SCRIPT i TM u s e r ’ s c l m a n u a l s e l e c t r MA R T I N LOGA N o ® s t a t i c
CONTENTS & INTRODUCTION Contents & Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Contents Introduction Installation in Brief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Low Voltage Power Connection Signal Connection Using Only One Power Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Break-In Mounting the Script i On A Wall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
INSTALLATION We know you are eager to hear your Script i 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 attain the greatest possible performance from this most exacting transducer.
OPERATION Low-Voltage Power Connection Your Script i’s use external low-voltage power supplies to energize their electrostatic panels. For this reason the proper low-voltage power supplies are provided. A power supply should be firmly inserted into the ‘Power In’ receptacle on the rear connection panel of each speaker, then to any convenient AC wall outlet.
Using Only One Power Supply You may have noticed a connection on the back of your Script i’s labeled ‘Power Out’. The use of this connection will allow you to daisy-chain up to seven 16-volt MartinLogan products and eliminate the need for multiple low-voltage power supplies. A variety of low voltage interconnect cables may be purchased at your local MartinLogan dealer. Please ask them about options to fit your specific needs.
MOUNTING THE SCRIPT i On A Wall WARNING! Installing the Script i on a wall requires only 1 person, but an assistant will be helpful. 1 Your Script i loudspeakers ship from the factory with the wall mounting brackets installed. You will notice that the brackets are installed on opposite sides of each speaker. This allows 1 speaker to pivot clockwise and the other to pivot counterclockwise.
Figure 4. Step 3 Figure 5. Step 4 3 4 At the desired installation location, mark a point on your wall 27.5 inches above the floor (see figure 4). Using a level, square the wall bracket and hold it flush against the wall with the wall bracket’s center hole over the center point you just marked. The cylindrical hinges on the wall bracket should point away from the wall and the hinge pins should point upwards towards the ceiling.
Figure 6. Step 5 5 8 Set the wall bracket aside. Using a 1/ 8" bit, drill a pilot hole at all five points. If any of the pilot holes hit a stud during this step, DO NOT widen the pilot hole and install a wall anchor at that location. If a pilot hole does not hit a stud, use a 1/ 4" bit to widen the pilot hole and using a Phillips screwdriver install the wall anchors so they are flush with the wall (see figure 6). Mounting the Script i On A Wall Figure 7.
Figure 8. Steps 9–10 Figure 9. Step 12 9 11 Make signal connections from the amplifier and the AC power connection (see Operations section, pages 4-5). Place the Script i onto the wall bracket aligning the cylindrical parts of the cabinet bracket hinges with the upward pointing pins on the wall bracket. Carefully lower the Script i into place (see figure 8). 10 Using a 6mm Allen tool, attach a cap nut and washer on top of each pin, but do not fully tighten the cap nuts (see figure 8).
Changing the Direction of Rotation NOTE: Your Script i’s ship from the factory with the brackets installed on opposite sides of each speaker. This allows 1 speaker to pivot clockwise and the other to pivot counterclockwise. Most installations will not require any alteration to the bracket. NOTE: These instructions describe how to change the Script i’s wall and cabinet brackets so that the speaker will rotate in the oposite direction. Required hardware (included): 2.
ROOM ACOUSTICS Your Room 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’ feet to as much as 40’ feet.
DISPERSION INTERACTIONS Controlled Horizontal Dispersion Your Script i’s launch a 30 degree dispersion pattern when viewed from above. This horizontal dispersion field gives a choice of good seats for the performance while minimizing interactions with side walls (see figure 13). 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.
Figure 15–16. As can be seen here, point source concepts invite a great deal of room interaction. While delivering good frequency response to a large listening audience, imaging is consequently confused and blurred. Figure 17–18. Even though they suffer from “venetian blind” effect, angled multiple panel speakers can deliver good imaging, but only to specific spots in the listening area. Figure 19–20.
HOME THEATER It had long been the practice of stereo buffs to connect their television to the stereo system. The advantage was the use of the larger speakers and more powerful amplifier of the stereo system. Even though the sound was greatly improved, it was still mono and limited by the broadcast signal. In the late 1970’s and early ‘80’s two new home movie formats became widely available to the public: VCR and laser disc. Surround Speakers.
ELECTROSTATIC ADVANTAGES 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.
Full Range Operation The most significant advantage of MartinLogan’s exclusive transducer technology reveals itself when you look at examples of other loudspeaker products on the market today. The Script i uses no crossover networks above 500 Hz because they are not needed. The Script i consists of a single, seamless electrostatic membrane reproducing all frequencies above 500 Hz simultaneously.
MARTINLOGAN EXCLUSIVES Curvilinear Line Source (CLSTM) Since the beginning of audio, achieving smooth dispersion has 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 long been one of the most problematic transducers because they attain their full range capabilities via a large surface area.
ELECTROSTATIC LOUDSPEAKER HISTORY In the late 1800s, 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.
developing a better instrument for testing microphone 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.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS How do I clean my speakers? Just use a dust free cloth or a soft brush to remove the dust from your speakers. We recommend a specialty cloth (available at the Xtatic shop at www.martinlogan.com) that cleans your speakers better than anything else we have tried. Do not spray any kind of cleaning agent on or in close proximity to the electrostatic element.
Will excessive smoke or dust cause any problems with my electrostatic speakers? Exposure to excessive contaminants such as smoke or dust may potentially affect 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 speakers and cover them with the plastic bags in which the speakers were originally packed. It is a good idea to vacuum the electrostatic portion of each speaker once or twice a year.
TROUBLESHOOTING No Output • Check that all your system components are turned on. • Check your speaker wires and connections. • Check all interconnecting cables. Weak Output from Electrostatic Panel, Loss of Highs • Check the power cord. Is it properly connected to the speaker and to the wall? • Is the power cord connected to a switched outlet? • Dirt and dust may need to be vacuumed off. Please see the FAQ regarding vacuuming.
GENERAL INFORMATION Specifications The Script i hybrid speaker system consists of a broadrange 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.
GLOSSARY OF AUDIO TERMS AC. Abbreviation for alternating current. DC. Abbreviation for direct current. Active crossover. Uses active devices (transistors, ICs, tubes) and some form of power supply to operate. Diffraction. The breaking up of a sound wave caused by some type of mechanical interference such as a cabinet edge, grill frame or other similar object. Amplitude. The extreme range of a signal. Usually measured from the average to the extreme. Arc.
Inductance. The property of an electrical 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. Inductor. A device designed primarily to introduce inductance into an electrical circuit. Sometimes called a choke or coil. Linearity. The extent to which any signal handling process is accomplished without amplitude distortion. Midrange. The middle frequencies where the ear is the most sensitive.
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c l s e l e c t r o s t a t i c MA R T I N LOGA N ® 2101 Delaware Street, Lawrence, Kansas 66046, USA tel 785.749.0133 fax 785.749.5320 ©2003 MartinLogan. All rights reserved. www.martinlogan.com Rev.
