Electrostatic speakers and music

Electrostats are great speakers but unforgiving at the same time. And check out our newest KZbin channel / @octaverecordsanddsdst... Octave Records.

[@locmanw1583]

I recently got Martin Logan ESL and the highs are most like live instruments!

[@RadioHamGuy]

Thanks Paul for keeping the videos coming every day, I am just learning so much from them. Also, still enjoying the Sprout system here with the Elac speakers, I have really been very pleased and have been listening to a lot more music and really enjoying it more than ever. I have Alexa hooked up to them also and use that a lot and it really sounds great.

[@classichammond]

Double-stacked Quads since the 80's. Few things come close.

[@AmbroseLiao]

I have the same stacked setup. Stacked Quad ESL 57s in the Mark Levinson HQD stands. It's my Lifer system.

[@AldoSchmedack]

Best speakers I ever heard hands down, Martin Logan. I know a lot of people, been to a lot of fancy places. I have heard most everything. Again, nothing better than Martin Logan's.

[@johnmarchington3146]

I've owned a pair of Acoustat SPECTRA 6600 electroststics for over twenty years and wouldn't trade them for anything!

[@RoknRolUSA]

Still have my X with modded servo amps.

[@chonasimpson6487]

Paul obviously has a major bias based on his past impressions which is weird considering he is a engineer. You would think he would listen to every electrostatic and amp combination before generalizing. He will watch this video in the future and realize he was wrong.

[@johnmarchington3146]

@@chonasimpson6487 I doubt he'll ever admit that. What I don't know is what model(s) he is basing his opinions on. I'd really like to know that.

[@chonasimpson6487]

@@johnmarchington3146 Yes i agree i get the impression that he is very closed minded and is not the type to admit to a mistake. I would like to know what speaker he biasing his opinion on it would be very telling. All ESL are not equal as Paul seems to imply and not giving us a model is dishonest . You have to know this is the guy who was dead set on a mosfet front end over tubes in his integrated newest amp until he did a blind listening test and it turned out the tubes in the front sounded better something he was against from the beginning .I do not take his advice on anything to do with audio lol. Sorry for the spelling my keyboard is dying and some keys are not working take care.

[@johnmarchington3146]

@@chonasimpson6487 I have watched many of his videos and agree with a lot of what he says. Notable amongst that is his preference for DSD over PCM

[@aakar88]

Running Martin Logan Quest for many years, never considered replacement.

[@-havoc-tzu-3197]

Just bought ascent ii off of craigslist. Added a denafrips terminator and 2x t9i’s, and put the ascent ii on some isoacosutics gaia II and I don’t see a reason to ever get rid of them.

[@chasevineland1508]

Never owned PSAudio (hello to Colorado) but these videos are awesome. Great insight and shows lots of passion. I live in Minnesota, home to Audio Research, Magnepan, Bel Canto, Wadia, etc. Thank you for taking the time to make these videos. Will start looking into PSAudio equipment. The sprout looks like a perfect fit for my revamp of my bedroom system. (Current bedroom system is overkill dual Sunfire subs, Magnepan 1.6 with modded xovers, Parasound Halo Integrated, NAD Bee CD, Cambridge Audio phono amp, Project Carbon phono... need to simplify.)

[@louisxiiii]

And Atma-Sphere!!!

[@johnlebeau5471]

I am still listening to the same pair of SoundLab A-2 electrostatic speakers that I bought used in 1984. I used to spend my time trying to replace them but I never found anything I liked better, even the larger SoundLabs. I did indeed used to have panel flapping problems, I fixed them with a hair dryer, shrinking the mylar with heat. Since sending the panels to SoundLab for new panels with the new thinner mylar, I have had no problems. Two stories: I had a dealer over to the house to demo some interconnects for me. On one record, with a particularly low bass note, he started looking around the room. "What are you looking for?" I asked. "The subwoofer" he replied. There was no subwoofer. Second story: My son's girlfriend's father is, if not an audiophile, very interested in high end gear. After listening to my system, his first comment was "I thought electrostatics were supposed to be harsh". If his system is revealing bad recordings, maybe it's doing what it is supposed to do. I don't like listening to bad recordings either, but it is not my stereo's fault. The great recordings on the other hand can be magical.

[@andershammer9307]

That's right ! And I don't want to give up that magic. Sound lab speakers can sound just like my Acoustats.

[@jazzzman53]

Not all electrostats are directional. A phased array, wire-stator ESL like the one shown in the link below, curves the wave front electrically-- resulting in wider and smoother trending dispersion than other ESL types (or even most conventional speakers): jazzman-esl-page.blogspot.com

[@andersforsgren3806]

I've actually listened to Sound lab Majestic 945PX - they sound very nice indeed. But were completely out of my budget. I turned to Final sound, but were not entirely impressed, when reading up I found they also got quality issues I passed on those. My previous speakers had the ribbon tweeters from gamma, the VLD horns - the treble in those are very crisp. I still own those speakers and got 2 spare ribbons and crossover filter spare parts - one day they're going to make a comeback. :) So when talking about old speakers, and electrostats - if I ever come over a pair of used Quads at the right price. I might go for those. They're very midrange leaning, but sound really nice and the music lives.

[@daviddrake6875]

Hear! Hear! Beveridge Model 3 with Rel subs.

[@daviddrake6875]

@@andersforsgren3806 I agree from the first time I heard them in Carlsbad CA. Yes the music lives!

[@paulp.4970]

The Audiostatic ES-100 was a very popular speaker here in Holland some 25 years ago. They had a smaller model, ES-50. I owned it for a short time. Very revealing indeed, but no bass and very picky on amps. My Aura amp (B&W) clipped all the time, so I sold them. I like those huge Martin Logan's though!

[@mpmattson]

I found a pair of z110 janszens at Goodwill and ran them together with rtr g200b's. It was kind of amazing how well they combined.

[@WS-gs6sf]

I wholly agree with you on the e-stats. Had an old pair of Quads and on the two or three records that sounded great as long as you sat in the 'spot', it was quiet, the moon in the right phase, etc. Now I have horns and all is right in the world.

[@ggendel]

Thanks Paul. I was blown away back in the 70's after listening to a pair of Dayton-Wright electrostatics. I tried in vain to reproduce the sound with conventional designs (time-aligned, phase-aligned, etc.). In the 90s I went looking for new speakers and was not pleased about most of the current gen ELs. The best was the full-range product from SoundLabs but they exceeded my budget. I ended up designing and building a hybrid Electrostatic/transmission line woofer. They stand 8' 3" tall, the transmission line running up the length of the panels. They were highlighted in AudioXpress magazine. I drive them with the Nelson Pass A-4s and still love the sound of these. When these finally die, I'll probably check out the Sanders Electrostatic as replacements. BTW, I use the UK pressing of ELP's Lucky Man in my testing. The rich tones of the guitar and voice, the highs and lows of the keyboards really push a speaker.

