MartinLogan reQuest User's Manual · Page 6 reQUEST User's Manual History In the late 1800’s, any loudspeaker was considered exotic. Today, most of us take the wonders of sound

H i g h R e s o l u t i o n E S L H y b r i d

User's Manual

Page 2 reQUEST User's Manual

Introduction 3

Installation in Brief 4

The Electrostatic Concept 5

History 6

Martin-Logan Exclusives 8

Operation 10

Room Acoustics 14

Placement 18

Questions 21

Troubleshooting 22

Recommended Music 23

Glossary 24

reQUEST Specifications 26

Notes 27

Important Contents

Your reQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUEST speakers are provided with an auto-matic Limited 90 Day Warranty coverage.

You have the option, at no additional charge, to receiveLimited 3 Year Warranty coverage. To obtain Limited 3Year Warranty coverage you need only complete andreturn the Certificate of Registration that was includedwith your speakers to Martin-Logan, within 30 days ofpurchase.

Martin-Logan may not honor warranty serviceMartin-Logan may not honor warranty serviceMartin-Logan may not honor warranty serviceMartin-Logan may not honor warranty serviceMartin-Logan may not honor warranty serviceclaims unless we have a completed Warrantyclaims unless we have a completed Warrantyclaims unless we have a completed Warrantyclaims unless we have a completed Warrantyclaims unless we have a completed WarrantyRegistration 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 acountry other than the one in which it was originallypurchased, we ask that you note the following:

1) The appointed Martin-Logan distributor for any givencountry is responsible for warranty servicing only onunits distributed by or through it in that country inaccordance with its applicable warranty.

2) Should a Martin-Logan product require servicing in acountry other than the one in which it was originallypurchased, the end user may seek to have repairsperformed 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-Loganproduct.

If you did not receive a Certificate of Registration withyour reQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUEST speakers, please contact your Autho-rized Martin-Logan dealer.

Page 3reQUEST User's Manual

Introduction

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

The result of cumulative technology gleaned from previousResearch and Development projects, the reQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUESTrepresents the latest developments in Electrostatic andHybrid loudspeaker technology.

Combining our proprietary curvilinear electrostatic trans-ducer with a compact, but powerful subwoofer, we havedesigned a product, in one package, that reproduces musicwith uncompromised electrostatic clarity and deep extendedbass, yet takes up little more than one square foot of floorspace.

All materials in your new reQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUEST speakers are of thehighest quality to provide years of enduring enjoyment anddeepening respect. All trim pieces are constructed fromselected hardwoods. They are then grain and colormatched and finally hand finished. The cabinetry is con-structed from a special high-density hardwood powderboardfor structural integrity and is finished with a durable andattractive matte surface finish.

Through rigorous testing, the curvilinear electrostatic panelhas proven itself to be one of the most durable and reliabletransducers available today. Fabricated from a speciallytooled, high-grade steel, the panel is then coated with a

special high dielectric compound that is applied via aproprietary electrostatic deposition process. This panelassembly houses a membrane 0.0005 of an inch thick!Ruggedly constructed and insulated, as much as 200 wattsof continuous power has driven the reQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUEST’s energizeddiaphragm into massive excursions with no deleteriouseffects.

We know you are anxious to listen to your new speakers.So, to speed you along, we have provided an Installation inBrief section ahead of the detailed descriptive informationcontained in this manual.

Please read and follow these instructions as you initiallyconnect your reQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUEST speakers into your system. Theseinstructions are important and will prevent you fromexperiencing any delay, frustration, or system damagewhich might occur in a trial-and-error procedure.

The other sections of your User’s Manual will explain indetail the operation of your reQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUEST speakers and thephilosophy applied to their design. A clear understanding ofyour speakers will ensure that you obtain maximumperformance and pleasure from this most exacting trans-ducer.

Happy Listening!Happy Listening!Happy Listening!Happy Listening!Happy Listening!


Installation in Brief

We know you are eager to hear yournew reQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUEST loudspeakers, so thissection is provided to allow fast andeasy set up. Once you have themoperational, please take the time toread, in depth, the rest of the informa-tion in this manual. It will give youperspective on how to obtain the bestpossible performance from yoursystem.

If you should experience any difficul-ties in the setup or operation of yourreQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUEST speakers please refer tothe Room Acoustics, Placement orOperation section of this manual.

Should you encounter a persistentproblem that cannot be resolved,please contact your AuthorizedMartin-Logan dealer. He will provideyou with the appropriate technicalanalysis to alleviate the situation.

- Hazardous voltages exist inside, do not remove cover- Hazardous voltages exist inside, do not remove cover- Hazardous voltages exist inside, do not remove cover- Hazardous voltages exist inside, do not remove cover- Hazardous voltages exist inside, do not remove cover- Refer servicing to a qualified technician- Refer servicing to a qualified technician- Refer servicing to a qualified technician- Refer servicing to a qualified technician- Refer servicing to a qualified technician- To prevent fire or shock hazard, do not expose this- To prevent fire or shock hazard, do not expose this- To prevent fire or shock hazard, do not expose this- To prevent fire or shock hazard, do not expose this- To prevent fire or shock hazard, do not expose this

module to moisture module to moisture module to moisture module to moisture module to moisture- Use only with grounded outlet- Use only with grounded outlet- Use only with grounded outlet- Use only with grounded outlet- Use only with grounded outlet

- Turn amplifier off and unplug speaker should any abnormal- Turn amplifier off and unplug speaker should any abnormal- Turn amplifier off and unplug speaker should any abnormal- Turn amplifier off and unplug speaker should any abnormal- Turn amplifier off and unplug speaker should any abnormal conditions occur conditions occur conditions occur conditions occur conditions occur- Do not operate if there is any visual damage to the electrostatic- Do not operate if there is any visual damage to the electrostatic- Do not operate if there is any visual damage to the electrostatic- Do not operate if there is any visual damage to the electrostatic- Do not operate if there is any visual damage to the electrostatic panel element panel element panel element panel element panel element- Do not over drive speaker beyond its rated power- Do not over drive speaker beyond its rated power- Do not over drive speaker beyond its rated power- Do not over drive speaker beyond its rated power- Do not over drive speaker beyond its rated power

Step 1: Unpacking

Remove your new reQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUEST speakers from their packing.

Step 2: Placement

Place each reQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUEST at least two feet from any wall and angle them slightlytoward your listening area. This is a good place to start. Please see the Placementsection of this manual for more details.

Step 3: Power Connection (AC)

Martin-Logan speakers require AC power to energize their electrostatic cells.Using the AC power cords provided, plug them in, making sure that you havemade a firm connection, first to the AC power receptacle on the rear panel of thespeaker and then to the wall outlet.

Step 4: Signal Connection

Use the best speaker cables you can! Higher quality cables, available from yourspecialty dealer, are recommended and will give you superior performance!

Attach your speaker cables to the Signal Input Signal Input Signal Input Signal Input Signal Input section on the rear panel ofeach reQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUEST. Be consistent when connecting speaker leads to the terminalson the back of the reQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUEST: take great care to assign the same color to the (+)terminal on both the left and right channels. If bass is nonexistent and you cannotdiscern a tight, coherent image, you may need to reverse the (+) and (-) leads onone side to bring the system into proper polarity. For Bi-Wiring instructions, turn tothe Operations section of this manual for proper setup of the reQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUEST system.

Step 5: Listen and Enjoy!


The Electrostatic Concept

How can sound be reproduced by something that you areable to see through? Electrostatic energy makes thispossible.

Where the world of traditional loudspeaker technology dealswith cones, domes, diaphragms and ribbons that are movedwith magnetism, the world of electrostatic loudspeakersdeals with charged electrons attracting and repelling eachother.

To fully understand the electrostatic concept, some back-ground information will be helpful. Remember when youlearned, in a science or physics class, that like charges

Magnet

An Electromagnetic Transducer

Surround ConeDust Cap

Voice Coil Former

Magnet Assembly

Magnetic GapVoice Coil

Basket Assembly

Figure 2.Figure 2.Figure 2.Figure 2.Figure 2. Cut away view of a typical moving coil driver.Notice the complexity due to the high number of parts.

