Martin Logan Theater i Owners manual
T HEATER
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 &INTRODUCTION
Contents & Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Contents
Introduction
Installation in Brief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Low Voltage Power Connection
Signal Connection
Using Only One Power Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Break-In
Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Using the Adjustable Mount
Installation Options
Rubber Bumper Feet
Stand Removal and Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Removing the Stand
Installing the Stand
Mounting the Theater i On A Wall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Warnings and Notes
About the Wall Anchors
Mounting the Theater i
Dispersion Interactions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Controlled Horizontal Dispersion
Controlled Vertical Dispersion
Three Major Types of Dispersion
Home Theater i . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Electrostatic Advantages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
MartinLogan Exclusives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Curvilinear Line Source
Transducer Integrity
Low Voltage Power
Plasma Deposited Diaphragm
Controlled Dispersion Array
MicroPerf Stator
Electrostatic Loudspeaker History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Frequently Asked Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Specifications
Warranty and Registration
Service
Glossary of Audio Terms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Congratulations! You have invested in a new world of
home theater!
The MartinLogan Theater 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 advantages of MartinLogan hybrid technology will
present themselves to you from the moment the movie
begins. The box effect (a phenomenon similar to cupping
your hand around your mouth when speaking) produced
by dynamic midrange drivers is absent and the natural
openness of the human voice comes through. Never before
in home theatre has the midrange been so clear. Sounds float
around the screen clearly defining the area from where
they were created, not the area of the speaker that created
them. This superior performance is made possible through
the use of our proprietary curved electrostatic transducer.
This is the same design technology that is used in state-ofthe-art MartinLogan loudspeaker systems.
The materials in your new Theater i speaker are of the highest
quality and will provide years of enduring enjoyment
and
deepening respect. 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 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 Theater 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 Theater i speaker 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 troublefree listening enjoyment.
Contents Introduction
Installation in Brief 3
INSTALLATION IN BRIEF
We know you are eager to hear your new Theater i center
channel, so this section is provided to allow fast and easy
set up. Once you have it 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 Theater i speaker, please refer to the
Operation or Installation 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 Theater i speaker from the packaging.
Step 2: Placement
Place the Theater i directly between your front left and
right speakers and point it directly at the listening position.
Please see the Installation section (page 6) of this manual
for more details.
Step 3: Power Connection (see warning)
The Theater i requires power to energize its electrostatic
panel. Plug the provided power supply first into the Power In
power receptacle on the rear panel of the speaker
, making
sure that you have made a firm
connection, and then to a
convenient wall outlet. Please see the Operation section
(pages 4–5) 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.
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 Theater i. Take great
care to assign the same color to the (+) terminal on both
the speaker and the amplifier. Please see the Operation
section (pages 4–5) of this manual for more details.
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
Your Theater i 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 Theater i integrates
a signal sensing circuit which will switch the Theater i 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 Theater i 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 Theater i 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 Theater i 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.
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 and speaker and that
Low-Voltage Power Connection
OPERATION
Figure 2. Single wire connection. One channel shown.
4 Operation
Figure 1. Power connection. One channel shown.
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 Theater i (see figure 2). 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 Theater i. 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!
Using Only One Power Supply
You may have noticed a connection on the back of your
Theater i’s 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 conveinent) 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 speakers ‘Power In’ (see figure 3).
Break-In
When you first begin to play your Theater i speaker, it 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 at least 30 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 3. Connecting power to multiple speakers using one power supply.
Operation 5
6 Installation
For optimum performance the Theater i must be tilted on
its stand towards the main listening position and directed
towards the audiences ears (see figure 5). After you have
placed your Theater i in its final location, loosen the 2 knobs
located on the stand arm, pivot the Theater i towards the
main listening position, and then re-tighten the knobs.
The stand shipped with the Theater i loudspeaker
is designed for use only with the Theater i. 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 Theater i can be placed directly on top of the
television (see figure 5). For this option we recommend
installation of the rubber bumper feet.
On the Wall
The adjustable mount (stand) allows you to mount the
Theater i on the wall (see figures 5 and “Mounting the
Theater i On A Wall,” pages 8–10). If hanging the Theater i
on the wall is the best placement for your system, the
adjustable mount (stand) will allow you to tilt the Theater i
towards the listening position.
On the Floor
Placing the Theater i on the floor will position it too low to
blend with the front speakers. (see figure 5). If placing the
Theater i on the floor is the best placement for your system, the adjustable mount (stand) will allow you to tilt the
Theater i 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.
If you are using the Theater i on top of your television, or
setting it on any type of surface, we recommend installing
the 5 rubber bumper feet included with the Theater i.
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 theater i stand arm,
making sure the Theater i cabinet is level with the stand.
3. Turn the Theater i upside down so that the bottom of
the stand is pointing up.
4. Insert the 5 rubber bumper feet in the 5 outer holes (see
figure 4).
Using the Adjustable Mount Rubber Bumper Feet
Figure 5. Theater i installation on the floor, on a television and on a wall.
Figure 4. The Theater i stand, shown from the bottom, with bumper
insertion locations shown.
INSTALLATION
Stand Removal and Installation 7
Required Tools (not included):
1
/8” Allen tool
NOTE: The Theater i is intended to be used with its stand
attached in almost all installation options. Stand Removal and
Installation instructions are provided in case you are using a
custom installation that does not require the use of the stand.
