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MARTIN LOGAN Masterpiece Renaissance ESL 15A Floorstanding Speaker

SKU: Masterpiece Renaissance ESL 15A

A masterpiece of design and engineering Fittingly for a speaker with this name, MartinLogan has combined decades of innovation and more to reinterpret the electrostatic speaker in a unique and….

Original price was: £33 598.80.Current price is: £27 540.65.

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Description

A masterpiece of design and engineering

Fitting a speaker with this name, MartinLogan has combined decades of innovations and more to reinterpret the electrostatic speaker in a unique and detailed way. This is a flagship audio achievement for the 21st century.

The pièce de résistance is the integration of MartinLogan’s award-winning 15-inch curvilinear XStat ™ (ESL) line transducer with the robust woofer section, the revolutionary fusion of design and engineering.

Check out the familiar elements of the classic MartinLogan electrostatic speaker: advanced MicroPerf stator technology, which allows nearly twice the surface area of the electrostatic diaphragm than a conventional electrostatic panel of the same size. The panel is reinforced with ClearSpar ™ rigid spacers, maintaining an exact level of tension on the vacuum bonded diaphragm without obscuring the beautiful transparent design. Add the slender arrowhead design of the new AirFrame ™ Blade construction ; a strongly evocative composition that creates a harmonious connection between the panel and its woofer cabinet.

Now notice some radical refinements: inspired by our revolutionary design, we reinvented the Renaissance ESL 15A woofer section, powered by new 500-watt dual-D class amplifiers, and controlled by a 24-bit Vojtko ™ DSP engine and ARC ™ ( Anthem Room Correction).

Using two 12-inch designed low-distortion aluminum cone woofers in independent compact chambers, the unique PoweredForce Forward ™ bass alignment technology controls the interaction between the rear burst woofer and the wall behind the woofer. With intelligent phase-change logic, we minimize the effect the wall has on bass information that might bounce back into the listening room. This uniform frequency response allows for realistic bass effects. It is another way MartinLogan innovation enhances your listening experience in any room.

Achieving the laboratory standard in your own room

In the lab, MartinLogan engineers strive for transparency. Outside the lab, there is a wild card that our engineers can never explain: your listening room. The unique size and shape of your listening space (and the size and shape of its contents) can make bass waves things unpredictable, greatly affecting a speaker’s overall performance.

For the first time in an electrostatic speaker, we are introducing the integration of the unique Anthem Room Correction (ARC) technology. Involving ARC to control the low frequency curve in relation to the ESL panel output (as seen in this graph) will result in performance on par with MartinLogan’s audio test lab.

ARC measures the low-frequency sound output in your room and compares it to optimal response curves that account for spatial anomalies. ARC’s advanced algorithms then effectively remove anomalies, leaving only the ideal standard: realistic, natural-sounding bass performance in the listening space.

By minimizing room interactions with PoweredForce Forward bass technology and ARC’s advanced room correction features, along with its unique synthesis of ESL and bass sections, Renaissance’s ESL 15A produces perfectly etched imaging and focus; optimal natural sound reproduction at realistic listening levels; and agile, full-range operation in the open air.

Clearly, it is this ultimate level of performance that separates the merely excellent from a true masterpiece.

New Ultra-Rigid AirFrame Blade Design

Expression ESL 15A XStat panels are joined to their speakers using MartinLogan ‘s redesigned AirFrame Blade construction, precision manufactured from an aerospace-grade extruded aluminum alloy. This material and unique manufacturing process make the panels extremely rigid.

The bold, forward styling of this AirFrame Blade rail system , narrow and sturdy in the front, wide and assertive on the side, is a modern design statement. It never obstructs the playable surface or interferes with the sound radiation pattern of the panel dipole. It also provides electrical and acoustic isolation, minimizing intermodulation distortion caused by vibration and resonance. The flowing lines emphasize the innovative integration of the panel itself with the compact woofer and amplifier section. The breathtaking AirFrame Blademademdesign enhancesimaging, low-level sonic detail, accuracy, and speaker efficiency.

