MartinLogan The Quest Speaker System User Manual

User's Manual

The Quest Speaker System

THE ELECTROSTATIC TECHNOLOGY

Important

Contents

Your Quest
Limited 90 Day Warranty coverage.

You have the option, at no additional charge, to receive
Limited 3 Year Warranty coverage. To obtain Limited 3
Year Warranty coverage you need only complete and
return the Certificate of Registration that was included
with your speakers to Martin-Logan, within 30 days of
purchase.

Martin-Logan may not honor warranty serviceMartin-Logan may not honor warranty service

Martin-Logan may not honor warranty service

Martin-Logan may not honor warranty serviceMartin-Logan may not honor warranty service
claims unless we have a completed Warrantyclaims unless we have a completed Warranty

claims unless we have a completed Warranty

claims unless we have a completed Warrantyclaims unless we have a completed Warranty
Registration card on file!Registration card on file!

Registration card on file!

Registration card on file!Registration card on file!

Should you be using your Martin-Logan product in a
country other than the one in which it was originally
purchased, we ask that you note the following:

1) The appointed Martin-Logan distributor for any given
country is responsible for warranty servicing only on
units distributed by or through it in that country in
accordance with its applicable warranty.

2) Should a Martin-Logan product require servicing in a
country other than the one in which it was originally
purchased, the end user may seek to have repairs
performed by the nearest Martin-Logan distributor,
subject to that distributor's local servicing policies,
but all cost of repairs (parts, labor, transportation)
must be born by the owner of the Martin-Logan
product.

If you did not receive a Certificate of Registration with
your Quest
received new units. If this is the case, please contact
your Authorized Martin-Logan dealer.

speakers are provided with an automatic

speakers you cannot be assured of having

Introduction 3

Installation in Brief 4

The Electrostatic Concept 5

History 6

Martin-Logan Exclusives 8

Operation 1 0

Room Acoustics 1 4

Placement 1 8

Questions 2 1

Troubleshooting 2 2

Recommended Music 23

Page 2

Glossary 2 4

Quest Specifications 2 6

Notes 27

Quest User's Manual

Introduction

Congratulations, you have invested in one of the world’s
premier loudspeaker systems!

The result of cumulative technology gleaned from eight
previous Research and Development projects, the Quest
represents the latest developments in Electrostatic and
Hybrid loudspeaker technology.

Combining our proprietary curvilinear electrostatic trans­ducer with a compact, but powerful subwoofer, we have
designed a product, in one package, that reproduces music
with uncompromised electrostatic clarity and deep ex­tended bass, yet takes up little more than one square foot of
floor space.

All materials in your new Quest speakers are of the highest
quality to 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 a
special high-density hardwood powderboard for structural
integrity and is finished with a durable and attractive matte
surface 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 specially
tooled, high-grade steel, the panel is then coated with a

special high dielectric compound that is applied via a
proprietary electrostatic deposition process. This panel
assembly houses a membrane 0.0005 of an inch thick!
Ruggedly constructed and insulated, as much as 200 watts
of continuous power has driven the Quest’s energized
diaphragm into massive excursions with no deleterious
effects.

We know you are anxious to listen to your new speakers.
So, to speed you along, we have provided an

in Briefin Brief

in Brief

section ahead of the detailed descriptive informa-

in Briefin Brief

tion contained in this manual.
Please read and follow these instructions as you initially

connect your Quest
instructions are important and will prevent you from
experiencing any delay, frustration, or system damage
which might occur in a trial-and-error procedure.

The other sections of your
detail the operation of your Quest
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.

Happy Listening!

speakers into your system. These

User’s Manual User’s Manual

User’s Manual will explain in

User’s Manual User’s Manual

speakers and the

InstallationInstallation

Installation

InstallationInstallation

Quest User's Manual

Page 3

Installation in Brief

We know you are eager to hear your
new Quest loudspeakers, 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 obtain the best
possible performance from your
system.

If you should experience any difficul­ties in the set-up or operation of your
Quest speakers please refer to the

Room Acoustics, PlacementRoom Acoustics, Placement

Room Acoustics, Placement or

Room Acoustics, PlacementRoom Acoustics, Placement
OperationOperation

Operation section of this manual.

OperationOperation

Should you encounter a persistent
problem that cannot be resolved,
please contact your Authorized
Martin-Logan dealer. He will provide
you with the appropriate technical
analysis to alleviate the situation.

Step 1: UnpackingStep 1: Unpacking

Step 1: Unpacking

Step 1: UnpackingStep 1: Unpacking

Remove your new Quest

Step 2: PlacementStep 2: Placement

Step 2: Placement

Step 2: PlacementStep 2: Placement

Place each Quest
your listening area. This is a good place to start. Please see the
section of this manual for more details.

Step 3: PStep 3: P

Step 3: P

Step 3: PStep 3: P

Martin-Logan speakers require AC power to energize their electrostatic cells.
Using the AC power cords provided, plug them in, making sure that you have
made a firm connection, first to the AC power receptacle on the rear panel of the
speaker and then to the wall outlet. Extension cords may be used, if necessary,
since the power requirement of the Quest is extremely small.

Step 4: Signal ConnectionStep 4: Signal Connection

Step 4: Signal Connection

Step 4: Signal ConnectionStep 4: Signal Connection

ower Connection (Aower Connection (A

ower Connection (A

ower Connection (Aower Connection (A

speakers from their packing.

at least two feet from any wall and angle them slightly toward

PlacementPlacement

Placement

PlacementPlacement

C)C)

C)

C)C)

Page 4

WARNING !WARNING !

WARNING !

WARNING !WARNING !

Turn your amplifier off before making or breaking any signal

connections! The chassis is earth grounded and can present a

short circuit to your amplifier if contact is made!

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
High-Pass Signal Input High-Pass Signal Input

High-Pass Signal Input section on the rear panel of each Quest. Be consis-

High-Pass Signal Input High-Pass Signal Input
tent when connecting speaker leads to the terminals on the back of the Quest:
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/Bi-amping instructions, turn to the

OperationsOperations

Operations section of this manual for proper set-up of the Quest

OperationsOperations

Step 5: Listen and Enjoy!Step 5: Listen and Enjoy!

Step 5: Listen and Enjoy!

Step 5: Listen and Enjoy!Step 5: Listen and Enjoy!

AMPLIFIER CONNECTIONS Full-Range/AMPLIFIER CONNECTIONS Full-Range/

AMPLIFIER CONNECTIONS Full-Range/

AMPLIFIER CONNECTIONS Full-Range/AMPLIFIER CONNECTIONS Full-Range/

system.

Quest User's Manual

The Electrostatic Concept

How can sound be reproduced by something that you are
able to see through? Electrostatic energy makes this
possible.

Where the world of traditional loudspeaker technology
deals with cones, domes, diaphragms and ribbons that are
moved with magnetism, the world of electrostatic loud­speakers deals with charged electrons attracting and
repelling each other.

To fully understand the electrostatic concept, some back­ground information will be helpful. Remember when you
learned, in a science or physics class, that like charges
repel each other and opposite
charges attract each other?
Well, this principle is the

An Electrostatic TransducerAn Electrostatic Transducer

An Electrostatic Transducer

An Electrostatic TransducerAn Electrostatic Transducer

foundation of the electrostatic
concept.

An electrostatic transducer

Diaphragm

consists of three pieces: the
stators, the diaphragm and the
spacers.

See Figure 1

. The

Spacer

diaphragm is what actually
moves to excite the air and
create music. The stator's job is
to remain stationary, hence the
word stator, to provide a

Figure 1Figure 1

Figure 1. Cut away view of an electrostatic transducer.

reference point for the moving
diaphragm. The spacers

Figure 1Figure 1

Notice the simplicity due to minimal parts usage.

provide the diaphragm with a
fixed distance in which to move
between the stators.

An Electromagnetic TransducerAn Electromagnetic Transducer

An Electromagnetic Transducer

An Electromagnetic TransducerAn Electromagnetic Transducer

As your amplifier sends music
signals to an electrostatic

Surround Cone

speaker, these signals are
changed into two high-voltage
signals that are equal in
strength but opposite in
polarity. These high voltage
signals are then applied to the
stators. The resulting electro­static field, created by the
opposing high voltage on the
stators, works simultaneously
with and against the dia­phragm, consequently moving

Basket Assembly

Magnet

Figure 2.Figure 2.

Figure 2. Cut away view of a typical moving coil driver.

Figure 2.Figure 2.

Notice the complexity due to the high number of parts.

it back and forth, producing

music. This technique is known as push-pull operation and
is a major contributor to the sonic purity of the electrostatic
concept due to its exceptional linearity and low distortion.

Since the diaphragm of an electrostatic speaker is uni­formly driven over its entire area, it can be extremely light
and flexible. This allows it to be very responsive to tran­sients, thus perfectly tracing the music signal. As a result,
great delicacy, nuance and clarity is possible. When you
look at the problems of traditional electromagnetic drivers,
you can easily see why this is so beneficial. The cones and
domes which are used in traditional electromagnetic
drivers cannot be driven uniformly because of their design.

Cones are driven only at the
apex. Domes are driven at
their perimeter. As a result,
the rest of the cone or dome
is just "along for the ride". The
very concept of these drivers
require that the cone or dome
be perfectly rigid, damped
and massless. Unfortunately

Stator

these conditions are not
available in our world today.

To make these cones and
domes move, all electromag­netic drivers must use voice
coils wound on formers,
spider assemblies, and
surrounds to keep the cone
or dome in position.

Figure 2.

These pieces, when

See

combined with the high mass

Dust Cap

Voice Coil Former

of the cone or dome materials
used, make it an extremely
complex unit with many
weaknesses and potential for
failure. These faults contrib-

Spider

ute to the high distortion
products found in these
drivers and is a tremendous
disadvantage when you are

Magnet Assembly

Magnetic GapVoice Coil

trying to change motion as
quickly and as accurately as
a loudspeaker must (40,000
times per second!).