[@chonasimpson6487]

Paul will never get it. He thinks his steely state stuff sounds good .I have heard it it gives me a headache lol.

[@osbert43]

Well, I like speakers that reveal, and question the "too revealing" observation. I have a pair of Quad ESL 57's. Yes, they are very fussy on things...placement, amplification etc. But get those right, and the room sorted, you are in musical bliss. Using a Radford STA25 amp, and with the ESL's given some help in the lower register with a pair of subs, I cannot hear speakers in boxes anymore without hearing the resonances of the box. And no, the one thing they don't do is keep me from listening to all types of music, a criticism that i often hear being levied at the Quads.

[@InsideOfMyOwnMind]

Hell froze over today as I witness an audio piece described as too revealing, but I agree it happens.

[@genehart261]

I love your wire rack. Black, brown, red, etc.

[@jk-mm5to]

Just scored a pair of Acoustat 2+2's with Medallion transformers. I can't wait to try them but need to make space first.

[@Chris-wp3ew]

I agree with you about Electrostatic Speakers in many areas. I had (and still do in storage). Martin Logan Quest Z's. You're 100% correct about head in a vice sound stagingand being extemely revealing. As far as bass? They had built in 12"subs so that was not an issue... I was thinking back on what I used to listen to when that system was running. You're right... Music selection was key. I do miss the BEING THERE experience.

[@ruk2023--]

I enjoy your videos. I'm not an audiophile by any means, my main system cost $1,000 (Q acoustics 3020 speakers on concept 20 stands, DALI E9F sub, Yamana CRX-N470D amp in case you were wondering) but I like listening to experts on subjects.

[@stephencosta6814]

Love watching your videos keep them up very informative as always you make it very understanding about complicated subjects

[@Justwantahover]

I hope you like a bit of Schubert, and a nice Jazz Ballad. I finally have come to the stage where I would rather not touch my speakers any more (I'm so happy with them). It's nice to get to that stage, so satisfying, after months of tweaking the crossover and the acoustics (as you will be pointed out briefly before the short demo). One big secret is to find material that is hard to reproduce when you know it's not the program content. e.g. Sada Adu's voice. If you can make her voice sound all right just about everything will sound good. And how to know if the recording isn't making harsh notes. Get other speakers, that simple. If it does the same thing it's a good chance it's the recording, but if it changes from (e.g.) a note that is too loud, becomes too soft instead, well the recording must be somewhat in between, so it's the speakers. I used the old school Marantz 801's as reference speakers cos they seemed to have good med and were available to borrow. lol And that made me realise I originally had way NOT ENOUGH MED in my speakers and I'm embarrassed to share the video of it I made months ago. lol Here we go with the more med: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eInEd4SVrNqKZ6c kzbin.info/www/bejne/a37MY6CGaKqfY6M

[@daveycrockett5738]

I think electro static speakers are perfect for electronic music for many many reasons. Any a lot a lot I mean a lot of electronic speaker are engendered very very well so it sounds so good .

[@andershammer9307]

Electrostatics may allow you to hear the worst in recordings but they also allow you to hear the best in those recordings. If your electrostatic speakers sound that razor sharp overly detailed then something is wrong. They should sound very open like an open window but never bright or screechy. If they do then something is wrong.

[@chonasimpson6487]

I starting to think he knows this just pushing his product .Or he is outright lying.

[@RennieAsh]

Sometimes I feel that people have a speaker with a bumped up mid or treble (or room issues) and call it "revealing/truthful" because it sounds annoying more often than not.

[@ryankowalski3670]

@@chonasimpson6487 this guy def hard core marketer over everything else

[@fullranger3435]

I had auditioned exactly these (audiostatic es 100) electrostats back in the early '90s, with a pair of big, Sonic Frontiers (if I remember well) 50 watt monoblock tube amps. The session was at a local dealer's big room and I was amazed by the huge and clear sound picture they created. Unfortunately, I heard them leading the poor amp to clipping too, when I tried to listen to my favorite classical songs by Anne-Sophie von Otter's enormous voice. I remember, their "smart advantage" over common electrostats was that they were using parallel thick cables as stators, instead of the usual, perforated metal or grid. I suppose this protected the mylar membrane from arcing but I didn't understand exactly how the loss of force on the membrane was avoided by these rather flimsy "stators". Moreover, I heard the membrane "slapping" softly against the "chords" at least a couple of times, when the bass was a bit more than their tastes would allow. Don't get me wrong, I definately liked them, I just recall these memories trying to find a different possible explanation about this, strangely, very delayed, dissatisfaction of their owner and user. I mean, is it really the quality of the recordings, or flaws of performance or little failures of synergy, that lead to unacceptable distortions? It is very common to take us sometime (although, rarely 24 years), before we start to realize the flaws and the drawbacks and the imperfections of our equipment. There's also another factor to rule in: As we age, we lose hearing, we lose important cellular components from our precious sonic receptors and this makes us more vunlerable to distortions, more prone to dissatisfaction by the quality of our music. But, perhaps this makes us also more avid audiophiles: We need better and better equipment, equipment that will ensure for us this "analog and liquid" quality, that only live music alone does have.

[@joppepeelen]

the cables are in series :) , not that it maters for high voltages :) but the design is a classic and mind bending good cheap idea that works :) although acoustat had the same sort idea. but did not use solid wire so could not be used as a stator itself.

[@OrganNLou]

Boy, I gotta agree with Paul on this one as I have owned a couple of pairs of Martin Logans and I could not quite get them to, "settle down' enough to enjoy them. Head in a vise, and too revealing sum up my experience. I now own Magnepans and am enjoying music again. .

[@chonasimpson6487]

I never liked Martin Logan that is the speaker i think this guy is referring to . Sound labs are on another level and never sound harsh they sound sweet and full and bring out all the detail in a realistic way and never reproduce any harshness.

[@chonasimpson6487]

Martin Logans are like comparing a rolls Royce to a Honda civic compared to Soundlabs the two sound completely different Sound labs are not bright at all they are smoother than any box i have heard yet all the micro detail is present effortless. Listen to the new big models on some OTLs sonic bliss with no listener fatigue. I am sure Paul had the Martin Logan i heard many models of these and almost wrote off electrostats like Paul until i heard the Soundlab A1PX they have nothing in common with Logans at all different sound and presentation from bass mids and highs they are not forward sounding and the music just floats in the air.

