Martin Audio DX1.5, Manual

All material © 2009. Martin Audio Ltd. Subject to change without notice. 

Power amplifier gain 

Primary limiter threshold adjustment from 32dB 
preset standard 

23dB 

Add 9dB             (e.g. +4dBu b13dBu) 

24dB Add 

8dB 

25dB Add 

7dB 

26dB (Crown standard) 

Add 6dB            (e.g. +4dBu b10dBu) 

27dB Add 

5dB 

28dB Add 

4dB 

29dB Add 

3dB 

30dB Add 

2dB 

31dB 

Add 1dB               (e.g. +4dBu b5dBu) 

32dB (Industry standard) 

Martin Audio preset standard 

33dB 

Decrease by 1dB   (e.g. +4dBu b3dBu)  

34dB 

Decrease by 2dB 

35dB 

Decrease by 3dB 

36dB 

Decrease by 4dB     (e.g. +4dBu becomes 0dBu) 

37dB 

Decrease by 5dB 

38dB 

Decrease by 6dB 

39dB 

Decrease by 7dB 

40dB 

Decrease by 8dB   (e.g. +4dBu becomes -4dBu) 

ClipLims 

The 

ClipLim

 settings protect the loudspeaker from transient overloads (and protects against 

amplifier clipping if the amplifier is capable of supplying the loudspeaker’s rated peak power). 
 
All Martin Audio loudspeakers are designed to professional AES power ratings that allow for 
6dB signal peaks above the rated AES power. This means that Martin Audio loudspeakers 
have peak power handling capabilities that are 6dB above (4x) their AES power ratings – 
when the correct controller settings are used. 
 
Note that the ClipLims default to 

Medium 2dB Above

the primary limiter thresholds if not set 

up. To take advantage of your power amplifier’s and loudspeaker’s peak capability, set the 

ClipLims

 as follows: 

 
Subwoofers 

Slow 6dB Above 

Low mid/LF 

Medium 6dB Above 

High mid/HF 

Fast 6dB Above 

If you have specified an amplifier smaller than the loudspeaker’s peak power rating you may 
need to reduce the 

ClipLim

 settings by a dB or two to prevent amplifier clipping as it runs out 

of headroom. 

You must, of course, set the recommended primary 

Limiter

 threshold before adjusting the 

ClipLim level to prevent amplifier clipping. 

If you end up setting the 

ClipLim

 as low as 

2dB Above

 in an attempt to prevent significant 

amplifier clipping, and the amplifier still clips, you probably need a bigger amplifier. If budgets 
don’t allow for a bigger amplifier you may need to reduce the primary 

Limiter

 threshold 

settings to prevent the amplifier from clipping at the 2dB Above ClipLim setting. 
 

System configurations 

Your Martin Audio DX1.5 Loudspeaker Management System must be correctly patched.  

There are a large number of Martin Audio factory presets and configurations and these are 
being expanded all the time. It is always sensible to check your DX1.5 output channel 
allocations for the particular preset you have chosen to use before patching your system. This 
will ensure that the appropriate band is being routed to each loudspeaker section. 

You can do this by pressing each yellow output channel 

EDIT

 button and noting the output 

channel allocations (e.g. Low, MidHi) indicated on the DX1.5’s display panel.