Quest User's Manual

Page 5

History

In the late 1800’s, any loudspeaker was considered exotic.
Today, most of us take the wonders of sound reproduction
for granted.

It was 1880 before Thomas Edison had invented the first
phonograph. This was a horn-loaded diaphragm that was
excited by a playback stylus. In 1898, Sir Oliver Lodge
invented a cone loudspeaker, which he referred to as a
“bellowing telephone”, that was very similar to the
conventional cone loudspeaker drivers that we know today.
However, Lodge had no intention for his device to repro­duce music, because in 1898 there was no way to amplify
an electrical signal! As a result, his speaker had nothing to
offer over the acoustical gramophones of the period. It was
not until 1906 that Dr. Lee DeForrest invented the triode
vacuum tube. Before this, an electrical signal could not be
amplified. The loudspeaker, as we know it today, should
have ensued then, but it did not. Amazingly, it was almost
twenty years before this would occur.

In 1921, the electrically cut phonograph record became a
reality. This method of recording was far superior to the
mechanically cut record and possessed almost 30 dB of
dynamic range. The acoustical gramophone couldn't begin
to reproduce all of the information on this new disc. As a
result, further developments in loudspeakers were needed
to cope with this amazing new recording medium.

By 1923, Bell Telephone Laboratories made the decision to
develop a complete musical playback system consisting of
an electronic phonograph and loudspeaker to take advan­tage of the new recording medium. Bell Labs assigned the
project to two young engineers, C.W. Rice and E.W.
Kellogg.

Rice and Kellogg had a well equipped laboratory at their
disposal. This lab possessed a vacuum tube amplifier with
an unheard of 200 watts, a large selection of the new
electrically cut phonograph records and a variety of
loudspeaker prototypes that Bell Labs had been collecting
over the past decade. Among these were Lodge’s cone, a
speaker that used compressed air, a corona discharge
(plasma) speaker, and an electrostatic speaker.

After a short time, Rice and Kellogg had narrowed the field
of "contestants" down to the cone and the electrostat. The

outcome would dictate the way that future generations
would refer to loudspeakers as being either "conventional",
or "exotic".

Bell Laboratory’s electrostat was something to behold. This
enormous bipolar speaker was as big as a door. The
diaphragm, which was beginning to rot, was made of the
membrane of a pigs intestine that was covered with fine
gold leaf to conduct the audio signal.

When Rice and Kellogg began playing the new electrically
cut records through the electrostat, they were shocked and
impressed. The electrostat performed splendidly. They had
never heard instrumental timbres reproduced with such
realism. This system sounded like real music rather than the
honking, squawking rendition of the acoustic gramophone.
Immediately, they knew they were on to something big. The
acoustic gramophone was destined to become obsolete.

Due to Rice and Kelloggs enthusiasm, they devoted a
considerable amount of time researching the electrostatic
design. However, they soon encountered the same
difficulties that even present designers face; planar speak­ers require a very large surface area to reproduce the lower
frequencies of the audio spectrum. Because the manage­ment at Bell Labs considered large speakers unacceptable,
Rice and Kelloggs work on electrostatics would never be
put to use for a commercial product. Reluctantly, they
advised the Bell management to go with the cone. For the
next thirty years the electrostatic design lay dormant.

During the Great Depression of the 1930's, consumer audio
almost died. The new electrically amplified loudspeaker
never gained acceptance, as most people continued to use
their old Victrola-style acoustic gramophones. Prior to the
end of World War II, consumer audio saw little, if any,
progress. However, during the late 1940's, audio experi­enced a great rebirth. Suddenly there was tremendous
interest in audio products and with that, a great demand for
improved audio components. No sooner had the cone
become established than it was challenged by products
developed during this new rebirth.

In 1947, Arthur Janszen, a young Naval engineer, took part
in a research project for the Navy. The Navy was interested
in developing a better instrument for testing microphone

Page 6

Quest User's Manual

arrays. The test instrument needed an extremely accurate
speaker, but Janszen found that the cone speakers of the
period were too nonlinear in phase and amplitude re­sponse to meet his criteria. Janszen believed that
electrostats were inherently more linear than cones, so he
built a model using a thin plastic diaphragm treated with a
conductive coating. This model confirmed Janszen's beliefs,
for it exhibited remarkable phase and amplitude linearity.

Janszen was so excited with the results that he continued
research on the electrostatic speaker on his own time. He
soon thought of insulating the stators to prevent the
destructive effects of arcing. By 1952 he had an electrostatic
tweeter element ready for commercial production. This new
tweeter soon created a sensation among American audio
hobbyists. Since Janszen's tweeter element was limited to
high frequency reproduction, it often found itself used in
conjunction with woofers, most notably, woofers from
Acoustic Research. These systems were highly regarded by
all audio enthusiasts.

In the early 1960's Arthur Janszen joined forces with the
KLH loudspeaker company and together they introduced
the KLH 9. Due to the large size of the KLH 9, it did not have
as many limitations as the Quad. The KLH 9 could play
markedly louder and lower in frequency than the Quad ESL.
Thus a rivalry was born.

Janszen continued to develop electrostatic designs. He was
instrumental in the design of the Koss Model One, the
Acoustech, and the Dennesen speakers. Roger West, the
chief designer of the JansZen Corporation became the
president of Sound Lab. When JansZen Corporation was
sold, the RTR loudspeaker company bought half of the
production tooling. This tooling was used to make the
electrostatic panels for the Servostatic, a hybrid electrostatic
system that was Infinity's first speaker product. Other
companies soon followed; each with their own unique
applications of the technology. These include Acoustat,
Audiostatic, Beverage, Dayton Wright, Sound Lab, and Stax
to name a few.

As good as these systems were, they would soon be
surpassed by another electrostatic speaker.

In 1955, Peter Walker published three articles on electro­static loudspeaker design in

Wireless World

, a British
electronics magazine. In these articles Walker demon­strated the benefits of the electrostatic loudspeaker. He
explained that electrostatics permit the use of diaphragms
that are low in mass, large in area, and uniformly driven
over their surfaces by electrostatic forces. Due to these
characteristics, electrostats have the inherent ability to
produce a wide bandwidth, flat frequency response with
distortion products being no greater than the electronics
driving them.

By 1956 Walker backed up his articles by introducing a
consumer product, the now famous Quad ESL. This
speaker immediately set a standard of performance for the
audio industry due to its incredible accuracy. However, in
actual use the Quad had a few problems. It could not play
very loud, it had poor bass performance, it presented a
difficult load that some amplifiers did not like, its dispersion
was very directional, and its power handling was limited to
around 70 watts. As a result, many people continued to use
box speakers with cones.

Electrostatic speakers have progressed and prospered
because they actually do what Peter Walker claimed they
would. The limitations and problems experienced in the
past were not inherent to the electrostatic concept. They
were related to the applications of these concepts.

Today, these limitations have been addressed. Advance­ments in materials due to the U.S. space program give
designers the ability to harness the superiority of the
electrostatic principle. Today's electrostats use advanced
insulation techniques or provide protection circuitry. The
poor dispersion properties of early models have been
addressed by using delay lines, acoustical lenses, multiple
panel arrays or, as in our own products, by curving the
diaphragm. Power handling and sensitivity have been
increased.

These developments allow the consumer the opportunity to
own the highest performance loudspeaker products ever
built. It's too bad Rice and Kellogg were never able to see
just how far the technology would be taken.

Quest User's Manual

Page 7

Martin-Logan Exclusives

Full Range OperationFull Range Operation

Full Range Operation

Full Range OperationFull Range Operation

The most significant advantage of Martin-Logan's
exclusive transducer technology reveals itself when you
compare to examples of other loudspeaker products on
the market today.

The Quest uses no crossover networks above 150 Hz
because they are not needed. It consists of a single,
seamless electrostatic membrane reproducing all
frequencies above 150 Hz simultaneously. How is this
possible?

First, it is important to understand that music is not
composed of separate high,
mid and low frequency
pieces. In fact, music is
comprised of a single
complex waveform with all
frequencies interacting
simultaneously.

The electrostatic transducer
of the Quest essentially acts
as an exact opposite of the
microphones used to record
the original event. A
microphone, which is a
single working element,
transforms acoustic energy
into an electrical signal that
can be amplified or pre­served by some type of
storage media. The Quest's
electrostatic transducer
transforms electrical energy
from your amplifier into
acoustical energy with a
single membrane.

Upon looking carefully at a
traditional magnetic driver
(i.e. dynamic, ribbon,
induction), no single unit can
reproduce the full range of
frequencies. Instead, these
drivers must be designed to
operate within narrow areas

Figure 1. Figure 1.

Figure 1. Illustrates how a conventional speaker system

Figure 1. Figure 1.

must use a crossover network that has negative affects

on the musical performance, unlike the Quest which

needs no crossover networks in the "critical zone".

Conventional Loudspeaker

TweeterTweeter

Tweeter

TweeterTweeter

MidrangeMidrange

Midrange

MidrangeMidrange

WooferWoofer

Woofer

WooferWoofer

Martin-Logan

QuestQuest

Quest

QuestQuest

ElectrostaticElectrostatic

Electrostatic

ElectrostaticElectrostatic

TransducerTransducer

Transducer

TransducerTransducer

WooferWoofer

Woofer

WooferWoofer

of music and then combined electrically so that the sum of
the parts equals the total signal. While this sounds nice in
theory, a different story unfolds in real-world conditions.

In order to use multiple drivers, a crossover network is
enlisted to divide the complex musical signal into the
separate parts (usually highs, mids, and lows) that each
specific driver was designed to handle. Unfortunately,
due to the phase relationships that occur within all
crossover networks and during the acoustical recombina­tion process, nonlinearities and severe degradation of the
music signal takes place in the ear's most "critical zone".

