see figure 13). These pieces, when
speaker, these signals are changed into two high-voltage combined with the high mass of the cone or dome mate-
signals that are equal in strength but opposite in polarity. rials used, make it an extremely complex unit with many
These high voltage signals are then applied to the stators. weaknesses and potential for failure. These faults contrib-
The resulting electrostatic field, created by the opposing ute to the high distortion products found in these drivers
high voltage on the stators, works simultaneously with and is a tremendous disadvantage when you are trying
and against the diaphragm, consequently moving it back to change motion as quickly and as accurately as a loud-
and forth, producing music. This technique is known as speaker must (40,000 times per second!).
Figure 12. Cut away view of an XStat™ electrostatic transducer. Notice Figure 13. Cut away view of a typical moving coil driver. Notice the com-
the simplicity due to minimal parts usage. plexity due to the high number of parts.
Electrostatic Advantages 17
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 Summit X uses no crossover networks above 270 Hz real-world conditions.
because they are not needed. The Summit X consists of
a single, seamless electrostatic membrane reproducing In order to use multiple drivers, a crossover network
all frequencies above 270 Hz simultaneously. How is this is enlisted to attempt a division of the complex musical
possible? signal into the separate pieces (usually highs, mids, and
lows) that each specific driver was designed to handle.
First we must understand that music is not composed Unfortunately, due to the phase relationships that occur
of separate high, mid and low frequency pieces. In fact, within all crossover networks and during the acoustical
music is comprised of a single complex waveform with all recombination process, nonlinearities and severe deg-
frequencies interacting simultaneously. radation of the music signal take place in the ear’s most
critical zone (see figure 14).
The electrostatic transducer of the Summit X essential-
ly acts as an exact opposite of the microphones used to The Summit X’s electrostatic transducer can single-handed-
record the original event. A microphone, which is a single ly reproduce all frequencies above 270 Hz simultaneously.
working element, transforms acoustic energy into an elec- You have in one transducer the ability to handle in elegant
trical signal that can be amplified or preserved by some simplicity the critical frequencies above 270 Hz.
type of storage media. The Summit X’s electrostatic trans-
ducer transforms electrical energy from your amplifier The crossover phase aberrations that are associated with
back into acoustical energy. traditional tweeter, midrange, and woofer systems are
eliminated. The result is a dramatic improvement in imag-
Due to the limitations of electromagnetic drivers, no single ing and staging performance due to the minutely accurate
unit can reproduce the full range of frequencies. Instead, phase relationship of the full-range panel wave launch.
18 Electrostatic Advantages
MartinLogan Exclusives
XStat™ Transducer
XStat™ transducers incorporate a myriad of technological and technology, MartinLogan developed the production capa-
design innovations including CLS™, MicroPerf, Generation 2 bility to bring it out of the laboratory and into the market
Diaphragms, ClearSpars™, and Vacuum Bonding. place. You will find this proprietary MartinLogan technol-
ogy used in all of our electrostatic products. It is one of the
AirFrame™ Technology many reasons behind our reputation for high quality sound
with practical usability. This is also why you see the unique
Ultra-rigid extruded aerospace grade aluminum alloy “see through” cylindrical shape of MartinLogan products.
AirFrame™ technology rigidifies and secures the XStat™
electrostatic panel to the woofer cabinet while at the Generation 2 Diaphragm
same time providing sonic and electrical isolation. Summit X’s diaphragm employs an extremely sophisticated
Advanced AirFrame™ technology maximizes the electro- conductive coating applied to the polymer surface at an
static panels playable surface area and dipole dispersion atomic level using a plasma bonding process. A proprietary
pattern while minimizing potentially acoustically destructive compound is driven into the surface of the poly-
intermodulated distortion caused by spurious vibrations and mer film in an oxygen free argon chamber. This
resonance. The result? Ultimate imaging capability, low-level process allows extremely uniform surface resistivity character-
detail resolution, improved efficiency and overall accuracy. istics, an optically transparent surface, and a nearly massless
diaphragm. This uniform surface resistivity controls the elec-
MicroPerf Stator trostatic charge on the diaphragm surface and regulates
its migration. As a result, no discharging or “arcing” can occur.
