Martin Logan Black Subwoofer - DCIBLBADBK

Martin Logan Descent i Black Subwoofer, Model DCIBLBADBK

Ultimate Bass

Building on the groundbreaking technology of the original Descent, the Descent i incorporates new features and enhancements that simplify system integration while improving performance. Its signature three-driver, force-canceling configuration virtually eliminates bass-blurring cabinet resonance. And each rugged, custom-built aluminum-cone driver is servo-locked to its own sophisticated, high-power amplifier. The result is dynamic, unrestrained output to the very lowest frequencies, yet with clarity and definition approaching that of electrostatic transducers.

Features:

• Rigid Aluminum-Cone Diaphragms Each of Descent i's high-resolution drivers combines an extremely rigid 10-inch aluminum-cone diaphragm with a high-intensity magnet structure to achieve huge excursion and output capability without sacrificing detail. By eliminating cone flexure, even at long voice-coil excursions, aluminum diaphragms help our advanced-technology bass drivers achieve the very low distortion necessary for proper blending with MartinLogan electrostatic speakers.
  
  
• TriLinear™ Driver Array Descent i has three 10-inch aluminum-cone drivers, each weighing 12 pounds and possessing a maximum peak-to-peak excursion range of 1.2 inches. That works out to a total displacement of 30 cubic inches – typical for most high-quality subwoofers. Descent i has three of these drivers, however, yielding the equivalent acoustic power of a 36-pound driver with a maximum peak-to-peak excursion of 3.6 inches and a total displacement of 90 cubic inches. And because the thermal load is distributed over three voice coils instead of concentrated in one, the system is less influenced by to temperature-induced compression. The single-driver alternative would be an extraordinarily robust 18-inch unit, which by virtue of its size and very long excursion would inevitably generate considerably higher distortion. Descent i enjoys all the advantages of the smaller, more refined drivers while achieving the output capability of a huge 18-inch driver.
  
  
• BalancedForce™ Driver Alignment Conventional subwoofer enclosures vibrate in reaction to driver activity, creating a secondary and highly colored sound source. In extreme cases, the cabinet may even dance on the floor. The typical expedient of adding mass can make the problem less obvious, but it doesn't really make it go away. Resonant bass smear is inevitable unless cabinet vibration is drastically attenuated. MartinLogan's BalancedForce design places multiple identical drivers in exact opposition to one another, so that their forces on the cabinet almost perfectly cancel.
  
  Employing a novel application of the BalancedForce principle pioneered in the original Descent, Descent i locates the three drivers of its TriLinear™ array precisely 120 degrees apart on the cabinet. Their reaction force vectors exactly balance at the center point for near-total cancellation, reducing spurious cabinet radiation by as much as 25 dB (a power factor of more than 300:1).
  
  
• Triple-Servo Correction System A highly sophisticated triple-servo control system for each driver compares input to output and applies automatic electronic correction for any deviation from the original signal. These advanced servos combine with the drivers' inherent linearity and their BalancedForce™ reaction-canceling alignment to yield the cleanest, most accurate bass imaginable, exhibiting absolute minimum distortion.
  
  
• Comprehensive Inputs and Outputs with Simultaneous-Connection Option Descent i provides a direct, unfiltered LFE input (RCA and balanced XLR) for connection to surround preamp/processors and receivers with built-in subwoofer crossovers as well as line- and speaker-level stereo inputs that connect to its internal crossover. The LFE and stereo inputs can be connected simultaneously with separate level and crossover settings for each, enabling precise optimization for home-theater and stereo music playback in the same system. For those who desire a multiple subwoofer setup, line-level outputs include a mono jack that carries the sum of all inputs. Further, stereo outputs pass a signal from the stereo inputs either directly or through switch-selectable high-pass filters.
  
  
• Top-Mounted Controls It's a lot easier to dial in exactly the right settings when you don't have to get down on your hands and knees to reach the controls. Descent i's top-mounted controls, discreetly hidden beneath an aluminum cover inset into the cabinet, take the drudgery out of performance tweaking.
  
  
• Precision Low- and High-Pass Crossover Filters Descent i offers six switch-selectable low-pass crossover frequencies between 30 and 80 Hz, implemented with filters precision-designed for optimum attenuation slope and minimum group delay. This ensures cohesive integration with smooth response through the crossover range with any type of main speaker. The similarly designed high-pass filters on the line-level outputs can be switched between 40- and 70-Hz settings or bypassed. An optional internal module will be available with low-pass filtering custom tailored to the MartinLogan CLX full-range electrostatic loudspeaker.
  