Critical ZoneCritical Zone

Critical Zone

Critical ZoneCritical Zone

250 - 20kHz250 - 20kHz

250 - 20kHz

250 - 20kHz250 - 20kHz

QuestQuest

Quest Loudspeaker

QuestQuest

Critical ZoneCritical Zone

Critical Zone

Critical ZoneCritical Zone

250 - 20kHz250 - 20kHz

250 - 20kHz

250 - 20kHz250 - 20kHz

See Figure 1

So, music in the "critical
zone" becomes delayed in
time. These delays can be
picked-up by your ear and
result in poor imaging and
ambience cues.

The Quest's electro-The Quest's electro-

The Quest's electro-

The Quest's electro-The Quest's electro­static transducer canstatic transducer can

static transducer can

static transducer canstatic transducer can
single-handedly repro-single-handedly repro-

single-handedly repro-

single-handedly repro-single-handedly repro­duce all frequenciesduce all frequencies

duce all frequencies

duce all frequenciesduce all frequencies
above 150 Hz simulta-above 150 Hz simulta-

above 150 Hz simulta-

above 150 Hz simulta-above 150 Hz simulta­neously.neously.

neously.

neously.neously.
The crossover phase

discontinuities that are
associated with traditional
tweeter, midrange, and
woofer systems are elimi­nated in the Quest. This
results in a
improvement in imagingimprovement in imaging

improvement in imaging

improvement in imagingimprovement in imaging
and staging perform-and staging perform-

and staging perform-

and staging perform-and staging perform­ance due to the mi-ance due to the mi-

ance due to the mi-

ance due to the mi-ance due to the mi­nutely accurate phasenutely accurate phase

nutely accurate phase

nutely accurate phasenutely accurate phase
relationship of the full-relationship of the full-

relationship of the full-

relationship of the full-relationship of the full­range panel waverange panel wave

range panel wave

range panel waverange panel wave
launch.launch.

launch.

launch.launch.

.

dramaticdramatic

dramatic

dramaticdramatic

Page 8

Quest User's Manual

Vapor Deposited FilmVapor Deposited Film

Vapor Deposited Film

Vapor Deposited FilmVapor Deposited Film

Curvilinear Line SourceCurvilinear Line Source

Curvilinear Line Source

Curvilinear Line SourceCurvilinear Line Source

The diaphragm material used in all Martin-Logan speakers
employs an extremely sophisticated vapor deposited conduc­tive polymer surface. A proprietary conductive compound is
vaporized then electrostatically driven into the surface of the
polymer film in a vacuum chamber. This process allows an
optically transparent membrane, adds no mass to the dia­phragm and is extremely uniform in its surface resistivity
characteristics. This uniform surface resistivity controls the
electrostatic charge on the diaphragm surface and regulates
its migration. As a result, no discharging or “arcing” can
occur.

Transducer IntegrityTransducer Integrity

Transducer Integrity

Transducer IntegrityTransducer Integrity

All Martin-Logan transducers begin with two pieces of high
grade, cold rolled steel. These steel pieces are then custom
perforated and insulated with an exotic composite coating.
This proprietary coating insulates the stator to 3 times its
actual needed working voltage and gives the Quest a wide
margin of safe operation. In addition to the electrical insulation
properties, this coating also provides the Quest with a
durable, attractive finish that dampens the steel to prevent
ringing. The finished metal plates are then sandwiched with
our exclusive vapor deposited diaphragm and spacers into a
curved geometry and bonded together with aerospace
adhesives whose strength exceeds that of welding.

The result of these advanced technologies is a transducer that
is attractive, durable, highly rigid, well dampened, and neutral.

Since the beginning of Audio, achieving smooth full
range dispersion has long been a problem for all
loudspeaker designers. Large panel transducers present
even more of a challenge because the larger the panel,
the more directional the dispersion pattern becomes.

Full range electrostats have always been one of the most
complex transducers because they attain their full range
capabilities via a large surface area. It looked as if they
were in direct conflict to smooth dispersion and almost
every attempt to correct this resulted in either poor
dispersion or a serious compromise in sound quality.

After extensive research, Martin-Logan engineers
discovered an elegantly simple solution to achieve a
smooth pattern of dispersion without degrading sound
quality. By curving the horizontal plane of the electrostatic
transducer, a controlled horizontal dispersion pattern
could be achieved, yet the purity of the almost massless
electrostatic diaphragm remained uncompromised. After
creating this technology, we developed the production
capability to bring this technology out of the laboratory
and into the market place.

You will find this proprietary Martin-Logan technology
used in all of our products. It is one of the many reasons
behind our reputation for high quality sound with practical
usability. This is also why you see the unique "see
through" cylindrical shape of all Martin-Logan products.

Quest User's Manual

Page 9

Operation

AC Power ConnectionAC Power Connection

AC Power Connection

AC Power ConnectionAC Power Connection

Because your Martin-Logan Quests
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. Extension
cords may be used, if necessary, since the AC power
requirement of the speaker is extremely small (less than 2.5
watts). The Quests have been designed to remain on
continuously and should remain connected to a continuous
AC power source. As mentioned earlier, power consump­tion of the Quest is very small and the life expectancy of its
components will not be reduced by continuous operation.

The power cord should not be installed, removed,The power cord should not be installed, removed,

The power cord should not be installed, removed,

The power cord should not be installed, removed,The power cord should not be installed, removed,
or left detached from the speaker while the otheror left detached from the speaker while the other

or left detached from the speaker while the other

or left detached from the speaker while the otheror left detached from the speaker while the other
end is connected to an AC power source.end is connected to an AC power source.

end is connected to an AC power source.

end is connected to an AC power source.end is connected to an AC power source.

Your Quest speakers are wired for the power service
supplied in the country of original consumer sale unless
manufactured on special order. 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 Quest speakers from the country of
original sale, be certain that AC power supplied in any
subsequent location is suitable before connecting and
operating the speakers. Substantially impaired performance
or severe damage may occur to a Quest speaker if opera­tion is attempted from an incorrect AC power source.

If your home is not equipped with three-prong wall outlets,
you may use “cheater” plugs to connect the speakers to
AC power. These may be obtained at your dealer or any
hardware department.

use an internal power

Signal ConnectionSignal Connection

Signal Connection

Signal ConnectionSignal 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 with standard
heavy gauge wire. We have verified this in some cases, and
the improvements available are often more noticeable than
the differences between wires of different gauge.

We would 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. The effects of cables may be
masked if the equipment is not of the highest quality.

Connections are done at the
TIONSTIONS

TIONS section on the rear electronics panel of the Quest.

TIONSTIONS
Use spade connectors for optimum contact and ease of
installation. Make certain that all your connections are tight.

Be consistent when connecting the speaker cables to the
AMPLIFIER CONNECTIONS AMPLIFIER CONNECTIONS

AMPLIFIER CONNECTIONS terminals. Take care to

AMPLIFIER CONNECTIONS AMPLIFIER CONNECTIONS
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.

AMPLIFIER CONNEC-AMPLIFIER CONNEC-

AMPLIFIER CONNEC-

AMPLIFIER CONNEC-AMPLIFIER CONNEC-

Page 10

Quest User's Manual

CAUTION!CAUTION!

CAUTION!

CAUTION!CAUTION!

Turn your amplifier off before making or

breaking any signal connections! The

chassis is earth grounded and can

present a short circuit to your amplifier if

contact is made!

Standard ConnectionStandard Connection

Standard Connection

Standard ConnectionStandard Connection

Connect the speaker wire from your
amplifier to the top-most
CONNECTIONS Full-Range/High-CONNECTIONS Full-Range/High-

CONNECTIONS Full-Range/High-

CONNECTIONS Full-Range/High-CONNECTIONS Full-Range/High­Pass Input Pass Input

Pass Input binding post.

Pass Input Pass Input

AMPLIFIERAMPLIFIER

AMPLIFIER

AMPLIFIERAMPLIFIER

See figure 1.

Preamplifier

OUTPUT

INPUT

OUTPUT

Amplifier

INPUT

OUTPUT

INPUT

Bi-Wire ConnectionBi-Wire Connection

Bi-Wire Connection

Bi-Wire ConnectionBi-Wire Connection

For superior performance, bi-wiring the
Quest loudspeaker

BI-WIRE/BI-AMP SWITCH, locatedBI-WIRE/BI-AMP SWITCH, located

BI-WIRE/BI-AMP SWITCH, located

BI-WIRE/BI-AMP SWITCH, locatedBI-WIRE/BI-AMP SWITCH, located
next to the AMPLIFIER CONNEC-next to the AMPLIFIER CONNEC-

next to the AMPLIFIER CONNEC-

next to the AMPLIFIER CONNEC-next to the AMPLIFIER CONNEC­TIONS input binding posts, beTIONS input binding posts, be

TIONS input binding posts, be

TIONS input binding posts, beTIONS input binding posts, be
switched to the Bi-Wire/Bi-Ampswitched to the Bi-Wire/Bi-Amp

switched to the Bi-Wire/Bi-Amp

switched to the Bi-Wire/Bi-Ampswitched to the Bi-Wire/Bi-Amp
position before making any con-position before making any con-

position before making any con-

position before making any con-position before making any con­nections to the Low-Pass Inputnections to the Low-Pass Input

nections to the Low-Pass Input

nections to the Low-Pass Inputnections to the Low-Pass Input
binding post.binding post.

binding post.

binding post.binding post.

requires that therequires that the

requires that the

requires that therequires that the

Using two sets of speaker cable between
your amplifier and the crossover doubles
the signal carrying conductors from the
amplifier to the speaker, thus direct
coupling the high-pass and low-pass
portions of the crossover network to the
amplifier. This will minimize interaction
between the two sections of the cross­over network.

See figure 2.

Figure 1Figure 1

Figure 1. Standard connection. One channel shown.

