MartinLogan Impression ESL 11A Floorstanding Speaker Pair Walnut

IMPRESSION ESL 11A

The goal of a loudspeaker is to disappear from the playback. By eliminating any speaker distortion, you can enjoy the pure emotional impact of the performance, with nothing between the recorded music and your ears.

Impressionist masterpieces eliminated any barriers between art and emotion, emphasizing feelings and placing the emphasis on immediacy and movement. The Impression ESL 11A achieves this with an unprecedented level of transparency and realism.

Uncompromising audio immediacy

The Impression ESL 11A is part of the Masterpiece Series. It features dual 20cm woofers and ARC correction for perfectly coherent low-frequency response. The innovative integration of this woofer array and MartinLogan's exclusive 11-inch XStat CLS transducer paired with dual power sections deliver an expressive and dynamic audio experience. It's pure audio bliss.

The familiar elements of the classic MartinLogan electrostatic loudspeaker: advanced MicroPerf stator technology, which allows nearly twice the surface area of a traditional diaphragm of the same dimensions. The electrostatic panel is then reinforced with rigid ClearSpar™ spacers, which maintain the exact same level of tension on the vacuum-bonded diaphragm without obscuring the beautiful transparent design that distinguishes ML speakers. Add to that the design of the new AirFrame™ Blade construction and the result is a seamless connection between the panel and the woofer cabinet for a stunning aesthetic.

Some refinements: We reinvented the Impression ESL 11A's woofer section, powering it with two new 275-watt Class-D amplifiers, controlled by a 24-bit Vojtko™ DSP Engine and ARC™ (Anthem Room Correction).

Using two 8-inch low-distortion aluminum cone woofers working in independent chambers, and using our exclusive PoweredForce Forward™ bass alignment technology, we were able to control the interaction between the rear-firing woofer and the wall behind it. An intelligent phase shift system minimizes the effect that the wall has on low frequencies that could bounce back into the listening room. This flat frequency response delivers lifelike low-end reproduction. It’s just one more way MartinLogan’s ongoing research improves your listening experience in any environment.

Achieving the lab standard in your own room

In the lab, MartinLogan engineers strive to design loudspeakers that are as transparent as possible. Outside the lab, however, there is one variable our engineers can never predict: the listening room. The unique size and shape of the room (and its contents) can create unpredictable low-end characteristics, dramatically impacting a speaker’s overall performance.

For the first time in electrostatic loudspeakers, we are introducing exclusive Anthem Room Correction (ARC) technology. Using ARC to control the bass output in relation to the ESL panel (as seen in this graph), you'll experience performance equal to that achieved in the MartinLogan lab.

ARC measures the room's low-frequency response and compares it to optimal response curves that account for spatial anomalies. ARC's advanced algorithms effectively remove any room issues, correcting the output of the woofers for lifelike, natural-sounding performance.

By minimizing room interactions with ARC's PoweredForce Forward technology and advanced room correction features, the Impression ESL 11A delivers unmatched musical focus. The reproduction is extremely natural at any listening level, with an extremely rich and detailed soundstage.

They express a definitive level of quality, in short, the difference between excellence and a true masterpiece.

New Ultra-Rigid AirFrame Blade Design

Impression ESL 11A. XStat panels are joined to their diffusers using MartinLogan's new AirFrame Blade structure, constructed from extruded, aerospace-grade aluminum alloy. This material and the proprietary fabrication process yield extremely rigid panels.

The bold styling of the AirFrame Blade rail system - narrow and strong in front, wide and strong on the sides - gives the speaker a decidedly modern design. It never obstructs the sound-emitting surface or interferes with the dipole path of the sound. It also provides electrical and acoustical isolation, minimizing intermodulation distortion caused by vibrations and resonances. The flowing lines of the design also highlight the integration of the panel itself with the bass section containing the woofers and the amplifier section. The breathtaking design of the AirFrame Blade improves imaging, low-level detail, output accuracy and speaker efficiency.

Curvilinear Line Source (CLS) Electrostatic Panel

CLS technology is an essential ingredient in 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 overall sound quality. Notice how the gentle modern curve and perforation pattern gives way to the flat grille of the woofer section.

Controlled Dispersion Sound Radiation

The sound we hear from a speaker is a combination of direct radiation 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 times 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 sidewall reflections, whose short arrival times tend to interfere with the perception of direct sound. Their strong rear radiation, however, produces a generous amount of room-enriching upper-midrange and high-frequency information.

New PoweredForce Forward™ Bass Technology

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

PoweredForce Forward bass technology utilizes 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 offers greater placement flexibility and enhances the true audio realism of your source material.

Utilize all the space possible for better bass - Masterpiece Series Cabinet Cut-away

The depth of the Masterpiece Series cabinets has been carefully chosen to maximize the benefits of PoweredForce and ForceForward technologies, providing powerful, extremely detailed bass. Combined with Anthem Room Correction (ARC™), this delivers a level of low-frequency precision that is truly unique.