Electrostatic Panel Curvilinear Line Source (CLS)

CLS technology is an essential ingredient of every electrostatic speaker we produce. Through our proprietary manufacturing method, we have incorporated the gentle horizontal curvature of the panel. This unique design enhances the high-frequency detail produced by the large radiating surface, without compromising the overall sound quality. Notice how the gentle modern curve and perforation pattern give way to the flat grille of the woofer section.

Controlled scattering sound radiation

The sound we hear from a speaker is a combination of radiation directed from it to our ears and reflections from the surfaces of the room: walls, floor and ceiling. How our brains integrate this information is far from simple. Depending on the angle of incidence at the ears and the difference in arrival time between direct and reflected sound, reflections can blur details and stereo imaging or enhance the natural impression of depth and openness.

Electrostatic panels, which are true dipole speakers, produce an almost ideal controlled dispersion radiation pattern. They send very little sound to the sides, thus minimizing side-wall reflections, whose short arrival times tend to interfere with direct sound perception. Their strong back radiation, however, produces a generous amount of information in the upper-mid and upper register that enriches the room.

New PoweredForce Forward™ bass technology

PoweredForce Forward bass technology combines two MartinLogan audio innovations: PoweredForce, which enables small enclosures to precisely produce huge amounts of bass, and ForceForward, which significantly reduces front-wall bass reflections.

PoweredForce Forward bass technology uses an advanced crossover topology with phase-timed woofers to minimize destructive reflected energy. By virtually eliminating front-wall bass reflections and working in tandem with the panel, PoweredForce Forward Bass technology provides greater placement flexibility and enhances the true audio realism of your sound source.

Turning unused space into better Bassi

The depth of Masterpiece Series speaker cabinets has been carefully chosen to maximize the benefits of PoweredForce and ForceForward technologies , providing powerful bass with extreme detail. Combined with Anthem Room Correction (ARC ™), these advanced bass technologies provide a truly unique level of low-frequency precision.

Masterpiece Series cabinet dimensions create an ideal relationship between the woofers, cabinet volume, and amplifiers in their PoweredForce woofer systems . By providing ample internal volume for woofers (two sealed enclosures, one per woofer) and powerful amplification, Masterpiece Series speakers with powered woofer systems are able to reach the lowest registers with authority while preserving bass detail.

With ForceForward bass technology , the farther apart the woofers are from each other, the lower frequency extends its beneficial effects. MartinLogan’s ForceForward technology solved a problem (found in almost all speakers) where low-frequency bass sound waves reflect off the wall behind the speakers and interact with the waves traveling toward the listener. These interactions create nonlinearities in those frequencies as they reach the ears, and the bass information suffers from both cancellations and excess that is not accurate to the original sound. By selectively adjusting the phasing of the output from their opposing woofers, Masterpiece series powered speakers eliminate problematic bass energy from behind the speakers.

ForceForward also simplifies the task of speaker placement by removing bass energy from behind the speaker and creating an even bass throw. This allows Masterpiece series speaker cabinets to move closer to the wall than previous generations of MartinLogan speakers. As a rule of thumb we recommend placing the back of the speaker cabinet no closer to the wall than the diameter of its woofer (Renaissance ESL 15A: 12 inches, Expression ESL 13A: 10 inches, and Impression ESL 11A and Classic ESL 9 : 8 inches). For an additional level of control-powered Masterpiece Series speakers, incorporate two level controls (at 75Hz and 200Hz) to allow fine tuning of bass integration.

Also, because of their dipole nature, electrostatic panels perform best when placed at least 2.5 feet or more from the wall, an ideal distance for the front of almost any high-end speaker, regardless of driver technology. The depth of Masterpiece series cabinets lends itself to providing electrostatic panels with adequate distance from the wall, ensuring a richly detailed three-dimensional soundstage.