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

Since the diaphragm of an electrostatic speaker is uni-formly driven over its entire area, it can be extremely lightand flexible. This allows it to be very responsive to tran-sients, thus perfectly tracing the music signal. As a result,great delicacy, nuance and clarity is possible. When youlook at the problems of traditional electromagnetic drivers,you can easily see why this is so beneficial. The cones anddomes which are used in traditional electromagnetic driverscannot be driven uniformly because of their design. Cones

Spider

are driven only at the apex.Domes are driven at theirperimeter. As a result, therest of the cone or dome isjust "along for the ride". Thevery concept of these driversrequire that the cone or domebe perfectly rigid, dampedand massless. Unfortunatelythese conditions are notavailable in our world today.

To make these cones anddomes move, all electromag-netic drivers must use voicecoils wound on formers,spider assemblies, andsurrounds to keep the coneor dome in position. SeeFigure 2. These pieces, whencombined with the high massof the cone or dome materi-als used, make it an ex-tremely complex unit withmany weaknesses andpotential for failure. Thesefaults contribute to the highdistortion products found inthese drivers and is atremendous disadvantagewhen you are trying tochange motion as quickly andas accurately as a loud-speaker must (40,000 timesper second!).

repel each other and oppositecharges attract each other?Well, this principle is thefoundation of the electrostaticconcept.

An electrostatic transducerconsists of three pieces: thestators, the diaphragm and thespacers. See Figure 1. Thediaphragm is what actuallymoves to excite the air andcreate music. The stator's job isto remain stationary, hence theword stator, to provide areference point for the movingdiaphragm. The spacersprovide the diaphragm with afixed distance in which to movebetween the stators.

As your amplifier sends musicsignals to an electrostaticspeaker, these signals arechanged into two high-voltagesignals that are equal instrength but opposite inpolarity. These high voltagesignals are then applied to thestators. The resulting electro-static field, created by theopposing high voltage on thestators, works simultaneouslywith and against the dia-phragm, consequently moving itback and forth, producing

An Electrostatic Transducer

Stator

Spacer

Diaphragm

Figure 1Figure 1Figure 1Figure 1Figure 1. Cut away view of an electrostatic transducer.Notice the simplicity due to minimal parts usage.


History

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

It was 1880 before Thomas Edison had invented the firstphonograph. This was a horn-loaded diaphragm that wasexcited by a playback stylus. In 1898, Sir Oliver Lodgeinvented a cone loudspeaker, which he referred to as a“bellowing telephone”, that was very similar to theconventional cone loudspeaker drivers that we know today.However, Lodge had no intention for his device to repro-duce music, because in 1898 there was no way to amplifyan electrical signal! As a result, his speaker had nothing tooffer over the acoustical gramophones of the period. It wasnot until 1906 that Dr. Lee DeForrest invented the triodevacuum tube. Before this, an electrical signal could not beamplified. The loudspeaker, as we know it today, shouldhave ensued then, but it did not. Amazingly, it was almosttwenty years before this would occur.

In 1921, the electrically cut phonograph record became areality. This method of recording was far superior to themechanically cut record and possessed almost 30 dB ofdynamic range. The acoustical gramophone couldn't beginto reproduce all of the information on this new disc. As aresult, further developments in loudspeakers were neededto cope with this amazing new recording medium.

By 1923, Bell Telephone Laboratories made the decision todevelop a complete musical playback system consisting ofan electronic phonograph and loudspeaker to take advan-tage of the new recording medium. Bell Labs assigned theproject to two young engineers, C.W. Rice and E.W.Kellogg.

Rice and Kellogg had a well equipped laboratory at theirdisposal. This lab possessed a vacuum tube amplifier withan unheard of 200 watts, a large selection of the newelectrically cut phonograph records and a variety ofloudspeaker prototypes that Bell Labs had been collectingover the past decade. Among these were Lodge’s cone, aspeaker that used compressed air, a corona discharge(plasma) speaker, and an electrostatic speaker.

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

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

Bell Laboratory’s electrostat was something to behold. Thisenormous bipolar speaker was as big as a door. Thediaphragm, which was beginning to rot, was made of themembrane of a pigs intestine that was covered with finegold leaf to conduct the audio signal.

When Rice and Kellogg began playing the new electricallycut records through the electrostat, they were shocked andimpressed. The electrostat performed splendidly. They hadnever heard instrumental timbres reproduced with suchrealism. This system sounded like real music rather than thehonking, squawking rendition of the acoustic gramophone.Immediately, they knew they were on to something big. Theacoustic gramophone was destined to become obsolete.

Due to Rice and Kellogg's enthusiasm, they devoted aconsiderable amount of time researching the electrostaticdesign. However, they soon encountered the samedifficulties that even present designers face; planar speak-ers require a very large surface area to reproduce the lowerfrequencies of the audio spectrum. Because the manage-ment at Bell Labs considered large speakers unacceptable,Rice and Kellogg's work on electrostatics would never beput to use for a commercial product. Reluctantly, theyadvised the Bell management to go with the cone. For thenext thirty years the electrostatic design lay dormant.

During the Great Depression of the 1930's, consumer audioalmost died. The new electrically amplified loudspeakernever gained acceptance, as most people continued to usetheir old Victrola-style acoustic gramophones. Prior to theend of World War II, consumer audio saw little, if any,progress. However, during the late 1940's, audio experi-enced a great rebirth. Suddenly there was tremendousinterest in audio products and with that, a great demand forimproved audio components. No sooner had the conebecome established than it was challenged by productsdeveloped during this new rebirth.

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


arrays. The test instrument needed an extremely accuratespeaker, but Janszen found that the cone speakers of theperiod were too nonlinear in phase and amplitude re-sponse to meet his criteria. Janszen believed thatelectrostats were inherently more linear than cones, so hebuilt a model using a thin plastic diaphragm treated with aconductive coating. This model confirmed Janszen's beliefs,for it exhibited remarkable phase and amplitude linearity.

Janszen was so excited with the results that he continuedresearch on the electrostatic speaker on his own time. Hesoon thought of insulating the stators to prevent thedestructive effects of arcing. By 1952 he had an electrostatictweeter element ready for commercial production. This newtweeter soon created a sensation among American audiohobbyists. Since Janszen's tweeter element was limited tohigh frequency reproduction, it often found itself used inconjunction with woofers, most notably, woofers fromAcoustic Research. These systems were highly regarded byall audio enthusiasts.

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

In 1955, Peter Walker published three articles on electro-static loudspeaker design in Wireless World, a Britishelectronics magazine. In these articles Walker demon-strated the benefits of the electrostatic loudspeaker. Heexplained that electrostatics permit the use of diaphragmsthat are low in mass, large in area, and uniformly drivenover their surfaces by electrostatic forces. Due to thesecharacteristics, electrostats have the inherent ability toproduce a wide bandwidth, flat frequency response withdistortion products being no greater than the electronicsdriving them.

By 1956 Walker backed up his articles by introducing aconsumer product, the now famous Quad ESL. Thisspeaker immediately set a standard of performance for theaudio industry due to its incredible accuracy. However, inactual use the Quad had a few problems. It could not playvery loud, it had poor bass performance, it presented adifficult load that some amplifiers did not like, its dispersionwas very directional, and its power handling was limited toaround 70 watts. As a result, many people continued to usebox speakers with cones.

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

Janszen continued to develop electrostatic designs. He wasinstrumental in the design of the Koss Model One, theAcoustech, and the Dennesen speakers. Roger West, thechief designer of the JansZen Corporation became thepresident of Sound Lab. When JansZen Corporation wassold, the RTR loudspeaker company bought half of theproduction tooling. This tooling was used to make theelectrostatic panels for the Servostatic, a hybrid electrostaticsystem that was Infinity's first speaker product. Othercompanies soon followed; each with their own uniqueapplications of the technology. These include Acoustat,Audiostatic, Beverage, Dayton Wright, Sound Lab, and Staxto name a few.

Electrostatic speakers have progressed and prosperedbecause they actually do what Peter Walker claimed theywould. The limitations and problems experienced in thepast were not inherent to the electrostatic concept. Theywere related to the applications of these concepts.

Today, these limitations have been addressed. Advance-ments in materials due to the U.S. space program givedesigners the ability to harness the superiority of theelectrostatic principle. Today's electrostats use advancedinsulation techniques or provide protection circuitry. Thepoor dispersion properties of early models have beenaddressed by using delay lines, acoustical lenses, multiplepanel arrays or, as in our own products, by curving thediaphragm. Power handling and sensitivity have beenincreased.

These developments allow the consumer the opportunity toown the highest performance loudspeaker products everbuilt. It's too bad Rice and Kellogg were never able to seejust how far the technology would be taken.


