MartinLogan Renaissance ESL 15A

The penultimate model in the Masterpiece Series from MartinLogan. If you are looking for a transcendent musical experience, the Renaissance ESL 15A will not disappoint.

$37,499.98 /pair

Creative Audio is an authorised MartinLogan dealer.

In detail

Speak of art and the word Renaissance immediately conjures images of Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. Speak of audio and, for those lucky enough to have heard it, the word will bring to mind one of the best and high-end speakers in the world.

If you’re shopping online for a reference loudspeaker, we can confidently say you’ve found it. At nearly six feet tall, the MartinLogan Renaissance ESL 15A is a commanding presence, and yet the transparent electrostatic panel, which makes up the majority of its height, allows it to disappear into your room. It’s greatest disappearing act, however, is in its musical performance.

If you’ve never experienced the magic of an electrostatic panel, you are in for a treat. The level of detail offered by this speaker is almost unnerving, and yet it pulls this off without a hint of harshness or brightness; this is one very natural sounding speaker. Electrostatics are famous for their precise soundstage and as a dipole they also offer a tremendous sense of depth. What is even more impressive is how MartinLogan has absolutely nailed the integration of the 15” wide electrostatic transducer with the dual 12” bass drivers. Powered by their own 500 watts of amplification and tuned to the acoustics of your room through Anthem Room Correction (ARC), these bass drivers deliver astounding impact but with speed and control, a truly deft touch.

Key Features

• 15” CLS XStat electrostatic panel.

• Dual 12” PoweredForce Forward woofers with 500 watt Class-D amplification.

• 24-bit Vojtko DSP Engine and Anthem Room Correction (ARC) for the bass drivers.

Technology

The Curvilinear Line Source (CLS) XStat electrostatic panel is at the heart of every MartinLogan electrostatic design. The gentle curve of the panel allows for a wider dispersion of sound. MartinLogan’s Advanced MicroPerf stator technology exposes almost twice the diaphragm area of the electrostatic panel when compared to a traditional panel of the same size. The panels are joined to the speaker cabinet with MartinLogan’s ultra-rigid AirFrame Blade construction using aerospace-grade extruded aluminum alloy. Without obstructing the radiating area of the electrostatic speaker, it ensures rigid mounting the bass cabinet of the speaker.

It took a lot of clever engineering to develop a bass driver system that could keep up with the speed of the electrostatic panel on the Renaissance ESL 15A and also offer the same high-resolution detail. Here, MartinLogan uses two 12-inch laser-engineered, low-distortion aluminum cone woofers. Each is placed in its own independent, enclosed chamber. MartinLogan’s unique PoweredForce Forward bass alignment technology controls the interaction between the forward-facing and rear-facing woofers, and the latter’s interaction with the wall behind the speaker. The end result is bass performance with stunning speed, accuracy, and detail.

By incorporating Anthem Room Correction (ARC) into the design of the Renaissance ESL 15A, it is possible to optimize the bass performance of the speaker to the unique characteristics of your room. ARC measures the low-frequency performance of the speaker in your room and compares it to the optimal response curves MartinLogan developed in their labs. By applying advanced alogorithms to the DSP circuitry in the speaker, any anomalies that come as a result of the speaker’s interaction with your room are effectively eliminated. The end result is realistically blended, natural-sounding bass in any room.

Frequency Response:
22 - 21,000 Hz (+/- 3 dB)

Sensitivity:
92 dB

Impedance:
4 ohms, 0.5 ohms at 20 kHz
Compatible with 4, 6, or 8 ohm rated amplifiers

Recommended Amplifier Power:
20 - 700 watts per channel

Crossover Frequency:
300 Hz

High Frequency Transducer:
XStat CLS electrostatic panel
46” x 15” (690 square inch radiating area)

Low Freqency Transducer:
2x 12” PoweredForce Forward woofers with cast basket, high excursion, rigid aluminum cone, extended throw drive assembly

Amplifier:
2x 500 watts Class-D (continuous), 1,000 watts (peak)

Room Correction (bass section):
Anthem Room Correction (ARC)

Audio Controls:
Bass: +/- 10 dB under 75 Hz
Mid-bass: -2 dB / 0 / +2 dB

Dimensions (HxWxD):
69.8” x 15.75” x 28.9”

Weight (each):
140 lbs.

Finish Options:
Walnut, Dark Cherry, Gloss Black, Gloss White, Arctic Silver, Basalt Black, Cordoba Red, Deep Sea Blue, Desert Silver, Meteor Grey, Rosso Fuoco Red, Custom (premium)

• The MartinLogan Renaissance ESL 15A will sound great right out of the box, but will sound its best after 200 hours of use when the drivers and electronics have had the opportunity to break in.

• It is recommended that the back of the bass cabinet be no closer than 12” to the wall behind it. For best results, we recommend 15-24”.