[@lawpenner]

@@chonasimpson6487 so are you saying that the Martin Logan's are like the Rolls-Royce or the Honda Civic?

[@sylviarienzo6955]

I’ve owned Quad ESL-63 electrostatic speakers since 1985 and I cannot understand Paul’s negative comments. I’ve never heard bad sounds coming out of my speakers. Never. I do listen 99% to opera and classical music and I can’t find any fault with them playing that sort of music. They are regularly criticized for not having enough bass. Maybe so, but they sound great to me. It could be the kind of music I like to listen to is ideal for electrostatics as they excel in the upper and mid-range and I love voice, piano, violin, guitar, harp, cello which can sound exquisite coming through my Quads. I think they are the perfect speakers for me.

[@n.lyndley.9889]

Too revealing… 🤔

[@socksumi]

I find good electrostatics to not only sound more transparent but more lifelike than cones in a box. On the best stats a piano sounds more like a piano in it's attack and in it's harmonic rendering. When a full range diaphragm thinner than cigarette wrapper with a mass lower than the air it's moving is driven over every square millimetre of it's surface you get a realism of sound that eludes cones/domes in a box. Yes electrostatics are revealing, but in a way that live instruments are. They are detailed and immediate while retaining music's subtlety. Resolution without screaming at you. Listen to a Quad 2812 and this quality comes through, no hot spots and no listener fatigue. Electrostatics also reproduce music's scale... a quality very important to realism that often gets forgotten. Because electrostatics have a large radiating surface instruments sound life sized. Something I can't say for metal dome tweeters and tiny woofers.

[@jimwernert4288]

I owned acustat 4's in the late 70s. I sold my Dahlquist dq10's and never looked back.The difference in realism gave me goose bumps.

[@drs-Rigo-Reus]

CHESKY. Look that up, great music, great recordings. No?

[@bobsmoot8454]

Harold Beveridge designed his original Beveridge Cylindrical Sound Speaker that allowed the listener to walk around and through the sound field and the images stayed stable as you moved. They were astonishing speakers but the frequency extremes were limited and ultimate SPL was low, but because of line source alignment the sound drop at 1/d not the normal 1/d2 so it did emulate real life sound. For me it just didn’t have the jump and dynamics or room air control. Very cool speaker, according to Walt Bender 60 pairs were built.

[@andershammer9307]

The first time I heard electrostatic speakers it was the KLH Nines. For the first time I heard the female voice sound real. My Acoustats sound real and better than the nines.

[@InPursuitOfLiberty]

I was considering buying the Martin Logan Expression ESL 13A but then I accidentally came across the ATC active 100's and was utterly blown away! I think active spkrs with a great preamplifier DAC and streamer are the way to go!

[@bretspangler8717]

With lessons learned, if and when you move, do you have any new ideas for your new listening rooms? To be fair, not everyone has a reference speaker system, perhaps have a more modest line of gear in one room, something more typical of what the average listener might have.

[@patthewoodboy]

if there are recording flaws , that equates to a flaws in a live performance (which there will always be) .. you have got what you wanted :-)

[@DasAntiNaziBroetchen]

Next price category: Pay a band to play for you on demand. *Without flaws.*

[@usandthemx]

@@DasAntiNaziBroetchen kzbin.info/www/bejne/oqK9aox-p9Wsirc

[@paulstubbs7678]

What a lovely setup you have there, I'd love to wonder over and try to get a job there, just one small problem - Wrong country!

[@stevehuk902]

One thing I notice with mine are that they can at time be to focused on clarity and as a result lack a little in feel if that makes any sense.

[@douglasbonner6543]

You have the cleanest roof I have ever seen!

[@lyfandeth]

Fast-On is a trademark! The dimple in the middle of it helps lock the two halves together. Cheap copies don't have that.

[@RennieAsh]

The best versions of these connectors have a springy tab that lets you move the locking dot down so that you can unplug the connector. Ones that have a dot with no tab are irritating to remove

[@QuaqQuao]

It is so long since I've listened to music through electrostats. My recollection is that of warmth and musicality. Clapton and Pink Floyd and whatever Vinyl we could find. Driven by a tube otl amp.

[@chonasimpson6487]

You are correct do not know what this guy is taking about i find his stuff harsh and fatiguing lmao. I really do not know what speaker he has heard.

[@sansocie]

Love to know the reasons. A great idea, why did it not take root?

[@sydsailling]

i love the electrostatic speaker i am a fan of Martin Logan i experience in theatre with a large opening around 25 year ago wile i was on tour with a theatre company experimenting with the audio set up. the front of the stage was equipped with normal setup Meyer sound system UPA that i love with subWoofer in each side of the stage then i had a centre closter and that where it came very interesting, unsted pointing the colster speaker straight or open as every on do, i inverted the upa the right speaker pointing left and the left speaker pointing right the speaker was joint together and set in mono both. the result was amazing you could walk from left to right in theatre and the sound stage was so good and practically equal from left to right to center the image was superbe. just wanted to share my experience.. thank you

[@richardsoffice9176]

Real quick! Many years ago, I attended the Navy Nuclear Power School, when it was on Mare Island, Vallejo, California. (So, I'm not a complete slouch! Just a partial -) There was an upscale audio salon in town. This was around 1969, a long time ago. They had a pair of Electrostatic speakers. They were like tall, not very wide, rectangular doors. Thin, of course. And, really great! The sound, midrange & highs, just wafted past. Very pleasant! Not exaggerated, not overly sharp & brittle. When I stood close, there was some bass. But not too much, as the active element can't move too far. Although there was also an appreciable amount of total surface area. And, since there was no enclosure, front & back was exposed, the lower frequencies can 'sneak around' the sides & cancel themselves out. Similar to suspending a woofer, out in the open. Perhaps putting this, in an enclosure, or even INTO a wall, part of the wall, so that the sound would play equally in two rooms (being out of phase between the two rooms, shouldn't hurt) could help. Probably not ideal, for loud, bass heavy rock music, but fine for transients, nice acoustic music, strings & piano. Do you remember the name? Who made these? If & when discontinued? The ones at the Best Buy Magnolia salons, today, are too 'brittle' & distorted, in the high end.

[@TSUTENKAKU007]

Was the Stereo Showcase the stereo store you visited?