Martin-Logan Exclusives

Critical ZoneCritical ZoneCritical ZoneCritical ZoneCritical Zone250 - 20kHz250 - 20kHz250 - 20kHz250 - 20kHz250 - 20kHz

TweeterTweeterTweeterTweeterTweeter

MidrangeMidrangeMidrangeMidrangeMidrange

WooferWooferWooferWooferWoofer

Critical ZoneCritical ZoneCritical ZoneCritical ZoneCritical Zone250 - 20kHz250 - 20kHz250 - 20kHz250 - 20kHz250 - 20kHz

WooferWooferWooferWooferWoofer

reQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUESTElectrostaticElectrostaticElectrostaticElectrostaticElectrostaticTransducerTransducerTransducerTransducerTransducer

Martin-Logan reQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUEST Loudspeaker

Conventional Loudspeaker

Figure 1. Figure 1. Figure 1. Figure 1. Figure 1. Illustrates how a conventional speaker systemmust use a crossover network that has negative affectson the musical performance, unlike the reQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUEST which

needs no crossover networks in the "critical zone".

Full Range Operation

The most significant advantage of Martin-Logan'sexclusive transducer technology reveals itself when youcompare to examples of other loudspeaker products onthe market today.

The reQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUEST uses no crossover networks above 200 Hzbecause they are not needed. It consists of a single,seamless electrostatic membrane reproducing allfrequencies above 200 Hz simultaneously. How is thispossible?

First, it is important to understand that music is not

reproduce the full range of frequencies. Instead, thesedrivers must be designed to operate within narrow areasof music and then combined electrically so that the sumof the parts equals the total signal. While this sounds nicein theory, a different story unfolds in real-world conditions.

In order to use multiple drivers, a crossover network isenlisted to divide the complex musical signal into theseparate parts (usually highs, mids, and lows) that eachspecific driver was designed to handle. Unfortunately, dueto the phase relationships that occur within all crossovernetworks and during the acoustical recombination

process, nonlinearities andsevere degradation of themusic signal takes place inthe ear's most "critical zone".See Figure 1.So, music in the "criticalzone" becomes delayed intime. These delays can bepicked-up by your ear andresult in poor imaging andambience cues.

The The The The The reQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUEST's electro-'s electro-'s electro-'s electro-'s electro-static transducer canstatic transducer canstatic transducer canstatic transducer canstatic transducer cansingle-handedly reproducesingle-handedly reproducesingle-handedly reproducesingle-handedly reproducesingle-handedly reproduceall frequencies above 200all frequencies above 200all frequencies above 200all frequencies above 200all frequencies above 200Hz simultaneously.Hz simultaneously.Hz simultaneously.Hz simultaneously.Hz simultaneously.

The crossover phasediscontinuities that areassociated with traditionaltweeter, midrange, andwoofer systems are elimi-nated in the reQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUEST. Thisresults in a dramaticdramaticdramaticdramaticdramaticimprovement in imagingimprovement in imagingimprovement in imagingimprovement in imagingimprovement in imagingand staging performanceand staging performanceand staging performanceand staging performanceand staging performancedue to the minutelydue to the minutelydue to the minutelydue to the minutelydue to the minutelyaccurate phase relation-accurate phase relation-accurate phase relation-accurate phase relation-accurate phase relation-ship of the full-range panelship of the full-range panelship of the full-range panelship of the full-range panelship of the full-range panelwave launch.wave launch.wave launch.wave launch.wave launch.

composed of separate high,mid and low frequencypieces. In fact, music iscomprised of a singlecomplex waveform with allfrequencies interactingsimultaneously.

The electrostatic transducerof the reQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUEST essentiallyacts as an exact opposite ofthe microphones used torecord the original event. Amicrophone, which is asingle working element,transforms acoustic energyinto an electrical signal thatcan be amplified or pre-served by some type ofstorage media. ThereQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUEST's electrostatictransducer transformselectrical energy from youramplifier into acousticalenergy with a single mem-brane.

Upon looking carefully at atraditional magnetic driver(i.e. dynamic, ribbon,induction), no single unit can


Curvilinear Line Source

Since the beginning of audio, achieving smooth full rangedispersion has long been a problem for all loudspeakerdesigners. Large panel transducers present even more ofa challenge because the larger the panel, the moredirectional the dispersion pattern becomes.

Full range electrostats have always been one of the mostcomplex transducers because they attain their full rangecapabilities via a large surface area. It looked as if theywere in direct conflict to smooth dispersion and almostevery attempt to correct this resulted in either poordispersion or a serious compromise in sound quality.

After extensive research, Martin-Logan engineersdiscovered an elegantly simple solution to achieve asmooth pattern of dispersion without degrading soundquality. By curving the horizontal plane of the electrostatictransducer, a controlled horizontal dispersion patterncould be achieved, yet the purity of the almost masslesselectrostatic diaphragm remained uncompromised. Aftercreating this technology, we developed the productioncapability to bring this technology out of the laboratoryand into the market place.

You will find this proprietary Martin-Logan technologyused in all of our products. It is one of the many reasonsbehind our reputation for high quality sound with practicalusability. This is also why you see the unique "seethrough" cylindrical shape of all Martin-Logan products.

Vapor Deposited Film

The diaphragm material used in all Martin-Logan speakersemploys an extremely sophisticated vapor deposited conduc-tive polymer surface. A proprietary conductive compound isvaporized then electrostatically driven into the surface of thepolymer film in a vacuum chamber. This process allows anoptically transparent membrane, adds no mass to thediaphragm and is extremely uniform in its surface resistivitycharacteristics. This uniform surface resistivity controls theelectrostatic charge on the diaphragm surface and regulatesits migration. As a result, no discharging or “arcing” can occur.

Transducer Integrity

All Martin-Logan transducers begin with two pieces of highgrade, cold rolled steel. These steel pieces are then customperforated and insulated with an exotic composite coating.This proprietary coating insulates the stator to 3 times itsactual needed working voltage and gives the reQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUEST a widemargin of safe operation. In addition to the electrical insulationproperties, this coating also provides the reQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUEST with adurable, attractive finish that dampens the steel to preventringing. The finished metal plates are then sandwiched withour exclusive vapor deposited diaphragm and spacers into acurved geometry and bonded together with aerospaceadhesives whose strength exceeds that of welding.

The result of these advanced technologies is a transducerthat is attractive, durable, highly rigid, well dampened, andneutral.


Operation

AC Power Connection

Because your Martin-Logan reQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUEST's use an internalpower supply to energize their electrostatic cells with high-voltage DC, they must be connected to an AC powersource. For this reason they are provided with the properIEC standard power cords. These cords should be firmlyinserted into the AC power receptacles on the rear connec-tion panel of the speakers, then to any convenient AC walloutlet. The reQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUEST integrates a signal sensing powersupply which will switch off after a few minutes of absenceof music signal and requires less than 2 seconds torecharge when a music signal is presented.

The power cord should not be installed, removed, orThe power cord should not be installed, removed, orThe power cord should not be installed, removed, orThe power cord should not be installed, removed, orThe power cord should not be installed, removed, orleft detached from the speaker while the other end isleft detached from the speaker while the other end isleft detached from the speaker while the other end isleft detached from the speaker while the other end isleft detached from the speaker while the other end isconnected to an AC power source.connected to an AC power source.connected to an AC power source.connected to an AC power source.connected to an AC power source.

Your reQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUEST speakers are wired for the power servicesupplied in the country of original consumer sale. The ACpower rating applicable to a particular unit is specified bothon the packing carton and on the serial number plateattached to the speaker.

If you remove your reQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUEST speakers from the country oforiginal sale, be certain that AC power supplied in anysubsequent location is suitable before connecting andoperating the speakers. Substantially impaired performanceor severe damage may occur to a reQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUEST speaker ifoperation is attempted from an incorrect AC power source.

Signal Connection

Use the best speaker cables you can! The length and typeof speaker cable used in your system will have an audibleeffect. Under no circumstance should a wire of gaugehigher (thinner) than #16 be used. In general, the longer thelength used, the greater the necessity of a lower gauge,and the lower the gauge, the better the sound, with dimin-ishing returns setting in around #8 to #12.

A variety of speaker cables are now available whosemanufacturers claim better performance than with standardheavy gauge wire. We have verified this in some cases, andthe improvements available are often more noticeable thanthe differences between wires of different gauge.

