Controls And Connections - MartinLogan Classic ESL 9 User Manual

CON TR O LS A ND C O NN E C T ION S
Low-Voltage (DC) Power Connection
Your speakers 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 'DC Power In' receptacle on
the rear connection panel of each speaker, then to any conve-
nient AC wall outlet. Your speakers integrate a signal sensing
circuit which will switch off after a few minutes of no music
signal, and requires less than two seconds to recharge the pan-
els when a music signal is present.
Your speakers are provided with a power supply for the power
service supplied in the country of original consumer sale. The
AC power requirements applicable to a particular unit is speci-
fied both on the packing carton and on the DC power supply.
If you remove your speakers from the country of original sale,
be certain that the AC power supplied in any subsequent
location is suitable before connecting the low-voltage power
supply. Substantially impaired performance or severe dam-
age may occur to a speaker if operation is attempted from an
incorrect AC power source.
WARNING! The DC power supply should not be
installed, removed, or left detached from the speaker
while connected to an AC power source.
Signal Input Connection
Use the best speaker cables you can. The length and type of
speaker cable used in your system will have an audible effect.
Under no circumstance should a wire of gauge higher (thin-
ner) than #16 be used. In general, the longer the length used,
the greater the necessity of a lower gauge, and the lower the
gauge, the better the sound, with diminishing returns setting in
around #8 to #12.
A variety of cables are available whose manufacturers claim
better performance than standard heavy gauge wire. We have
verified this in many cases, and the improvements available
are often more noticeable than the differences between wires
of different gauge. The effects of cables may be masked if
equipment is not of the highest quality.
Connections are done at the signal input section on the rear
electronics panel of the speaker. Use spade connectors for opti-
mum contact and ease of installation. Hand tighten the binding
posts, but do not overtighten—do not use a tool to tighten the
binding posts.
Be consistent when connecting the speaker cables to the signal
input terminals. Take care to assign the same color cable lead
to the (+) terminal on both the left and right channel speakers.
If bass is nonexistent and you cannot discern a tight, coherent
image, you may need to reverse the (+) and (–) leads on one
speaker to bring the system into proper polarity.
WARNING! Turn your amplifier off before making or
breaking any signal connections!
Break-In
When you first begin to play your speakers, they will sound
a bit bass shy. This is due to the high quality, long-life com-
ponents used in our woofer. Our custom made woofer
requires approximately 72 hours of break-in at 90 dB (moder-
ate listening levels) before any critical listening. The break-in
requirements of the crossover components (and, to a lesser
degree, the stator) are equivalent.
Jumper Clips
In some countries federal law prohibits MartinLogan from sup-
plying jumper clips. If none are found installed under your
speakers binding posts, please refer to 'Bi-Wire Connection'
for connection instructions.
Single Wire Connection
Please take note of the jumper clips installed under the
binding posts. These clips attach the high and low fre-
quency sections of the crossover together. Leaving these
in place, connect the (+) wire from your amplifier to
either red binding post and the (–) wire from your ampli-
fier to either black binding post.
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