MartinLogan STAGECenter Channel Speaker User Manual
S TAGE
TM
user’s manual
Serial Number: _________________________________
Record your serial number here for easy reference. You will need this information when filling out your warranty registration. Stage’s serial number is
located on backplate and on the shipping container.
Thank you—to you, the MartinLogan owner,
for loving what we do,
and
for making it possible for us to do what we love.
CONTENTS
Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Installation in Brief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
AC Power Connection
Signal Connection
Using One Power Supply. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Break-In
Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Using the Adjustable Mount
Installation Options
Rubber Bumper Feet
Mounting the Stage on a Wall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Home Theater. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Electrostatic Advantages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
MartinLogan Exclusives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
XStat™ Transducer
CLS™ (Curvilinear Line Source)
Generation 2 Diaphragm
MicroPerf Stator
Vacuum Bonding
AirFrame™ Technology
Electrostatic History. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Frequently Asked Questions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Troubleshooting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Specifications
Warranty and Registration
Serial Number
Service
Dimensional Drawings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
On Stand
Wall Mounting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Glossary of Audio Terms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
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
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.
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 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.
WARNING! Do not use your Stage loudspeaker 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 Stage 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 new MartinLogan
loudspeaker, so this section is provided to allow fast and
easy set up. Once your new speaker is operational, please
take the time to read, in depth, the rest of the information in the enclosed 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 MartinLogan speaker, please refer to
the Connections section of the user’s 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.
• Turn amplifier off before making or breaking
any signal connections!
• Do not operate if there is any visual damage
to the electrostatic panel element.
• Do not drive speaker beyond its rated power.
• 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.
• No candles or other sources of open flame
should be placed on the speaker.
• No liquids either in glasses or vases should be
placed on speaker.
• Speaker should not be exposed to dripping or
splashing liquids.
• The terminals marked with the lightning bolt
symbol should be connected by an instructed
person or by way of ready made terminals
• To prevent injury, this apparatus must be
securely attached to the floor/wall in accordance with the installation instructions.
Step 1: Unpacking
Remove your new MartinLogan speakers from its packing.
Retain the packaging in a safe, dry place for future use.
Step 2: Placement
Place the speaker at the desired location. Please see the
Installation section (pages 9–11) for more details.
Step 3: Power Connection (AC) (see warning)
MartinLogan speakers require power to energize their
electrostatic panels. Using the power cords provided,
plug first to the power in 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
Connections section (pages 7–8) for more details.
Step 4: Signal Connection
Use the best speaker cables you can. Higher quality cable,
available from your specialty dealer, is 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 speaker: take
great care to assign the same color to the (+) terminal on
the speaker and the amplifier. Please see the Connections
section (pages 7–8) for more details.
Step 5: Listen and Enjoy
Installation in Brief 5
INTRODUCTION
Congratulations! You have invested in one of the
world’s premier loudspeaker systems.
The Stage represents an advanced combination of sonic
technologies establishing an unprecedented direction for
audiophile design. The result of years of research, the new
Stage™ hybrid electrostatic loudspeaker features XStat™
technology establishing new standards for efficiency,
dynamics and precision in a loudspeaker.
Housed within an innovative AirFrame™, the Stage’s
new CLS XStat™ transducer builds upon the legacy of
MartinLogan’s electrostatic heritage with the incorporation of advanced vacuum bonding and MicroPerf stat
panels, providing even greater efficiency and precision.
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, the panel is rated to
easily handle up to 250 watts of continuous power with
no deleterious effects.
Featuring an advanced crossover topology derived from
the Summit loudspeaker, MartinLogan engineered the
Stage™ crossover using precision audiophile-grade polypropylene capacitors and high-purity air-core coils. This
advanced crossover topology flawlessly preserves sonic
subtleties while effortlessly handling the broadest range of
dynamics.
The materials in your new Stage speaker are of the highest
quality and will provide years of enduring enjoyment
and
deepening respect. The cabinetry is constructed from
dense composite material for acoustical integrity and features hand rubbed wood veneers.
The other sections of your User’s Manual explain in detail
the operation of your Stage speaker and the philosophy
applied to their design. A clear understanding of your
speaker 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.