We would also recommend, if possible, that short runs ofspeaker cable connect the power amplifier(s) and speakersand that high quality long interconnect cables be used toconnect the preamplifier and power amplifier. This results inthe power amplifiers being close to the speakers, whichmay be practically or cosmetically difficult, but if the lengthof the speaker cables can be reduced to a few meters,sonic advantages may be obtained. The effects of cablesmay be masked if the equipment is not of the highestquality.

Connections are done at the Signal InputSignal InputSignal InputSignal InputSignal Input section on therear electronics panel of the reQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUEST. Use spade connec-tors for optimum contact and ease of installation. Makecertain that all of your connections are tight.

Be consistent when connecting the speaker cables to theSignal Input Signal Input Signal Input Signal Input Signal Input terminals. Take care to assign the same colorcable lead to the (+) terminal on both the left and rightchannel speakers. If bass is nonexistent and you cannotdiscern a tight, coherent image, you may need to reversethe (+) and (-) leads on one speaker to bring the systeminto proper polarity.


Preamplifier

AmplifierreQuest

output

input

L

L

jumper clips removed

ESL Connect

Woofer Connect

Preamplifier

AmplifierreQuest

output

input

L

L

ESL Connect

Bi-Wire Connection

This method of connection replaces thejumper clips installed under the bindingposts with individual runs of speaker wirefrom your amplifier. This doubles thesignal carrying conductors from theamplifier to the speaker, thus direct-coupling each portion of the crossover tothe amplifier.

To bi-wire you must first loosen thefirst loosen thefirst loosen thefirst loosen thefirst loosen thebinding posts and remove the jumperbinding posts and remove the jumperbinding posts and remove the jumperbinding posts and remove the jumperbinding posts and remove the jumperclipsclipsclipsclipsclips. Connect one set of wires to theSignal Input ESL Connect Signal Input ESL Connect Signal Input ESL Connect Signal Input ESL Connect Signal Input ESL Connect bindingposts. Next, connect a second set ofwires to the Woofer ConnectWoofer ConnectWoofer ConnectWoofer ConnectWoofer Connect bindingposts. Now, connect both sets of wiresto the appropriate terminals on youramplifier. Please take care to connectboth (+) wires to the (+) amplifierterminals and both (-) wires to the (-)amplifier terminals. This is known as aparallel connection See Figure 2.

Figure 1Figure 1Figure 1Figure 1Figure 1. Standard connection. One channel shown. Jumpers in place.Jumpers in place.Jumpers in place.Jumpers in place.Jumpers in place.

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

Standard Connection

Take note of the jumper clips installedunder the binding posts. These clipsattach the high and low frequencysections of the crossover together.Leaving these in place, connect thespeaker wire from your amplifier to thetop-most ESL Connect ESL Connect ESL Connect ESL Connect ESL Connect input bindingpost. See Figure 1.


Preamplifier

High Amplifier

Low Amplifier

reQuest


L

L

L

output

input

input

ESL Connect

Woofer Connect

Operation

same brand and model). If the amplifiers of choice do nothave the same gain characteristics, then a sonic imbalancewill occur between the high-pass and low-pass sections ofthe speaker, and integration between the two will suffergreatly. The very nature of vertical bi-ampingvertical bi-ampingvertical bi-ampingvertical bi-ampingvertical bi-amping dictates thatboth amplifiers be identical.

Horizontal Bi-amping (read Horizontal Bi-amping (read Horizontal Bi-amping (read Horizontal Bi-amping (read Horizontal Bi-amping (read WarningWarningWarningWarningWarning above) above) above) above) above)With horizontal bi-ampinghorizontal bi-ampinghorizontal bi-ampinghorizontal bi-ampinghorizontal bi-amping, one amplifier drives the high-pass section while the second amplifier drives the low-passsection. To horizontally bi-amplifyhorizontally bi-amplifyhorizontally bi-amplifyhorizontally bi-amplifyhorizontally bi-amplify connect the lowfrequency amplifier to the Signal Input Woofer Connect Signal Input Woofer Connect Signal Input Woofer Connect Signal Input Woofer Connect Signal Input Woofer Connect +and - binding post. Connect the high frequency amplifier tothe Signal InputSignal InputSignal InputSignal InputSignal Input ESL Connect ESL Connect ESL Connect ESL Connect ESL Connect + and - binding posts. Next,connect the left and right preamplifier outputs to theappropriate left and right inputs of both amplifiers. Seefigure 3.

PassiveBi-amplification

For those of you that desire ultimateperformance, the reQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUEST may bepassively bi-amplified using the existinginternal passive crossover elements.

Passive bi-amplification takes the bi-wiringconcept one step further. Now you willhave a dedicated channel of amplification directly con-nected to the high and low-pass sections of the reQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUESTcrossover.

There are two different methods to passively bi-amplify. Thefirst, and most common, is referred to as Horizontal Bi-Horizontal Bi-Horizontal Bi-Horizontal Bi-Horizontal Bi-ampingampingampingampingamping. The second method that is gaining in popularity isreferred to as Vertical Bi-ampingVertical Bi-ampingVertical Bi-ampingVertical Bi-ampingVertical Bi-amping. With either method youmay use two stereo amplifiers or four mono amplifiers, ortwo mono amplifiers and one stereo amplifier. Get the idea?With either form of passive bi-amplification, your preampli-fier must have dual outputs. If your preamplifier is not soequipped, you must either purchase or construct a "Y"adaptor.

Horizontal bi-ampingHorizontal bi-ampingHorizontal bi-ampingHorizontal bi-ampingHorizontal bi-amping allows you to use two differenttypes, models or brands of amplifiers (i.e. tubes on top,transistor on the bottom), assuming that they have identicalgain or that one stereo pair has adjustable gain. However,we recommend that you use two identical amplifiers (i.e.

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

WARNING! WARNING! WARNING! WARNING! WARNING! Only after theOnly after theOnly after theOnly after theOnly after thejumpers are removed may youjumpers are removed may youjumpers are removed may youjumpers are removed may youjumpers are removed may you

connect individual runs ofconnect individual runs ofconnect individual runs ofconnect individual runs ofconnect individual runs ofspeaker cable from yourspeaker cable from yourspeaker cable from yourspeaker cable from yourspeaker cable from your

amplifier to the Woofer Connectamplifier to the Woofer Connectamplifier to the Woofer Connectamplifier to the Woofer Connectamplifier to the Woofer Connectand ESL Connect Signal Inputand ESL Connect Signal Inputand ESL Connect Signal Inputand ESL Connect Signal Inputand ESL Connect Signal Input

binding posts. Damage willbinding posts. Damage willbinding posts. Damage willbinding posts. Damage willbinding posts. Damage willoccur to your amplifiers if theoccur to your amplifiers if theoccur to your amplifiers if theoccur to your amplifiers if theoccur to your amplifiers if the

jumpers are not removed!jumpers are not removed!jumpers are not removed!jumpers are not removed!jumpers are not removed!


Preamplifier

Left Channel Amplifier

reQuest


L

Linput

inputR

ESL Connect

Woofer Connect

output

ActiveBi-amplification

The passive crossover elements in thereQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUEST are very complex electricaldevices with unique voicing andequalization. They cannot be replacedwith a standard electronic crossover.If, at some time, a properly designedelectronic crossover for the reQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUESTbecomes available from Martin-Logan,the owner of warranty will be sentnotification.

Vertical bi-amping (read Vertical bi-amping (read Vertical bi-amping (read Vertical bi-amping (read Vertical bi-amping (read WarningWarningWarningWarningWarning above) above) above) above) above)With vertical bi-ampingvertical bi-ampingvertical bi-ampingvertical bi-ampingvertical bi-amping, each of the stereo amplifi-ers is dedicated to one speaker. To vertically bi-ampvertically bi-ampvertically bi-ampvertically bi-ampvertically bi-ampconnect the left amplifier's right channel to the SignalSignalSignalSignalSignalInput Woofer ConnectInput Woofer ConnectInput Woofer ConnectInput Woofer ConnectInput Woofer Connect + and - binding post and leftchannel to the Signal InputSignal InputSignal InputSignal InputSignal Input ESL ConnectESL ConnectESL ConnectESL ConnectESL Connect + and -binding post. Repeat the same procedure for theother speaker with the right channel amplifier.Connect the left preamplifier outputs to both inputs ofthe left channel amplifier and the right preamplifieroutputs to both inputs of the right channel amplifier.See figure 4.

Bass Control Switch

Because of the wide variety of roomenvironments, recording techniques andcustomer preferences that we feel areimportant issues for today's premierloudspeaker designers to address, wehave provided the reQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUEST with a BassBassBassBassBassControlControlControlControlControl switch that will give you more

flexibility and control over the final sound.

