How It's Made - Electrostatic speakers

A Martin Logan electrostatic speaker is assembled from start to finish.

[@kimchee94112]

I had audition this one a few years ago and they sounded pretty good. Incredible transient response just like the full panels. Then l went to another room to audition a higher-end bookshelf speakers at less than half the price and for the life of me I could not tell the difference with the same music which is instrumental and voices. Crystal clear just blew my socks off. I'm must say those bookshelf speakers came a long way. But then you may not get the same results as those speakers at home if you don't have the $20,000 amplifiers and electronics setup at the showroom.

[@SpaghettiKillah]

kimchee94112 this all day Regular speakers (bookshelf or floorstand) have gotten so better that the little extra you might get from a ML it's not worth the hassle of the over-complicated design and higher price. These ML speakers have to be regularly and carefully dusted..those metal grills need a dry ambient and so on. Not worth the hassle IMO.

[@jimanderson9494]

That is some incredible shoddy workmanship and ridiculously cheap materials for what they’re charging for those.

[@K-Effect]

At 3:35 is that an electrocution scar on her right hand?

[@sunitadhyani1013]

No kind of an Indian temporary tatoo

[@topfuel29channel]

I like how the glue runs all over the inside of the box. No craftsmanship, just slap her together.

[@melody3741]

"the glue acts as a sort of cement" is one of the most redundant sentences ive ever heard

[@morrisonAV]

Yep, direct from the Department of Redundancy Department

[@hugeshows]

Interesting documentary, I'm surprised they showed so many of their production techniques. I've listened to MLs before, but to my ears they never sounded as good as Magnepan's offerings, despite the Maggie's inefficiency and need for lots of power. I think the main problem ML faces is the issue of trying to pair a really slow high mass woofer cone along with a super fast and light electrostatic element. The results just don't sound anywhere near as coherent to me. I'm sure with digital processing, you could overcome some of that issue, but I'm a fan of simple two channel tube audio with little or zero eq, so that isn't a route I would go even if it worked. I've never heard any of the super high end ML offerings though, so those might be in a different league than the model we saw being built here.

[@nanaandbump.]

This song is just a sequence patch from Native Instruments FM8 I think

[@AluminumHaste]

Very cool tech.

[@brucemoyers1006]

My maggies are on the low $ range. Bought 20 years ago, they still sound great. Remember the 1st rule of audio. LISTEN. Not only do you have a very unique ear but you have a unique "taste" in audio. You MAY find that the best sounding speaker is not the priciest. Beware "the Emporer's Clothing". Also, the electrostatics are called "selfish" not because of their power needs (which ARE substantial) but because they can be so narrow in their "sweet spot" that some allow only 1 person to sit in the perfect spot. Height is a big deal. Lower end models can come 4 feet high where higher end models may well be 6 feet tall. If you stand in front of a 4 footer, even 10-15 feet back, you may note that the speaker is lacking and only "opens up" when you sit. Think about how you'll use them. These are lousy speakers for parties and crowds. I much prefer a separate sub with a remote. You WILL find that the sub requires adjustment if you use this system for multi-source systems. Movies are a world away from Mozart. Beware the "high end" cable/patch cord myth.

[@ikonix360]

" You WILL find that the sub requires adjustment if you use this system for multi-source systems. " A proper sub properly set up with a properly treated room should be good for most everything. That said one wouldn't necessarily play 2 channel music on a surround sound system used for movies anyways.

[@ranbymonkeys2384]

Ya everything you said can be applied to any speaker.

[@brucemoyers1006]

@@ranbymonkeys2384 You haven't heard electrostatics. No big deal.

[@krispysback]

Yeah it was the difference between night & day when I stood up compared to sitting listening to these, ill stick with the norm

[@AboveEmAllProduction]

Lol its that guy who talk in some ytp videos on KZbin

[@DigiPal]

From $8K to $105K... I'll stick with the TV ones...

[@rewris]

$80,000.00 for these speakers that are held together with double-sided tape. Martin Logan can take a hike with that.

[@thescreamngshitter]

where does that number come from ?

