Troubleshooting - MartinLogan Stage X User Manual

Your speakers are dusty. See the vacuuming FAQ. The elec-
trostatic charge on the element has attracted airborne dust or
pollen. Since 1993, all of our speakers have been built with a
charging circuit board that only charges the electrostatic ele-
ment when music plays. At other times they are not charged
and cannot collect dust. You can get the same benefit by sim-
ply unplugging them whenever they are not in use. A power
strip is an easy way to do that.
Could my children, pets, or myself be shocked by the high-
voltage present in the electrostatic panel?
No. High voltage with low current is not dangerous. As a
matter of fact, the voltage in our speakers is 10 times less
than the static electricity that builds up on the surface of your
television screen.
How do MartinLogan speakers hold up over a long term in
the humidity of tropical climates?
We should tell you that MartinLogan indeed has a very sub-
stantial number of customers in tropical regions of the world.
Our speakers have been serving them nicely for many years.
This concern may have come from our earlier design of
speakers, which were charged continuously. Since 1993, all
of our speakers have been designed so that they only charge
the panel while music is being played. This improvement has
made a tremendous difference in the consistent performance
of our product. There may be a little more maintenance
involved in humid regions when not in an air conditioned
environment. Simply enough, the concern is to keep the
electrostatic panels dust free. Humidity will combine with
any dust on the panel to make it slightly conductive. This will
result in a slight pathway for the charge to leave the mem-
brane of the speakers. The solution is simple. They only
require occasional vacuuming with a strong vacuum hose.
How do I vacuum my MartinLogan speakers?
Vacuuming will be most effective if the speakers have been
unplugged for six hours to twelve hours (or overnight). You need
not worry about the vacuum pressure damaging the "delicate"
membrane. It is extraordinarily durable. Dirt and dust may be
vacuumed off with a brush attachment connected to your vac-
uum cleaner, or you may blow them off with compressed air.
When vacuuming or blowing off your panels do so to both sides,
but focus the majority of your attention on the front of the panels.
Should I unplug my speakers during a thunderstorm?
Yes, or before. It's a good idea to disconnect all of your
audio/video components during stormy weather.

Troubleshooting

No Output
• Check that all your system components are turned on.
• Check your speaker wires and connections.
• Check all interconnecting cables.
• Try hooking up a different speaker. The lack of output could
point to a problem with other equipment in your system
(amp, pre-amp, processor, etc.)
Weak or no Output from Electrostatic Panel, Loss of Highs
• Check the power cord. Is it properly connected to the speak-
er 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.
• Check the binding posts. Are the dirty? If so clean them with
rubbing alcohol.
• Check the binding posts. Are the loose? Make sure they are
firmly hand-tightened.
• Has a substance (such as household cleaning chemical or soap)
been applied to the panel? If so the speaker will require servicing.
Popping and Ticking Sounds, Funny Noises
• These occasional noises are harmless and will not hurt
your audio system or your speaker. All electrostatic speak-
ers are guilty of making odd noises at one time or another.
It is the result of airborne contaminates (most notably dust).
Vacuuming is recommended.
• These noises may be caused by dirt and dust particles collect-
ing on the speaker, by high humidity.
• Dirt and dust may need to be vacuumed off. Please see the
FAQ regarding vacuuming.
Muddy Bass
• Possibly means low electrostatic panel output. See 'Weak
Output from Electrostatic Panel, Loss of Highs'.
Lack of Bass, No Bass
• Check your speaker wires. Is the polarity correct?
• Check the binding posts. Are the dirty? If so clean them with
rubbing alcohol.
• Check the binding posts. Are the loose? Make sure they are
firmly hand-tightened.
Poor Imaging
• Check the polarity of the speaker wires. Are they connected properly?
• Are your speakers set up in an L-shaped room? If so, you may
experience off-center imaging. Talk to your dealer about
acoustical room treatment options.
Frequently Asked Questions and Troubleshooting 31