The Bass Control Bass Control Bass Control Bass Control Bass Control switch is a two-position switch thatallows you to tailor the low frequency response of thereQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUEST. The Flat Flat Flat Flat Flat position is considered the normalsetting for most rooms. However, if you feel that the bass inyour system is too strong relative to the mid-range and highfrequencies, simply select the ReduceReduceReduceReduceReduce position. This switchposition will attenuate the woofer response by 4 decibelsfrom 30 to 100 Hz.

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


Your Room

This is one of those areas that requires both a littlebackground to understand and some time and experi-mentation to obtain the best performance from yoursystem.

Your room is actually a component and an important partof your system. This component is a very large variableand can dramatically add to, or subtract from, a greatmusical experience.

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

Room Acoustics

this wave experience like a 3 dimensional pool withwaves reflecting and becoming enhanced depending onthe size of the room and the types of surfaces in theroom.

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

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

Terminology

Standing WavesStanding WavesStanding WavesStanding WavesStanding Waves. The parallel walls in your room willreinforce certain notes to the point that they willsound louder than the rest of the audio spectrum andcause “one note bass”, “boomy bass”, or “tubbybass”. For instance, 100Hz represents a 10' wave-length. Your room will reinforce that specific fre-quency if one of the dominant dimensions is 10'.Large objects in the room such as cabinetry orfurniture can help to minimize this potential problem.Some serious “audiophiles” will literally build a specialroom with no parallel walls just to get away from thisphenomenon.

Reflective Surfaces (near-field reflections)Reflective Surfaces (near-field reflections)Reflective Surfaces (near-field reflections)Reflective Surfaces (near-field reflections)Reflective Surfaces (near-field reflections). The hardsurfaces of your room, particularly if close to yourspeaker system, will reflect those waves back intothe room over and over again, confusing the clarityand imaging of your system. The smaller soundwaves are mostly effected here and occur in the midand high frequencies. This is where voice andfrequencies as high as the cymbals can occur.

Resonant Surfaces and ObjectsResonant Surfaces and ObjectsResonant Surfaces and ObjectsResonant Surfaces and ObjectsResonant Surfaces and Objects. All of the surfaces andobjects in your room are subject to the frequenciesgenerated by your system. Much like an instrument,they will vibrate and “carry on” in syncopation withthe music and contribute in a negative way to themusic. Ringing, boominess, and even brightness canoccur simply because they are “singing along” withyour music.

Resonant CavitiesResonant CavitiesResonant CavitiesResonant CavitiesResonant Cavities. Small alcoves or closet type areas inyour 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 respondback? You’ve got near-field reflections. Stomp your footon the floor. Can you hear a “boom”? You’ve got standingwaves or large panel resonances such as a poorlysupported wall. Put your head in a small cavity area andtalk loudly. Can you hear a booming? You’ve just experi-enced a cavity resonance.


Rules of Thumb

Hard vs. Soft SurfacesHard vs. Soft SurfacesHard vs. Soft SurfacesHard vs. Soft SurfacesHard vs. Soft Surfaces. If the front or back wall of yourlistening room is soft, it may benefit you to have ahard or reflective wall in opposition. As well, theceiling and floor should follow the same basicguideline. However, the side walls should be roughlythe same in order to deliver a focused image.

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

Break-up ObjectsBreak-up ObjectsBreak-up ObjectsBreak-up ObjectsBreak-up Objects. Objects with complex shapes, suchas bookshelves, cabinetry, and multiple shaped wallscan help break up those sonic gremlins and diffuseany dominant frequencies.

Solid CouplingSolid CouplingSolid CouplingSolid CouplingSolid Coupling. Your loudspeaker system generatesfrequency vibrations or waves into the room. This ishow it creates sound. Those vibrations will vary from20 per second to 20,000 per second. If your speakersystem is not securely planted on the floor or solidsurface, it can shake as it produces sound and,consequently, the sound can be compromised. Ifyour speaker is sitting on the carpet and only footgliders are used, the bass can be ill defined and evenboomy. The use of spikes is recommended to insuresecured footing for your speakers.

Dipolar Speakers and Your Room

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

The low frequencies can either be enhanced or nulled bythe position from the front wall. Your reQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUEST has beendesigned to be placed 2 to 3 feet from the front wall (thewall in front of the listening position) to obtain the bestresults, however your room may see things differently.So, listening to the difference of the bass response as aresult of the changes in distance from the front wall canallow you to get the best combination of depth of bassand tonal balance.

Now that you know about Reflective SurfacesReflective SurfacesReflective SurfacesReflective SurfacesReflective Surfaces andResonant ObjectsResonant ObjectsResonant ObjectsResonant ObjectsResonant Objects, you can see how the mid-range andhigh frequencies can be effected. The timing of the firstwave as it is first radiated to your ears and then thereflected information as it arrives at your ears later intime, can result in confusion of the precious timinginformation that carries the clues to imaging and, conse-quently result in blurred imaging and excessive bright-ness. Soft walls, curtains, wall hangings, or sounddampeners (your dealer can give you good informationhere) can be effective if these negative conditions occur.


Room Acoustics and Dispersion Interactions

Figure 2Figure 2Figure 2Figure 2Figure 2. Your reQUEST reQUEST reQUEST reQUEST reQUEST speaker system is a 4 foot line sourcewhen viewed vertically. Actual height above the floor is from two tosix feet.

Figure 1Figure 1Figure 1Figure 1Figure 1. The Martin-Logan reQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUEST delivers a 30 degree wavelaunch dispersion pattern distributed horizontally.

Controlled Horizontal Dispersion

Your reQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUEST's launch a 30 degree dispersion patternwhen viewed from above. This horizontal dispersion fieldgives you a choice of good seats for the performancewhile minimizing side wall interactions. See Figure 1.

Make sure both speakers stand exactly at the samevertical angle, otherwise the image can be skewed orpoorly defined. The wave launch of both speakers isextremely accurate in both the time and spectral domainand, consequently, small refined adjustments can resultin noticeable sonic improvements.

Controlled Vertical Dispersion

As you can see from the illustrations, your reQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUESTspeakers project a controlled dispersion pattern. EachreQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUEST is a four foot line source beginning two feetabove floor level. See Figure 2. This vertical dispersionprofile minimizes interactions with the floor and theceiling.


Three Major Types of Dispersion

In the field of loudspeaker design, it is a known fact thatas the sound wave becomes progressively smaller thanthe transducer producing it, the dispersion of that wavebecomes more and more narrow, or directional. This factoccurs as long as the transducer is a flat surface. Largeflat panel speakers exhibit venetian blindvenetian blindvenetian blindvenetian blindvenetian blind effects due tothis phenomenon. This is why most manufacturers opt forsmall drivers (i.e. tweeters and midrange) to approximatewhat is known as a point sourcepoint sourcepoint sourcepoint sourcepoint source wave launch.

Curvilinear Line Source DispersionCurvilinear Line Source DispersionCurvilinear Line Source DispersionCurvilinear Line Source DispersionCurvilinear Line Source Dispersion

A controlled 30-degree cylindrical wave-front, which is a Martin-Logan exclu-Martin-Logan exclu-Martin-Logan exclu-Martin-Logan exclu-Martin-Logan exclu-sivesivesivesivesive, offers optimal sound distributionwith minimal room interaction. The re-sult is solid imaging with a wide listeningarea.

Historically, most attempts to achieve smooth dispersionfrom large flat panel transducers resulted in trade-offs.After exhaustive testing of these different solutionattempts, we found an elegantly simple, yet very difficultto execute solution. By curving the radiating surface, wecreate the effect of a horizontal arc. This allows theengineers at Martin-Logan to control the high frequencydispersion pattern of our transducers. That is why yousee the gentle curve on our products.

Multiple Large Panel DispersionMultiple Large Panel DispersionMultiple Large Panel DispersionMultiple Large Panel DispersionMultiple Large Panel Dispersion

Even though they suffer from "venetianvenetianvenetianvenetianvenetianblindblindblindblindblind" effect, angled multiple panelspeakers can deliver good imaging, butonly to specific spots in the listeningarea.

Traditional Point Source DispersionTraditional Point Source DispersionTraditional Point Source DispersionTraditional Point Source DispersionTraditional Point Source Dispersion

As can be seen, point sourcepoint sourcepoint sourcepoint sourcepoint source con-cepts invite a great deal of room interac-tion. While delivering good frequencyresponse to a large listening audience,imaging is consequently confused andblurred.


