MartinLogan 300 User Manual
tm
D y n a m otm 3 0 0
u s e r ’ s m a n u a l
®
In accordance with the European Union WEEE (Waste
Electrical and Electronic Equipment) directive effective
August 13, 2005, we would like to notify you that this
product may contain regulated materials which upon disposal, according to the WEEE directive, require special reuse and
recycling processing.
For this reason MartinLogan has arranged with our distributors in
European Union member nations to collect and recycle this product at no
cost to you. To find your local distributor please contact the dealer from
whom you purchased this product, email info@martinlogan.com or visit
the distributor locator at www.martinlogan.com.
Please note, only this product itself falls under the WEEE directive.
When disposing of packaging and other related shipping materials we
encourage you to recycle these items through the normal channels.
The lightning bolt flash with arrowhead symbol, within
an equilateral triangle, is intended to alert the user to
the presence of uninsulated “dangerous voltage” within
the product’s enclosure that may be of sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
1 Read these instructions.
2 Keep these instructions.
3 Heed all warnings.
4 Follow all instructions.
5 Do not use this apparatus near water.
6 Clean only with dry cloth.
7 Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in accordance with the
manufacturer's instructions.
8 Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat registers,
stoves, or other apparatus (inlcuding amplifiers) that produce heat.
9 Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized or grounding-type
plug. A polarized plug has two blades with one wider than the other.
A grounding type plug has two blades and a third grounding prong.
The wide blade or the third prong are provided for your safety. If the
provided plug does not fit into your outlet, consult an electrician for
replacement of the obsolete outlet.
10 Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched particu-
larly at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the point where they exit
from the apparatus.
11 Only use attachments/accessories specified by the manufacturer.
The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is
intended to alert the user to the presence of important
operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in
the literature accompanying the appliance.
12 Use only with the cart, stand, tripod, brack-
et, or table specified by the manufacturer,
or sold with the apparatus. When a cart
is used use caution when moving the cart/
apparatus combination to avoid injury from
tip-over.
13. Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or when unused for
long periods of time.
14. Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel. Servicing is required
when the apparatus has been damaged in any way, such as powersupply cord or plug is damaged, liquid has been spilled or objects
have fallen into the apparatus, the apparatus has been exposed to rain
or moisture, does not operate normally, or has been dropped.
15. WARNING: To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock, this apparatus should not be exposed to rain or moisture and objects filled with
liquids, such as vases, should not be placed on this apparatus.
16. To completely disconnect this equipment from the mains, disconnect
the power supply cord plug from the receptacle.
17. The mains plug of the power supply cord shall remain readily operable.
18 Do not expose this equipment to dripping or splashing and ensure
that no objects filled with liquids, such as vases, are placed on the
equipment.
2
Contents
Thank you—the MartinLogan owner,
for loving what we do,
and
making it possible for us to do what we love.
Contents 3
Introduction & Installation in Brief 4
Introduction
Installation in Brief
About the Controls 5
Connections and Control Settings 6
Before Connecting the Dynamo 300
2-Channel Mode
Multi-Channel/LFE Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
AC Power Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Break-In
Placement 9
Listening Position
Ask Your Dealer
Enjoy Yourself
Room Acoustics 10
Your Room
Terminology
Home Theater 11
FAQ and Troubleshooting 12
Frequently Asked Questions
Troubleshooting
General Information 13
Specifications
Warranty and Registration
Service
Dimensional Drawings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Serial Numbers: _______________
Record your serial numbers here for easy reference. You will need this information
when filling out your warranty registration. Dynamo 300's serial number is located
near the bottom of the backplate and on the shipping container.
WARNING! Do not use your Dynamo 300 subwoofer 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 Dynamo 300 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.
3Contents 3
IntroduCtIon & InstallatIon In BrIef
Introduction Installation in Brief
Congratulations! You have invested in one of the
world's premier subwoofers.
