The arrival of the Aerius i, the latest, and at $2000 the least expensive electrostatic hybrid from MartinLogan, has proved to be one of those wonderful right-time-right-place occurrences, affording me the opportunity to spend some weeks (and still counting) with a recent MartinLogan product. Because I must admit that up until now, I've had mixed feelings about its and frankly, all others attempts to marry ultra-light, ultra-fast, dipolar, box-free electrostatic, planar magnetic, or ribbon panels with relatively slow, heavy, pistonic, enclosed cone woofers. Granted, that is a difficult job. And it is no wonder that many stalwart efforts have left more than a few listeners, including this one, ultimately dissatisfied with the end result. Like oil and vinegar, the US and China, Lucy and Ricky, these two speaker types don't easily coalesce. They must be massaged and finessed into a harmonious alliance. The problem is compounded by what appears to be a nearly universal compulsion on the part of hybrid speaker designers, and, to be fair, of speaker designers in general to let no bass note remain unheard. But by attempting to wring every available low frequency note out of their speakers, designers only highlight differences between panels and cones.

"Hats off to MartinLogan's Gayle Sanders
for taking a more refined approach with the Aerius i.
Rather than go for the maximum bang, he elected
to forego deep bass response for a blend as smooth
and satisfying as a master winemaker's prize cuv`ee."

Well, hats off to MartinLogan's Gayle Sanders for taking a more refined approach with the Aerius i. Rather than go for the maximum bang, he elected to forego deep bass response (below 40 cycles) for a blend as smooth and satisfying as a master winemaker's prize cuv`EE This was achieved by finding a fast, eight-inch, very rigid long-throw woofer, mounting it in a non-resonant enclosure, and carefully crossing it over to M-L's elegant curvilinear electrostatic panel at 450 Hz, 12 dB per octave. And though shake, rattle, and rollers may not be wowed by the result, it is sure to be appreciated by listeners in search of the utmost refinement, clarity, and naturalness of sound.

To illustrate how the MartinLogan team achieved this happy blend I'll begin by describing my experience with a wide range of vocals, beginning with some opera recordings I happened to be listening to during the evaluation process. Stephanie von Buchau's unregimented look at recorded Ring cycles (elsewhere in this issue) prompted me to explore afresh many versions I own of Wagner's troubling yet strangely engaging tetralogy. And Karl Bohm's 1967 Bayreuth set [Philips], which Stephanie so rightly praises, is the one I keep coming back to for its blazingly theatrical approach. If you listen to it over a speaker with the springwater clarity of the Aerius i, whether for the first or umpteenth time, expect to be thrilled by the incestuous rapture of James King's Siegmund and Leonie Rysanek's Sieglinde, awed by the bracing soprano of Brigit Nilsson's dazzling Brunnhilde, disgusted by the murderous greed of Theo Adams' lying, scheming Wotan (or instead, during "Wotan's Farewell" at the conclusion of Die Walkuere, moved by the tenderness of his singing), and grateful to hear the horns, violas, and other inner orchestral voices so clearly illuminated as if by the shaft of light which sets the gold aglimmer in the first scene of Das Reingold.

Or you may find yourself moved in a very different way by Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau's haunted, humiliated, and ultimately homicidal Wozzeck (Bohm again, on Deutsche Grammophon), or Maria Callas' portrayal of Puccini's jealous chanteuse, Floria Tosca [EMI]. In each of these cases the Aerius i will leave you astonished at how much you've been missing. It's as if a wide door has been thrown open and suddenly, instead of a pair of speakers, something else, which feels closer to the real thing, something free of electro-mechanical artifacts, draws us into each opera. And, as with a great piece of literature or film making, that door invites us into another world for just a little while.

But maybe you're in the mood for something a little funkier than Wozzeck. Well, how about the trumpet/snare/organ propelled voice of the soulful Al Green singing "Here I Am (Come and Take Me)" from the Al Green Anthology [Hi/The Right Stuff]? Or maybe you're in the mood for the sweet, slightly nasal tenor of Pete Townshend on "I'm A Boy" from the Who's Live At Leeds {MCA], or the melancholy beauty of Ella Fitzgerald singing "Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most" from Clap Hands Here Comes Charlie! {Verve]. In all cases the first thing you'll notice about these voices when heard over the Aerius i is a lack of driver distortion. That subtle but pervasive noise made by piston drivers at work is simply not there with this speaker. Instead, the striking speed, linearity, and purity of the Aerius i reward the listener with unusual insights about how each of these vocalists used their instruments. And because the electrostatic panel covers all frequencies above 450Hz which means that the entire vocal range is (with rare exception) reproduced by just one driver you'll be able to distinguish words more easily than with many another speaker.

You get my point: the Aerius i is a vocal lover's dream. But don't let that discourage you if instrumentals are your thing; the benefits will be just as apparent. Listen to the agility of the woofer on Charles Mingus' "Better Git It In Your Soul" from The Complete 1959 CBS Charles Mingus Sessions [Mosaic]. Tuneful, eloquent, beautifully integrated, the Aerius i revealed no discontinuity between stat and woofer the kind of sonic giveaway that has ruined so many of my past experiences with hybrids. And the low distortion panel will bring you an abundance of instrumental textures: bowed double-basses, raspy, rich, full-throated brass, the unique sound of a percussionist's mallet striking the membrane of a timpani, the peal or muted bell of a trumpet, the delicacy of a triangle, the strings, nylon or steel, of a guitar so many subtle "extras" easily smeared over by less pure transducers.