Figure 1Figure 1

Single-Wire position.Single-Wire position.

Single-Wire position.

Single-Wire position.Single-Wire position.

Figure 2Figure 2

Figure 2. Bi-wire connection. One channel shown.

Figure 2Figure 2

Bi-Wire/Bi-Amp position.Bi-Wire/Bi-Amp position.

Bi-Wire/Bi-Amp position.

Bi-Wire/Bi-Amp position.Bi-Wire/Bi-Amp position.

thethe

the

thethe

Preamplifier

OUTPUT

INPUT

thethe

the

thethe

OUTPUT

Amplifier

BI-WIRE/BI-AMP SWITCH inBI-WIRE/BI-AMP SWITCH in

BI-WIRE/BI-AMP SWITCH in

BI-WIRE/BI-AMP SWITCH inBI-WIRE/BI-AMP SWITCH in

BI-WIRE/BI-AMP SWITCH inBI-WIRE/BI-AMP SWITCH in

BI-WIRE/BI-AMP SWITCH in

BI-WIRE/BI-AMP SWITCH inBI-WIRE/BI-AMP SWITCH in

INPUT

OUTPUT

INPUT

Quest User's Manual

Page 11

Operation

PassivePassive

Passive

PassivePassive Bi-amplificationBi-amplification

Bi-amplification

Bi-amplificationBi-amplification

For those of you that desire ultimate
performance, the Quest may be
passively bi-amplified using the
existing internal passive crossover
elements.

Preamplifier

OUTPUT

INPUT

WARNING! Only after the BI-WARNING! Only after the BI-

WARNING! Only after the BI-

WARNING! Only after the BI-WARNING! Only after the BI­WIRE/BI-AMP SWITCH is in theWIRE/BI-AMP SWITCH is in the

WIRE/BI-AMP SWITCH is in the

WIRE/BI-AMP SWITCH is in theWIRE/BI-AMP SWITCH is in the
Bi-Wire/Bi-Amp position mayBi-Wire/Bi-Amp position may

Bi-Wire/Bi-Amp position may

Bi-Wire/Bi-Amp position mayBi-Wire/Bi-Amp position may
you connect individual runs ofyou connect individual runs of

you connect individual runs of

you connect individual runs ofyou connect individual runs of
speaker cable from your ampli-speaker cable from your ampli-

speaker cable from your ampli-

speaker cable from your ampli-speaker cable from your ampli­fier to the Low-pass and High-fier to the Low-pass and High-

fier to the Low-pass and High-

fier to the Low-pass and High-fier to the Low-pass and High­pass AMPLIFIER CONNEC-pass AMPLIFIER CONNEC-

pass AMPLIFIER CONNEC-

pass AMPLIFIER CONNEC-pass AMPLIFIER CONNEC­TIONS binding posts. DamageTIONS binding posts. Damage

TIONS binding posts. Damage

TIONS binding posts. DamageTIONS binding posts. Damage
will occur to your amplifiers ifwill occur to your amplifiers if

will occur to your amplifiers if

will occur to your amplifiers ifwill occur to your amplifiers if
the BI-WIRE/BI-AMP SWITCH isthe BI-WIRE/BI-AMP SWITCH is

the BI-WIRE/BI-AMP SWITCH is

the BI-WIRE/BI-AMP SWITCH isthe BI-WIRE/BI-AMP SWITCH is
not in the correct position!not in the correct position!

not in the correct position!

not in the correct position!not in the correct position!

Passive bi-amplification takes the bi­wiring concept one step further. Now

Figure 3Figure 3

Figure 3. Horizontal passive bi-amplification. One channel shown.

Figure 3Figure 3

you will have a dedicated channel of
amplification directly connected to the
high and low-pass sections of the Quest crossover.

There are two different methods to passively bi-amplify. The
first, and most common, is referred to as
ampingamping

amping. The second method that is gaining in popularity is

ampingamping
referred to as

Vertical Bi-ampingVertical Bi-amping

Vertical Bi-amping. With either method

Vertical Bi-ampingVertical Bi-amping

Horizontal Bi-Horizontal Bi-

Horizontal Bi-

Horizontal Bi-Horizontal Bi-

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 pre-amplifier is not
so equipped, you must either purchase or construct a "Y"
adaptor.

Horizontal bi-ampingHorizontal bi-amping

Horizontal bi-amping allows you to use two different

Horizontal bi-ampingHorizontal bi-amping
types, models or brands of amplifiers (i.e. tubes on top,
transistor on the bottom), assuming that they have identical
gain or that one stereo pair has adjustable gain. However,
we recommend that you use two identical amplifiers (i.e.
same brand and model). If the amplifiers of choice do not
have the same gain characteristics, then a sonic imbalance
will occur between the high-pass and low-pass sections of
the speaker, and integration between the two will suffer
greatly. The very nature of

vertical bi-ampingvertical bi-amping

vertical bi-amping dictates

vertical bi-ampingvertical bi-amping

that both amplifiers be identical.

OUTPUT

OUTPUT

SWITCH in Bi-Wire/Bi-Amp position.SWITCH in Bi-Wire/Bi-Amp position.

SWITCH in Bi-Wire/Bi-Amp position.

SWITCH in Bi-Wire/Bi-Amp position.SWITCH in Bi-Wire/Bi-Amp position.

Horizontal Bi-amping (read Warning above).Horizontal Bi-amping (read Warning above).

Horizontal Bi-amping (read Warning above).

Horizontal Bi-amping (read Warning above).Horizontal Bi-amping (read Warning above).

horizontal bi-ampinghorizontal bi-amping

With

horizontal bi-amping, one amplifier drives the high-

horizontal bi-ampinghorizontal bi-amping

INPUT

INPUT

Amplifier

Amplifier

OUTPUT

INPUT

OUTPUT

INPUT

BI-WIRE/BI-AMPBI-WIRE/BI-AMP

BI-WIRE/BI-AMP

BI-WIRE/BI-AMPBI-WIRE/BI-AMP

pass section while the second amplifier drives the low-pass
section. To
the low frequency amplifier to the

horizontally bi-amplifyhorizontally bi-amplify

horizontally bi-amplify your Quests, connect

horizontally bi-amplifyhorizontally bi-amplify

Low-Pass Input Low-Pass Input

Low-Pass Input + and -

Low-Pass Input Low-Pass Input
AMPLIFIER CONNECTIONS binding post. Connect the high
frequency amplifier to the

Full-Range/High-Pass InputFull-Range/High-Pass Input

Full-Range/High-Pass Input

Full-Range/High-Pass InputFull-Range/High-Pass Input
+ and - binding posts. Next, connect the left and right
preamplifier outputs to the appropriate left and right inputs
of both amplifiers.

Vertical bi-amping (read Warning above).Vertical bi-amping (read Warning above).

Vertical bi-amping (read Warning above).

Vertical bi-amping (read Warning above).Vertical bi-amping (read Warning above).

vertical bi-ampingvertical bi-amping

With

vertical bi-amping, each of the stereo amplifiers is

vertical bi-ampingvertical bi-amping

dedicated to one speaker. To

See figure 3.

vertically bi-ampvertically bi-amp

vertically bi-amp your

vertically bi-ampvertically bi-amp

Quests, connect the left amplifier channel of amplifier #1 to

Low-Pass InputLow-Pass Input

the

Low-Pass Input + and - binding post and the right

Low-Pass InputLow-Pass Input
amplifier channel of amplifier #1 to the
Pass InputPass Input

Pass Input + and - binding post. Repeat the same

Pass InputPass Input

Full-Range/High-Full-Range/High-

Full-Range/High-

Full-Range/High-Full-Range/High-

procedure for the other speaker with amplifier #2. Connect
the left preamplifier outputs to both inputs of the left channel
amplifier (#1) and the right pre-amplifier outputs to both
inputs of the right channel amplifier (#2).

See figure 4 on the

following page.

Page 12

Quest User's Manual

Preamplifier

OUTPUT

INPUT

0dB

-3dB

-6dB

20Hz

Flat

-3dB

200Hz

OUTPUT

Figure 4Figure 4

Figure 4. Vertical passive bi-amplification. One channel shown.

Figure 4Figure 4

Active Bi-AmplificationActive Bi-Amplification

Active Bi-Amplification

Active Bi-AmplificationActive Bi-Amplification

INPUT

Amplifier

The passive crossover elements in the Quest are very
complex electrical devices with unique voicing and equal­ization. They cannot be replaced with a standard electronic
crossover. If, at some time, a properly designed electronic
crossover for the Quest

becomes available from Martin-

Logan, the owner of warranty will be sent notification.

Contouring SwitchesContouring Switches

Contouring Switches

Contouring SwitchesContouring Switches

Because of the wide variety of room environments, record­ing techniques and customer preferences that we feel are
important issues for today's premier loudspeaker designers
to address, we have provided the Quest with two switches
that will give you more flexibility and control over the final
sound.

Bass Contour Switch.Bass Contour Switch.

Bass Contour Switch.

Bass Contour Switch.Bass Contour Switch.

Bass ContourBass Contour

The

Bass Contour switch is a two-position switch that

Bass ContourBass Contour
allows you to tailor the low frequency response of the
Quest. The

Flat Flat

Flat position is considered the normal setting

Flat Flat

OUTPUT

Effects of the

INPUT

+2dB

Bass Contour SwitchBass Contour Switch

Bass Contour Switch

Bass Contour SwitchBass Contour Switch

+2dB

0dB

-2dB

2.5kHz

20kHz100Hz

Effects of the

BI-WIRE/BI-AMPBI-WIRE/BI-AMP

BI-WIRE/BI-AMP

BI-WIRE/BI-AMPBI-WIRE/BI-AMP

Effects of the Contouring Switches

for most rooms. However, if you feel that the bass in your
system is too strong relative to the mid-range and high
frequencies, simply select the
position will attenuate the woofer response by 3 decibels
below 200Hz. With the

FlatFlat

Flat position selected, the Bass

FlatFlat
Contour circuit is removed from the audio signal path,
thereby eliminating any possibility of signal degradation
caused by added circuitry.