[@richardsoffice9176]

@@TSUTENKAKU007 Sounds good! Thanks for asking! Sorry, don't remember, almost 55 years ago! Still Kicking! Hope that you're well!

[@charliedavidson3878]

I love your honesty . That said ouch , I remember demoing My MX110 MC225 combo with my TD124 rhapsody playing a Norah Jones record that the person that was interested in my system brought with him . I remember the insult like it was yesterday He said my system had no wow factor . It cut deeply into my heart so deeply I have never demoed anything since . I remember my fuse was lit and then he fanned the flames by saying his POS Sansui sounded the same . Last thing I remember saying as I tossed his record was Norah Jones has no wow factor . As diplomatic as you wore you know you just tore the heart out of that person . It's funny I have a collection of RCA store display Nippers except I can only afford the 18 inch store display I just purchased the 24 inch wall store display .

[@davidcooper5442]

I have had 2 pairs of QUAD ESL 57 speakers back in late 70-s to mid 80's. Loved what they did well but was annoyed at what they did not do so well. I then in 1984 came a cross a crazy French pair of Speakers by Ge'Go Orthophase OR3 W4. They sounded way better than my 57 hence i sold the 57's and still own the Orthophase speakers today. Indeed i went to France in 1990 and bought a modern pair of ESL Orthophase OR 27 which again i still have today. Also of note is that Ortophase speakers are still in production today in Vannes Bretagne France by a chap called Ted Devannes. The speakers are made up of multiple planar ribbon diaphragms .

[@trevorpsy]

Hi Paul. I've owned a pair of Accoustat 2+2s for many years, which are full range electrostatic speakers. And you're right, poorly recorded music can drive me out of the room. The good news is that CDs are sounding better than ever so that I have a wide variety of music at my fingertips that I indulge in without consternation. Remastered CDs are particularly good these days. I found a way to greatly reduce the strength of the back wave of my 2+2s, which has solved my bass problem for all music except hard rock. I've often wondered if anyone has built huge speaker enclosure for an electrostatic speaker in order completely kill the back wave. It would have to be in a huge room, but I think it would sound incredibly good. I heard a pair of $16,000 Wilson speakers a couple month ago with state of the art amplification and couldn't stand the high end. Electrostatic speakers have spoiled me.

[@andershammer9307]

Yes every speaker sounds broken after living with electrostatics. I heard the Wilson Wamm once and it sounded like a bunch of drivers that didn't integrate well. I heard the IRS V's twice and while they are good the ribbons have a sort of metal click coloration and the image wanders up and down the drivers which bothered me. Electrostatics require great electronics behind them and when you give them that all the problems people have complained about them mostly go away.

[@trevorpsy]

Absolutely! Recent I invested in an Asthetix Calypso tube line amplifier, which has turned my electrostats into the best sounding speakers I've ever heard. The image is magical, the detail is amazing, and the frequency response is remarkably flat from top to bottom. There is nothing that I want to improve.

[@trevorpsy]

@@twhalen Quite the opposite. Have you actually listened to CDs made in the 80s? Try Leonard Bernstein conducting West Side Story recorded in 1985. It's unlistenable - harsh, glassy, just plain weird. This is one of many, many examples I can name. On the other hand, try Marin Alsop conducting any of the Brahms symphonies, recorded in 2005. They're wonderful. Again, one of many, many examples I can name. For example, try Getz A Go Go, mastered for CD in 2007. Spectacular! What kind of CD player do you have? I have an Ayre CD player that retailed for $6,000 in 2010. Quality of your player can make all the difference.

[@TheBjjninja]

Good music is subjective. Recording quality can more or less be measured depending on the metrics

[@JohnMartin-vc5dj]

Hi Paul, John here, love your tone when talking . So, laidback. Love my kit, and for me the music is involving and toe tapping. Just to help you see where I am going, I have 3 front ends, Vinyl, CD, and digital . Casta C Horn Speaker, Schiit Frya+ Tube Preamp, Audiozen 90 Watts Linear Power amp. Roon manages my digital Tidal and Spotify. , Digital my CD Redbook in all I my ears need in this front end . Love my vinyl to sound better. Wondering about your Phono Stages in my kit. Best Regards John

[@Paulmcgowanpsaudio]

Thanks!

[@ColAngus]

Oh yes jefe, you have a plethora. :D

[@lcarliner]

The double pair of KLH-9 speaker system had some of the best and musical double bass sound there is! It seemed that all of the other speaker technology rendered Timbre like that of a ball park stadium Hammond organ playing the 7th inning ditty! They are best driven with OTL vacuum tube amps of the Futterman design era. I really miss them.

[@andershammer9307]

It was the KLH 9's that did it for me. Hearing a female human voice sound so natural. I have a pair but the need repair. The Acoustat X's are better.

[@famousutopias]

Back in another life when I serviced ESL’s happened to have two pair KLH 9s and OMG everything you say is true. The bigger the room (within reason) the bigger they sounded. I had an open floor plan 1500 sq ft space and it was heaven. And we played everything on them.

[@jctrox8461]

I like those designs, have a pair of magnepans and love them, and have plenty of bass for everyday use, just not like a traditional woofer, that's what I keep my Polk sda models for on the heavy bass days, other than that the magnepans get used more because their smooth as silk and provide enough bass to me anyway.

[@bluesfish55m51]

Realizing this is an old thread...how weird, I too have SDA’s and Maggies. Purchased the Polks new in ‘89. Others have come and gone but the SDAs and the Maggie’s will always have a place for me.

[@adsaudioenthusiastic8704]

Sir i have JBL ES100 4way Tower Speakers. I mainly used them for movies n stereo songs listening. But sometimes i found too much boominess from it which spoil the entire music/sound. So what will you suggest?

[@friedmule5403]

Why do I suddenly think of Futurama and professor Farnsworth? :-)

[@InsideOfMyOwnMind]

What happens if you toe them in a bit more than a c hair?

[@erics9754]

The face he is making in the thumbnail of the video is the face I make when I listen to monkey coffin speakers.