Sleek. Compact. MicroPerf stator technology, featured in
all XStat™ transducers, reveals more open playable area Vacuum Bonding
in each panel, offering increased performance from even
more compact stat panels. It is significant to note that the To achieve the power, precision, and strength of the XStat™
XStat™ transducer in the radical new Summit X loud- transducer, two insulated high-purity carbon steel stators along
speaker supports the bandwidth and dynamics associated with a proprietary plasma bonded diaphragm and ClearSpar™
with traditional electrostatic panels nearly twice its size. spacers are fused into a curved geometry with an aerospace
adhesive whose strength exceeds that of welding. Our propri-
CLS™ (Curvilinear Line Source) etary Vacuum Bonding process guarantees uniform diaphragm
tensioning and extremely precise construction tolerances, result-
Since the beginning of audio, achieving smooth dispersion ing in unequivocal precision, linearity and efficiency.
has been a problem for all designers. Large panel transduc-
ers present unique challenge because the larger the panel, Controlled Dispersion PoweredForce™
the more directional the dispersion pattern becomes.
MartinLogan PoweredForce woofers feature advanced
Wide range electrostats have long been one of the most driver and amplification technologies that deliver astonish-
problematic transducers because they attain their full ingly dynamic and articulate bass to as low as 24 Hz from an
range capabilities via a large surface area. It looked as if enclosure only about the size of a case of wine. Controlled
they were in direct conflict to smooth dispersion and Dispersion PoweredForce woofers provide a low-frequency
almost every attempt to correct this resulted in either poor dispersion pattern at the crossover point mimicking that of
dispersion or a serious compromise in sound quality. our Controlled Dispersion XStat transducers. This break-
through design provides dynamic, room filling bass at the
After extensive research, MartinLogan engineers discov- lowest frequencies. By subtly shifting woofer phasing as it
ered an elegantly simple solution to achieve a smooth approaches the crossover frequency we minimize side-wall
pattern of dispersion without degrading sound quality. reflections and reduce problematic room interactions, while
By curving the horizontal plane of the electrostatic trans- achieving seamless integration between the woofer and
ducer, a controlled horizontal dispersion pattern could be electrostatic transducer. Low-frequency equalization further
achieved, yet the purity of the almost massless electrostatic enhances performance by allowing precise tailoring to indi-
diaphragm remained uncompromised. After creating this vidual room acoustics.
MartinLogan Exclusives 19
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 of “contestants” down to the cone and the electrostat. The
for granted. outcome would dictate the way that future generations
would refer to loudspeakers as being either “conventional”
It was 1880 before Thomas Edison had invented the or “exotic”.
first phonograph. This was a horn-loaded diaphragm
that was excited by a playback stylus. In 1898, Sir Oliver Bell Laboratory’s electrostat was something to behold. This
Lodge invented a cone loudspeaker, which he referred to enormous bipolar speaker was as big as a door. The dia-
as a “bellowing telephone”, that was very similar to the phragm, which was beginning to rot, was made of a pig
conventional cone loudspeaker drivers that we know today. intestine that was covered with fine gold leaf to conduct
However, Lodge had no intention for his device to repro- the audio signal.
duce music because in 1898 there was no way to amplify
an electrical signal! As a result, his speaker had nothing to When Rice and Kellogg began playing the new electrically
offer over the acoustical gramophones cut records through the electrostat,
of the period. It was not until 1906 Rice and Kellogg had they were stunned and impressed. The
that Dr. Lee DeForrest invented the electrostat performed splendidly. They
triode vacuum tube. Before this, an narrowed the field of had never heard instrumental timbres
electrical signal could not be ampli- reproduced with such realism. This sys-
fied. The loudspeaker, as we know it “contestants down” to the tem sounded like real music rather than
today, should have ensued then, but the honking, squawking rendition of the
it did not. Amazingly, it was almost cone and the electrostat. acoustic gramophone. Immediately, they
twenty years before this would occur. knew they were on to something big.
The acoustic gramophone was destined to become obsolete.
In 1921, the electrically cut phonograph record became
a reality. This method of recording was far superior to the Due to Rice and Kellogg’s enthusiasm, they devoted a
mechanically cut record and possessed almost 30 dB of considerable amount of time researching the electrostatic
dynamic range. The acoustical gramophone couldn’t begin design. However, they soon encountered the same dif-
to reproduce all of the information on this new disc. As a ficulties that even present designers face; planar speakers
result, further developments in loudspeakers were needed require a very large surface area to reproduce the lower fre-
to cope with this amazing new recording medium. quencies of the audio spectrum. Because the management
at Bell Labs considered large speakers unacceptable, Rice
By 1923, Bell Telephone Laboratories made the decision and Kellogg’s work on electrostatics would never be put to
to develop a complete musical playback system consisting use for a commercial product. Reluctantly, they advised the
of an electronic phonograph and a loudspeaker to take Bell management to go with the cone. For the next 30 years,
advantage of the new recording medium. Bell Labs the electrostatic design lay dormant.
