Martin Logan Aeon i Owners manual
A EONTMi
user’s manual
c l s e l e c t r o s t a t i c
M ARTIN L OGAN
2 Contents And Introduction
CONTENTS AND INTRODUCTION
Contents And Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Installation in Brief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
AC Power Connection
Signal Connection
Break-In
Jumper Clips
Single-Wire Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Bi-Wire Connection
Passive Bi-Amplification
Active Bi-Amplification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Turning the NAC On/Off
Placement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Listening Position
The Wall Behind the Listener
The Wall Behind the Speakers
The Side Walls
Experimentation
Final Placement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
The Extra “Tweak”
Enjoy Yourself
Room Acoustics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Your Room
Terminology
Rules of Thumb
Dipolar Speakers and Your Room . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Solid Footing
Dispersion Interactions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Controlled Horizontal Dispersion
Controlled Vertical Dispersion
NAC Dispersion
Three Major Types of Dispersion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Home Theater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Electrostatic Advantages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Full Range Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
MartinLogan Exclusives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Curvilinear Line Source
NAC
Plasma Deposited Diaphragm
Transducer Integrity
Electrostatic Loudspeaker History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Frequently Asked Questions And Troubleshooting . .19
Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Specifications
Warranty and Registration
Service
Glossary of Audio Terms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Congratulations! You have invested in one of the world’s
premier loudspeaker systems.
The MartinLogan Aeon i represents the culmination of an
intensive, dedicated group research program directed toward
establishing a world class reference monitor utilizing leadingedge technology, without compromising durability, reliability,
craftsmanship or aesthetic design.
The result of cumulative technology gleaned from previous
research and development projects, the Aeon i represents
the latest developments in electrostatic and hybrid loudspeaker technology.
Combining our proprietary curvilinear electrostatic transducer with a compact, but powerful woofer, we have designed
a product, in one package, that reproduces music with
uncompromised electrostatic clarity and extended bass,
yet takes up little more than one square foot of floor space.
The materials in your new Aeon i speakers are of the highest
quality and will provide years of enduring enjoyment and
deepening respect. All trim pieces are constructed from
selected hardwoods. They are grain and color
matched and
finally hand finished. The cabinetry is constructed from the
highest quality composite material for acoustical integrity
and is finished with our attractive custom matte finish.
Through rigorous testing, the curvilinear electrostatic panel
has proven itself to be one of the most durable and reliable
transducers available today. Fabricated from a custom tool
punched high-grade steel, the patented panel is then coated
with a special polymer that is applied via a proprietary plasma
bonding process. This panel assembly houses a membrane
just 0.0005 of an inch thick. Ruggedly constructed and
insulated, as much as 200 watts of continuous power has
driven the Aeon i’s energized diaphragm into massive
excursions with no deleterious effects.
The other sections of your User’s Manual will explain
in detail the operation of your Aeon i speakers and the
philosophy applied to their design. A clear understanding
of your speakers will insure that you obtain maximum performance and pleasure from this most exacting transducer.
It has been designed and constructed to give you years of
trouble-free listening enjoyment.
Contents Introduction
Installation in Brief 3
INSTALLATION IN BRIEF
We know you’re eager to hear your new Aeon i loudpeakers,
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.
If you should experience any difficulties in the setup or
operation of your Aeon i speakers, please refer to the Room
Acoustics, Placement or Operation sections of this manual.
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.
WARNING!
•Hazardous voltages exist inside—do not
remove cover
•Refer servicing to a qualified technician
•To prevent fire or shock hazard, do not
expose this module to moisture
•Turn amplifier off and unplug speaker
should any abnormal conditions occur
•Do not operate if there is any visual
damage to the electrostatic panel element
•Do not over drive speaker beyond rated power
Step 1: Unpacking
Remove your new Aeon i speakers from their packing.
Step 2: Placement
Place each Aeon i at least two feet from any wall and angle
them slightly toward your listening area. This is a good
place to start. Please see the Placement section (pages 7–8)
of this manual for more details.
Step 3: Power Connection (AC) (see warning)
Your Aeon i speakers require AC power to energize their
electrostatic cells. Using the AC power cords provided,
plug
them in
first to the AC power receptacle on the rear panel of
the speaker
, making sure that you have made a firm
connection, and then to the wall outlet. Please see the Operation
section (pages 4–6) of this manual for more details.
Step 4: Signal Connection
Use the best speaker cables you can. Higher quality cables,
available from your specialty dealer, are recommended
and will give you superior performance. Spade connectors
are suggested for optimum contact and ease of installation.