[@amdenis]

Are you kidding? Not sure what you listen to in your home, for pleasure listening room; but if you have’t demoed top electrostatics made recently, you owe it to your love of music. I own a recording studio here in Arizona with several mixing, mastering, tracking and demo rooms; as well as a presentation theater and a media lab- which collectively have Focal Trio’s and Grand Utopia’s, Barefoot Mini main 12’s, Infinity QRS’s, Martin Logan Renaissance 15A’s and various lower fidelity mix check speakers. I have owned quite an array of different speakers over the past 5 decades, including electrostatics, plasma, line array, and many different traditionally designed cabinet style types. I am not sure what type of speakers you own or listen to at work or home, but we use 7 different mixing, mastering, demo and other environments with a range of different levels of diffusion reverberation management and room shapes and sizes, from smaller 24x17x14’ LEDE style, to 26x59x14 diffused/trapped, to quantum acoustics style active/passive mode and mildly treated rooms. Some have standard shapes (parallel walls), some are more asymmetric. We have have learned the following: the most forgiving of everything but low current amps are the Martin Logans (electrostatics). If we want to impress people with sheer musicality, imaging and soundstage we use either the Martin Logans or the Focal Grand Utopia. That;s independent of the source material, For some types of material where we are not as concerned with flattering the music, but rather, have a larger group, it’s the Infinity’s. If we want to demo a pre/post master session, it’s the Focal Trio’s or the Barefoot 12’s. In any event, unless you have badly made, cheap or pre 1980’s electrostatic’s, nothing comes close to a great Magneplanar or Martin Logan for flattering, musicality. In contrast, the Barefoot, Infinity and others are much less musical. The Focal’s bring a great balance between musicality and analytical/revealing sound, making them our favorites for the majority of mixing and mastering. As I said, I am not sure what you use at home for pleasure, or if you are that serious about music that you have a great hime system, but if you can, demo some great ML’s or Magnaplanars- depending on your room size, equipment and budget.

[@CarlVanDoren61]

Any words on Sound Lab Speakers?

[@randomtube8226]

What are good speakers to look for when listening to music with bad recordings? Does bad recordings effect the tweeters the most? Also what exactly are bad recordings and what causes it? Is it how its mastered or something?

[@czmik]

Random Tube search for "loudness wars"

[@johnnybravo2905]

I'm building a low budget system right now, starting with hafler xl280 amp,with hafler dh110 preamp, what if any turntable or inexpensive speakers would you suggest I go with. I live in small 2 bedroom apartment, thank you for any recommends!!!!

[@jasonjackson3114]

If you haven't already made a purchase this is my take. If you like a warm, forgiving sound then the Wharfedale Diamond 11.1 standmount or a second hand 10.1. If you like an accurate, upfront sound a Q- Acoustics 3020 is excellent or second-hand 2020i is a great buy. Q-Acoustics make floorstanding speakers and all of them are good except the original 2050. The 2050(i)- 2050i is outstanding as is the 3050 and 3050i floorstander.

[@martinjandijkstra3205]

I know esls very well, including audiistatic es100. The problem is not the revealing nature of electrostatic technology but the erratic response of some of these speakers. At some recordings this response hurts, others less. You can google measurements of the es100, if i remember correctly, done by stereophile many years ago.

[@socksumi]

I love electrostatics but am also put off by the narrow dispersion. Some of them like Sandersound are ridiculously directional and the effect is like listening to earphones... the sound is literally going on in your head. Most stats don't integrate well with the listening room and sanders apparently likes it like that. It's an incredible transducer if you like the dispersion of a laser beam. There have been attempts at wide dispersion designs... the Beveridge, Soundlabs, even the Quad models are better than average. There is a completely omnidirectional design made in Canada by Muraudio which has been raved about in some quarters. Maybe that will be the holy grail.

[@n.lyndley.9889]

Roger Sanders invented the wide-dispersion ELS, discarded the idea after a few years due to many flaws, and Martin Logan use the system.

[@frankdiaz1005]

paul i have used electrostat speakers for a long time and you are right they do all you say until i solved the problem first i put my dayton wrights away i then thought about an es speaker that i heard a long time ago acoustat 2+2s it took some time to find them got my first pair and wow what a diff from the d.w.s still i new it could beter i now have 6 2+2s 4 put together with supertweters on front and rear of 4in full panel 2 in center of room on same side as others 18in subs in corners downfiring on other side of room ihave a 4x12 coustom sub with a pair of bose 901 s2 eqed by a dit equlizer 2 supertweters all are put throu a speaker manmenaget sys tem running mackee amps and yamaha amps all speakers have sep volumes you can set and blend it all walk were ever you want to it sounds the same i use a pro cd player it will make you cry its sounds so sweet there is a lot more to it set up wize we wont get in to that yet it can be done man and es speakers getting along you will fall in love with all the lady singers keep the vids paul they are great frank diaz first system when i was 6 years old

[@n.lyndley.9889]

That’s one, long sentence.

[@clydeblair9622]

Good music and good recordings aren't rare, unless you're extremely neurotic.

[@brazillm10]

This why everyone considering a speaker upgrade should try to listen to a variety of speakers before making the final decision and buying a pair. Don't just assume you'll like one brand over another based on a KZbin video or a professional review. Also, bring your favorite music to the demo. Especially an album or two that you know is bright or a little grungy. Don't necessarily assume the dealer has the same music tastes as you. Listen with equipment that is close to what you will be connecting to the speakers. Better yet, bring your amp along and use it to demo the gear. If you can find a way to get the speakers into your home with your gear, even better. Lastly, If a salesperson goes out of his way to listen to your wants and needs, takes his time educating you, and helps you pick out the right product for your room, reward them with the sale. Don't be that guy who takes up a salesperson's day(s) and makes them jump through hoops only to run home and buy that pair of speakers on amazon or crutchfield.

[@pcno2832]

2:50 Too bad the "Sonic Holographic Generator" never got to market. I've always put my speakers fairly close together and aimed outward, and it's always frustrated me that stereo speakers are so often close together and aimed forward when there isn't the room or the will to separate them , as on most boomboxes, TVs, Bluetooth speakers, and the old consoles from the 1960s. Bose Wave radios have them aimed slightly outward and even with the somewhat artificial quality of the sound from them, one of the most noticeable things about them is the stereo image they project, considering their size.

[@thespotlightkid1011]

I want one 'Sonic Holographic Generator' please ...chop chop

[@TheMB2333]

I got a little Mister Rogers vibe from this video. 😊

[@_H_2023]

Could always purchase a pair of Wharfdale SFB/3s

[@joloevaa]

I have had Quad, Martin Logan and Stax electrostatic speakers. I still have the Stax, but they are currently not i use. I have another self made ESL speakers in use at the moment. They are better than the Quad and Martin Logan, but irritating when it comes to recordings. To good to be good..., or to good to be kind. So I also has a couple of Fostex monitors. They are good to be bad.., or good to bad recordings. So when I want to listen to good music with good recordings I use the electrostatic and when the music is performance is good, but the recordings is bad I prefare the Fostex. However it is music I am listening to, not the reproductive gear. Happy listening.

