Martin Logan Ascent i Owners manual
A SCENT
TM
i
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
CONTENTS
Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Installation in Brief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Introduction and Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
AC Power Connection
Signal Connection
Break-In
Jumper Clips
Single-Wire Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Bi-Wire Connection
Passive Bi-Amplification
Active Bi-Amplification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Bass Control Switch
Placement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Listening Position
The Wall Behind the Listener
The Wall Behind the Speakers
The Side Walls
Experimentation
Final Placement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
The Extra “Tweak”
Enjoy Yourself
Room Acoustics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Your Room
Terminology
Rules of Thumb
Dipolar Speakers and Your Room . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Solid Footing
Dispersion Interactions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Controlled Horizontal Dispersion
Controlled Vertical Dispersion
Three Major Types of Dispersion
Home Theater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Electrostatic Advantages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Full Range Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
MartinLogan Exclusives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Curvilinear Line Source
Plasma Deposited Diaphragm
Transducer Integrity
Electrostatic Loudspeaker History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Frequently Asked Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Specifications
Warranty and Registration
Service
Glossary of Audio Terms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
Installation in Brief 3
INSTALLATION IN BRIEF
We know you are eager to hear your Ascent i speakers, so
this section is provided to allow fast and easy set up. Once
you have them operational, please take the time to read,
in depth, the rest of the information in this manual. It will
give you perspective on how to attain the greatest possible
performance from this most exacting transducer.
If you should experience any difficulties in the setup or
operation of your Ascent 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 drive speaker beyond its rated power.
Step 1: Unpacking
Remove your new Ascent i speakers from their packaging.
Step 2: Placement
Place each Ascent 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 8–9) of
this manual for more details.
Step 3: Power Connection (AC) (see warning)
Your Ascent 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 a wall outlet. Please see the Operation
section (pages 5–7) 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 Ascent 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 (Page 5–7) of this manual for proper
setup of the Ascent 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.
AssemblyIntroduction
INTRODUCTION AND ASSEMBLY
Congratulations! You have invested in one of the world’s
premier loudspeaker systems.
The MartinLogan Ascent i represents the culmination of
an intensive, dedicated group research program directed
toward establishing a world class reference monitor utilizing
leading-edge technology, without compromising durability,
reliability, craftsmanship or aesthetic design.
The Ascent i raises and refines the performance level of the
original Ascent. Bass response now has
improved defini-
tion. High frequency
response also has better extension
and is more natural in character. The integration of the
two is much smoother and seamless. Power handling and
system efficiency have been enhanced as well.
The materials in your new Ascent 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 then 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 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 electrostatic 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 Ascent i’s energized diaphragm
into massive excursions with no deleterious effects.
The other sections of your User’s Manual explain in detail
the operation of your Ascent 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.
The Ascent i comes with an easy to install woofer grille cover.
This woofer grille is designed so that it can be installed in
two ways, either with the indent towards the top, or with the
indent towards the bottom—depending on your personal
aesthetic preference. To install the grille, just line it up with
the bottom of the Ascent i and carefully push the grille into
place (see figure 1).
Figure 1. Assembling the Ascent i
4 Introduction and Assembly
OPERATION
Operation 5
Because your MartinLogan Ascent i speakers use an internal power supply to energize their electrostatic cells, they
must be connected to an AC power source. For this reason
they are provided with the proper IEC standard power
cords. These cords should be firmly inserted into the AC
power receptacles on the rear connection panel of the speakers, then to any convenient AC wall outlet. The Ascent 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 Ascent 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
both on the packing carton and on the serial number plate
attached to the speaker.
If you remove your Ascent 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 Ascent 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 now available whose
manufacturers claim better performance than standard
heavy gauge wire. We have verified this in many cases, and
the improvements available 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 done at the signal input section on the
rear electronics panel of the Ascent 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 begin to play your Ascent i speakers, they
will sound a bit bass shy. This is due to the high-quality,
long-life components used in our woofer. Our custom
made, butyl surround woofer requires 30 hours of breakin at 90 dB (moderate listening levels) before any critical
listening. The break-in requirements of the crossover components (and, to a lesser degree, the stator) are equivalent.