assigned the project to two young engineers, C. W. Rice
and E. W. Kellogg. During the Great Depression of the 1930’s, consumer audio
almost died. The new electrically amplified loudspeaker
Rice and Kellogg had a well equipped laboratory at their never gained acceptance, as most people continued to
disposal. This lab possessed a vacuum tube amplifier use their old Victrola-style acoustic gramophones. Prior to
with an unheard of 200 watts, a large selection of the the end of World War II, consumer audio saw little, if any,
new electrically cut phonograph records and a variety of progress. However, during the late 1940’s, audio expe-
loudspeaker prototypes that Bell Labs had been collecting rienced a great rebirth. Suddenly there was tremendous
over the past decade. Among these were Lodge’s cone, a interest in audio products, and with that, a great demand
speaker that used compressed air, a corona discharge (plas- for improved audio components. No sooner had the cone
ma) speaker, and an electrostatic speaker. become established than it was challenged by products
developed during this new rebirth.
20 Electrostatic History
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 interested around 70 watts. As a result, many people continued to use
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 In the early 1960’s Arthur Janszen joined forces with the
period were too nonlinear in phase and amplitude response KLH loudspeaker company, and together they introduced
to meet his criteria. Janszen believed that electrostats were the KLH 9. Due to the large size of the KLH 9, it did not
inherently more linear than cones, so he built a model using have as many sonic limitations as the Quad. The KLH 9
a thin plastic diaphragm treated with a conductive coating. could play markedly louder and lower in frequency than
This model confirmed Janszen’s beliefs, for it exhibited the Quad ESL. Thus a rivalry was born.
remarkable phase and amplitude linearity.
Janszen continued to develop electrostatic designs. He
Janszen was so excited with the results that he continued was instrumental in the design of the Koss Model One,
research on the electrostatic speaker on his own time. He the Acoustech and the Dennesen speakers. Roger West,
soon thought of insulating the stators to the chief designer of the Janszen
prevent the destructive effects of arcing. These developments allow Corporation, became the presi-
By 1952, he had an electrostatic dent of Sound Lab. When Janszen
tweeter element ready for commercial the consumer to own the Corporation was sold, the RTR
production. This new tweeter soon loudspeaker company bought
created a sensation among American highest performance loud- half of the production tooling. This
audio hobbyists. Since Janszen’s tooling was used to make the elec-
tweeter element was limited to high speaker products ever built. trostatic panels for the Servostatic, a
frequency reproduction, it often found hybrid electrostatic system that was
itself used in conjunction with woofers—most notably, Infinity’s first speaker product. Other companies soon
those from Acoustic Research. These systems were highly followed; each with their own unique applications of
regarded by all audio enthusiasts. the technology. These include Acoustat, Audiostatic,
Beveridge, Dayton Wright, Sound Lab and Stax, to name a few.
As good as these systems were, they would soon be surpassed
by another electrostatic speaker. Electrostatic speakers have progressed and prospered
because they actually do what Peter Walker claimed they
In 1955, Peter Walker published three articles regarding would. The limitations and problems experienced in the
electrostatic loudspeaker design in Wireless World, a British past were not inherent to the electrostatic concept. They
magazine. In these articles, Walker demonstrated the benefits were related to the applications of these concepts.
of the electrostatic loudspeaker. He explained that electro-
statics permit the use of diaphragms that are low in mass, Today, these limitations have been resolved. Advancements
large in area and uniformly driven over their surfaces by in materials due to the U.S. space program give designers
electrostatic forces. Due to these characteristics, electrostats the ability to harness the superiority of the electrostatic
have the inherent ability to produce a wide bandwidth, principle. Today’s electrostats use advanced insulation
flat frequency response with distortion products being no techniques or provide protection circuitry. The poor dis-
greater than the electronics driving them. persion properties of early models have been addressed by
using delay lines, acoustical lenses, multiple panel arrays or,
By 1956, Walker backed up his articles by introducing a as in our own products, by curving the diaphragm. Power
consumer product, the now famous Quad ESL. This speaker handling and sensitivity have also been increased.
immediately set a standard of performance for the audio
industry due to its incredible accuracy. However, in actual These developments allow the consumer the opportunity
use, the Quad had a few problems. It could not be played to own the highest performance loudspeaker products ever
very loud, it had poor bass performance, it presented a dif- built. It’s too bad Rice and Kellogg were never able to see
ficult load that some amplifiers did not like, its dispersion just how far the technology would be taken.