The Masterpiece Series cabinet dimensions create an ideal relationship between the woofers, the volume of the enclosure and the PoweredForce amplifiers. By providing large internal woofer volumes (two sealed enclosures, one per woofer) and powerful amplification, Masterpiece Series loudspeakers are able to reach the lowest registers with authority while preserving detail.

As a general rule, the further apart the woofers are positioned, the better they will deliver sound. MartinLogan’s ForceForward technology solves the problem (common to nearly all loudspeakers) of bass reflections off the rear wall, which interact with the bass waves as they reach the listener. These reciprocal influences create increasingly high-level nonlinearities as the bass reaches the listener, resulting in both cancellation and enhancement of the low frequencies, which distance the reproduction from the original sound. By selectively adjusting the phasing of the woofers, Masterpiece Series speakers virtually eliminate harmful low-frequency emissions.

ForceForward also simplifies the task of speaker placement by removing bass energy from behind the driver and creating an even bass output. This allows Masterpiece Series speakers to be placed much closer to the rear wall than previous generations of MartinLogan speakers. As a general rule, we recommend placing the back of the speaker cabinet at least one woofer diameter away (Renaissance ESL 15A: 12 inches, Expression ESL 13A: 10 inches, and Impression ESL 11A and Classic ESL 9: 8 inches). To further enhance the speaker's in-room integration, Masterpiece Series speakers with internal amplifiers incorporate two level controls (at 75Hz and 200Hz) to allow fine tuning of bass output.

Furthermore, due to their dipole nature, electrostatic panels perform best when positioned at least 7cm or more from the wall, an ideal distance for the front of almost all high-end speakers, regardless of driver technology. The depth of the Masterpiece Series enclosures allows for proper positioning of the electrostatic panels, ensuring a detailed, three-dimensional soundstage.

New performance, versatility and safety, with WBT Binding Posts

Connect your electronics safely and securely using WBT Audiophile 5-way Binding Posts. Their pure copper connection plate is highly conductive and free from "eddy" effects. These posts are insulated for shock protection and fully dampened against vibrations. They give you ample room for high-caliber professional speaker connections.

New More Performance, Versatility, and Security, with WBT Binding Posts

Connect your electronics safely and securely using audiophile WBT 5-way Binding Posts. Their pure copper connection plate is highly conductive and free from eddy current effects. These posts are insulated for shock protection and fully damped against vibration. They give you ample room for high-caliber professional speaker connections.

MartinLogan's dedicated in-house design and engineering team created a hyper-precise 24-bit Vojtko Digital Signal Processing (DSP) engine to work with these powerful new amplifiers. It gives these speakers the ability to deliver detailed low-frequency performance down to 24Hz. Advanced DSP allows complete control and performance optimization over low-pass filters, woofer equalization, and limiting functions, all of which are mathematically mapped into the digital domain.

Complete control of the signal, coupled with instant response, massive amounts of clean power, and efficient, integrated performance paint a unique picture of lifelike audio performance.

The Ultimate Vojtko Crossover

The advanced Vojtko crossover and electronics inside the Impression ESL 11A add incredible midrange clarity to this loudspeaker. Painstakingly hand-built using only premium polypropylene capacitors and air coils, the crossover utilizes MartinLogan's proprietary Vojtko topology for extremely low distortion and maximum driver/ESL integration. This precision-tuned crossover preserves even the most microscopic nuances of sound and is capable of making the panel reproduce the dynamics of any source.

We also took into consideration the signal you will be feeding your speakers and designed the Impression ESL 11A to work well with virtually any type of electronics. MartinLogan's state-of-the-art toroidal transformer and electrical interface engineering ensure a completely transparent connection from amplifier to electrostatic panel and woofer. This produces a sound of unparalleled purity, precision, clarity and openness: the best thing you can do for any speaker.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Pair of 3-way electrostatic/hybrid floorstanders with amplified bass section and ARC™ ready.

Twin 203mm aluminium cone woofers in air suspension, driven by a dual 275W Class D amplifier with the possibility of Anthem Room Correction calibration (optional).

1120x280mm CLS XStat™ controlled dispersion curved electrostatic ribbon midrange/tweeter.

Union of the electrostatic panel to the bass module with ultra-rigid AirFrame Blade Design technology.

Power 50-550W.

Efficiency 91dB.

Impedance 4 ohm.

24bit Vojtko™ crossover.

Bass and mid/high adjustment.

WBT connectors.

ETC™ decoupling tips included.

Available finishes: Gloss Black - Walnut - Dark Cherry - Fire Red - Cordoba Red - Deep Sea Blue - Basalt Black - Arctic Silver - Desert Silver - Meteor Gray - Gloss White

Electrostatic panel always Matt Black.