New performance, versatility and safety, with WBT Post Binding

Connect your electronic devices safely and securely using WBT 5-way Audiophile Binding posts. Their pure copper connecting plate is highly conductive and free of “eddy current” effects. These posts are insulated for shock protection and fully damped against vibration. They give you ample space for large-caliber professional speaker connections.

New powerful 500-watt class D amplification with 24-bit Vojtko™ DSP engine

The performance of Renaissance ESL 15A was reconsidered from the ground up. Taking full advantage of innovations such as PoweredForce Forward and ARC Technology, and the integration of the electrostatic panel with the woofer array, required bold thinking about power and efficiency. Our new 500-watt dual amplifiers produce clean power, in a small space, more efficiently than ever before. They enable effortless delivery of exciting dynamic impact, with plenty of overhead. Superior and reliable Class D technology means there is virtually no energy loss between the amplifiers and woofers.

MartinLogan’s dedicated in-house design and engineering team has created an extremely accurate 24-bit DSP (Vojtko Digital Signal Processing) engine for use in conjunction with these powerful new amplifiers. It gives these speakers the ability to deliver detailed low-frequency performance down to 22Hz. The advanced DSP allows complete control and performance optimization with respect to low-pass filters, woofer equalization and limiting functions, which are all mathematically mapped to the digital domain. Complete signal control, together with immediate response, huge amount of clean power, and efficient, integrated performance paint an original picture of realistic audio performance.

Advanced Vojtko crossover for precision topology

Vojtko Voiced, the advanced crossover and electronics in the Renaissance ESL 15A add more midrange clarity to this artistic composition. Carefully hand-built using only the finest polypropylene capacitors and air-core coils, the crossover uses MartinLogan’s proprietary Vojtko topology for extremely simple distortion and seamless integration with drivers/ESLs. This precisely tuned network preserves even the most microscopic sonic nuances while handling the full dynamics of any source.

We also took into consideration the signal you will be feeding your speakers and designed Renaissance’s ESL 15A model to fit virtually any type of electronics. MartinLogan’s state-of-the-art toroidal transformer and electrical interface engineering ensure an absolutely transparent connection from the amplifier to the electrostatic panel and woofer. This produces a sound of unparalleled purity, precision, clarity, and openness-the best thing to happen to any speaker.

Specifications

Frequency response: 22-21,000 Hz ± 3dB
Recommended amplifier power: 20-700 watts per channel
Horizontal dispersion: 30°
Vertical dispersion: 46″ (116.9 cm) line source
Sensitivity: 92 dB / 2.83 volts / meter
Impedance: 4 Ohms, 0.5 to 20kHz Compatible with amplifiers with 4, 6 or 8 Ohms.
Crossover frequency: 300Hz
Electrostatic transducer XStat ™ CLS ™. Panel size: 46″ x 15 “(117 x 38 cm). Radiating area: 690 in² (4,446 cm²)
Two 12 “(30.5 cm) PoweredForce Forward ™ woofers with cast basket, high excursion, rigid aluminum cone and extended throw drive unit, asymmetrical non-resonant chamber format.
Woofer amplifier: 2 x 500 watts/channel (4 ohms), 2 x 1,000 watt peak
Room Correction (bass section) Anthem Room Correction (ARC ™)
Audio transformer with custom winding, air-core coils, polypropylene capacitors. 24-bit DSP preamplifier (used with woofer amplifier).
Audio controls Bass: ± 10 dB in 75 Hz Mid bass: -2 dB, 0 db, +2 db Light: on, dimmed, off ARC™ room EQ: on, off
Signal inputs: 5-way Nextgen ™ WBT-0703Cu connecting terminals equipped with a gold-plated, nickel-free, non-ferromagnetic, high-conductivity, fully insulated pure copper filigree signal conductor. Free from eddy current effects.
AC power supply, RJ45 (for ARC), mini USB (for ARC)
Idle power consumption: <0.5 W / channel Max: 900 W / channel
LED intensity control: On, Dim, Off
Weight: 63.5 kg
Dimensions: 177.3 cm x 40 cm x 63.3 cm