The MartinLogan Dynamo 300 represents the extension
of an intensive, dedicated team research program directed toward establishing a world class line of reference
subwoofers using leading-edge technology, without compromising durability, reliability, craftsmanship or aesthetics.
The Dynamo 300 subwoofer uses an 8-inch high-excursion driver to achieve deep, tight, well-defined bass. A
proprietary amplifier is used to drive the output stage with
precision and extremely high efficiency. Low-pass filtering
and phase control have been designed to make integrating the Dynamo 300 subwoofer with MartinLogan and
non-MartinLogan products both seamless and simple.
The materials in your new Dynamo 300 subwoofer are
of the highest quality and will provide years of enduring
enjoyment and deepening respect. The cabinet is constructed from the finest composite material for acoustical
integrity and is finished with an attractive custom coating.
This User's Manual will explain in detail the operation of
your Dynamo 300 subwoofer and the philosophy applied
to its design. A clear understanding will insure that you
obtain maximum performance and pleasure from this most
exacting subwoofer.
We know that you are eager to hear your new Dynamo
300 subwoofer, so this section is provided to allow fast
and easy
take the time to
tion in this manual. It will give you perspective on how
to attain the greatest possible performance from this most
exacting subwoofer system.
If you experience any difficulties in setup or operation of
the Dynamo 300, please refer to the Placement, Room
Acoustics and Connections and Control Settings sections.
Should you encounter a persistent problem that cannot
be resolved, please contact your authorized MartinLogan
dealer. They will provide you with the appropriate technical
analysis to alleviate the situation.
Step 1: Unpacking
Remove your new subwoofer from its packing.
Step 2: Placement
Ideally, place the Dynamo 300 in a corner near the front
of the room. This is a good place to start. Please see the
Placement section (page 9) of this manual for more details.
Step 3: Signal Connection
Use the best cables you can. High quality cables, available
from your specialty dealer, are recommended and will
give you superior performance.
set up. Once you have it operational, please
read, in depth, the rest of the informa-
4 Introduction & Installation in Brief
Attach your preamplifier/processor outputs through cables
to the signal input area located on the Dynamo 300’s rear
panel. Please see the Connections and Control Settings
section (pages 6–8) of this manual for more details.
Step 4: Power Connection (AC) (see warning)
Make sure the level knob is set at 'Min'. Plug the Dynamo
300 subwoofer into a wall outlet. Review the AC Power
Connection section (page 8) of this manual for more details.
Step 5: Setting the Controls
Set the level knob to a medium volume position (12 o'clock).
Set the power switch to ‘Auto'.
Step 6: Listen and Enjoy
Now, you may adjust your system and enjoy!
Level Knob
Setting the level too high will cause the bass to seem bloated and is the single most common cause of bad sounding
subwoofers. A rule of thumb is that the subwoofer should
not draw attention to itself, but should simply make the systems low end seem more extended and accurate.
Low Pass Filter Knob
When the Dynamo 300 is connected in multi-channel
mode (via its LFE input), the low pass filter is not active
and your processor handles the bass management. When
connected in 2-channel mode via its line level left/right
input, the low-pass filter is active.
As a general rule the low pass filter should be set equal
to approximately 70% of your speaker’s lowest frequency
response. Remember, this is a general rule. We advise
that once you try the recommended setting using the formula above, you should try the surrounding settings to see
which sounds best.
aBout the Controls
Phase Control Switch
The phase control is entirely dependent on the size and
configuration of your listening environment, the placement
of the unit, and your seating arrangement. Due to the way
bass sound waves develop in different rooms, there is
no rule of thumb for setting phase. For instance, if your
room has a peak at the subwoofer crossover area, you
may wish to set the phase so the actual acoustic outputs
of the subwoofer and main speakers are out of phase.
Experiment, try different settings and be patient.
Status LED
When the status LED (located on the front bottom of the
subwoofer) is blue, the subwoofer is on. When the status
LED is off the subwoofer is in standby mode.