Electrostatic History 21
Frequently Asked Questions
24 Troubleshooting
General Information
15.3” (38.9cm)
Dimensional Drawings
12.7“ (32.2cm)
4.1” (10.4cm) 56.9” (144.4cm)
12.7“ (32.2cm)
Dimensional Drawings
5°
21.3” (54cm)
19.2” (48.7cm)
10.9” (27.6cm)
6.4” (16.2cm)
General Information
Bi-Amplification. Uses an electronic crossover, or line- Dynamic Range. The range between the quietest and the
level passive crossover, and separate power amplifiers for loudest sounds a device can handle (often quoted in dB).
the high and low frequency loudspeaker drivers.
Efficiency. The acoustic power delivered for a given elec-
Capacitance. That property of a capacitor which determines trical input. Often expressed as decibels/watt/meter
how much charge can be stored in it for a given potential (dB/w/m).
difference between its terminals, measured in farads, by
the ratio of the charge stored to the potential difference. ESL. The abbreviation for electrostatic loudspeaker.
Capacitor. A device consisting of two or more conducting Headroom. The difference, in decibels, between the peak
plates separated from one another by an insulating material and RMS levels in program material.
and used for storing an electrical charge. Sometimes called
a condenser. Hybrid. A product created by the marriage of two different
technologies. Meant here as the combination of a dynamic
Clipping. Distortion of a signal by its being chopped off. An woofer with an electrostatic transducer.
overload problem caused by pushing an amplifier beyond
its capabilities. The flat-topped signal has high levels of har- Hz (Hertz). Unit of frequency equivalent to the number of
monic distortion which creates heat in a loudspeaker and cycles per second.
is the major cause of loudspeaker component failure.
Imaging. To make a representation or imitation of the original
CLS. The abbreviation for curvilinear linesource. sonic event.
Crossover. An electrical circuit that divides a full band- Impedance. The total opposition offered by an electric
width signal into the desired frequency bands for the circuit to the flow of an alternating current of a single fre-
loudspeaker components. quency. It is a combination of resistance and reactance and
is measured in ohms. Remember that a speaker’s imped-
dB (decibel). A numerical expression of the relative loud- ance changes with frequency, it is not a constant value.
ness of a sound. The difference in decibels between two
sounds is ten times the Base 10 logarithm of the ratio of Inductance. The property of an electrical circuit by which
their power levels. a varying current in it produces a varying magnetic field
that introduces voltages in the same circuit or in a nearby
DC. Abbreviation for direct current. circuit. It is measured in henrys.
Diffraction. The breaking up of a sound wave caused by Inductor. A device designed primarily to introduce induc-
some type of mechanical interference such as a cabinet tance into an electrical circuit. Sometimes called a choke
edge, grill frame or other similar object. or coil.
Linearity. The extent to which any signal handling process vibrations at the same or nearly the same frequency from
is accomplished without amplitude distortion. another body.
Midrange. The middle frequencies where the ear is the Sensitivity. The volume of sound delivered for a given
most sensitive. electrical input.
Passive crossover. Uses no active components (transistors, Stator. The fixed part forming the reference for the moving
IC’s, tubes) and needs no power supply (AC, DC, battery) diaphragm in a planar speaker.
to operate. The crossover in a typical loudspeaker is of the
passive variety. Passive crossovers consist of capacitors, THD. The abbreviation for total harmonic distortion. (See
inductors and resistors. Distortion)
Phase. The amount by which one sine wave leads or lags TIM. The abbreviation for transient intermodulation distortion.
a second wave of the same frequency. The difference is
described by the term phase angle. Sine waves in phase Transducer. Any of various devices that transmit energy
reinforce each other; those out of phase cancel. from one system to another, sometimes one that converts
the energy in form. Loudspeaker transducers convert elec-
Pink noise. A random noise used in measurements, as it trical energy into mechanical motion.
has the same amount of energy in each octave.
Transient. Applies to that which lasts or stays but a short
Polarity. The condition of being positive or negative with time. A change from one steady-state condition to another.
respect to some reference point or object.
Tweeter. A small drive unit designed to reproduce only
RMS. Abbreviation for root mean square. The effective value high frequencies.
of a given waveform is its RMS value. Acoustic power is
proportional to the square of the RMS sound pressure. Wavelength. The distance measured in the direction of
progression of a wave, from any given point characterized
Resistance. That property of a conductor by which it opposes by the same phase.
the flow of electric current, resulting in the generation of
heat in the conducting material, usually expressed in ohms. White noise. A random noise used in measurements, as it
has the same amount of energy at each frequency.
Resistor. A device used in a circuit to provide resistance.
Woofer. A drive unit operating in the bass frequencies only.
Resonance. The effect produced when the natural vibra- Drive units in two-way systems are not true woofers but
tion frequency of a body is greatly amplified by reinforcing are more accurately described as being mid/bass drivers.