Martin Logan Statement 40XW Flagship Performance In-Wall Line Source Speaker (Each)
Featuring forty drivers in a line source configuration and sixteen lightning-fast Folded Motion XT Obsidian tweeters, sixteen 3.5-inch unidirectional carbon fiber multi-section cone midrange driver with a Nomex® backer, and eight matching 6.5-inch woofers, seamlessly blended with a flagship-class Vojtko crossover network constructed from audiophile-grade components.
Statement 40XW
Designing an in-wall speaker with performance on par with MartinLogan’s most ambitious floorstanding hybrid electrostatic speakers is an immense challenge. The power and effortlessness of electrostatic speakers is breathtaking—a living manifestation of Truth in Sound. The Statement 40XW is MartinLogan’s answer—a triumph of engineering delivering a seamless melding of authoritative, accurate bass and mid-range with lightning-fast thin-film tweeters. Each channel features forty drivers, including eight 6.5-inch unidirectional carbon fiber multi-section cone woofers with a Nomex® backer, sixteen matching 3.5-inch midrange drivers, and sixteen exquisite Folded Motion XT Obsidian tweeters.
The use of sixteen tweeters, sixteen mid-range drivers, and eight woofers significantly contributes to the effortless sonic presentation of the Statement 40XW. All drivers, even superb drivers such as the carbon fiber cones and thin-film tweeters used in the speaker, begin to exhibit distortion when pushed hard. By using a large number of drivers operating in perfect unison, the movement required from each driver is a fraction of what it otherwise would be while still achieving impressive levels of overall output. The combination of such inherently high-resolution drivers and the reduction in demands on each results in a highly accurate and distortion-free performance during even the most demanding sonic passages.
Additionally, with large line source designs, as seating positions move further away from the speaker, sound levels don't drop off as quickly as they do with smaller, less efficient speakers. The ability of the Statement 40XW to deliver higher levels of sound over much greater distances results in an extremely uniform sound pressure throughout large rooms—especially beneficial in substantial home theaters with multiple rows of seating.
Benefits of Statement 40XW's Line Source Configuration
When properly designed, line source speakers share significant benefits with hybrid electrostatic speakers, and the Statement 40XW delivers, most notably, by bringing controlled dispersion to a discreet in-wall speaker. The sound we hear from a loudspeaker is a combination of direct radiation from it to our ears, and reflections off of room surfaces—walls, floor, and ceiling. How our brains process this information is far from simple. Depending on the angle of incidence to the ears and the arrival-time difference between direct and reflected sound, reflections can blur detail and stereo imaging.
The combination of the natural 80-degree horizontal dispersion pattern of Folded Motion XT tweeters and the 53-inches of vertical dispersion provided by the line source arrangement of 16 tweeters, minimizes side-wall, floor, and ceiling reflections whose short arrival times tend to interfere with the perception of the direct sound.
Discreet Installation
Statement 40XW incorporates a reinforced backbox that embeds within a wall and an ultra-low profile, paintable, micro-perforated grille for near-invisible integration. This platform decouples the drivers from the wall surface and maintains a clean aesthetic. The speaker works with either 1/2- or 5/8-inch wallboard in new construction or retrofit installations.
Flagship Class Performance In-Wall and In-Ceiling Speakers
From extreme home theater to transcendent 2-channel listening, Masterpiece CI is the pinnacle of discreet in-wall and in-ceiling loudspeaker design—state-of-the-art Truth in Sound. Featuring lightning-fast, low-distortion, Folded Motion XT Obsidian tweeters, flagship-class Vojtko crossover networks, and unidirectional carbon fiber multi-section cone drivers with a Nomex® backer, the Masterpiece CI Series offers the biggest, boldest, and most lifelike performance possible—a tribute to the acoustic achievements of MartinLogan’s original iconic masterpiece, our flagship floorstanding electrostatic speakers.
Folded Motion® XT Obsidian Tweeters
MartinLogan’s signature Folded Motion tweeter utilizes an extremely low mass diaphragm that “squeezes” air, thus demanding significantly less excursion than the typical 1-inch dome tweeter. Its folded design allows for a much larger surface area (compared to that of a regular 1-inch dome tweeter), controlled dispersion characteristics, and vanishingly low distortion. It’s a miracle of audio engineering that’s able to deliver much of the high-frequency detail and speed of a large, dynamic electrostatic panel in a small space. Folded Motion XT tweeters, advance thin-film transducer technology even further, with a 40% larger radiating surface and 80x30-degree controlled dispersion. This tweak increases audible bandwidth without sacrificing details and minimizes distortion to an unprecedented level while increasing efficiency and the tweeter’s already lightning-fast response time. The result—superior realism and alarming specificity that is aurally astounding, and only by MartinLogan. Masterpiece CI Series Folded Motion XT Obsidian tweeters feature a black diaphragm.
Powerful Mid-Frequency and Bass Drivers With Unidirectional Carbon Fiber Multi-Section Cones With a Nomex® Backer
Custom built, low-distortion drivers pair high-power magnet structures with unidirectional carbon fiber multi-section cone diaphragms with a Nomex® backer to deliver massive excursion and sound output, preserve minute bass details and maximize power handling capability, all without a hint of distortion. The use of unidirectional carbon fiber yields a cone that is twice as strong as steel with a sixth of the density, providing exceptional rigidity without adding excessive weight. The multi-section design of Masterpiece CI drivers serves to reduce resonant modes within the driver, allowing for a smoother response. Nomex backers improve overall driver performance by damping the cone to prevent deleterious ringing and reduce break up modes—a crucial requirement for extremely rigid cone materials. These exceptional woofers ensure a smooth, non-resonant response necessary for seamless blending with the extreme accuracy of high-resolution Folded Motion tweeters.