Presence Contour Switch.Presence Contour Switch.

Presence Contour Switch.

Presence Contour Switch.Presence Contour Switch.

Presence Contour Presence Contour

The

Presence Contour switch is also a two-position

Presence Contour Presence Contour
switch that allows you to tailor the mid-range response
(presence) of the Quest. The
normal setting for most rooms. However, if you would like
more presence, select the

+2dB+2dB

+2dB position. This switch

+2dB+2dB
setting will cause a 2 decibel rise centered around 2.5kHz.
With the

Flat Flat

Flat position selected, the rise is eliminated.

Flat Flat
Please refer to the graphs in
switch settings effect the response of the Quest.

Some experimentation with these two switches will allow
you to find the optimal tonal balance to meet your specific
tastes, room environment and audio equipment.

Presence Contour Presence Contour

Presence Contour

Presence Contour Presence Contour

SwitchSwitch

Switch

SwitchSwitch

Figure 5.Figure 5.

Figure 5.

Figure 5.Figure 5.

-3 dB-3 dB

-3 dB position. This switch

-3 dB-3 dB

Flat Flat

Flat position is considered the

Flat Flat

Figure 5

showing how these

Quest User's Manual

Page 13

Room Acoustics

Your RoomYour Room

Your Room

Your RoomYour Room

This is one of those areas that requires both a little
background to understand and some time and experi­mentation to obtain the best performance from your
system.

Your room is actually a component and an important part
of your system. This component is a very large variable
and can dramatically add to, or subtract from, a great
musical experience.

All sound is composed of waves. Each note has its own
wave size, with the lower bass notes literally encompass­ing from 10' to as much as 40'! Your room participates in

TerminologyTerminology

Terminology

TerminologyTerminology

Standing WavesStanding Waves

Standing Waves. The parallel walls in your room will

Standing WavesStanding Waves

reinforce certain notes to the point that they will
sound louder than the rest of the audio spectrum and
cause “one note bass”, “boomy bass”, or “tubby
bass”. For instance, 100Hz represents a 10' wave­length. Your room will reinforce that specific fre­quency if one of the dominant dimensions is 10'.
Large objects in the room such as cabinetry or
furniture can help to minimize this potential problem.
Some serious “audiophiles” will literally build a
special room with no parallel walls just to get away
from this phenomenon.

Reflective Surfaces (near-field reflections)Reflective Surfaces (near-field reflections)

Reflective Surfaces (near-field reflections). The

Reflective Surfaces (near-field reflections)Reflective Surfaces (near-field reflections)

hard surfaces of your room, particularly if close to
your speaker system, will reflect those waves back
into the room over and over again, confusing the
clarity and imaging of your system. The smaller
sound waves are mostly effected here and occur in
the mid and high frequencies. This is where voice
and frequencies as high as the cymbals can occur.

this wave experience like a 3 dimensional pool with
waves reflecting and becoming enhanced depending on
the size of the room and the types of surfaces in the room.

Remember, your audio system can literally generate all of
the information required to recreate a musical event in
time, space, and tonal balance. The purpose of your
room, ideally, is to not contribute to that information.
However, every room does contribute to the sound and
the better speaker manufacturers have designed their
systems to accommodate this phenomenon.

Let’s talk about a few important terms before we begin.

Resonant Surfaces and ObjectsResonant Surfaces and Objects

Resonant Surfaces and Objects. All of the surfaces

Resonant Surfaces and ObjectsResonant Surfaces and Objects

and objects in your room are subject to the frequen­cies generated by your system. Much like an
instrument, they will vibrate and “carry on” in
syncopation with the music and contribute in a
negative way to the music. Ringing, boominess, and
even brightness can occur simply because they are
“singing along” with your music.

Resonant CavitiesResonant Cavities

Resonant Cavities. Small alcoves or closet type areas

Resonant CavitiesResonant Cavities

in your room can be chambers that create their own
“standing waves” and can drum their own “one
note” sounds.

Clap your hands. Can you hear an instant echo respond
back? You’ve got near-field reflections. Stomp your foot
on the floor. Can you hear a “boom”? You’ve got
standing waves or large panel resonances such as a
poorly supported wall. Put your head in a small cavity
area and talk loudly. Can you hear a booming? You’ve
just experienced a cavity resonance.

Page 14

Quest User's Manual

Rules of ThumbRules of Thumb

Rules of Thumb

Rules of ThumbRules of Thumb

Hard vs. Soft SurfacesHard vs. Soft Surfaces

Hard vs. Soft Surfaces. If the front or back wall of your

Hard vs. Soft SurfacesHard vs. Soft Surfaces

listening room is soft, it may benefit you to have a
hard or reflective wall in opposition. As well, the
ceiling and floor should follow the same basic
guideline. However, the side walls should be roughly
the same in order to deliver a focused image.

This rule suggests that a little reflection is good. As a
matter of fact, some rooms can be so “over
damped” with carpeting, drapes and sound absorb­ers that the music system can sound dull and lifeless.
On the other hand, rooms can be so hard that the
system can sound like a gymnasium with too much
reflection and brightness. The point is that balance is
the optimum environment.

Bipolar Speakers and Your RoomBipolar Speakers and Your Room

Bipolar Speakers and Your Room

Bipolar Speakers and Your RoomBipolar Speakers and Your Room

Break-up ObjectsBreak-up Objects

Break-up Objects. Objects with complex shapes, such

Break-up ObjectsBreak-up Objects

as bookshelves, cabinetry, and multiple shaped
walls can help break up those sonic gremlins and
diffuse any dominant frequencies.

Solid CouplingSolid Coupling

Solid Coupling. Your loudspeaker system generates

Solid CouplingSolid Coupling

frequency vibrations or waves into the room. This is
how it creates sound. Those vibrations will vary from
20 per second to 20,000 per second. If your speaker
system is not securely planted on the floor or solid
surface, it can shake as it produces sound and,
consequently, the sound can be compromised. If
your speaker is sitting on the carpet and only foot
gliders are used, the bass can be ill defined and
even boomy. The use of spikes is recommended to
insure secured footing for your speakers.

Martin-Logan electrostatic loudspeakers are known as
bipolar radiators. This means that they produce sound
from both their fronts and their backs. Consequently,
musical information is reflected by the wall behind them
and may arrive either in or out of step with the information
produced by the front of the speaker.

The low frequencies can either be enhanced or nulled by
the position from the front wall. Your Quests have been
designed to be placed 2 to 3 feet from the front wall (the
wall in front of the listening position) to obtain the best
results, however your room may see things differently. So,
listening to the difference of the bass response as a result
of the changes in distance from the front wall can allow
you to get the best combination of depth of bass and tonal
balance.

Quest User's Manual

Now that you know about
Resonant ObjectsResonant Objects

Resonant Objects, you can see how the mid-range

Resonant ObjectsResonant Objects
and high frequencies can be effected. The timing of the
first wave as it is first radiated to your ears and then the
reflected information as it arrives at your ears later in time,
can result in confusion of the precious timing information
that carries the clues to imaging and, consequently result
in blurred imaging and excessive brightness. Soft walls,
curtains, wall hangings, or sound dampeners (your
dealer can give you good information here) can be
effective if these negative conditions occur.

Reflective SurfacesReflective Surfaces

Reflective Surfaces and

Reflective SurfacesReflective Surfaces

Page 15

Room Acoustics and Dispersion Interactions

Controlled Horizontal DispersionControlled Horizontal Dispersion

Controlled Horizontal Dispersion

Controlled Horizontal DispersionControlled Horizontal Dispersion

Controlled Vertical DispersionControlled Vertical Dispersion

Controlled Vertical Dispersion

Controlled Vertical DispersionControlled Vertical Dispersion

Your Quests launch a 30 degree dispersion pattern when
viewed from above. This horizontal dispersion field gives
you a choice of good seats for the performance while
minimizing interactions with side walls.

Make sure both speakers stand exactly at the same
vertical angle, otherwise the image can be skewed or
poorly defined. The wave launch of both speakers is
extremely accurate in both the time and spectral domain
and, consequently, small refined adjustments can result
in noticeable sonic improvements.

See Figure 1

.

As you can see from the illustrations, your Quest
ers project a controlled dispersion pattern. Each Quest is
a four foot line source beginning two feet above floor

See Figure 2

level.
minimizes interactions with the floor and the ceiling.

. This vertical dispersion profile

speak-

Figure 1Figure 1

Figure 1. Martin-Logan Quests

Figure 1Figure 1
launch dispersion pattern distributed horizontally.

Page 16

deliver a 30 degree wave

Figure 2Figure 2

Figure 2. Your Quest

Figure 2Figure 2
when viewed vertically. Actual height above the floor is from two
to six feet.

speaker system is a 4 foot line source

Quest User's Manual

Three Major Types of DispersionThree Major Types of Dispersion

Three Major Types of Dispersion

Three Major Types of DispersionThree Major Types of Dispersion

In the field of loudspeaker design, it is a known fact that
as the sound wave becomes progressively smaller than
the transducer producing it, the dispersion of that wave
becomes more and more narrow, or directional. This fact
occurs as long as the transducer is a flat surface. Large
flat panel speakers exhibit

venetian blindvenetian blind

venetian blind effects due to

venetian blindvenetian blind
this phenomenon. This is why most manufacturers opt for
small drivers (i.e. tweeters and midrange) to approximate
what is known as a

point sourcepoint source

point source wave launch.

point sourcepoint source

Multiple Large Panel DispersionMultiple Large Panel Dispersion

Multiple Large Panel Dispersion

Multiple Large Panel DispersionMultiple Large Panel Dispersion
Even though they suffer from "

tian blindtian blind

tian blind" effect, angled multiple panel

tian blindtian blind
speakers can deliver good imaging,
but only to specific spots in the listening
area.