Removing the Stand
1 Support the Theater i body by placing the shipping foam
on both ends of the speaker, or setting a stack of books
beneath both ends of the speaker cabinet. The mount
should hang down from the Theater i and contact the
surface of your table or floor (see figure 6, step A).
2 Before beginning to remove the mount screws, please
note that the mount is held in place with 8 screws connected to 4 brackets. These 4 brackets are attached to
the Theater i cabinet. Do not remove these brackets
from the Theater i cabinet. To detach the mount, use a
1
/8” Allen tool to remove 2 screws from each of the 4
brackets (see figure 6, step B).
3 To remove the stand, simply pull it back, away from the
Theater i cabinet (see figure 6, step C).
Installing the Stand
1 Support the Theater i body by placing the shipping
foam on both ends of the speaker, or setting a stack of
books beneath both ends of the speaker cabinet. The
speaker cabinet should be raised high enough that
when the stand is moved into place, it can rest on the
surface of the table or floor (see figure 6, step A).
2 Carefully slide the stand into place so that it aligns with
the 4 brackets already attached to the Theater i cabinet
(see figure 6, step C).
3 Using a 1/8” Allen tool insert and tighten 2 screws into
each of the 4 brackets (see figure 6, step B).
STAND REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION
Figure 6. Stand removal and installation.
8 Mounting the Theater i On A Wall
MOUNTING THE THEATER iON A WALL
WARNING! Installing the Theater i on the wall
requires 2 people. Do not try this alone.
Mounting the Theater i on a wall requires a minimum use of 1 lag bolt sunk directly into a stud
and 2 wall anchors. If you are able to engage
more than 1 stud with a lag bolt when mounting
the Theater i on a wall we highly recommend
doing so (see figure 10).
NOTE: To assure that your Theater i is safely wall mounted,
these instructions must be carefully followed. Study them
thoroughly before beginning to install your Theater i.
NOTE: The following instructions assume the mounting
surface is of standard wood frame and standard sheet rock
construction. If you wish to mount the Theater i to another
type of material, you should consult a bonded contractor.
About the Wall Anchors
When using the special wall anchors provided with the
Theater i, it is recommended that they are sunk into the
wall by hand and not by using an electric screwdriver (see
figure 7, step 1). Once the special self-drilling wall anchors
(provided with the Theater i) have been set into the wall,
they work as follows: after the screw has been inserted
approximately 1/2 inch into the wall anchor, the screw will
hit a seal that requires slight pressure to break. Once the
seal has broken, the screw will continue to slide into the
wall anchor another 11/2 inch. At this point the screw will
have rotated the anchor out and into position inside of
your wall (see figure 7, step 2 and 3). The screw will now
require slight pressure to engage the anchor. When the
anchor has been engaged, the screw will continue to slide
into the wall anchor until it is flush (see figure 7, step 4).
You will notice however that the screw continues to freely
turn at this point. The screw is now pulling the anchor up
against the back of the drywall. The screw will tighten and
stop turning when it has securely engaged the anchor with
the back of the drywall (see figure 7, step 5).
Required Tools (not included):
24 inch (60 cm) or longer ruler, level, pencil, electric drill,
1
/8 inch (3 mm) drill bit, Phillips head bit, 7/16 inch (11 mm)
socket wrench, #2 Phillips head screw driver
Required Hardware (included, see figure 9):
(2) wall anchors, (2) Z-brackets, (2) 21/8 inches (5.4 cm) sheet
metal Phillips head screws, (2) lag bolts, (4) washers
1. Locate and mark the center point (point A, see figure 11)
where you would like to position the top of the Theater i.
Measure 24 inches (61 cm) horizontally in each direction from the center point. This area should be clear of
any obstructions in order to mount the Theater i. Also
make certain that there will be at least 12 inches (30.5
cm) of clearance above or below in order to access the
knobs and tilt the speaker up and down.
2. Using a level, vertically measure down 23/8 inches (6 cm)
from point A and mark this point (point B, see figure 11).
Next, measure horizontally to the left of point B a minimum
of 23/4 inches (7 cm) and mark the nearest stud or put a
mark at 13 inches (33 cm), whichever comes first (point C,
see figure 11). Repeat the same to the right of point B
(point D, see figure 11). Pre-drill holes at points C and
D with a 1/8 inch (3 mm) size drill bit.
3. If point(s) C and/or D are on a stud:
Using a 7/16 inch (11 mm) socket, attach a Z-bracket to
point(s) C and/or D with a lag bolt, making sure that the
bolt engages the stud. Make sure that the Z-bracket is
snug to the wall, but not overly tightened (see figure 8).
If point(s) C and/or D are not on a stud:
Using a #2 Phillips screwdriver, drive a wall anchor into
point(s) C and/or D. Next, attach a Z-bracket by sinking
a 21/8 inch (5.4 cm) sheet metal Phillips head screw and
washer into the wall anchor (see "About the Wall Anchors"
and figure 7). Make sure that the Z-bracket is snug to
the wall, but not overly tightened.
NOTE: When the Z-bracket is properly installed on a wall,
its thickest half should hang down, and its thinner half
should point up. The bend at the top of the Z-bracket
should point away from the wall.
Mounting the Theater iWarnings and Notes
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