6 Introduction
AC Power Connection
CONNECTIONS
Your Stage uses an external low-voltage power supply to
energize its electrostatic panel. For this reason the proper
low-voltage power supply is provided. The power supply
should be firmly inserted into the ‘Power In’ receptacle
on the rear connection panel of the speaker, then to any
convenient AC wall outlet (see figure 1). Your Stage integrates a signal sensing circuit which will switch the Stage
off after a few minutes of no music signal, and requires
less than two seconds to recharge the panel when a music
signal is present.
Your Stage speaker is provided with a power supply 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 power supply.
If you remove your Stage speakers from the country of
original sale, be certain that the AC power supplied in any
subsequent location is suitable before connecting the lowvoltage power supply. Substantially impaired performance
or severe damage may occur to a Stage speaker if operation is attempted from an incorrect AC power source.
WARNING! The power supply should not
be installed, removed, or left detached from
the speaker while connected to an AC power
source.
Connections are made at the signal input section on the
rear electronics panel of the Stage (see figure 1). Use
spade connectors for optimum contact. Make certain that
all of your connections are tight.
Be consistent when connecting speaker leads to the terminals on the back of the Stage. Take great care to assign
the same color to the (+) terminal on both the speaker
and the amplifier.
WARNING! Turn your amplifier off before making or breaking any signal connections!
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.
Figure 1. Power and signal connection.
Connections 7
Using Only One Power Supply
Break-In
You may have noticed a connection on the back of
your Stage labeled ‘Power Out’. The use of this connection will allow you to daisy-chain up to five low-voltage
MartinLogan products and eliminate the need for multiple
low-voltage power supplies.
A variety of low voltage interconnect cables may be purchased at your local MartinLogan dealer. Please ask them
about options to fit your specific needs.
To use this connection option choose a primary speaker
(whichever speaker is most convenient) and connect it as
instructed in the ‘Low-Voltage Power Connection’ section
on the previous page. To attach additional speakers, run a
low-voltage interconnect cable from the ‘Power Out’ to the
next speaker’s ‘Power In’ (see figure 2). Cable not included.
When you first begin to play your Stage speaker, it will
sound a bit bass shy. This is due to the high-quality, longlife components used in our woofer. Our custom made,
butyl surround woofer requires at least 80 hours of
break-in at 90 dB (moderate listening levels) before any
critical listening. The break-in requirements of the crossover components (and, to a lesser degree, the electrostatic
transducer) are equal.
Figure 2. Connecting power to multiple speakers using one power supply.
8 Connections
INSTALLATION
Using the Adjustable Mount Rubber Bumper Feet
For optimum performance the Stage must be tilted on its
stand towards the main listening position and directed
towards the audience’s ears (see figure 3). After you have
placed your Stage in its final location, loosen the 2 knobs
located on the stand arm, pivot the Stage towards the
main listening position, and then re-tighten the knobs.
The stand shipped with the Stage loudspeaker is
designed for use only with the Stage. Use with
other appliances may result in instability causing
possible injury.
Installation Options
On the Television
If your television provides a wide, level and stable platform, the shielded Stage can be placed directly on top
of the television (see figure 3). For this option we recommend installation of the rubber bumper feet.
On the Wall
The adjustable mount (stand) allows you to mount the
Stage on the wall (see figures 3 and “Mounting the Stage
On A Wall,” pages 10 –12). If hanging the Stage on the
wall is the best placement for your system, the adjustable
mount (stand) will allow you to tilt the Stage towards the
listening position.
If you are using the Stage on top of your television, or setting it on any type of surface, we recommend installing the
4 rubber bumper feet included with the Stage. The Stage
ships with these 4 rubber bumper feet installed. The following instructions describe how to install the feet if they
have been previously removed for another installation.
Rubber Bumper Feet Installation Instructions:
1. Prepare a surface to work on by laying down a towel or
large soft cloth on top of a large flat surface.
2. Securely tighten the 2 knobs on the Stage stand, mak-
ing sure the Stage cabinet is level with the stand.
3. Turn the Stage upside down so that the bottom of the
stand is pointing up.
4. Insert the 4 rubber bumper feet in the 4 holes on the
bottom of the stand.
On the Floor
Placing the Stage on the floor might position it too low to
blend with the front speakers. (see figure 3). If placing the
Stage on the floor is the best placement for your system,
the adjustable mount (stand) will allow you to tilt the Stage
towards the listening position. For this option we recommend installation of the rubber bumper feet.
WARNING! Installation other than that
described in the body of this document requires
specific documentation from MartinLogan.
Figure 3. Stage installation on the floor, on a television and on a wall.
Installation 9
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