Traditional Point Source Dis-Traditional Point Source Dis-

Traditional Point Source Dis-

Traditional Point Source Dis-Traditional Point Source Dis­persionpersion

persion

persionpersion
As can be seen,

cepts invite a great deal of room inter­action. While delivering good frequency
response to a large listening audience,
imaging is consequently confused and
blurred.

Historically, most attempts to achieve smooth dispersion
from large flat panel transducers resulted in trade-offs.
After exhaustive testing of these different solution
attempts, we found an elegantly simple, yet very difficult
to execute solution. By curving the radiating surface, we
create the effect of a horizontal arc. This allows the
engineers at Martin-Logan to control the high frequency
dispersion pattern of our transducers. That is why you see
the gentle curve on our products.

vene-vene-

vene-

vene-vene-

point sourcepoint source

point source con-

point sourcepoint source

Quest User's Manual

Curvilinear Line Source Disper-Curvilinear Line Source Disper-

Curvilinear Line Source Disper-

Curvilinear Line Source Disper-Curvilinear Line Source Disper­sionsion

sion

sionsion
A controlled 30-degree cylindrical

wave-front, which is a
gan exclusivegan exclusive

gan exclusive, offers optimal sound

gan exclusivegan exclusive
distribution with minimal room interac­tion. The result is solid imaging with a
wide listening area.

Martin-Lo-Martin-Lo-

Martin-Lo-

Martin-Lo-Martin-Lo-

Page 17

Placement

Listening PositionListening Position

Listening Position

Listening PositionListening Position

By now your speakers should be placed approximately 2
to 3 feet from the front wall (wall in front of the listening
position) and at least 1 to 2 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 set-up for the next few days as the
speaker system itself will change subtly in its sound. Over
the first 20 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 ListenerThe Wall Behind the Listener

The Wall Behind the Listener

The Wall Behind the ListenerThe Wall Behind the Listener

The Wall Behind the SpeakersThe Wall Behind the Speakers

The Wall Behind the Speakers

The Wall Behind the SpeakersThe Wall Behind the Speakers

The front wall (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 bookshelving can
be placed along the wall to tame an extremely 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
(the wall in front of the listening position) consists of only
heavy drapery, your system can literally 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 WallsThe Side Walls

The Side Walls

The Side WallsThe 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.

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).

Page 18

Quest User's Manual

ExperimentationExperimentation

Experimentation

ExperimentationExperimentation

Toe-inToe-in

Toe-in. Now you can begin to experiment. First begin by

Toe-inToe-in

toeing your speakers in towards the listening area and
then toeing them straight into the room. You will notice
that the tonal balance changes ever so slightly. You
will also notice the imaging changing. Generally it is
found that the ideal listening position is with the
speakers
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
modify a soft or bright room.

Tilting the Speakers Backwards and Forwards.Tilting the Speakers Backwards and Forwards.

Tilting the Speakers Backwards and Forwards.

Tilting the Speakers Backwards and Forwards.Tilting the Speakers Backwards and Forwards.

As can be seen from the diagrams in the

AcousticsAcoustics

Acoustics

AcousticsAcoustics

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.

Imaging. Imaging.

Imaging. In their final location, your Quests should have

Imaging. Imaging.

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, when listening, that the vertical alignment,
distance from the front wall (wall in front of the
listening position), and toe in is exactly the same from
one speaker to the other. This will greatly enhance the
quality of your imaging.

Bass Response. Bass Response.

Bass Response. Your bass response should neither

Bass Response. Bass Response.

be one note nor should it be too heavy. It should
extend fairly deep 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.

slightly toed-inslightly toed-in

slightly toed-in so that you are listening to

slightly toed-inslightly toed-in

RoomRoom

Room

RoomRoom

section of this manual, the vertical

Tonal Balance.Tonal Balance.

Tonal Balance. Voices should be natural and full,

Tonal Balance.Tonal Balance.

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, re-read the
section on
on how to get closer to those ideal virtues.

A Final WordA Final Word

A Final Word

A Final WordA Final Word

Final Placement.Final Placement.

Final Placement.

Final Placement.Final Placement.
After obtaining good wall treatments and attaining 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 tightened, that
is a superior position. Move the speakers back six inches
from the initial set-up position. Again, listen to the imaging
and bass response. There will be a position where you
will have pin-point imaging and good bass response.
That position becomes 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 pin-point focusing.

Your ideal listening position and speaker position will be
determined by:

1) tightness and extension of bass response,1) tightness and extension of bass response,

1) tightness and extension of bass response,

1) tightness and extension of bass response,1) tightness and extension of bass response,

2) the width of the stage, and2) the width of the stage, and

2) the width of the stage, and

2) the width of the stage, and2) the width of the stage, and

3) the pin-point focusing of imaging3) the pin-point focusing of imaging

3) the pin-point focusing of imaging.

3) the pin-point focusing of imaging3) the pin-point focusing of imaging

Once you have found the best of all three of those
considerations, you will have your best speaker location.

Room AcousticsRoom Acoustics

Room Acoustics. This will give you clues

Room AcousticsRoom Acoustics

Quest User's Manual

Page 19

Placement

The X-tra "Tweek"The X-tra "Tweek"

The X-tra "Tweek"

The X-tra "Tweek"The X-tra "Tweek"

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.

The procedure consists of two basic measurements:

1) distance from the front wall (wall in front of1) distance from the front wall (wall in front of

1) distance from the front wall (wall in front of

1) distance from the front wall (wall in front of1) distance from the front wall (wall in front of
the listening position) to the center of thethe listening position) to the center of the

the listening position) to the center of the

the listening position) to the center of thethe listening position) to the center of the
curvilinear transducer.curvilinear transducer.

curvilinear transducer.

curvilinear transducer.curvilinear transducer.

To determine distance from the front wall, measure the
height of your ceiling (inches) and multiply the figure by
.618 (i.e. ceiling height in inches X .618 = distance from
the front wall to the center of the curvilinear transducer).

2) distance from the side-walls to the center of2) distance from the side-walls to the center of

2) distance from the side-walls to the center of

2) distance from the side-walls to the center of2) distance from the side-walls to the center of
the curvilinear transducer.the curvilinear transducer.

the curvilinear transducer.

the curvilinear transducer.the curvilinear transducer.

To determine distance from the side-walls, measure the
width of your room (inches) and divide the figure by 18,
next multiply the quotient by 5 (i.e. (room width in inches/

18) X 5 = distance from the side-walls to the center of the

curvilinear transducer).

Solid FootingSolid Footing

Solid Footing

Solid FootingSolid Footing

After living and experimenting with your Quests, you will
then want to use the spikes included in your owners kit.
The Quest will become more firmly planted on the floor
and, consequently, bass will tighten and imaging will
become more coherent and detailed. It is best not to
implement the spikes, however, until you are secure in
the positioning as the spikes can damage the floors if the
speaker is moved.

Enjoy YourselfEnjoy Yourself

Enjoy Yourself

Enjoy YourselfEnjoy Yourself

The Quest is a very refined speaker and, as such,
benefits from care in set-up. With these tips in mind, you
will find, over your months of listening, that small changes
can result in demonstrable 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 your speaker system to give you the best
results. Your efforts will be rewarded.

You are now armed with the fundamentals of room
acoustics and the specific fundamentals of the Quest
loudspeaker.

Happy listening! Happy listening!

Happy listening!

Happy listening! Happy listening!

These two formulas will determine optimum placement of
your speakers to minimize standing waves.

Page 20

Quest User's Manual

Questions

What size of an amplifier should I use with theWhat size of an amplifier should I use with the

What size of an amplifier should I use with the

What size of an amplifier should I use with theWhat size of an amplifier should I use with the
Quests?Quests?

Quests?

Quests?Quests?

We recommend an amplifier with 100 to 200 watts per
channel for most applications. The Quest
well with either a tube or transistorized amplifier, and will
reveal the sonic character of either type. However, it is
important that the amplifier be stable operating into
varying impedance loads: a stable amplifier will be able
to deliver twice its rated wattage into 4 Ohms and should
again double into 2 Ohms.

Should I unplug my Quests during a thunder-Should I unplug my Quests during a thunder-

Should I unplug my Quests during a thunder-

Should I unplug my Quests during a thunder-Should I unplug my Quests during a thunder­storm?storm?

storm?

storm?storm?

Yes. Or before. It’s a good idea to disconnect all of your
audio/video components during stormy weather.

Is there likely to be any interaction between theIs there likely to be any interaction between the

Is there likely to be any interaction between the

Is there likely to be any interaction between theIs there likely to be any interaction between the
Quests and the television in my Audio/VideoQuests and the television in my Audio/Video

Quests and the television in my Audio/Video

Quests and the television in my Audio/VideoQuests and the television in my Audio/Video
system?system?

system?

system?system?

Actually, there is less interaction between a television
and an electrostatic speaker than between a television
and a conventional system. The magnets in conventional
speakers do interact with televisions tubes. However, we
do recommend that you keep your speakers at least one
foot away from the television because of the dynamic
woofer they employ.

Will my electric bill go ‘sky high’ by leaving myWill my electric bill go ‘sky high’ by leaving my

Will my electric bill go ‘sky high’ by leaving my

Will my electric bill go ‘sky high’ by leaving myWill my electric bill go ‘sky high’ by leaving my
speakers plugged in all the time?speakers plugged in all the time?

speakers plugged in all the time?

speakers plugged in all the time?speakers plugged in all the time?