Attach your speaker cables to the signal input section on
the rear panel. Be consistent when connecting speaker
leads to the terminals on the back of the Aeon i. Take great
care to assign the same color to the (+) terminal on both
the left and right channels. If bass is nonexistent and you
cannot discern a tight, coherent image, you may need
to reverse the (+) and (–) leads on one side to bring the
system into proper polarity.
For Bi-wiring/Passive Bi-amping instructions, turn to the
Operation section (pages 4–6) of this manual for proper
setup of the Aeon i system.
Step 5: Listen and Enjoy
Now, you may turn on your system and enjoy!
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.
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.
Installation In Brief
4 Operation
OPERATION
Because your Aeon i speakers 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. The Aeon i’s integrate
a signal-sensing power supply which will switch off after a few
minutes of no music signal and requires less than two seconds to recharge the panels when a music signal is present.
Your Aeon i speakers are wired for the power service supplied
in the country of original consumer sale. The AC power rating
applicable to a particular unit is specified on the packing
carton and on the serial number plate attached to the speaker.
If you remove your Aeon i speakers from the country of
original sale, be certain that the AC power supplied in any
subsequent location is suitable before connecting and operating the speakers. Substantially impaired performance or
severe damage may occur to an Aeon i speaker if operation is attempted from an incorrect AC power source.
WARNING! The power cord should not be installed,
removed, or left detached from the speaker while
the other end is connected to an AC power source.
Signal Connection
Use the best speaker cables you can. The length and type of
speaker cable used in your system will have an audible
effect. Under no circumstance should a wire of gauge higher
(thinner) than #16 be used. In general, the longer the length
used, the greater the necessity of a lower gauge, and the
lower the gauge, the better the sound, with diminishing
returns setting in around #8 to #12.
A variety of speaker cables are available whose
manufacturers claim better performance than standard heavy gauge
wire. We have verified this in many cases, and the improvements are often more noticeable than the differences
between wires of different gauge. The effects of cables may
be masked if the equipment is not of the highest quality.
We also recommend, if possible, that short runs of speaker
cable connect the power amplifier(s) and speakers and that
high-quality long interconnect cables be used to connect
the preamplifier and power amplifier. This results in the
power amplifiers being close to the speakers, which may
be practically or cosmetically difficult, but if the length of
the speaker cables can be reduced to a few meters, sonic
advantages may be obtained.
Connections are made at the signal input section on the
rear electronics panel of the Aeon i. Use spade connectors
for optimum contact and ease of installation. Make certain
that all of your connections are tight.
Be consistent when connecting the speaker cables to the
signal input terminals. Take care to assign the same color
cable lead to the (+) terminal on both the left and right
channel speakers. If bass is nonexistent and you cannot
discern a tight, coherent image, you may need to reverse
the (+) and (–) leads on one speaker to bring the system
into proper polarity.
WARNING! Turn your amplifier off before making
or breaking any signal connections!
Break-In
When you first play your Aeon i speakers, they will sound a
bit bass shy, due to the high-quality, long-life components
used in our woofer. Our custom-made, butyl surround woofer
requires 30 hours of break-in at 90 dB (moderate listening
levels) before critical listening. Break-in of the crossover components (and, to a lesser degree, the stator) are equivalent.
The pressure compensation panels on the back of the stator
panel are passive tone-shaping devices that improve tonal
balance and increase dispersion without sacrificing efficiency.
Please do not remove or reposition these panels in pursuit of
higher hi-fi as their size and placement are crucial to the
Aeon i’s performance.
Jumper Clips
In some countries federal law prohibits MartinLogan from
supplying jumper clips. If none are found installed under your
speakers binding posts, please refer to Bi-Wire Connection
(page 6) for connection instructions. If jumper clips are
installed please refer to Single-Wire Connection (page 5)
for connection instructions.
AC Power Connection
A
EON
TM
i
Amplifier
right speaker output
ESL
Woofer
left speaker output
Figure 2. Bi-wire connection. One channel shown.
Jumper clips
removed
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 1).
Bi-Wire Connection
This method of connection replaces the jumper clips installed
under the binding posts with individual runs of speaker
wire from your amplifier. This doubles the signal-carrying
conductors from the amplifier to the speaker, thus directcoupling each portion of the crossover to the amplifier.
To bi-wire you must first loosen the binding posts and
remove the jumper clips. Connect one set of wires to the
upper set of binding posts which connect to the panel of
the Aeon i. Then connect a second set of wires to the lower
binding posts which connect to the woofer. Next, connect
both sets of wires to the appropriate terminals on your
amplifier. Please take care to connect both (+) wires to
the (+) amplifier terminals and both (–) wires to the (–)
amplifier terminals. This is known as a parallel connection
(see figure 2).