Listening Position

By now your speakers should be placed approximately 2to 3 feet from the front wall (wall in front of the listeningposition) and at least 1 to 2 feet from the side walls. Yoursitting distance should be further than the distancebetween the speakers themselves. What you are trying toattain is the impression of good center imaging and stagewidth.

There is no exact distance between speakers andlistener, but there is a relationship. In long rooms,naturally, that relationship changes. The distancebetween the speakers will be far less than the distancefrom you to the speaker system. However, in a wideroom you will still find that if the distance from the listenerto the speakers becomes smaller than the distancebetween the speakers themselves, the image will nolonger focus in the center.

Now that you have positioned your speaker system,spend some time listening. Wait to make any majorchanges in your initial set-up for the next few days as thespeaker system itself will change subtly in its sound. Overthe first 20 hours of play the actual tonal quality willchange slightly with deeper bass and more spacioushighs resulting.

After a few days of listening you can begin to makerefinements and hear the differences of those refine-ments.

The Wall Behind the Listener

Near-field reflections can also occur from your back wall(the wall behind the listening position). If your listeningposition is close to the back wall, these reflections cancause problems and confuse the quality of imaging.Actually it is better for the wall behind you to be soft thanto be bright. If you have a hard back wall and yourlistening position is close to it, experiment with devicesthat will soften and absorb information (i.e. wall hangingsand possibly even sound absorbing panels).

The Wall Behind the Speakers

The front wall (the wall behind your speakers), should notbe extremely hard or soft. For instance, a pane of glasswill cause reflections, brightness, and confused imaging.Curtains, drapery and objects such as bookshelving canbe placed along the wall to tame an extremely hardsurface. A standard sheet rock or textured wall isgenerally an adequate surface if the rest of the room isnot 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 onlyheavy drapery, your system can literally sound too soft ordull. 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 wallwithout any doors or openings. If you have openings, thereflection and bass characteristics from one channel tothe other can be different.

The Side Walls

The same requirements exist for side walls. Additionally,a good rule of thumb is to have the side walls as far awayfrom the speaker sides as possible, minimizing near fieldside wall reflections. Sometimes, if the system is bright orthe imaging is not to your liking, and the side walls arevery near, try putting curtains or softening materialdirectly to the edge of each speaker. An ideal side wall,however, is no side wall at all.

Placement


Experimentation

Toe-inToe-inToe-inToe-inToe-in. Now you can begin to experiment. First begin bytoeing your speakers in towards the listening area andthen toeing them straight into the room. You will noticethat the tonal balance changes ever so slightly. Youwill also notice the imaging changing. Generally it isfound that the ideal listening position is with thespeakers slightly toed-inslightly toed-inslightly toed-inslightly toed-inslightly toed-in so that you are listening tothe inner third of the curved transducer section.

Experimenting with the toe-in will help in terms of tonalbalance. You will notice that as the speakers are toed-out, the system becomes slightly brighter than whentoed-in. This design gives you the flexibility to modify asoft 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 canbe seen from the diagrams in the Room Acousticssection of this manual, the vertical dispersion isdirectional above and below the stator panel itself. Insome instances, if you are sitting close to the floor,slight forward tilting of the speakers can enhanceclarity and precision.

Imaging. Imaging. Imaging. Imaging. Imaging. In their final location, your reQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUEST's shouldhave a stage width somewhat wider than the speakersthemselves. On well recorded music, the instrumentsshould extend beyond the edges of each speaker tothe left and to the right, yet a vocalist should appeardirectly in the middle. The size of the instrumentsshould be neither too large nor too small. Additionally,you should find good clues as to stage depth. Makesure, when listening, that the vertical alignment,distance from the front wall (wall in front of thelistening position), and toe in is exactly the same fromone speaker to the other. This will greatly enhance thequality of your imaging.

Bass Response. Bass Response. Bass Response. Bass Response. Bass Response. Your bass response should neither beone note nor should it be too heavy. It should extendfairly deep to even the deepest organ passages, yet itshould be tight and well defined. Kick-drums should betight and percussive, string bass notes should beuniform and consistent throughout the entirety of therun without any booming or thudding.

Tonal Balance.Tonal Balance.Tonal Balance.Tonal Balance.Tonal Balance. Voices should be natural and full,cymbals should be detailed and articulate yet notbright and piercing, pianos should have a nicetransient characteristic and deep tonal registers aswell. If you cannot attain these virtues, re-read thesection on Room Acoustics. This will give you clues onhow to get closer to those ideal virtues.

A Final Word

Final Placement.Final Placement.Final Placement.Final Placement.Final Placement.After obtaining good wall treatments and attaining properangle, begin to experiment with the distance from the wallbehind the speakers. Move your speaker slightly forwardinto the room. What happened to the bass response?What happened to the imaging? If the imaging is moreopen and spacious and the bass response tightened, thatis a superior position. Move the speakers back six inchesfrom the initial setup position. Again, listen to the imagingand bass response. There will be a position where youwill have pinpoint imaging and good bass response. Thatposition becomes the point of the optimal placement fromthe 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 andgood pinpoint focusing.

Your ideal listening position and speaker position will bedetermined 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, and2) the width of the stage, and2) the width of the stage, and2) the width of the stage, and3) the pinpoint focusing of imaging3) the pinpoint focusing of imaging3) the pinpoint focusing of imaging3) the pinpoint focusing of imaging3) the pinpoint focusing of imaging.

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


Placement

The X-tra "Tweak"

A major cable company developed the following proce-dure for speaker placement. As a final test of exactplacement, use these measurements for your speakersplacement, and see what can happen to the ultimateenhancement 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 of1) distance from the front wall (wall in front of1) distance from the front wall (wall in front of1) distance from the front wall (wall in front ofthe listening position) to the center of thethe listening position) to the center of thethe listening position) to the center of thethe listening position) to the center of thethe listening position) to the center of thecurvilinear transducer.curvilinear transducer.curvilinear transducer.curvilinear transducer.curvilinear transducer.

To determine distance from the front wall, measure theheight of your ceiling (inches) and multiply the figure by.618 (i.e. ceiling height in inches X .618 = distance fromthe 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 of2) distance from the side-walls to the center of2) distance from the side-walls to the center of2) distance from the side-walls to the center ofthe curvilinear transducer.the curvilinear transducer.the curvilinear transducer.the curvilinear transducer.the curvilinear transducer.

To determine distance from the side-walls, measure thewidth 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 thecurvilinear transducer).

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

Solid Footing

After living and experimenting with your reQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUEST's, youwill then want to use the spikes included in your ownerskit. The reQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUEST will become more firmly planted on thefloor and, consequently, bass will tighten and imaging willbecome more coherent and detailed. It is best not toimplement the spikes, however, until you are secure inthe positioning as the spikes can damage the floors if thespeaker is moved.

Enjoy Yourself

The reQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUEST is a very refined speaker and, as such,benefits from care in setup. With these tips in mind, youwill find, over your months of listening, that small changescan result in demonstrable differences. As you live withyour speakers, do not be afraid to experiment with theirpositioning until you find the optimal relationship betweenyour room and your speaker system to give you the bestresults. Your efforts will be rewarded.

You are now armed with the fundamentals of roomacoustics and the specific fundamentals of the reQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUESTloudspeaker. Happy listening! Happy listening! Happy listening! Happy listening! Happy listening!


Questions

What size of an amplifier should I use?What size of an amplifier should I use?What size of an amplifier should I use?What size of an amplifier should I use?What size of an amplifier should I use?

We recommend an amplifier with 100 to 200 watts perchannel for most applications. The reQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUEST will performwell with either a tube or transistorized amplifier, and willreveal the sonic character of either type. However, it isimportant that the amplifier be stable operating intovarying impedance loads: a stable amplifier will be able todeliver twice its rated wattage into 4 Ohms and shouldagain double into 2 Ohms.

Should I unplug my reQUEST's during a thunder-Should I unplug my reQUEST's during a thunder-Should I unplug my reQUEST's during a thunder-Should I unplug my reQUEST's during a thunder-Should I unplug my reQUEST's during a thunder-storm?storm?storm?storm?storm?