You'll hear what I mean: a soundstage
as clear and open as the sky, extending far outside
and above the edges of the speakers."

And fans of soundstaging, or those who wonder why it's often made such a big deal of maybe even those like, me, who have grown weary of placing too much emphasis on this artifact of the recording process will delight in the Aerius i's ability to define an acoustic space. Put on Bruno Walter's performance of Beethoven's Eroica with the Columbia Symphony Orchestra (Classic Records LP or Sony Masterworks CD) and you'll hear what I mean: a soundstage as clear and open as the sky, extending far outside and above the edges of the speakers. (Another benefit of this speaker, and other tall line source speakers , is stage height. Dipoles have this wonderful way of projecting the illusion of musicians standing on a stage in front of the listener, while most point sources-even tall ones-tend to make images feel like they are being projected from a box, which of course they are.) You'll also hear a solid, dimensional center fill that is absent from most box designs. In fact, center fill seems like an absurd choice of words to describe the sensation of a speaker that so clearly distinguishes an entire orchestra, laterally, vertically, and in criss-cross, with a precision that I can best describe by asking you to imagine yourself on the conductor's podium with every instrument sharply in focus, like chess pieces, in front of you. This is a very different perspective from that of the audience and, naturally, much more representative of what the microphones actually "heard." What you'll get is a very focused, 3-D perspective on the musical event.

The Aerius i's low noise floor allows the speaker to maintain its purity and articulation even at very low listening levels-something I find very seductive (and a blessing for late night listeners with neighbors and/or families to consider).

All this refinement in a $2000 speaker is truly remarkable. And the Aerius will keep up with the best associated components, so choose them with care. (Hint: you will, in fact, see a recommended system in our next issue built around the Aerius i.) And yet, since nothing is perfect, let me tell you why the MartinLogan Aerius i may not be for some of you. At loud listening levels, or even at moderate ones, on discs containing extremely dynamic music, the Aerius i will sound-how do they say?-somewhat polite. And I do mean "somewhat." This speaker is neither bloodless or thin-after all, a solid 40 cycles is still fairly low bass. But if your idea of fun is to crank up some heavy rock or synthesized electronica, like Everything But The Girl's Walking Wounded (Atlantic), or tear down heaven's gate with a huge orchestral climax like the one Mahler scored for the finale of his Second Symphony, then you might find that the Aerius' won't move air like most dynamic speakers will. Actually, it's not so much that they won't move air but rather that they move it in a different way-it's not all pumping forward but unfolds (remember that open door?) front and back. Even on recordings of piano music that retain natural dynamics, like the Byron Janis Pictures at an Exhibition (Mercury) so often discussed in these pages, the Aerius didn't blossom in the way a full-bodied cone system will. But that's okay. Its exceptional qualities in other areas more than made up for it. But that's my opinion. I urge you to audition a pair of these gorgeous speakers and decide for yourself.

P.S. A note on operation. There is no on/off switch for this speaker (electrostatics must, of course, be plugged into a wall outlet). And even after they've broken in-a good 100 hours I predict, during which the woofer will grow more and more in-tune with the panel-they will sound a bit reticent until they've been "awake" about half-an-hour (the speaker automatically falls into a sleep mode if it's seen no signal for a few minutes). So make sure that your Retailer has a well-healed set, and that you don't judge them seriously until at least 30 minutes have passed.

I must also add that the owner's manual for this product is stellar. It is inviting, highly informative (with an explanation of the concept and history of the electrostatic), and will help even first-time users get the most from their speakers.

Manufacturer
MartinLogan
2101 Delaware Street
Lawrence, KS 66044-3149
tel (785) 749-0133
fax (785) 749-5320

Designer
Gayle Sanders

Warranty
3 Years Limited (with registration)

Features
Bi-Wirable Detachable AC Cord

Specifications
Driver Complement: Broad-range single element electrostatic transducer; 8" high excursion, high rigidity cone woofer in a sealed enclosure.
Frequency Response: 40-22,000Hz + 3dB
Dispersion:Horizontal: 30 degrees; Vertical: 3.5 Line Source
Sensitivity: 87dB (2.83 volts/1 meter)
Impedance Magnitude: 4 ohms, Minimum: 1.7 ohms @20kHz
Crossover Frequency: 450Hz, 12dB per octave
Power Handling: 200 watts/channel
Recommended Amplifier Power: 80-200 watts/channel
Dimensions: 10.5"Wx12.5"Dx55.5"H
Weight: 55 lbs. Each

Associated Equipment
Electronics: Audio Research LS-10 preamp and CA50 integrated amp; Conrad-Johnson Premier Fifteen phono stage; Gryphon Antileon, and Job Stereo amps
Front End: Audio Research CD2, and Goldmund Mimesis 39 CD players; VPI Aries turntable, JMW Memorial arm/Cardas Heat cartridge
Cables: MIT MI-350 Proline Reference Balanced Interconnects and MH-770 Speaker Cable; Nirvana interconnects and speaker cables; Empirical Designs interconnects and speaker cables

Accessories
MIT Z Center, Stabilizer, Iso Duo and Power Cords; ESP Power Cords; A.R.T. Q-Dampers; Townshend Audio Seismic Sinks; Black Diamond Racing Carbon Fiber Shelf and Cones