No. A pair of Quests draw about 5 watts maximum. Much
less than a 40 watt light bulb.

will perform

Could my children, pets, or myself be shockedCould my children, pets, or myself be shocked

Could my children, pets, or myself be shocked

Could my children, pets, or myself be shockedCould my children, pets, or myself be shocked
by the high-voltage present in the electrostaticby the high-voltage present in the electrostatic

by the high-voltage present in the electrostatic

by the high-voltage present in the electrostaticby the high-voltage present in the electrostatic
panel?panel?

panel?

panel?panel?

No. High voltage with low current is not dangerous. As a
matter of fact, the voltage in our speakers is 10 times less
than the static electricity that builds up on the surface of
your television screen.

If my child punctured the diaphragm with aIf my child punctured the diaphragm with a

If my child punctured the diaphragm with a

If my child punctured the diaphragm with aIf my child punctured the diaphragm with a
pencil, stick, or similar item., how extensivepencil, stick, or similar item., how extensive

pencil, stick, or similar item., how extensive

pencil, stick, or similar item., how extensivepencil, stick, or similar item., how extensive
would the damage to the speaker be?would the damage to the speaker be?

would the damage to the speaker be?

would the damage to the speaker be?would the damage to the speaker be?

Our research department has literally punctured hun­dreds of holes in a diaphragm, neither affecting the
quality of the sound nor causing the diaphragm to rip.
However, you will be able to see the actual puncture and
it can be a physical nuisance. If this is the case, replacing
the electrostatic transducer will be the only solution.

Will exposure to sunlight affect the life or per-Will exposure to sunlight affect the life or per-

Will exposure to sunlight affect the life or per-

Will exposure to sunlight affect the life or per-Will exposure to sunlight affect the life or per­formance of the Quest?formance of the Quest?

formance of the Quest?

formance of the Quest?formance of the Quest?

We recommend that you not place any loudspeaker in
direct sunlight as the ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun
can cause deterioration of grill cloth, speaker cones, etc..
Small exposures to UV will not cause a problem.

Will excessive smoke or dust cause any prob-Will excessive smoke or dust cause any prob-

Will excessive smoke or dust cause any prob-

Will excessive smoke or dust cause any prob-Will excessive smoke or dust cause any prob­lems?lems?

lems?

lems?lems?

Exposure to excessive contaminants, such as smoke or
dust, may potentially effect the performance of the
electrostatic membrane and may cause discoloration of
the diaphragm membrane. When not in use for extended
periods, you should unplug the speaker and cover with
the plastic bags that the speakers were originally packed.

Quest User's Manual

Page 21

Troubleshooting

No OutputNo Output

No Output

No OutputNo Output

Check that all your system components are turned on.

Check your speaker wires and connections.

Check all interconnecting cables.

Weak Output, Loss of HighsWeak Output, Loss of Highs

Weak Output, Loss of Highs

Weak Output, Loss of HighsWeak Output, Loss of Highs

Check the power cord. Is it properly connected to the
speaker?

Exaggerated Highs, BrightnessExaggerated Highs, Brightness

Exaggerated Highs, Brightness

Exaggerated Highs, BrightnessExaggerated Highs, Brightness

Check the toe-in of the speakers. Read

mentment

ment for more information.

mentment

Muddy BassMuddy Bass

Muddy Bass

Muddy BassMuddy Bass

Check placement. Try moving the speakers closer to the
front and side walls.

Room Place-Room Place-

Room Place-

Room Place-Room Place-

Poor ImagingPoor Imaging

Poor Imaging

Poor ImagingPoor Imaging

Check placement. Are both speakers the same distance
from the walls? Do they have the same amount of toe­in? Try moving the speakers away from the front and
side walls.

Check the polarity of the speaker wires. Are they con­nected properly?

Popping and Ticking Sounds, Funny NoisesPopping and Ticking Sounds, Funny Noises

Popping and Ticking Sounds, Funny Noises

Popping and Ticking Sounds, Funny NoisesPopping and Ticking Sounds, Funny Noises

These occasional noises are harmless and will not hurt
your audio system or your speakers. All electrostatic
speakers are guilty of making odd noises at one time or
another.

These noises may be caused by dirt and dust particles
collecting on the speaker, by high humidity or by AC line
fluctuations that may occur in your area.

Dirt and dust may be vacuumed off with a brush attach­ment connected to your vacuum cleaner or you may
blow them off with compressed air.

Check the type of feet being used. Try attaching the
coupling spikes.

Lack of BassLack of Bass

Lack of Bass

Lack of BassLack of Bass

Check your speaker wires. Is the polarity correct?

Check the Bass Contour switch. Is it in the -3dB position?

Check the Bi-wire/Bi-amp switch. Is it in the correct
position?

Page 22

DO NOT SPRAY ANY KIND OF CLEANINGDO NOT SPRAY ANY KIND OF CLEANING

DO NOT SPRAY ANY KIND OF CLEANING

DO NOT SPRAY ANY KIND OF CLEANINGDO NOT SPRAY ANY KIND OF CLEANING
AGENT ON OR IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THEAGENT ON OR IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE

AGENT ON OR IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE

AGENT ON OR IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THEAGENT ON OR IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE
ELECTROSTATIC ELEMENT.ELECTROSTATIC ELEMENT.

ELECTROSTATIC ELEMENT.

ELECTROSTATIC ELEMENT.ELECTROSTATIC ELEMENT.

Quest User's Manual

Recommended Music

Analog Discs:Analog Discs:

Analog Discs:

Analog Discs:Analog Discs:

Astounding Sound Show .........

Chet Atkins in Hollywood .............................

Berlioz:

Big Band Jazz........................................

The Chicago Symphony Winds ...................

Judy Collins:
Phil Collins:

Dafos .....................................

Miles Davis:
Arturo Delmoni:

Dire Straits:
Dire Straits:

Fresh Aire II...............................

Fresh Aire III..............................

Gershwin:
Earl Klugh:
Mahler:
Joni Mitchell:
Moroder:

The Moscow Sessions ....................

Ohio Players:
Pink Floyd:
Rachmaninoff:

The Reiner Sound ........................................

Rickie Lee Jones:
Shalamar:

The Sheffield Track Record........................

Strauss:
Stanley Turrentine:
McCoy Tyner & Jackie McLean:

Dionne Warwick:

Symphonie Fantastique ........

Judith .......................................

Face Value ..................................

You're Under Arrest .........

Songs My Mother Taught Me ..........

Dire Straits ...................

Love Over Gold..............

An American in Paris ........

Crazy for You ...........................

Symphony No. 1 ............................

For the Roses .......................

Cat People ..........................

Gold .............................

Dark Side of the Moon ...

Piano Concerto No. 2

Rickie Lee Jones

The Look .......................................

Til Eulenspiegel .......

Cherry ................

It's About Time ...............................

Soulful ...........................

Reference Recordings RR-7

Chesky Records CR1

Umbrella UMB-DD4

Reference Recordings RR-12

Columbia FC 40023

North Star DS0004

Warner Bros. BSK 3266

Warner Bros. 23728-1
American Gramophone 359
American Gramophone 365

Chesky Records RC8

Backstreet BSR-6107

Sheffield Lab TLP-1000

Mercury SRM-1-1122

EMI Harvest SHVL-804

Chesky Records CR2

Warner Bros. BSK 3296

Reference Recordings RR-16

CTI Records CTI 6017

Blue Note BT 85102

RCA LSP-1993

Sheffield Lab 22

Elektra 6E-111

Virgin V-2185

Liberty LT 51113

Telarc DG10066

Asylum SD 5057

RCA LSC-2183

Solar 9-60239

Sheffield Lab-20

Scepter SPS-573

Compact Discs:Compact Discs:

Compact Discs:

Compact Discs:Compact Discs:

Pachelbel Canon:

The Acadamy of Ancient Music

Count Basie & His Orchestra:
David Benoit:

Every Step of the Way ...........

This Side Up ..................................

Cantate Domino ..................................

Copland:

Appalachian Spring, Rodeo, Fanfare

Country .............................

Dafos ..............................

Dire Straits:

Dorian Sampler Vol. 1 ............................

Freddie Hubbard:
Huey Lewis and the News:
Bob James & Earl Klugh:
Albert King:
Rob McConnell and the Boss Brass:

Present Perfect ......................................

Nojima Plays Liszt ...........

Linda Ronstadt:

Round-Up ..................................................

Sainte-Saens:

Diane Schuur and the Count Basie Orchestra

Paul Simon:

Ein Straussfest ...........................................

Tchaikovsky:
Tchaikovsky:
Vollenweider:
Steve Winwood:
Yellowjackets:

Brothers in Arms .........

Ride Like the Wind .

Live Wire ..................

Round Midnight .............

Symphony No. 3 ................

Graceland ..................

Piano Concerto No. 1

Violin Concerto ..........

Caverna Magica ....................

Back in the High Life .......

Shades ..............

Reference Recordings RR-12 CD

One On One ........

Reference Recordings RR-25CD

, L'Oiseau-Lyre 410 553-2

88 Basie Street

GRP Records GRD-9558

Windham Hill Records WD-1039

Warner Bros. 9 25264-2

Sports ........

Mobile Fidelity MFCD 838

GRP Records GRD-9550

Warner Bros. 9 25447-2

Chesky Records CD-13
Chesky Records CD-12

MCA Records MCAD-5752

, Pablo 3112-42

En Pointe ENP 0001

Proprius PRCD 7762

Telarc CD-80078

Dorian DOR-90001

En Pointe ENP 0002

Chrysalis VK 41412

MPS 823 543-2

Asylum 9 60489-2

Telarc CD-80141

Philips 412 619-2

Telarc CD-80098

CBS MK 37827

Island 9 25548-2

CBS CK 36241

,

Quest User's Manual

Page 23

Glossary

ACAC

AC. Abbreviation for alternating

ACAC

current.

Active crossoverActive crossover

Active crossover. Uses active

Active crossoverActive crossover

devices (transistors, IC’s,
tubes) and some form of power
supply to operate.