[@pocajonta46]

Hi I have sunfire grand cinema amp this amp play with RIBBON speakers thank you?

[@barryhall7]

Cut to the chase man 😃

[@Hemshemsems]

Electrostatics are like surround in 2 channels..

[@InsideOfMyOwnMind]

If you put them half way between where the backs and fronts would be.

[@ixfxi]

you couldnt have said it better

[@CrustyCurmudgeon]

I'd take issue with this opinion and qualify it by age. I'd agree that older electrostats were more difficult to work with and perhaps too revealing in some circumstances. However, more recent vintage units, like the Martin Logan's with integrated woofers from recent years, don't suffer from this as much. I have a pair of Montis that I do not detect these sort of issues with.

[@dorningarts]

I heard the Montis, one of the best speakers on the planet, and the woofer integrates flawlessly, love it!

[@floshi6519]

00:39 Lovely.

[@scottbennett3119]

Paul, you mentioned you developed sonic holography. Did Bob Carver use your design concept for his Sonic Holography generator?

[@scottbennett3119]

Are you considering bringing the Spatial Projector to market?

[@Enemji]

Isn’t the Yamaha Soundbar similar in concept by using multiple drivers arrangment to create a wide sound stage?

[@markymo32]

I can find a few of Paul"s list but none of them have Dire Straits on it. Has anyone seen and know what dong from Dire Straits he is talking about ?

[@andershammer9307]

My electrostatics allow me to hear every op-amp in the mixing consoles and the quality of their power supplies and the cables used but I listen past that and just listen to the music. I dare anyone who says electrostatics don't have bass or dynamics or can't play loud to come and listen to mine.

[@daviddrake6875]

What kind do you have?

[@andershammer9307]

@@daviddrake6875 Acoustat X with modified amps.

[@ryankowalski3670]

@@andershammer9307 YES. Best speakers I've ever heard / owned. Acoustat X with OTL direct drive "God Mod" from mike savuto is what I've got. Bass is amazing.

[@ziqfriq]

For me, you can pry my Martin Logan CLS's from my cold dead hands. I like to hear all the instruments in an orchestra, or all the voices of a fugue played on a keyboard. Sometimes I listen with score in hand. I'm guessing your sonic hologram is the reverse of a M-S microphone. But I'll have to look up the patent.

[@beagle7622]

I am not being picky but are you talking CSL’s. I own the base Martin Logan Electrostatic ESL’s & I am just not interested in changing them . I have an awful room with lots of glass but the Martin Logan’s are so satisfying for me. I play Records, CD’s, downloads & on line music through a Bluesound Node 2 . The sound quality through my record player is as good as I was always trying to get. That is I love them .

[@borisbulldog]

Thanks, 6 gauge wire gives me a woody

[@Justwantahover]

BLOWING MY OWN TRUMPET (or bragging about my own speakers) I make my own speakers from components that I purchase. I have 2 pairs so far, a pair of lounge towers and a pair of PA speakers. I also build my own crossovers and I can make a speaker sound how I want by tweaking the crossover (mainly) and also by doctoring the drivers and tuning the enclosure and bass vent. I also made a new type of bass vent. I purchased a pair of 10" bass/med PA drivers with a 3" voice coil and 3" center cavity, of which I set in a bullet tweeter (2.7" diam) that just fits in with a small gap around it. PA drivers like these are the only type driver with a voice coil large enough so I can set the bullet tweeter in the cavity. And I can adjust the tweeter at the best point-source height, cos the depth of the central cavity in the bas/med drivers is sufficient to get the tweeter seated deeply enough for point source sound. The tweeter diaphragm is just above the start of the bas/med cone. Phase aligned with the best average position (considering cone slope and high frequency source in the bass/med drivers). The PA drivers cost $200 each (Aust) and the bullet tweeters are $23 each. 150 w power handling and more efficient than my lounge towers. The PA drivers are in a "fold-back" type enclosure and the 10" driver is set about 4 mm above the hole on the enclosure (by spacers) and the speaker hole has a 1" lip around the inside (lip made of bent ply). The lip gives better acoustic quality in the bass/med and the raised driver makes the voice sound much more "open" and improves the med from a 10" driver. Inherently the med from a 10" driver is inferior to a 4" driver, cos 10" is too big for good transient response and resonance is more prone with large drivers, causing coloration in the med. Raising the driver from the enclosure seems to help a lot cos it completely changes the resonance patterns, but the transient response is still lacking with the heavy 10" cone and there is still some coloration in the upper med. So I doctored the 10" cones by slightly scribing like bicycle spoke lines on the cone to make it flex more (and still be bass stiff). And I have a couple of bits of light foam rubber glued to the 10" cone inside. And also I fed some med into the tweeters (they have a 1.5" diaphragm) and they seem to handle 22 mf caps without blowing out or making any bad sounds and the med signal is cut back with about 40 ohms of resistance and it's in parallel with the main cap. The main cap is a two step cap. A 2 mf cap and a 1 mf cap (1.8 ohm resisted) in parallel with the 2 mf cap. This makes it effectively 3 mf. This is better than the straight 3 mf cos it improves the "S's" in the speech. Speech is great for testing speakers cos we know what a voice sound like. The med from the tweeters is superior and covers up much of the coloration from the 10" cone. They are the best speakers I have heard cos they are the first two-way point-source speakers I have heard and the sound quality is there too. I have a 200 w per ch amp and when you turn it up loud, the music oozes with that great super soundstage image. The image is more powerful than with single full rage speakers cos they are two-ways. If you spend a lot of money on good full range drivers they have a good soundstage, but the vast majority of full range speakers don't go high enough for a good image (even if they are point source). The good full range drivers are way expensive and they still have the doppler problem anyway (and the top high-end Feastrex full range drivers are like $70 grand a pair). lol It's the combination of a single source, great high frequency response and non colored sound that give you the great point source image. So instead of spending so much on good full range speakers, point source two-ways are a much cheaper way to get the extra khz for that point source soundstage (like the KEF Uni-Q speakers). My PA speakers are completely 100% point-source cos the bass vent is also point source and the new vent design doesn't compromise bass/med quality either. It sounds as good as any bass vent. The bullet tweeters are really efficient so I had to resist them a bit to match the bass/med drivers (that are also way more efficient tham my 6" lounge speaker woofers). The extra med fed into the tweeters makes it sound amazingly accurate and detailed cos of the superior transient response in the tweeter's med. Voice sounds really smooth for a 10" driver. Voice and piano are the first things you notice that is delightfully different with point source speakers.

