Chances are you've read or heard at some time that adding a subwoofer to a system built around electrostatic speakers is nearly impossible. Although that's not necessarily true (and we have the subwoofers to prove it), the idea is grounded in experience. For many years subwoofers and electrostats did not blend very well. Turn on the sub and maybe you got the deeper, stronger bass you were looking for but that wonderful electrostatic snap and midrange clarity were, if not gone, now smeared and disconnected.

Our goal, when we began our subwoofer projects, was to deliver the good stuff – deep, tight, powerful bass – and none of the bad. We wanted to build subwoofers that, when combined with ultra-fast electrostatics or conventional cone speakers, would blend seamlessly to the very bottom of the frequency extreme. Descent i is the full realization of years of engineering by the MartinLogan team.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

• Manual