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’ for connection instructions. If jumper clips
are installed please refer to ‘Single-Wire Connection’ for
connection instructions.
AC Power Connection
A
SCENT
TM
i
Stereo Amplifier
right speaker output
ESL
Woofer
left speaker output
Jumper clips
removed
A SCENTTMi
Stereo Amplifier
Jumper clips
in place,
full-range
right speaker output
ESL
Woofer
left speaker output
Figure 3. Bi-wire connection. One channel shown.
Please take note of the jumper clips installed under the
binding posts. These clips attach the high and low frequency
sections of the crossover together. Leaving these in place,
connect the (+) wire from your amplifier to either red
binding post and the (–) wire from your amplifier to either
black binding post (see figure 2).
Bi-Wire Connection
This connection method replaces the jumper clips installed
under the binding posts with individual runs of speaker
wire from your amplifier. 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 Ascent 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 3).
Passive Bi-Amplification
For those that desire ultimate performance, the Ascent i may
be passively bi-amplified using the existing internal passive
crossover elements.
WARNING! Only after 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.
You will have a dedicated channel of amplification directly
connected to the high and low pass sections of the Ascent i
crossover. There are two different methods for bi-amping
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. With horizontal bi-amping, one amplifier drives the high pass (ESL) section while
the second amplifier drives the low pass (WOOFER) section.
Single-Wire Connection
Figure 2. Single-wire connection. One channel shown.
Bass Control
-3db
flat
Bass Control
-3db
flat
6 Operations
Right Amplifier
speaker output
Left Amplifier
ESL
Woofer
Jumper clips
removed
A SCENTTMi
speaker output
High Amplifier
Low Amplifier
ESL
Woofer
Jumper clips
removed
A
SCENT
TM
i
right speaker output left speaker output
right speaker output left speaker output
To horizontally bi-amp your Ascent 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 4).
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 Ascent 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 amplifier (see figure 5).
Active Bi-Amplification
We do not recommend active bi-amplification of Ascent i.
The internal crossover can not be bypassed. This connection method seriously degrades the Ascent i’s performance.
Bass Control Switch
On the rear panel of the Ascent i electronics module, beside
the signal input binding posts, is a two position Bass Control
switch that allows you to select the type of low frequency
response you desire.
The flat position is considered the normal setting for most
rooms. However, if you feel that the bass in your system
is
too heavy relative to the mid and high frequencies,
simply
select the –3dB position. This switch position will decrease
the output of the woofer by 3 dB.
Some experimentation with these two switch settings will
allow you to find the optimal tonal balance for your specific
taste, room and equipment.
Figure 4. Horizontal passive bi-amplification. One channel shown.
Figure 5. Vertical passive bi-amplification. One channel shown.
Operation 7
Bass Control
-3db
flat
Bass Control
-3db
flat
8 Placement
PLACEMENT
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 further 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 also 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 12–13), 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 9
Imaging
In their final location, your Ascent i’s should have a stage
width somewhat wider than the speakers themselves. On
well recorded 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 for both speakers.
This will greatly enhance the quality of your imaging.
Bass Response
Your bass response should neither be one note nor should
it be too heavy. It should extend to even the deepest organ
passages, yet it should be tight and well defined. Kickdrums 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 and 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 (in front of the listening
position) to the center of the curvilinear transducer. To
determine distance from the front wall, measure the
ceiling height (inches) and multiply the figure by 0.618
(i.e. ceiling height (inches) x 0.618 = the distance from
the front wall to the center of the curvilinear transducer).
2 Distance from the side-walls to the center of the curvi-
linear transducer. To determine distance from the side
walls, measure the width of your room in inches and
divide by 18. Next, multiply the quotient by 5 (i.e.
room width in inches/18 x 5 = the distance from the
side-walls to the center of the curvilinear transducer).
Enjoy Yourself
The Ascent 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 Ascent i
loudspeaker. Happy listening!
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