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

Is there likely to be any interaction between theIs there likely to be any interaction between theIs there likely to be any interaction between theIs there likely to be any interaction between theIs there likely to be any interaction between thereQUEST's and the television in my Audio/VideoreQUEST's and the television in my Audio/VideoreQUEST's and the television in my Audio/VideoreQUEST's and the television in my Audio/VideoreQUEST's and the television in my Audio/Videosystem?system?system?system?system?

Actually, there is less interaction between a television andan electrostatic speaker than between a television and aconventional system. The magnets in conventionalspeakers do interact with televisions tubes. However, wedo recommend that you keep your speakers at least onefoot away from the television because of the dynamicwoofer they employ.

Will my electric bill go ‘sky high’ by leaving myWill my electric bill go ‘sky high’ by leaving myWill my electric bill go ‘sky high’ by leaving myWill my electric bill go ‘sky high’ by leaving myWill my electric bill go ‘sky high’ by leaving myspeakers 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 reQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUEST's draw about 5 watts maximumand employ a music signal sensing power supply whichturns off when you are not using the system.

Could my children, pets, or myself be shocked by theCould my children, pets, or myself be shocked by theCould my children, pets, or myself be shocked by theCould my children, pets, or myself be shocked by theCould my children, pets, or myself be shocked by thehigh-voltage present in the electrostatic panel?high-voltage present in the electrostatic panel?high-voltage present in the electrostatic panel?high-voltage present in the electrostatic panel?high-voltage present in the electrostatic panel?

No. High voltage with low current is not dangerous. As amatter of fact, the voltage in our speakers is 10 timesless than the static electricity that builds up on thesurface of your television screen.

If my child punctured the diaphragm with a pencil,If my child punctured the diaphragm with a pencil,If my child punctured the diaphragm with a pencil,If my child punctured the diaphragm with a pencil,If my child punctured the diaphragm with a pencil,stick, or similar item., how extensive would thestick, or similar item., how extensive would thestick, or similar item., how extensive would thestick, or similar item., how extensive would thestick, or similar item., how extensive would thedamage to the speaker be?damage to the speaker be?damage to the speaker be?damage to the speaker be?damage to the speaker be?

Our research department has literally punctured hun-dreds of holes in a diaphragm, neither affecting thequality of the sound nor causing the diaphragm to rip.However, you will be able to see the actual puncture andit can be a physical nuisance. If this is the case, replacingthe electrostatic transducer will be the only solution.

Will exposure to sunlight affect the life or perform-Will exposure to sunlight affect the life or perform-Will exposure to sunlight affect the life or perform-Will exposure to sunlight affect the life or perform-Will exposure to sunlight affect the life or perform-ance of the reQUEST?ance of the reQUEST?ance of the reQUEST?ance of the reQUEST?ance of the reQUEST?

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

Will excessive smoke or dust cause any problems?Will excessive smoke or dust cause any problems?Will excessive smoke or dust cause any problems?Will excessive smoke or dust cause any problems?Will excessive smoke or dust cause any problems?

Exposure to excessive contaminants, such as smoke ordust, may potentially effect the performance of theelectrostatic membrane and may cause discoloration ofthe diaphragm membrane. When not in use for extendedperiods, you should unplug the speaker and cover withthe plastic bags that the speakers were originally packed.


No OutputNo OutputNo OutputNo 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 HighsWeak Output, Loss of HighsWeak Output, Loss of HighsWeak Output, Loss of Highs

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

Exaggerated Highs, BrightnessExaggerated Highs, BrightnessExaggerated Highs, BrightnessExaggerated Highs, BrightnessExaggerated Highs, Brightness

Check the toe-in of the speakers. Read Room Place-ment for more information.

Muddy BassMuddy BassMuddy BassMuddy BassMuddy Bass

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

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

Lack of BassLack of BassLack of BassLack of BassLack of Bass

Check your speaker wires. Is the polarity correct?

Check the Bass Control switch. Is it in the Reduceposition?

Troubleshooting

Poor ImagingPoor ImagingPoor ImagingPoor ImagingPoor Imaging

Check placement. Are both speakers the same dis-tance from the walls? Do they have the same amountof toe-in? Try moving the speakers away from the frontand side walls.

Check the polarity of the speaker wires. Are theyconnected properly?

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

These occasional noises are harmless and will not hurtyour audio system or your speakers. All electrostaticspeakers are guilty of making odd noises at one time oranother.

These noises may be caused by dirt and dust particlescollecting on the speaker, by high humidity or by AC linefluctuations that may occur in your area.

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

DO NOT SPRAY ANY KIND OF CLEANING AGENTDO NOT SPRAY ANY KIND OF CLEANING AGENTDO NOT SPRAY ANY KIND OF CLEANING AGENTDO NOT SPRAY ANY KIND OF CLEANING AGENTDO NOT SPRAY ANY KIND OF CLEANING AGENTON OR IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE ELECTRO-ON OR IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE ELECTRO-ON OR IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE ELECTRO-ON OR IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE ELECTRO-ON OR IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE ELECTRO-STATIC ELEMENT.STATIC ELEMENT.STATIC ELEMENT.STATIC ELEMENT.STATIC ELEMENT.


Recommended Music

Compact Discs

ClassicalClassicalClassicalClassicalClassicalCantate Domino ................................... Proprius PRCD 7762Copland:

Appalachian Spring, Rodeo, Fanfare ..Telarc CD-80078Dorian Sampler Vol. 1 ............................ Dorian DOR-90001Nojima Plays Liszt ............ Reference Recordings RR-25CDPachelbel Canon:

Acadamy of Ancient Music .... L'Oiseau-Lyre 410 553-2Round-Up ....................................................Telarc CD-80141Sainte-Saens: Symphony No. 3 ................ Philips 412 619-2Ein Straussfest ............................................ Telarc CD-80098Tchaikovsky:

Piano Concerto No. 1 ............... Chesky Records CD-13Violin Concerto ......................... Chesky Records CD-12

Jazz and Big BandJazz and Big BandJazz and Big BandJazz and Big BandJazz and Big BandCount Basie & His Orchestra:

88 Basie Street ........................................Pablo 3112-42David Benoit:

Every Step of the Way .......... GRP Records GRD-9558This Side Up .................................. En Pointe ENP 0001

Ray Brown Trio: Summer Wind ..... Concord Jazz CCD-4426Country .............................. Windham Hill Records WD-1039Dafos ................................ Reference Recordings RR-12 CDTodd Garfinkle:

The Immigrant's Dilemma ......... MA Recordings M017AShirley Horn: You Won't Forget Me ........... Verve 847-482-2Freddie Hubbard:

Ride Like the Wind ........................ En Pointe ENP 0002

Bob James & Earl Klugh: One On One ......... CBS CK 36241Rob McConnell and the Boss Brass:

Present Perfect ...................................... MPS 823 543-2Diane Schuur and theCount Basie Orchestra ................. GRP Records GRD-9550Vollenweider: Caverna Magica ..................... CBS MK 37827Yellowjackets: Shades ................MCA Records MCAD-5752

Rock and PopRock and PopRock and PopRock and PopRock and PopGreg Brown: Dream Cafe ... Red House Records RHRCD47Dire Straits: Brothers in Arms ......... Warner Bros. 9 25264-2Sara Hickman: Short Stop ........................ Elektra 9 60964-2Billy Idol: Charmed Life ........................... Chrysalis F2 21735Ricky Lee Jones: Flying Cowboys ............. Geffen 9 24246-2Lyle Lovett: And His Large Band ............ MCA MCAD-42263Linda Ronstadt: Round Midnight .............. Asylum 9 60489-2Paul Simon: Graceland ................... Warner Bros. 9 25447-2Steve Winwood: Back in the High Life ....... Island 9 25548-2Yellow: Baby ...................................... Phonogram 848 791-2

Along with the introduction of CD came the record label sam-plers. These compilations are an excellent way to becomefamiliar with a wide variety of artists and genres of music. Ask the"expert" at your favorite store for the names of artists or recordlabels that produce the type of music which interests you.


Glossary

ACACACACAC. Abbreviation for alternatingcurrent.

Active crossoverActive crossoverActive crossoverActive crossoverActive crossover. Uses activedevices (transistors, IC’s,tubes) and some form of powersupply to operate.

AmplitudeAmplitudeAmplitudeAmplitudeAmplitude. The extreme range of asignal. Usually measured fromthe average to the extreme.

ArcArcArcArcArc. The visible sparks generated byan electrical discharge.

BassBassBassBassBass. The lowest frequencies ofsound.

Bi-AmplificationBi-AmplificationBi-AmplificationBi-AmplificationBi-Amplification. Uses an electroniccrossover or line-level passivecrossover and separate poweramplifiers for the high and lowfrequency loudspeaker drivers.