[@michaelpaxhia7098]

rewris You're more than an order of magnitude off the price, at 42 seconds you can see that these are Martin Logan Ethos electrostatic loudspeakers, starting at $7,000 a pair...

[@rich1051414]

You apparently don't know what VHB tape is. That tape was used to lift a car off the ground back in the day when it was invented. It is basically like weld in tape form. A long time ago I used it to stick down a USB hub to my PC case, and I was never able to remove it. I ended up throwing the hub out with the case years later. It is not just ordinary double sided tape. You should get some. Here you go man: watch?v=7OtrDvDvF5I

[@utubecomment21]

If tape is used in construction, i'm sure its ok for the loudspeakers! kzbin.info/www/bejne/gn6chpalgNBqrZY

[@ixfxi]

I own a set of ML speakers and after 20 years, the VHB tape is indeed delaminating at certain parts - but the speakers still play and sound great. I agree though, it is a weak point in the design. Though, I am sure they've switched the type of VHB tape they've used over the years.

[@dreamdiction]

1:52 the whole signal goes through a passive crossover.

[@dreamdiction]

@Pedro Paco An active crossover AND a passive crossover ???

[@dreamdiction]

@Pedro Paco An active speaker with a built in amplifier can easily include a very efficient active low pass filter at about 100hz or below. Passive crossovers are inefficient for low frequencies because the inductors need to be so big. It's a strange design.

[@dreamdiction]

@Pedro Paco The crossover unit shown 1:55 is a quarter section 2-way design and he says, "it splits the audio signal to send low notes to the woofer and the rest to the electrostatic panel".

[@dreamdiction]

@Pedro Paco I understand your confusion and I cannot answer your question because the video does not make sense, I think the person narrating on the video does not understand what they are talking about. It's possible that there is no built in amplifier, it's possible that what he refers to as "the amplifier" is actually the high voltage step-up transformer which all electrostatic speakers need to make the membrane vibrate. The big Martin Logan loudspeakers do have sub-woofers with built-in amplifiers but maybe the model shown in the video is a smaller model which has no built in amplifier. This video is confusing so you should watch other videos about electrostatic speakers. You should listen to some electrostatic speakers because they have the sweetest midrange which I have never hear from normal dynamic speakers.

[@dreamdiction]

pedro paco You reply appeared and then disappeared.

[@fastsetinthewest]

Woof woof. Whof give a schitt?

[@steveducell2158]

ooooooooo............veneer covered MDF!

[@cheapandeasy1715]

That's what most speaker enclosures are made from. I damn sure wouldn't want cracking, warping solid wood enclosures.

[@ranbymonkeys2384]

How do you "boost an amplifier signal"

[@timhofstetter5654]

8) 8) 8)

[@umedmirzoaminov2077]

cool

[@randalltufts3321]

Everybody knows "you get more mileage from a cheap pair of speakers " lol Glue ,particle board , glad wrap and tape 80k hell no LOL

[@MasterMindmars]

Great. Which is the frequency margin?

[@hayel2015]

Wow 😲

[@socksumi]

Bullshit regarding full range electrostatics. There are and have been lots of good full range electrostatics that can produce excellent bass. Maybe they don't quite produce the dynamic punch of the best woofers but electrostatics have considerably better speed and pitch definition. Hybrid electrostatics always sound compromised in the bass compared to a good full range unit.

[@fredrikmontelius5215]

Hybrids are fine compromises. Full range electrostats are extremely large. Wives find them uglier. But they still sound best, to my ears.

[@MichaelBeeny]

The QUAD is/was a great example of a full range unit but it does not provide any great power handling at low frequency's.

[@ixfxi]

I own full range electrostats. I can tell you that they do not produce excellent bass. But then again, a subwoofer (or two, or three) is pretty much mandatory with ANY high-end system. I've never heard a speaker that did not need/benefit from sub augmentation.

[@sneedis9909]

3:33 that's a bad burn. ouch!

[@TheMalerdaemon]

Looks like Henna

[@Chuckychazza]

Curving the array only compounds low frequency distortion and does nothing for dispersion other than it looks right

[@Chuckychazza]

It also makes the diaphragm surface non linear with respect to forward and rear motion

[@samiam9059]

Shame they have to use MDF for the costs of those.

