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MartinLogan’s new Masterpiece Series center channel loudspeakers add new levels of performance and adaptability to listening environments with curvilinear electrostatic transducers, Folded Motion® tweeters, and advanced low-frequency technologies.

Dallas, Texas – CEDIA 2016 – September 15, 2016 – SR-2 – MartinLogan, the world’s leader in electrostatic and Folded Motion loudspeaker technology, proudly announces two new center channel loudspeaker models in its new Masterpiece Series—Illusion ESL C34A and Focus ESL C18. Complementing the impressive new Renaissance ESL 15A, Expression ESL 13A, Impression ESL 11A, and Classic ESL 9 loudspeakers, the design of each center channel loudspeaker is driven by its application.

MartinLogan Expands the Masterpiece Series

Illusion C34A, designed for ultimate performance floor standing applications, features a 34-inch wide dipolar curvilinear XStat electrostatic transducer, rigid aluminum AirFrame™, dual Folded Motion XT tweeters, WBT binding posts, and powered woofers that play up to 500Hz. The powered section consists of four aluminum cone woofers driven by PoweredForce™ bass technology, featuring a Class-D amplifier controlled by a 24-Bit Vojtko™ DSP Engine. Unprecedented levels of room integration are achieved through an exclusive ARC™ (Anthem Room Correction) system along with low- and mid-bass level controls.

Focus ESL C18, designed for on-wall or shelf-mount applications, features a fully passive topology with an 18-inch wide curvilinear XStat electrostatic transducer, Folded Motion tweeter, dual aluminum cone woofers, and an acoustic contour switch to optimize performance for on-wall or shelf-mount applications.

The Truth is in the Details

  • Folded Motion Tweeters – Utilizing extremely low mass diaphragms that "squeeze" air, and require significantly less excursion than the typical dome tweeters, Folded Motion tweeters drastically minimizes distortion while providing a lightning fast response time. Illusion ESL C34A features dual 1.25×2.4-inch Folded Motion XT tweeters, each with a total diaphragm area of 4.5×2.75-inches. Focus ESL C34 feature a 1×1.4-inch Folded Motion tweeter with a diaphragm area of 5.25×1.75-inches.
  • Curvilinear Line Source (CLS) Electrostatic Panel – CLS technology is an essential element of every electrostatic loudspeaker MartinLogan has ever designed. Through our proprietary manufacturing methods, we have built-in the panel’s gentle horizontal curvature. This unique design enhances the dispersion produced by the large radiating surface, without compromising overall sound quality. Electrostatic panels produce a nearly-ideal controlled dispersion radiation pattern. They send very little sound to the sides, thereby minimizing side-wall reflections, whose short arrival times tend to interfere with the perception of the direct sound. Illusion ESL C34A features a dipolar 8×34.5-inch electrostatic transducer with rear radiation producing a generous amount of natural, ambience-enriching later-arriving sonic information. Focus ESL C18 features a 7.5×18-inch electrostatic transducer.
  • New Ultra-Rigid AirFrame™ Blade Design (included with Illusion ESL C34A) – Precision manufactured from an aerospace-grade extruded aluminum alloy, the bold, forward-moving styling of this AirFrame Blade rail system, narrow and strong in front, broad and forceful from the side, is a modern design statement. It never obstructs playable surface area or interferes with the panel’s dipole sound radiation pattern. It also provides electrical and acoustical isolation, minimizing intermodulation distortion caused by vibration and resonance. The flowing lines emphasize the groundbreaking integration of the panel itself with the compact woofer and amplifier section. The breathtaking AirFrame Blade design enhances imaging, low-level sonic detail, accuracy, and speaker efficiency.
  • Low Distortion Aluminum Cone Woofers – Featuring rigid cast baskets and stiff cones, these precision woofers are designed to eliminate distortion, while the high-excursion, extended throw drive assemblies produce tremendous amounts of bass. Illusion ESL C34A features four 6.5-inch woofers extending down to 45Hz. Focus ESL C18 features dual 6.5-inch woofers extending down to 50Hz.
  • PoweredForce Bass Technology (included with Illusion ESL C34A) – An essential ingredient for producing massive amounts of bass from a small enclosure, Illusion ESL C34A’s PoweredForce woofer system incorporates advanced driver and amplification technologies to deliver astonishingly dynamic and articulate bass.
  • New Powerful Dual Class-D Amplification with a 24-Bit Vojtko™ Digital Signal Processing (DSP) Engine (included with Illusion ESL C34A) – Illusion ESL C34A’s powerful 250-watt amplifier efficiently produces clean, power bass, effortlessly delivering exhilarating dynamic impact with plenty of overhead. Superior, reliable Class-D technology means there’s virtually no energy lost between the amplifiers and the woofers.
  • Bass and Mid-Bass Level Controls (included with Illusion ESL C34A) – Even with the myriad benefits brought to play through Illusion ESL C34A’s impressive PoweredForce woofer system, personal taste still determines the final measure of audio experience. For the final tweak, a bass level knob (±10dB under 75Hz) and mid-bass level switch (-2dB, 0, +2dB) offer fine-tuning of the speakers voicing to account for personal tastes.
  • New Anthem Room Correction (included with Illusion ESL C34A) – The launch of Renaissance ESL 15A brought Anthem Room Correction (ARC™) technology, for the first time, to an electrostatic loudspeaker. With the introduction of Illusion ESL C34A, this beneficial technology is now available for the first time in a center channel loudspeaker. When engaged, ARC software utilizes a specially calibrated microphone (sold separately) to measure the woofer system’s output within your listening space and compare it to an optimal response curve. The advanced algorithms of ARC then utilize the speaker’s 24-bit DSP to adjust your speaker’s low-frequency output to account for the unique sonic characteristics of your room. ARC calibration is optional and can be easily defeated using a switch on the speaker.
  • Precision-Built Advanced-Topology Vojtko Crossovers – Fully hand-built using only the finest polypropylene capacitors and air-core coils, these crossovers employ MartinLogan’s proprietary Vojtko topology for vanishingly low distortion and seamless driver integration. This precision-tuned network preserves the most microscopic sonic nuances while handling the full dynamics of any source.
  • Premium WBT Binding Posts – Used to connect your electronics safely and securely, these high-performance binding posts are highly conductive and free from “eddy current” effects. These posts are fully insulated for shock protection with plenty of room for large-gauge professional speaker connections.

Illusion ESL C34A will be available in eleven finishes. Pricing starts at $6,995 each (US retail) and will start shipping in early 2017.

Focus ESL C18 will be available in eleven finishes. Pricing starts at $3,495 each (US retail) and will start shipping in early 2017.

More information will be available in the coming months at: www.martinlogan.com

MartinLogan

About MartinLogan, Ltd.
Since 1983 MartinLogan has handcrafted high performance speakers featuring electrostatic and other thin-film technologies. Their award-winning designs, advanced transducers, and outstanding customer service have long made MartinLogan’s amazingly detailed speakers a must have for home theater and music lovers around the world. Located in Lawrence, Kansas, MartinLogan’s dedicated in-house design and engineering team carefully creates each speaker to provide unparalleled sound reproduction along with industry leading aesthetics.