Passive Bi-Amplification
For those who desire ultimate performance, the Aeon i may
be passively bi-amplified using the existing internal passive
crossover elements.
WARNING! Only after the jumper clips are removed
may you connect individual runs of speaker cable
from your amplifiers to the high pass (ESL) and
low pass (WOOFER) signal input binding posts.
Damage will occur to your amplifiers if the
jumper clips are not removed.
This method takes the bi-wiring concept one step further.
Now you will have a dedicated channel of amplification
directly connected to the high and low pass sections of the
Aeon i crossover. There are two different methods for biamping with two stereo amplifiers. The first and most
common is referred to as horizontal bi-amping. The second
method is referred to as vertical bi-amping. With either
method you may use two stereo amplifiers or four mono
amplifiers, or two mono amplifiers and one stereo amplifier. Get the idea? With either form of passive bi-amplification,
your preamplifier must have dual outputs. If your preamplifier is
not so equipped, you must either purchase or construct a
“Y” adapter.
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. If the amplifiers of choice do not have the same gain
characteristics, then a sonic imbalance will occur.
Single-Wire Connection
Figure 1. Single-wire connection. One channel shown.
A EONTMi
Amplifier
Jumper clips
in place,
full-range
right speaker output
ESL
Woofer
Operation 5
left speaker output
Right Amplifier
speaker output
With horizontal bi-amping, one amplifier drives the high
pass (ESL) section while the second amplifier drives the
low pass (WOOFER) section. To horizontally bi-amp your
Aeon i’s you must loosen the binding posts and remove the
jumper clips. Connect the low frequency amplifier to the
lower set of binding posts of both speakers. Connect the
high frequency amplifier to the upper set of binding posts.
Next, connect the left and right preamplifier outputs to the
appropriate left and right inputs of both amplifiers (see
figure 3).
Vertical Passive Bi-Amplification
The very nature of vertical bi-amping dictates that both
amplifiers be identical. With vertical bi-amping, each of
the stereo amplifiers is dedicated to one speaker. For
instance, the left channel of each amplifier drives the low
pass (WOOFER) section while the right channel drives the
high pass (ESL) section. To vertically bi-amp your Aeon i’s
you must loosen the binding posts and remove the jumper
clips from both speakers. Starting with one speaker, connect
the right channel to the lower binding posts and the left
channel to the upper binding posts. Repeat the same procedure for the other speaker. Connect the left preamplifier
outputs to both inputs of the left channel amplifier and the
right preamplifier outputs to both inputs of the right channel speaker (see figure 5).
We do not recommend active bi-amplification of the Aeon i.
The internal crossover can not be bypassed. This connection
method seriously degrades the Aeon i’s performance.
Turning the NACTMOn/Off
Your Aeon i loudspeakers are equipped with a NAC (natural
ambience compensation) driver located on the back of the
Aeon i’s cabinet. To turn the NAC on or off, gently insert a
narrow object such as a pen or pencil into the small hole
located beneath the NAC’s perforated screen (see figure
4) For more information on the NAC please see the
‘MartinLogan Exclusives’ section of this manual (page 17).
Figure 3. Horizontal passive bi-amplification. One channel shown.
High Amplifier
Low Amplifier
ESL
Woofer
Jumper clips
removed
Figure 5. Vertical passive bi-amplification. One channel shown.
A EONTMi
Active Bi-Amplification
Figure 4. Turning the NAC on/off.
6 Operation
right speaker output left speaker output
right speaker output left speaker output
Left Amplifier
ESL
Woofer
Jumper clips
removed
A EONTMi
speaker output
Placement 7
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 farther 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. In long rooms, naturally, that
relationship changes. The distance between the speakers
will be far less than the distance from you to the speaker
system. However, in a wide room, you will still find that if
the distance from the listener to the speakers becomes
smaller than the distance between the speakers themselves,
the image will no longer focus in the center.
Now that you have positioned your speaker system, spend
some time listening. Wait to make any major changes in
your initial setup for the next few days as the speaker
system itself will change subtly in its sound. Over the first
40 hours of play the actual tonal quality will change slightly
with deeper bass and more spacious highs resulting.
After a few days of listening you can begin to make refinements and hear the differences of those refinements.