[@Southclarky]

MDF has some of the best audio properties you can look for. You don't want solid wood because of refractions. MDF Absorbs vibrations much better

[@samiam9059]

@@Southclarky Learned something! thx

[@davidperry4013]

Quad ESL blows even the most expensive martin logans out of the water.

[@notaclue143]

somebody knows !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@dontcare563]

I'd rather have magnapans!

[@hamiltonwolner7920]

Aonde comprar.

[@Owen_7271]

the inductors on the crossover hurted my eyes if you're ever building diy speakers please don't put the inductors like that

[@dreamdiction]

@Pedro Paco because the parallel orientation of the two inductors will make the inductive magnetic radiation interact between the two inductors (interference).

[@MichelLinschoten]

I am pretty sure Martin Logan knows wtf they are doing. I am also sure that the magnetic interference is marginally a “real” issue. Unless any of you ever build a esl and fully get its design (as shown here in this video) your opinions are hot drivel at best.

[@timhofstetter5654]

@@MichelLinschoten Not even fractionally close to the truth. Some of us actually know something about electronics. Uneducated technicians build these silly things.

[@decm8]

Who the hell calls the driver a “speaker cone”????

[@waynio67]

Different narrator in the u.k.

[@carolinadebella4090]

The materials are poor too much....

[@TheBartvdv]

those components are going to rattle in that woofer box, looks like it's not made to last

[@MaxDettwiler]

Did it only bother me that he said 'waffer' instead of 'woofer'?

[@m4mike250]

🤣😀🤣

[@abdelseyBOMB]

Very entertaining video! Keep it up :) , you definitely got potential. Keep the videos coming! If you don’t mind , check out my KZbin channel! Thanks fellow youtuber :)

[@randomthingch1970]

Oh yes, install the speaker cone, dont install the speaker

[@hqdefault]

How to make an electrostatic speaker starts at 2:38 .

[@BigChungusthe3rd]

why are Martin Logan speakers so expensive...

[@thedefener5980]

1st rule of being an audiophile. Don't be poor.

[@BigChungusthe3rd]

The Defener true that

[@socksumi]

In contrast to many "high end" products, ML are relatively cheap.

[@fredrikmontelius5215]

Could be limited production volumes? Handy people can actually make their own, poorly-sounding (with sound flaw spots in the panels) but working electrostats at home, very cheaply indeed.

[@RyKoMedia]

ML always has been a high-end brand. All that hands on you just saw in that video comes with a price tag. But of course you can find similar or better at a lower price. Audio is one of those things that can get out of hand very quickly.

[@jacobbrown1690]

give me horns in klipsch or jbl speakers any day...

[@searchiemusic]

this looks so cheap oh my god

[@roztomilestenatko]

řřhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

[@lennym1273]

WOW What over sized over priced pieces of junk...

[@decm8]

Pedro Paco I mean he’s not wrong.

[@decm8]

Pedro Paco and thank you for your worthless opinion

[@jukumariiramuri1557]

very cheap materials.

[@dnb5661]

For a high price!

[@timhofstetter5654]

Silly thing. SILLY.

[@KRAFTWERK2K6]

Hm... So not only Apple sells overpriced crap that is literally only held together with aluminium and glue.

[@geraldmosley2195]

Martin CHINA Logan I have two subs that would not work called Martin China Logan and they gave me this very high price for repair of a plate amp that was MADE IN CHINA. they wll never get my money.

[@ixfxi]

This is true, certain parts of their lineup are inexpensive and made overseas AND, they tend to gouge on the costs for replacement parts - regardless if they are cheap/defective. The Dynamo subwoofer amp is a perfect example.

[@krispysback]

All my speakers are ML & they work great except for the Dynamo woofer but they did help me in getting it working properly at no cost, shit you get a 5 year warranty. Bowers & Wilkins are China & they sound really good. Playstation is China & those work good so I guess not everything from China is shit. I would also like to point out that if these are being made in China then why does everybody in this video look like they're from the USA??