reasons to be cheerful...ongoing

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ed
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#1 reasons to be cheerful...ongoing

Post by ed »

's a bit quiet round these parts so I thought I'd gush...couldn't contain myself

for the last 3 years I've been listening to a few variations of 2A3 and F6,F4 together with the last pair of MA10P monitors. It's been ok but my youngest but one had been promised the monitors when I built them so it finally came to let them go.....I replaced them with the original spheres that he'd had. Well, a couple of days on reduced audio convinced me I had to get the electrostatics out of storage....so...

wow, wow and wow...

It's been a while since I had musicians in the room...wow...it's 19 years since I built them and gushed...but they're just as awesome as they were then.

Paul Simon : late in the evening..cymbal rhythms, wow!

edit: breeze audio tpa3116, £18 worth of happiness.
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#2 Re: reasons to be cheerful...ongoing

Post by Ray P »

Still happy Ed?

I don't know about your electrostatics and I guess the memory of others may well have dimmed - care to share?
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#3 Re: reasons to be cheerful...ongoing

Post by ed »

this is from the revamped website Ray..there's a tad missing about the cabinets, which I will rectify asap..

https://vitalstates.org/vsl/electrostatics/
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#4 Re: reasons to be cheerful...ongoing

Post by Ray P »

Cheers Ed, looks like it was an interesting project - why did you shut them away for so long?

I had a look at the ER Audio website - they've replaced your model with a version IV.

Something that I've occasionally wondered about is using ESL speakers with valve amplifiers with regard to transformers. A 'conventional' valve amp will have an output transformer to exchange volts for amps to drive normal 8ohm (or thereabouts) loudspeakers but if you use an ESL speaker it then trades amps for volts with it's input transformers - if you accept that you limit the use cases for the amp/speaker, why not optimise the arrangement down to a single transformer? Sorry to sidetrack your thread with this Ed.
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#5 Re: reasons to be cheerful...ongoing

Post by ed »

interesting project ? certainly...with many side tracks..e.g review for HFW and distribution research for Rob Mackinlay..and revelation of knockout sq.

Many people have researched the direct drive approach, cutting out the transformer altogether with valve amps. I have one transformer in mine, which incidently can be a weak point if you have clicks and pops at switch on/off. I have replaced transformers. Never felt the need for splitting or delay panels. I had much scepticism with the delayed panel approach after running ESL63s side by side for some time....I much preferred the larger panel approach. I shipped out the esl63s as soon as I'd finished the comparison.

I can't speak for Rob's(ER AUDIO) approach to split panels and delays because I've never heard a pair.....BUT, with the price hike and the current approach from HM customs it would seem the value for money is not what it was.

fwiw, IMO, having used them with many flavours of valves and solid state, I am firmly favouring class d for electrostatics, well certainly for mine.

edit: sorry, missed the storage question.....there comes a point when one project has to make way for another....and electrostatics are not compatible with the single ended, minimum watt amps I was playing with.
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#6 Re: reasons to be cheerful...ongoing

Post by pre65 »

When I had my ESL57s they did not seem to like the TPA3116 chip amp I have. :?

OR, should I say the TPA3116 amp did not like ESL57s ?
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#7 Re: reasons to be cheerful...ongoing

Post by JohnG »

I thoroughly enjoy my Quad 57's in both Standard and Stacked Array.
Prior to lockdown and now post lockdown restrictions I am regularly listening to other ESL's as well.
I could quite easily enjoy hearing other versions of a ESL as well.
It is looking like a Triple Stacked 57 Array might be available for a Demonstration in Late 2021/Early 2022.

I made a few system changes recently and have also reintroduced to the System the
WAD KLS 3 with the Piezzo Gold Dome HD-3P Tweeter.
To my surprise the, following a period of air refill methods. the one deflated tweeter still has a surface tension on the foil, a few years on from the modifications undertaken.
The Speaker has become quite addictive when used with the Slightly Changed System,
it certainly produces a few traits that I feel the 57's would benefit from producing,
the added Upper Frequency Information is desirable.
The KLS 3 will remain in use until it has been presented to the local HiFi Group, and then I will be back to the ESL's for the long listening nights, and producing the Frame to assemble the Triple Stacked Array, due to ceiling height restrictions, the Array will be a little concave in the profile.
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