Power
The Master Power switch must be set to 'Auto' or 'On'
for the subwoofer to operate. When set to 'Auto' the
subwoofer will automatically enter a power saving mode
when no audio signal is detected. The subwoofer will
automatically come out of power saving mode when a
signal is detected.
Figure 1. Dynamo 300 controls.
About the Controls 5
ConneCtIons and Control settIngs
Before Connecting the Dynamo
WARNING! If the Dynamo is attached in
LFE mode (using the Right/LFE Line Level
Input) do not attach the Left Line Level In or
Speaker Level Inputs.
WARNING! Do not simoulateously attach
Speaker Level inputs and Line Level Inputs.
WARNING! Turn your Dynamo 300
subwoofer to 'Off' before making or
breaking any signal connections!
MartinLogan's engineering and design team developed
the Dynamo 300 for easy setup and integration. Before
connecting your Dynamo 300, please review the controls
discussed in the last section. An understanding of these
will help speed you along as you connect and integrate
your Dynamo 300. All signal connections are done on the
rear connections panel of the Dynamo 300. Make certain
that all of your connections are tight.
2-Channel Mode
This setup is recommended if your Dynamo 300 will be
used in a 2-channel system. If you will be using your system for both 2-channel and multi-channel listening we
recommend connecting the Dynamo 300 as recommended in 'Multi-Channel/LFE Mode'. Some modern receivers
and processors allow users to route left and right channel
low-frequency information, in addition to discrete LFE information, through the LFE output.
Figure 3. Signal connection for 2-channel mode via line leve input.
Figure 2. For 2-channel mode adjust Level, Low-Pass Filter, & Phase controls. Figure 4. Signal connection for 2-channel mode via speaker level input.
6 Connections and Control Settings
Line Level Input Signal Connection (figure 3):
Connect the left and right line level outputs of your preamplifier to the left and right 'Line Level Input' connections of
the Dynamo 300 using quality RCA interconnects. If your
preamplifier only has one set of outputs you may need to
obtain Y adapters from your dealer.
Speaker Level Input Signal Connection (figure 4):
Connect the left and right outputs of your amplifier to the
subwoofer’s left and right 'Speaker Level Input' binding
posts. Use quality speaker cable.
If your amplifier only has one set of outputs you may
connect your amplifier to your speakers as normal and
run an additional set of cables from your speakers to the
subwoofer’s 'Speaker Level Input' binding posts.
It is also possible to connect the left and right outputs of
your amp to the left and right 'Speaker Level Input' of the
subwoofer and run additional cables from your subwoofer
to the speakers.
Recommended Control Settings (see figure 2):
and connection method. Some modern receivers and
processors allow users to route left and right channel
low-frequency information, in addition to discrete LFE information, through the LFE output.
1
Set the 'Low Pass Filter' knob to approximately
70% of
your loudspeakers lowest frequency response.
3 While playing music with bass content, turn the 'Level'
control up until the music has deep extended bass,
being careful to avoid levels that become overwhelming.
4 Try the 'Phase' control in different settings until the best
blending is obtained.
Multi-Channel/LFE Mode
This setup is recommended if your Dynamo 300 will be used
in a dedicated home theater or multi-channel system. When
a signal is connected to the subwoofer’s LFE input, and the
crossover switch is set to 'Bypass (LFE In)' the internal low
pass filter is not active. By following this setup, you will allow
your processor to handle most of the bass management.
If you will be using your system for both 2-channel and
multi-channel listening we recommend using this setup
Figure 5. Signal connection for multi-channel mode.
Figure 6. For Multi-channel/LFE mode set the Low-Pass Filter at 150Hz.
Adjust Level and Phase controls.
Connections and Control Settings 7
AC Power Connection
Signal Connection (see figure 5):
1 Connect the LFE output of the processor to the LFE input
using a quality RCA interconnect.
WARNING!