CapacitanceCapacitanceCapacitanceCapacitanceCapacitance. That property of acapacitor which determines howmuch charge can be stored in itfor a given potential differencebetween its terminals, measuredin farads, by the ratio of thecharge stored to the potentialdifference.

CapacitorCapacitorCapacitorCapacitorCapacitor. A device consisting of twoor more conducting platesseparated from one another byan insulating material and usedfor storing an electrical charge.Sometimes called a condenser.

ClippingClippingClippingClippingClipping. Distortion of a signal by itsbeing chopped off. An overloadproblem caused by pushing anamplifier beyond its capabilities.The flat-topped signal has highlevels of harmonic distortionwhich creates heat in a loud-speaker and is the major cause ofloudspeaker component failure.

CrossoverCrossoverCrossoverCrossoverCrossover. An electrical circuit thatdivides a full bandwidth signal intothe desired frequency bands forthe loudspeaker components.

dB (decibel)dB (decibel)dB (decibel)dB (decibel)dB (decibel). A numerical expressionof the relative loudness of asound. The difference in decibelsbetween two sounds is ten timesthe common logarithm of the ratioof their power levels.

DCDCDCDCDC. Abbreviation for direct current.

DiffractionDiffractionDiffractionDiffractionDiffraction. The breaking up of asound wave caused by some typeof mechanical interference suchas a cabinet edge, grill frame, orother similar object.

DiaphragmDiaphragmDiaphragmDiaphragmDiaphragm. A thin flexible membraneor cone that vibrates in responseto electrical signals to producesound waves.

DistortionDistortionDistortionDistortionDistortion. Usually referred to interms of total harmonic distortion(THD) which is the percentage ofunwanted harmonics of the drivesignal present with the wantedsignal. Generally used to meanany unwanted change introducedby the device under question.

DriverDriverDriverDriverDriver. See transducer.

Dynamic RangeDynamic RangeDynamic RangeDynamic RangeDynamic Range. The range betweenthe quietest and the loudestsounds a device can handle(often quoted in dB).

EfficiencyEfficiencyEfficiencyEfficiencyEfficiency. The acoustic powerdelivered for a given electricalinput. Often expressed asdecibels/watt/meter (dB/w/m).

ESLESLESLESLESL. Abbreviation for electrostaticloudspeaker.

HeadroomHeadroomHeadroomHeadroomHeadroom. The difference, indecibels, between the peak andRMS levels in program material.

HybridHybridHybridHybridHybrid. A product created by themarriage of two different tech-nologies. Meant here as thecombination of a dynamic wooferwith an electrostatic transducer.

Hz (Hertz)Hz (Hertz)Hz (Hertz)Hz (Hertz)Hz (Hertz). Unit of frequency equiva-lent to the number of cycles persecond.

ImagingImagingImagingImagingImaging. To make a representation orimitation of the original sonicevent.

ImpedanceImpedanceImpedanceImpedanceImpedance. The total oppositionoffered by an electric circuit to theflow of an alternating current of asingle frequency. It is a combina-tion of resistance and reactanceand is measured in ohms.Remember that a speaker’simpedance changes with fre-quency, it is not a constant value.

InductanceInductanceInductanceInductanceInductance. The property of anelectric circuit by which a varyingcurrent in it produces a varyingmagnetic field that introducesvoltages in the same circuit or ina nearby circuit. It is measured inhenrys.

InductorInductorInductorInductorInductor. A device designed primarilyto introduce inductance into anelectric circuit. Sometimes calleda choke or coil.

LinearityLinearityLinearityLinearityLinearity. The extent to which anysignal handling process isaccomplished without amplitudedistortion.


MidrangeMidrangeMidrangeMidrangeMidrange. The middle frequencieswhere the ear is the mostsensitive.

Passive crossoverPassive crossoverPassive crossoverPassive crossoverPassive crossover. Uses no activecomponents (transistors, IC’s,tubes) and needs no powersupply (AC, DC, battery) tooperate. The crossover in atypical loudspeaker is of thepassive variety. Passive cross-overs consist of capacitors,inductors and resistors.

PhasePhasePhasePhasePhase. The amount by which one sinewave leads or lags a secondwave of the same frequency. Thedifference is described by theterm phase angle. Sine waves inphase reinforce each other; thoseout of phase cancel.

Pink noisePink noisePink noisePink noisePink noise. A random noise used inmeasurements, as it has thesame amount of energy in eachoctave.

PolarityPolarityPolarityPolarityPolarity. The condition of beingpositive or negative with respectto some reference point or object.

RMSRMSRMSRMSRMS. Abbreviation for root meansquare. The effective value of agiven waveform is its RMS value.Acoustic power is proportional tothe square of the RMS soundpressure.

ResistanceResistanceResistanceResistanceResistance. That property of aconductor by which it opposes theflow of electric current, resulting inthe generation of heat in theconducting material, usuallyexpressed in ohms.

ResistorResistorResistorResistorResistor. A device used in a circuitprimarily to provide resistance.

ResonanceResonanceResonanceResonanceResonance. The effect producedwhen the natural vibrationfrequency of a body is greatlyamplified by reinforcing vibrationsat the same or nearly the samefrequency from another body.

SensitivitySensitivitySensitivitySensitivitySensitivity. Volume of sounddelivered for a given electricalinput.

StatorStatorStatorStatorStator. The fixed part forming thereference for the moving dia-phragm in a planar speaker.

THDTHDTHDTHDTHD. Abbreviation for total harmonicdistortion. (See Distortion.)

TIMTIMTIMTIMTIM. Abbreviation for transientintermodulation distortion. (SeeDistortion.)

TransducerTransducerTransducerTransducerTransducer. Any of various devicesthat transmit energy from onesystem to another, sometimesone that converts the energy inform. Loudspeaker transducersconvert electrical energy intomechanical motion.

TransientTransientTransientTransientTransient. Applies to that which lastsor stays but a short time. Achange from one steady-statecondition to another.

TweeterTweeterTweeterTweeterTweeter. A small drive unit designedto produce only high frequencies.

WavelengthWavelengthWavelengthWavelengthWavelength. The distance mea-sured in the direction of progres-sion of a wave, from any givenpoint characterized by the samephase.

White noiseWhite noiseWhite noiseWhite noiseWhite noise. A random noise usedin measurements, as it has thesame amount of energy at eachfrequency.

WooferWooferWooferWooferWoofer. A drive unit operating in thebass frequencies only. Drive unitsin two-way systems are not truewoofers but are more accuratelydescribed as being mid/bassdrivers.


reQUEST Specifications

The reQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUESTreQUEST hybrid speaker systemconsists of a broad-range singleelement electrostatic transducerintegrated with a quick-responsewoofer. This approach takes advan-tage of the benefits that both tech-nologies have to offer.

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

System Frequency ResponseSystem Frequency ResponseSystem Frequency ResponseSystem Frequency ResponseSystem Frequency Response30-24,000 Hz +/-3dB

Bass Contour SwitchBass Contour SwitchBass Contour SwitchBass Contour SwitchBass Contour Switch-4dB from 30 -100 Hz

Crossover FrequencyCrossover FrequencyCrossover FrequencyCrossover FrequencyCrossover Frequency200 Hz at 12dB per octave

DispersionDispersionDispersionDispersionDispersionHorizontal: 30 DegreesVertical: 4' Line Source

SensitivitySensitivitySensitivitySensitivitySensitivity90dB/2.83 volts/meter

Power HandlingPower HandlingPower HandlingPower HandlingPower Handling200 watts per channel

Recommended Amplifier PowerRecommended Amplifier PowerRecommended Amplifier PowerRecommended Amplifier PowerRecommended Amplifier Power80 - 200 watts per channel

ImpedanceImpedanceImpedanceImpedanceImpedanceNominal: 4 ohms; Minimum: 1.2 ohms

WeightWeightWeightWeightWeight91 lbs/each

SizeSizeSizeSizeSize71"H x 18"W x 13"D


Notes

$ 3.00

Martin-Logan, Ltd.2001 delaware street, p.o. box 707, lawrence, kansas 66044, ph: 913.749.0133, fax: 913.749.5320

© 1996 martin-logan ltd. all rights reserved

Documents

MartinLogan reQuest User's Manual · Page 6 reQUEST User's Manual History In the late 1800’s, any loudspeaker was considered exotic. Today, most of us take the wonders of sound