[@justingriffin2546]

wow..sounds interesting..do you have pics or plans? Im interested in making some speakers myself...did you make the boxes with wood ? also any idea how much it cost you?

[@Justwantahover]

+Justin Griffin MAKE YOUR OWN SPEAKERS Use any size box (within reason) and make sure it's solid and use damping material inside. And you have to adjust the bass vent size to match the driver and box used (explain later). Buy (or find) woofer&tweeter and a 1.8 mh choke for the woofer and a 3mf cap and a (highly resisted)22mf cap for the tweeter. Connect 3 mf cap to tweeter and bypass the cap with the 22mf cap resisted by 47 ohms resistor. The 22mf cap makes the tweeter sound "point source" (similar setup used on some speakers made commercially). It greatly enhances the "image" by having more of the vowels in speech in the tweeter. If sound to too much bass resist the woofer a little bit. If there is to much treble, resist the tweeter a little bit. If treble is too harsh go to 2 mf cap. Iif treble is too "wiry" thin go to 4.7 mf cap (a rarity). If voice is too husky or harsh resist the 22cap on the tweeter more. If treble is good but voice is "muffly" resist 22 mf cap a less. If too much voice go to next size up choke on woofer. If not enough voice go to next size down on choke on woofer. Use a 2" tube for the bass vent and a small tube hugged around it that can slide in-and-out. Try with fully extended and if bass is too "pumpy" lows than shorten the tube till it sounds best and stick it there and make the other one the same. Or if bass is too "bonky" extend the tubes more. This is a really simple design (not the best) but better than no crossover and it's easy to make (except the tweeter bit). The secondary choke is omitted (on the woofer) cos it's more expensive and hard to do but if you want to do it you have to put a back circuit on it and it gets tricky cos of impedance problems. One choke is not too bad cos it's usually fairly small and that's what they do with cheaper speakers. One choke instead of 5 things and so much simpler to do. Sounds good too but you still may need some bass boost on the amp. Make bass horn enclosures for more bass with just one choke.

[@AquaFreak]

Netherlands 🇳🇱👌 love your vids & products

[@paulb.3227]

A lot of very good audio is produced in our petit country!

[@henryrooyakkers8510]

@@paulb.3227👍

[@maxwelsh6121]

Hmm. I always thought my martin logan esl xstat were pretty "sweetening" cd was oft ick thru them , but analog, even poor analog was sugar yet incise

[@clydeblair9622]

Revealing or distorted?

[@leohobbleohobb3781]

eletrostats can be to revealing.Think it has to do with the recording stage.most studios dont have as revealing speakers when the music is made.To me the planar magnetic drivers and amt types are most best sounding.with diagram made off capton film with the traces for music signal is mostly aluminum that is used.today with stronger neodymium magnets bars behind and in front off membran(phus pull) gives it higher sensitivity than the "normal" driver with coil and membran with spider ovs makes it a slow start and stop perfomance compared to a planar magnetic.I like ribbons without impedance transformator needed, today and for some time they have made amt type tweeters with 6-8ohm and planar magnetics the same where the impenance is now so high that the impedance trafo is not needed and not a hevy load on amplifiers as in old days since 6-8 ohm resitor is what the power amplifier see while"normal driver" varies the impedance with frekvensy since it uses a coil.planar ribbons and amt mids andTweeters with aluminum membran sounds harhs/harder than capton foil membran.

[@DoktorKoch]

That is a very good point. If recording studios are not using electromagnetic speakers to monitor and playback, and then it played on electromagnetic speakers afterwards, then discrepancies are gonna become apparent.

[@ggdszzvx0509]

If they are so detailed and reveiling can they be used in music production mixing and mastering?

[@nicholasreeves5025]

A fantastic question, however I don’t know of anyone who uses them. They can be amazing but if we’re all being really honest they don’t suit rock music. I know some will flame me for saying that but it’s true. Please bear in mind I have some Martin Logan electrostatics, I think it’s just important to be honest about this.

[@ggdszzvx0509]

@@nicholasreeves5025 thanks, i see.. Well maybe someone could use them as a secondary monitor, i mean It is a shame that electrostats were not implemented in that way. Idk if they are just stressful to the ear or what,but i see them as a serious business cake slice...

[@ggdszzvx0509]

@@nicholasreeves5025 do you know something' bout eventual phase response issues? They have so much electronic stuff to bring up voltage before the signal goes in the panel afterall

[@markfreedman2470]

Electrostats separate excellent engineers from the ones that shouldn’t be allowed near a mixing consoles and mikes. And engineers you don’t know how to control acoustics.

[@lwdp74]

An old AR D76a or even a Dynaco stereo 70 tube amplifier would go a long way to make your less than perfect albums sound sweeter. They don’t know how to fatigue!

[@listedlister8052]

Hello sir. It appeared to me immediately that the item you described of spatial acoustics emitted from a single device may be indefinitely related if not licensed by Apple in the recent homepod device. That sounds really exciting and I like building things too! I think your channel is going to go bombastic for some reason.. I don't know how Paul, maybe you know it too... Anyway, that's enough from me, maybe I'd be lucky and you'd be kind enough to comment on my scrambled ramblings. Kind Regards.

[@listedlister8052]

From leaving my comment and refreshing the page I see you have had 200 views... that should say something.

[@listedlister8052]

Yeah unfortunately our grammar is about the same grade too... I should have tried harder :( Just kidding... And yeah that's true it's likely obvious to the tamest of viewers... Ah well I'm a crazy fanatic sometimes. Not really though I'm not into idols, but its sometimes fun to think you're giving the author a fright - laugh - or shock! - depending on how they take it.

[@gerasimger15]

0:39 duck 🦆 😂

[@peterw2714]

Too revealing that’s the best way to describe them you’re right Paul. To the point that there’s a hiss the background constantly. Never could warm up to this type of speaker.

[@chonasimpson6487]

If there's a hiss something is wrong with them never hear a hiss from my Soundlabs.

[@peterw2714]

@@chonasimpson6487 they were demos at a high end audio store. The sales women loved them, I didn’t

[@andershammer9307]

No No NO NO NO I will never give up my Acoustat X's. They may be revealing but they absolutely do not lack bass or dynamics. A good recording sounds like the real thing and that's what matters. I have a lot of other stereo systems for playing average to poor sounding recordings.

[@JessicaSeverin]

Agree! I will never give up my Acoustat 1+1 ESLs. I also don't agree with Paul's opinion, keep the ESLs. I've found bliss recently in used vinyl from the 1960s and 70s, especially classical and jazz. Seems the recording techniques and esthetics peaked around that time.