Based on the performance of most processors, it is recommended that MartinLogan
center and effects type speakers not be run
in large, wide, or full range mode. Doing
so may potentially damage the speaker if
the processor attempts to drive the speaker
beyond its rated frequency range. This
warning also applies to products from other
manufacturers.
It is recommended to run center and effects
type speakers in limited or narrow mode.
Some processors have an option to route the LFE
channel to your main and/or surround speakers.
We recommend that you do not use this option.
Recommended Control Settings (see figure 6):
1
Set the 'Low Pass Filter' knob to 150 Hz
2 Use the bass management section of your processor‘s
speaker level setup option to set the subwoofer level at an
appropriate level. Follow the instructions in your processor
manual to fine-tune the subwoofer level.
3 If your processor offers the option to setup crossovers for a
subwoofer, we recommend that you start with the following
settings—Crossover: 70Hz, High-Pass: 12dB, and LowPass: 24dB. The optimal setting for these options may vary
depending on your room and listening preferences.
.
WARNING! The power cord should not
be installed, removed, or left detached from
the subwoofer while the other end is connected to an AC power source.
The IEC cord should be firmly inserted into the AC power
receptacle on the rear connection panel of the subwoofer,
then to any convenient AC wall outlet. Directly adjacent
to the AC power receptacle on the rear connection panel
of the subwoofer is a master power switch. This switch is
wired directly to the AC main and turns on/off all power
going to the subwoofer. The Dynamo 300 also integrates
a signal sensing power supply that will go to Standby
mode after a few minutes of no music signal if the frontpanel power switch is set to 'Auto'.
Your subwoofer is wired for the power service supplied in
the country of original consumer sale. The AC power rating applicable to a particular unit is specified both on the
packing carton and on the serial number plate attached to
the subwoofer.
If you remove your subwoofer from the country of original
sale, be certain that AC power supplied in any subsequent
location is suitable before connecting and operating the
subwoofer. Substantially impaired performance or severe
damage may occur to the subwoofer if operation is attempted from an incorrect AC power source.
Break-In
Our custom made woofers require approximately 50 hours
of break-in at moderate listening levels before their optimal
performance occurs. This will factor in on any critical listening
and judgment.
4 Adjust the phase control until ideal blending is obtained. If
you hear no discernible difference leave the phase at 0°.
5 Follow the instructions in your processor manual to fine-
tune the subwoofer level
8 Connections and Control Settings
Listening Position
Generally, subwoofers have the most output when placed
in the corner of a room. However, this can also exaggerate the subwoofers output making blending difficult. We
recommend starting by placing the Dynamo 300 in a corner. If, after the full range of tuning techniques have been
employed, the subwoofer sounds like it has too much upper
bass energy try pulling it away from the wall, toward the
listening position. This will lessen the reinforcement of these
problematic frequencies from the wall and likely smooth out
the response. Repeat the tuning techniques with the woofer
controls after you move it (see figure 7).
Ask Your Dealer
Your MartinLogan dealer can suggest many options for
optimal subwoofer placement. They also have many tools
at their disposal, such as experience, familiarity with the
associated equipment, and even sound analysis equipment
which may make the task of determining optimal subwoofer
placement easier.
Enjoy Yourself
The Dynamo 300 is a very refined subwoofer and will
benefit from care in setup. With the above placement tips
in mind you will find, over months of listening, that small
changes can result in measurable differences. As you live
with your subwoofer, do not be afraid to experiment with
positioning until you find the optimal relationship between
your room, settings and subwoofer that gives you the best
results. Your efforts will be rewarded.
PlaCement
Figure 7. Dynamo 300 Subwoofers as the LFE (effects) channels,
MartinLogan Motion 12 speakers as front channels, and Motion 4 speakers
as surround (effects) channel and Motion 8 as the center channel. Note
the corner placement of the Dynamo 300 at the front of the listening room.
Placement 9
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