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MartinLogan announced at CES 2016 that it has redefined hybrid electrostatic speaker technology with the Renaissance ESL 15A it plans to launch this spring.

Hailed as the culmination of three decades of design and engineering innovation, the speaker comprises as a powered subwoofer base that supports a 15-inch-wide Curvilinear Line Source (CLS) electrostatic transducer featuring a redesigned AirFrame rail system that “never obstructs playable surface area or interferes with the panel’s dipole sound radiation pattern.”

In the subwoofer section, a pair of 500-watt Class-D amplifiers power two independently enclosed 12-inch woofers controlled by a 24-Bit Vojtko DSP Engine and Anthem Room Correction (ARC), marking the first time the system has been used in an electrostatic speaker. ARC processing uses a calibrated microphone to measure and compare sound output in the room with optimal response curves and removes anomalies to improve performance based on the unique characteristics of the listening space.

The bass section uses proprietary bass alignment technology to enable small enclosures to “accurately produce massive amounts of bass” while controlling the interaction between the rear-firing woofer and the wall behind that woofer. “With smart phase-shifting technology, we minimize the effect that wall has on bass information that might bounce back into the listening room,” the company said.

Hand-built Vojtko crossovers using the “finest” polypropylene capacitors and air-core coils are said to minimize distortion and facilitate seamless integration between the subwoofer and electrostatic panel.

The Renaissance ESL 15A will be available in ten designer finishes at pricing starting at $24,995 when it ships this spring.