[@HolweckStage89]

Agree strongly, i have a pair of X's and IV's. They are absolutely wonderful speakers that some 30 years on still work without flaws!

[@KOIFLA]

I found my ESLX has a wider soundstage than convention dome and cone speakers. Placement and imaging is very forgiven compared to conventional speakers. Perhaps he’s referring to much older speakers but think it’s a misleading statement and he looses credibility by making it.

[@andershammer9307]

Make sure you update your servo amps with good audiophile grade caps and use GE 6HB5 tubes and your Acoustats will sound stunning.

[@RoknRolUSA]

Running modded servo amps, keep the faith. I still remember Absloute Sound's review and they were stunned at the bass. Could shake concrete.

[@thiscorrosion900]

I think I'd rather have a pair of Paradigms with a good powered subwoofer and a nice McIntosh amp, and that would do me if I had the dosh. Sounds to me like electrostatics are a bit too finicky for rock, blues, folk-rock, punk, goth, dance and pop music, which is mainly what I listen to, plus jazz and some classical. I cannot stand distorted speakers or headphones, but I also cannot stand when they lack at least some solid, true bass response. I just picked up a new pair of hybrid electrostatz headphones, they sound darned good considering they weren't the Koss $2000 ones or whatever. They've managed to make them high-efficiency and they do have some decent bass response, although not quite as good or sublime as my planar HIfiman HE400is. I never had the money for electrostatic speakers or $10000 power amps etc. or the room for any of that stuff. However I've heard both Infinity and Paradigm and Martin Logan electros in some audiophile shops, so I know how good they can sound set up properly. I used to sell pro audio for about three years in the later 80s, but this was at a NY low to mid fi retailer who shall remain nameless, and we didn't exactly sell really high-end stuff. Yamaha or Harmon Kardon were about the highest level, Onkyo etc. We did have tons of Sennheiser headphones and those sold like mad.

[@gizmothewytchdoktor1049]

electrostats don't mask sound. the detail is wonderful from those style units. the recording practices of the present time though should give any casual listener pause. the solution shouldn't be replacing the driver assemblies. the solution should be better mastering of content. there is also consideration of age of the processing and power units in a setup. the older the equipment the farther from original spec it likely is due to component value drift over time. head units and amps will change their sound over time because of this. bias levels will change,switching points will change due to this as well as filtering caps ability to do their jobs correctly. the onset of these aberrations is slow and one could say insidious as you only reference the end result over long periods of time. distortions/transient abnormalities are introduced that were previously not there. i wouldn't blame the stats first though. i would be testing the health of the head end equipment and recording material first before purchasing new driver assemblies. a very general and short 2cw.

[@Oystein87]

Not quite.. When you move left (or right) from normal speakers you hear alot more of the other speaker than you think. Try and then disconnect the oposite speaker from the one you are closest to. I can sit straight in front (let's say 50cm from the speaker) of my left speaker and still hear ALOT of the right speaker. The further back from the speakers I sit in the room the more I hear both speakers.

[@twochaudiomg2578]

must be a nice speaker you designed must not work right. he loved hearing about retiring his ELS speakers

[@barbecuetechtips6024]

Electrostats are the best audio experience

[@ColAngus]

How long do they last though? I heard dust collects on the membrane.I'm looking to get some Martin Logans but haven't taken the plunge due to the dust issue.

[@andershammer9307]

Martin Logans are good but they have an issue with the conductive coating on the diaphragm going away as they age. Yes you will need to vacuum the speakers from time to time but its worth the trouble. I think Sound Labs are the way to go these days unless you can find some used Acoustats.

[@ColAngus]

Thx for the info Anders and I will look into those brands. :)

[@OrganNLou]

Yes with caveats!

[@five5x]

For midrange and highs.

[@geoff37s38]

I have a pair of modern large full range electrostatics, no sub woofer or crossover but segmented design with treble from centre strip and bass from entire diaphragm surface. Lack of bass and laser beam dispersion is a thing of the past. Paul, you need to update your conclusions. Modern electrostats are totally unbeatable when fed a high quality source, but electrostats will not compensate for or mask shortcomings in poor recordings . Garbage in, garbage out.

[@andershammer9307]

But hopefully there is enough good in the recording to listen past the bad. My system will pull anything good out of the recording if it is there. Not long ago I put on a CD of The Best of 3 Dog Night and my system sounded like a giant transistor radio.

[@chonasimpson6487]

Paul is in denial and comes across as very closed minded. Agree with you 100 percent! I have a pair of newer Soundlabs and the things Paul describes in this video are foreign to me and do not describe my speakers at all . I kind of feel sorry for him if he still believes this.

[@getstarted48]

Get a pair of rebuilt Quad ESL 57.....PROBLEM SOLVED.

[@dednside5229]

When they were inventing speakers in the late 1800's( and panel speakers were pig intestines ) They were already the best sound reproduction available. All other speaker designs have evolved , But panel speakers are a better end design . It has more to do with money than anything else

[@bencosturbz7755]

we call them connectors spade connectors , uk.

[@paulheffernan4908]

Jvc cd players are they good make dj Paul from Dublin Ireland 🇮🇪

[@ashtongrist]

No base? Electrostatic are suppose to have seperate bass drivers.

[@TheRealWindlePoons]

The latest Quad Electrostatics definitely have bass. A dealership (now closed) in my city used to use a pair in his demo room and sold me several items demonstrated with them that I subsequently enjoyed for years. I don't have room for electrostats in my house but practically as revealing are Lowther horns. I have a small pair of those and found them far too revealing when I first purchased them. Improvements in source components have rectified that situation. I can still enjoy music even if badly recorded. I have been doing this hobby for 45 years and while I like to hear the detail and emotion in a recording, my number one requirement is that I can forget the equipment and concentrate on the musical performance...

[@draztiqmeshaz6226]

Hey Paulo... Do you know what a plethora is? I would not want you to say 'we have a plethora of wires' if you do not know what a plethora is. 😅

[@chonasimpson6487]

Sorry Mr. PS audio most commenters disagree with you . Maybe you should revisit some good electrostats they have improved in the areas you described as lacking . Infinity's are good speakers no doubt but my new Soundlab 945 PX panels do something for me these speakers never did. I used too believe all monkey coffin speakers were crap until recently but they have improved also.

[@willielangoor4369]

l think before you spend large amount of Money , ask your self what most important the Music type you like or the quality of the sound ??????????