Audio Video News

Martin Logan's new on-wall/off-wall Fresco i is another gorgeous speaker from a company known for its pretty, precise speakers.

The Fresco i is paintable and uses a low-mass, super-dense cabinet that's only 6" deep, which is just about right considering Martin Logan says the speaker was conceived for (although not limited to) systems that include flat-panel TVs. It can be used vertically or horizontally on-wall with a single-pivot wall-mount bracket or off-wall with optional table or floot stands. A contour switch changes the low-frequency response to compensate for placement.

The new speaker is said to match perfectly with other Martin Logan speakers. It uses ATF (Advanced Thin Film) midrange and high-frequency drivers, a precision Vojtko crossover, and dual long-excursion low-mass woofers. The ATF drivers are based on RADIA planar technology and are made up of a micro-thin, low-mass diaphragm with an ultra-light, etched aluminum conductive surface suspended between two opposite-polarity, high-field-strength neodymium magnet arrays. When the diaphragm's surface is juiced up with the electrical audio signal from your amplifier, it creates an alternating electromagnetic field that forces the diaphragm back and forth - and thus sound is created. That's way more information than you needed, but making sound from the high-tech equivalent of sheets of plastic wrap is pretty cool to talk about. (Actually, the diaphragm substrate is made from DuPont Kaladex PEN, which is short for polyethylene napthalate. Now you have a new phrase to use during conversations at the office.)

The high-frequency driver is 1.5" x 2.25". The midrange is 1.5" x 6", and the two bass drivers are 4" each. The total size of the speaker without the bracket is 24" wide x 5" deep x 8.25" high. Use of the bracket adds 0.7" to the depth.

The Fresco i speakers have a U.S. retail price of $995 each.