Detailed Driver Engineering
To deliver accuracy in the critical midrange, mid-frequency drivers feature a specially engineered “stiff” suspension. Stiffening the suspension (the spider and surround) raises the driver’s resonant frequency and optimizes its performance to achieve a natural roll-off and inherently operate within an ideal range for a mid-frequency reproduction (as opposed to a comparably sized woofer).
<o<>Each cone includes a concave dust cap that adds additional strength and rigidity while further reducing break up modes. An inverted surround design maximizes clearance behind the grille cover to enhance driver excursion, clarity, and linearity.
Phenolic Baffle and Sealed Back Box Enclosure
Statement 40XW, Monument 7XW, Tribute 5XW, and Icon 3XW utilize baffles constructed from incredibly dense and durable phenolic resin polymer—an exceptional, acoustically superior substrate. Phenolic resin polymer, the same material used in the Neolith cabinet, offers extraordinary material consistency that naturally minimizes acoustically deleterious resonances and vibrations. This sealed design helps keep sound from leaking through the wall to unintended areas of the home, while also providing predictable airspace for the woofers to perform their best.
The most significant benefit of a built-in, acoustically inert, and sealed back box is predictable volume and a construction methodology that removes the variables of the wall cavity size and construction quality from the acoustic equation, guaranteeing a consistent, accurate performance, regardless of installation. By maintaining complete control over driver performance, crossover design, and cabinet construction, Masterpiece CI in-wall and in-ceiling speakers can achieve an emotionally engaging experience on par with the rarified performance of the world’s most exceptional floorstanding speakers.
Spring-Loaded Binding Posts
Spring-loaded binding posts feature a large 4.5mm wire access hole and connect via banana plug, pin, or 10AWG bare wire.
Proprietary Vojtko™
Crossover Networks
Carefully hand-built using only the most exceptional polypropylene and polyester capacitors, custom wound and large steel laminate low-DCR inductors, and double thick PCBs, Masterpiece CI Series crossovers employ MartinLogan’s proprietary Vojtko topology for vanishingly low distortion and seamless driver integration. This precision-tuned network preserves even the most microscopic sonic nuances while handling the full dynamics of any source.
Vojtko crossovers are named after MartinLogan's chief audio technologist, Joe Vojtko. His unique approach to crossover design is as big of a part of the "MartinLogan Sound" as are electrostatic and Folded Motion thin-film driver technologies. A Vojtko crossover isn't so much a set of design requirements as it is a philosophy.
Hand-Selected Components
Vojtko crossovers are designed in such a way that all drivers are kept within their optimal frequency range and balanced with one another. The drivers themselves are as much a part of a Vojtko crossover as are capacitors and resistors. Before the design of any crossover begins, drivers are carefully selected or designed to operate within a very intentional frequency range and with precise and predictable performance parameters. Vojtko crossovers are always built from high-quality parts, and care is taken to avoid overly complex topologies—a straightforward objective due to the careful selection of woofers and tweeters. The final (and most critical) aspect of a Vojtko Crossover is that final voicing is conducted in a space that is indicative of a real-world environment. This pragmatic approach allows MartinLogan speakers to sound their best in real-world rooms.
Specs
Frequency Response
48–25,000 Hz ± 3 dB
Tweeter Dispersion (horizontal x vertical)
80° x 52-inch line source
Sensitivity
95 dB @ 2.83 volts/ meter
Impedance
4 ohms. Compatible with
4, 6, or 8 ohm rated amps.
Crossover Frequency
300, 2700 Hz
High Frequency Driver
Sixteen 1.25 x 2.4 inch (3.2 x 6.1 cm)
Folded Motion XT Obsidian
transducer with 4.5 x 2.75 inch
(11.4 x 7 cm) diaphragm.
Mid-Frequency Drivers
Sixteen 3.5-inch (8.9 cm) black
unidirectional carbon fiber
multi-section cone with Nomex®
backer and cast aluminum
basket, sealed back chamber
format. Concave dust cap.
Low Frequency Driver
Eight 6.5-inch (16.5 cm) black
unidirectional carbon fiber
multi-section cone with Nomex®
backer and cast aluminum
basket, sealed back chamber
format. Concave dust cap.
Components
Custom air core coil inductors,
polypropylene film capacitors, and
low DF electrolytic capacitors.
Suitable Amplifier Range
50–800 watts
Max Power Handling
400 watts
Binding Post Inputs
Push style (two sets for
easy installation)
Weight
150 lb (68.1 kg)
Required Wall Cavity (width)
Minimum: 14.5 inch (368 mm)
Maximum: 16.5 inch (420 mm)
Required Wall Cavity (height, unobstructed)
Minimum: 89 inch (2260 mm)
Required Wall Cavity (depth)
Minimum: 3.5 inch (89 mm)
Enclosure (width x height x depth, excludes padding)
14.3 x 84.2 x 3.4 inch
(361 x 2137 x 86 mm)
Grille (height x width)
11.5 x 59.5 inch (292 x 1511 mm)
Installation Kit (included)
Choose appropriate size
1/2-inch drywall (PN: 40XWIWK05)
5/8-inch drywall (PN: 40XWIWK0625)