AmplitudeAmplitude

Amplitude. The extreme range of a

AmplitudeAmplitude

signal. Usually measured from
the average to the extreme.

ArcArc

Arc. The visible sparks generated by

ArcArc

an electrical discharge.

BassBass

Bass. The lowest frequencies of

BassBass

sound.

Bi-AmplificationBi-Amplification

Bi-Amplification. Uses an electronic

Bi-AmplificationBi-Amplification

crossover or line-level passive
crossover and separate power
amplifiers for the high and low
frequency loudspeaker drivers.

CapacitanceCapacitance

Capacitance. That property of a

CapacitanceCapacitance

capacitor which determines how
much charge can be stored in it
for a given potential difference
between its terminals, measured
in farads, by the ratio of the
charge stored to the potential
difference.

CapacitorCapacitor

Capacitor. A device consisting of two

CapacitorCapacitor

or more conducting plates
separated from one another by an
insulating material and used for
storing an electrical charge.
Sometimes called a condenser.

ClippingClipping

Clipping. Distortion of a signal by its

ClippingClipping

being chopped off. An overload
problem caused by pushing an
amplifier beyond its capabilities.
The flat-topped signal has high
levels of harmonic distortion
which creates heat in a loud­speaker and is the major cause of
loudspeaker component failure.

CrossoverCrossover

Crossover. An electrical circuit that

CrossoverCrossover

divides a full bandwidth signal
into the desired frequency bands
for the loudspeaker components.

dB (decibel)dB (decibel)

dB (decibel). A numerical expres-

dB (decibel)dB (decibel)

sion of the relative loudness of a
sound. The difference in decibels
between two sounds is ten times
the common logarithm of the ratio
of their power levels.

DCDC

DC. Abbreviation for direct current.

DCDC
DiffractionDiffraction

Diffraction. The breaking up of a

DiffractionDiffraction

sound wave caused by some type
of mechanical interference such
as a cabinet edge, grill frame, or
other similar object.

DiaphragmDiaphragm

Diaphragm. A thin flexible mem-

DiaphragmDiaphragm

brane or cone that vibrates in
response to electrical signals to
produce sound waves.

DistortionDistortion

Distortion. Usually referred to in

DistortionDistortion

terms of total harmonic distortion
(THD) which is the percentage of
unwanted harmonics of the drive
signal present with the wanted
signal. Generally used to mean
any unwanted change introduced
by the device under question.

DriverDriver

Driver. See transducer.

DriverDriver
Dynamic RangeDynamic Range

Dynamic Range. The range

Dynamic RangeDynamic Range

between the quietest and the
loudest sounds a device can
handle (often quoted in dB).

EfficiencyEfficiency

Efficiency. The acoustic power

EfficiencyEfficiency

delivered for a given electrical
input. Often expressed as
decibels/watt/meter (dB/w/m).

ESLESL

ESL. Abbreviation for electrostatic

ESLESL

loudspeaker.

HeadroomHeadroom

Headroom. The difference, in

HeadroomHeadroom

decibels, between the peak and
RMS levels in program material.

HybridHybrid

Hybrid. A product created by the

HybridHybrid

marriage of two different tech­nologies. Meant here as the
combination of a dynamic woofer
with an electrostatic transducer.

Hz (Hertz)Hz (Hertz)

Hz (Hertz). Unit of frequency

Hz (Hertz)Hz (Hertz)

equivalent to the number of
cycles per second.

ImagingImaging

Imaging. To make a representation

ImagingImaging

or imitation of the original sonic
event.

ImpedanceImpedance

Impedance. The total opposition

ImpedanceImpedance

offered by an electric circuit to the
flow of an alternating current of a
single frequency. It is a combina­tion of resistance and reactance
and is measured in ohms.
Remember that a speaker’s
impedance changes with
frequency, it is not a constant
value.

InductanceInductance

Inductance. The property of an

InductanceInductance

electric circuit by which a varying
current in it produces a varying
magnetic field that introduces
voltages in the same circuit or in a
nearby circuit. It is measured in
henrys.

InductorInductor

Inductor. A device designed prima-

InductorInductor

rily to introduce inductance into
an electric circuit. Sometimes
called a choke or coil.

LinearityLinearity

Linearity. The extent to which any

LinearityLinearity

signal handling process is
accomplished without amplitude
distortion.

Page 24

Quest User's Manual

MidrangeMidrange

Midrange. The middle frequencies

MidrangeMidrange

where the ear is the most
sensitive.

Passive crossoverPassive crossover

Passive crossover. Uses no active

Passive crossoverPassive crossover

components (transistors, IC’s,
tubes) and needs no power
supply (AC, DC, battery) to
operate. The crossover in a
typical loudspeaker is of the
passive variety. Passive cross­overs consist of capacitors,
inductors and resistors.

PhasePhase

Phase. The amount by which one

PhasePhase

sine wave leads or lags a second
wave of the same frequency. The
difference is described by the
term phase angle. Sine waves in
phase reinforce each other; those
out of phase cancel.

Pink noisePink noise

Pink noise. A random noise used in

Pink noisePink noise

measurements, as it has the
same amount of energy in each
octave.

PolarityPolarity

Polarity. The condition of being

PolarityPolarity

positive or negative with respect
to some reference point or object.

RMSRMS

RMS. Abbreviation for root mean

RMSRMS

square. The effective value of a
given waveform is its RMS value.
Acoustic power is proportional to
the square of the RMS sound
pressure.

ResistanceResistance

Resistance. That property of a

ResistanceResistance

conductor by which it opposes the
flow of electric current, resulting in
the generation of heat in the
conducting material, usually
expressed in ohms.

ResistorResistor

Resistor. A device used in a circuit

ResistorResistor

primarily to provide resistance.

ResonanceResonance

Resonance. The effect produced

ResonanceResonance

when the natural vibration
frequency of a body is greatly
amplified by reinforcing vibrations
at the same or nearly the same
frequency from another body.

SensitivitySensitivity

Sensitivity. Volume of sound

SensitivitySensitivity

delivered for a given electrical
input.

StatorStator

Stator. The fixed part forming the

StatorStator

reference for the moving dia­phragm in a planar speaker.

THDTHD

THD. Abbreviation for total harmonic

THDTHD

distortion. (See Distortion.)

TIMTIM

TIM. Abbreviation for transient

TIMTIM

intermodulation distortion. (See
Distortion.)

TransducerTransducer

Transducer. Any of various devices

TransducerTransducer

that transmit energy from one
system to another, sometimes
one that converts the energy in
form. Loudspeaker transducers
convert electrical energy into
mechanical motion.

TransientTransient

Transient. Applies to that which lasts

TransientTransient

or stays but a short time. A
change from one steady-state
condition to another.

TweeterTweeter

Tweeter. A small drive unit designed

TweeterTweeter

to produce only high frequencies.

WavelengthWavelength

Wavelength. The distance mea-

WavelengthWavelength

sured in the direction of progres­sion of a wave, from any given
point characterized by the same
phase.

White noiseWhite noise

White noise. A random noise used

White noiseWhite noise

in measurements, as it has the
same amount of energy at each
frequency.

WooferWoofer

Woofer. A drive unit operating in the

WooferWoofer

bass frequencies only. Drive units
in two-way systems are not true
woofers but are more accurately
described as being mid/bass
drivers.

Quest User's Manual

Page 25

Quest Specifications

The Quest
consists of a broad-range single
element electrostatic transducer
integrated with a quick-response
woofer. This approach takes advan­tage of the benefits that both technolo­gies have to offer.

Dispersion is a controlled 30 degrees.
This was achieved by curving the
electrostatic transducer element itself,
an elegantly simple solution.

hybrid speaker system

System Frequency ResponseSystem Frequency Response

System Frequency Response

System Frequency ResponseSystem Frequency Response
28-22,000 Hz +/-2dB

Electrostatic Frequency Re-Electrostatic Frequency Re-

Electrostatic Frequency Re-

Electrostatic Frequency Re-Electrostatic Frequency Re­sponsesponse

sponse

sponsesponse
100-22,000 Hz +/- 2dB

Woofer Frequency ResponseWoofer Frequency Response

Woofer Frequency Response

Woofer Frequency ResponseWoofer Frequency Response
28-2,000 Hz +/- 2dB

Bass Contour SwitchBass Contour Switch

Bass Contour Switch

Bass Contour SwitchBass Contour Switch

-3dB from 60 -150 Hz
Presence Contour SwitchPresence Contour Switch

Presence Contour Switch

Presence Contour SwitchPresence Contour Switch
+2dB from 1,000 Hz - 5, 000 Hz

Crossover FrequencyCrossover Frequency

Crossover Frequency

Crossover FrequencyCrossover Frequency
150 Hz at 12dB per octave

DispersionDispersion

Dispersion

DispersionDispersion
Horizontal: 30 Degrees
Vertical: 4' Line Source

SensitivitySensitivity

Sensitivity

SensitivitySensitivity
90dB/1 watt/meter

Power HandlingPower Handling

Power Handling

Power HandlingPower Handling
200 watts per channel

Page 26

Recommended Amplifier PowerRecommended Amplifier Power

Recommended Amplifier Power

Recommended Amplifier PowerRecommended Amplifier Power
80 - 200 watts per channel

ImpedanceImpedance

Impedance

ImpedanceImpedance
Nominal: 6 ohms; Minimum: 2 ohms

Phase AnglePhase Angle

Phase Angle

Phase AnglePhase Angle
Less than 45

WeightWeight

Weight

WeightWeight
110 lbs/each

SizeSize

Size

SizeSize

72.75"H x 19"W x 13"D
ComponentsComponents

Components

ComponentsComponents
Custom-wound audio transformers
polypropylene bypass caps, 100%
OFC coils.

o

Quest User's Manual

Notes

Quest User's Manual

Page 27

$ 3.00$ 3.00

$ 3.00

$ 3.00$ 3.00

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