The Wall Behind the Listener
Near-field reflections can occur from your back wall, the
wall behind the listening position. If your listening position
is close to the back wall, these reflections can cause problems
and confuse the quality of imaging. Actually it is better for
the wall behind you to be soft than to be bright. If you
have a hard back wall and your listening position is close
to it, experiment with devices that will soften and absorb
information (i.e., wall hangings and possibly even sound
absorbing panels).
The Wall Behind the Speakers
The front surface, the wall behind your speakers, should not
be extremely hard or soft. For instance, a pane of glass
will cause reflections, brightness and confused imaging.
Curtains, drapery and objects such as bookshelves can
be placed along the wall to soften a hard surface. A standard
sheet rock or textured wall is generally an adequate
surface if the rest of the room is not too bright and hard.
Sometimes walls can be too soft. If the entire front wall
consists of only heavy drapery, your system can sound too
soft or dull. You may hear dull, muted music with little
ambience. Harder room surfaces will actually help in this case.
The front surface should, optimally, be one long wall
without any doors or openings. If you have openings, the
reflection and bass characteristics from one channel to the
other can be different.
The Side Walls
The same requirements exist for side walls. Additionally, a
good rule of thumb is to have the side walls as far away
from the speaker sides as possible, minimizing near-field
side wall reflections. Sometimes, if the system is bright or
the imaging is not to your liking, and the side walls are
very near, try putting curtains or softening material directly
to the edge of each speaker. An ideal side wall, however,
is no side wall at all.
Experimentation
Toe-in
Now you can begin to experiment. First begin by toeing your
speakers in towards the listening area and then facing them
straight into the room. You will notice that the tonal balance
changes slightly. You will also notice the imaging changing.
Generally it is found that the ideal listening position is with
the speakers slightly toed-in so that you are listening to the
inner third of the curved transducer section.
Experimenting with the toe-in will help in terms of tonal
balance. You will notice that as the speakers are toed-out,
the system becomes slightly brighter than when toed-in.
This design gives you the flexibility to compensate for a
soft or bright room.
Tilting the Speakers Backwards and Forwards
As the diagrams show in the Dispersion Interactions section
of this manual (pages 11–12), 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.
Listening Position
PLACEMENT
8 Placement
Imaging
In their final location, your Aeon i’s should have a stage width
somewhat wider than the speakers themselves. On wellrecorded 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. Make sure that the vertical alignment, distance
from the front wall, and toe-in, is exactly the same from
one speaker to the other. This will greatly enhance the
quality of your imaging.
Bass Response
Your bass response should neither be one note nor too
heavy. It should extend to even the deepest organ passages, yet it should be tight and well defined. Kick-drums
should be tight and percussive—string bass notes should
be uniform and consistent throughout the entirety of the
run without any booming or thudding.
Tonal Balance
Voices should be natural and full, cymbals should be
detailed and articulate yet not bright and piercing, pianos
should have a nice transient characteristic and deep tonal
registers as well. If you cannot attain these virtues, read the
section on Room Acoustics (pages 10–11). This will give
you clues on how to get closer to those ideal virtues.
Final Placement
After obtaining good wall treatments and the proper 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 position. 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.
Now experiment with placing the speakers farther apart.
As the speakers are positioned farther apart, listen again,
not so much for bass response but for stage width and
good pinpoint focusing.
Your ideal listening position and speaker position will
be determined by:
•Tightness and extension of bass response
•Width of the stage
•Pinpoint focusing of imaging
Once you have determined the best of all three of these
considerations, you will have your best speaker location.
The Extra “Tweak”
A major cable company developed the following procedure
for speaker placement. As a final test of exact placement,
use these measurements for your speakers placement, and
see what can happen to the ultimate enhancement of
your system’s performance. These two basic formulas will
determine optimum placement of your speakers to minimize
standing waves.
1. Distance from the front wall (the wall in front of the listening
position) to the center of the curvilinear transducer. To
determine distance from the front wall, measure the height
of your ceiling (inches) and multiply the figure by 0.618
(i.e., ceiling height in 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 (inches) and divide by
18. Next, multiply the quotient by 5 (i.e., room width in
inches/18 x 5 = the distance from the side-walls to the
center of the curvilinear transducer).
Enjoy Yourself
The Aeon i is a very refined speaker and benefits from care
in setup. With these tips in mind you will find, over your
months of listening, that small changes can result in
measurable differences. As you live with your speakers, do
not be afraid to experiment with their positioning until
you find the optimal relationship between your room and
speaker system that gives to you the best results. Your efforts
will be rewarded.
You are now armed with the fundamental knowledge of
room acoustics and the specific fundamentals of the Aeon i
loudspeaker. Happy listening!
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