Is ML's new Masterpiece series woofer section a "cardioid" bass array?

sleepysurf · Mar 15, 2017

[FONT=&quot]ML describes their new Masterpiece series woofer section as...

PoweredForce Forward™ bass alignment technology controls the interaction between the rear-firing woofer and the wall behind that woofer. With smart phase-shifting logic, we minimize the effect that wall has on bass information that might bounce back into the listening room. This uniform frequency response results in realistic bass effects you can feel. [/FONT]

One of my local audiophile club speaker Guru's tells me they are likely using a cardioid array to eliminate some of the backward bass wave (as explained here... http://www.fohonline.com/ci/31-tech-feature/15387-cardioid-subwoofer-setups.html)

IMHO, the bass with my Expressions is a lot tighter and better integrated with the panel than my old Summits (even before using ARC).
Just curious if anybody can shed more light about this new bass design.

Also, I wonder how it compares to the "transmission line" bass cabinet that ML used for the Vantage (see... http://www.martinloganowners.com/fo...55-Vantage-impression-after-roughly-one-month).

C.A.P · Mar 16, 2017

The term Cardoid is used so scientifically... From my understanding its a separate enclosure for each woofer. Tuned to different frequencies. After talking to the the West coast rep he iterated that its very principle as the Prodigy, Odyssey series.. Just Powered

sleepysurf · Mar 17, 2017

Here's the relevant diagram from the link above. Certainly seems to explain what I think ML is doing with phase shifts in the Masterpiece line. And it appears to work very well!

C.A.P · Mar 17, 2017

I dont know,, Seems probable! The call it the same thing they did "Force forward" the Prod, Oddy series... I still like my own amps powering the woofers imposing its signature rather than blending .. I do agree they did a great job

JonFo · Mar 21, 2017

One of the tricks I believe they are doing with the DSP is to make the rear woofer offset some of the dipole cancellation from the lower frequencies from the panel. That helps make the mid-bass stronger and cleaner.
The front woofer is carefully time-aligned with the panel for optimal impulse response, especially through the crossover region.
Once in-room, the ARC ensures the woofer to panel blend is cohesive, and that the rear-cancellation effect is optimized for the speaker to boundary distances.

All of that requires that the woofers be powered by a known, predictable source and that the Xover and DSP be all vertically integrated within the unit.

Actually, and 'ideal' configuration would be a fully active model, feed via high-level XLR connection to a pre-amp. Having a good quality amp that is known to be able to drive the ESL panel to its performance envelope and taking advantage of electronic crossovers and DSP able to apply corrections and limits to ensure the performance envelope is maximized but not exceeded will result in best performance.

twich54 · Mar 21, 2017

Good point Jonathan, I would not be surprised to see a prototype of such in the not to distant future given the further improvement in Class D amplification.