  
• Custom CLX / Subwoofer Filter Seamless blending between a subwoofer and full-range loudspeaker is, at the best of times, challenging—and when you're dealing with a no-holds-barred reference level product such as the CLX there is no room for error. The addition of an optional custom 'CLX filter' to the Descent i and Depth i subwoofers takes the headache out of achieving superb low-frequency performance.
  
  The optional Descent i/Depth i CLX filter board contains an optimized low pass filter that precisely matches the 56Hz low-frequency roll off of the CLX. Once this custom board is installed inside of your subwoofer, setup is only a matter of adjusting the phase and level of your sub.
  
  This custom filter is applied only to the left and right inputs of your subwoofer. The sub's LFE input remains unfiltered, which allows surround preamp/processors to send low-frequency information for the center, surround, and LFE channels without compromising the performance of your CLX.
  
  
• 25- and 50-Hz Level Controls At very low frequencies, all rooms exhibit a phenomenon known as room gain, which produces a mild bass boost. The smaller the room, the higher the frequency at which this starts. Descent i's ±10-dB 25-Hz level control enables you to compensate for excessive room gain by cutting output in the 20- to 30-Hz range, or, if you prefer, to accentuate the feeling of deep-bass energy by augmenting those frequencies. A similar adjustment centered at 50 Hz provides acoustic energy control at a frequency where room resonances often create undesirable peaks or suck-outs.
  
  

• Full-Rotation Phase Switch Descent i's phase control can be switched from 0 to 270 degrees in 90-degree increments, allowing precise adjustment for optimum blending with the main speakers.

• Extended-Range Master Level Control Crave a little heavy-metal thunder from time to time? Ordinary level controls top out at '10'; ours goes to '11'!
  
  
• Sealed Cabinet with Asymmetrical Driver Chamber Descent i's sealed cabinet eliminates port and passive-radiator resonance's and minimizes low-frequency group delay. And its internal asymmetry breaks up standing waves within the enclosure to further minimize resonance and coloration.
  
  
• Asymmetrically Configured Energy Transfer Coupler Spikes Descent i is supplied with sturdy, 3/8-inch ETC™ spikes, which can be used in place of the standard feet to enhance stability on thick carpets or to create tighter coupling between subwoofer and floor. The spikes are arrayed asymmetrically in a configuration designed to minimize the chance of grille damage if the cabinet is tipped.
  
  
• Aesthetically Extraordinary (Yet Practical) Cabinet Design Let's face it – most subwoofer cabinets are just nicely finished boxes. That leads people to hide their subwoofers in corners behind plants or to buy models that look like end tables. Descent i's cabinet is the anti-box, with a unique architectural look that is both visually engaging and easy to integrate into a room. It features a selection of wood finishes for the top, which enable the Descent i to blend into any décor. The cabinet body, meanwhile, has a durable, black tough-coat finish, with rubber bumpers at the bottom to minimize damage from stray impacts, such as vacuum cleaners and errant footsteps. Durable, crushproof grilles complete the package.

Specifications:

• Frequency Response 18–120 Hz ±3dB; Anechoic through LFE effects input
• Low Pass Filter Frequency 30, 35, 45, 55, 65, 80Hz
• High Pass Filter Frequency Bypass, 40Hz, 70Hz
• Low Frequency Transducer Three 10" (25.4cm) high excursion, aluminum cone with extended throw drive assembly, sealed non-resonant asymmetrical chamber format
• Amplifier
  • Three 250W (at less than 0.24% THD)
  • Three 700W (peak)
  • 2100W (peak, system total)
• Impedance Line level RCA: 20,000 Ohms. Compatible with 4, 6, or 8 Ohm rated amplifiers.
• Audio Controls
  • ±10dB at 25Hz
  • ±10dB at 50Hz
• Inputs Left/Right RCA Line Level, RCA and XLR LFE, Speaker Level
• Power Draw
  • Max: 750 Watts
  • Idle: 30 Watts
  • Standby: 10 Watts

Approximate Weight:

• Unit: 105 lbs
• Shipping: 110 lbs

Approximate Dimensions:

• Unit: 21.4" x 20.5" x 19.9"

Warranty Information:

• Manufacturer Warranty (authorized online retailer): 3 Year Limited Warranty