Sony's SA S1 Hybrid Active Electrostatic - The Weirdest Speaker You've Never Heard!

This episode remembers one of hi-fi's strangest creations ever - and one that probably passed you by, because it was bundled with a mediocre, mid-price Sony midi system!
This mid-1990s motional-feedback powered hybrid active electrostatic is an absolutely bonkers design - there's nothing like this. What better subject then for Mike and David to discuss?
Each episode of Hi-Fi Riff features their unedited, unexpurgated views about all manner of weird and wonderful hi-fi designs.
Business executive Mike has a wealth of knowledge from his earlier hi-fi retail years, and David has written about hi-fi for thirty years. Now Editor-in-Chief of StereoNET, he's picked up a few things along the way.
So relax and enjoy some one-take hi-fi riffing - and please leave your comments below. And don’t forget to hit the Subscribe button, this one goes up to eleven!
The eighties-tastic title tune is called ‘UFO/Mike’s Jumper’, and used with the express permission of our old pal and rights holder Simon Lythe.
To read David's original zStereo review of the Sony SA-S1, click here:
zstereo.co.uk/2020/12/19/sony...
Follow Hi-Fi Riff in Instagram: / hifiriff

[@daytonszalay1422]

I just scored the sister pair of these the SA-S900 speakers with the micro HIFI system for $100 Canadian on Facebook marketplace. Thanks for all the information!! I was very curious of what these were about

[@gaetancharbonneau3902]

A friend of mine recently bought a pair of big Sony APM 33 speakers. I went from very sceptic to, I got to have these! in 10 seconds. Mind blowing speakers, the kind that left us wondering what was lost along the way from speakers manufacturers.

[@josefserf1926]

Thank you for yet another enjoyably informative trip down memory lane. Unfortunately it also draws attention to some of the unsavioury practices of the Hi-Fi press. Neither these brilliant Sony speakers, nor Sony's excellent minidisc got the recognition of the audio press at the time. Come to think of it, neither did Technics direct drive turntables or even the now legendary Pink Triangle turntable that was also mentioned here. Unfortunately most of the press were too busy praising the clearly coloured and wildly inconsistent LP12 with their heads stuck up Linn's backside.

[@icarus0006]

I consider myself lucky to have a pair of these speakers, It's very hard to find these anymore I used Sa-h7900 before, the bass is intense in Sa-h7900, sa-s1 bass is balanced , and looks much nicer (both models op-amps are different)

[@rohan_of_arc9895]

I've always wanted to hear these ever since I became aware of them 3 years ago. Well done guys for finding one of the more obscure denizens of the hifi world to review.

[@hexadecimal973]

I have them but only 2 speakers. They can work when plugged into a computer via RCA to 3.5mm cable because they have an amplifier built into them. No idea where my dad got them from but the sound is heavenly

[@71bassg]

I have the full scala 1 system in great condition and it sounds pretty good to be fair.

[@razisn]

The mainstream term is servo. Due to advances in driver design and construction, servo controlled woofers are slowly becoming obsolete though quite a few implementations still exist in subwoofers, especially targeting the home theatre.

[@banginghats2]

It looks like something they knocked up on the set of Dr Who in 1963.

[@attrktmarketing4582]

I thought the same. It’s K9 😂

[@menfallinloveandwomenmakeplans]

HiFi Riff had a bit of a HiFi Tiff at 1.33. Good to see. We don't want things too cosy in life. Great channel chaps. You are unearthing some really wacky stuff. Keep going.

[@MrVinylista]

Excellent name for our second, 'spin-off' channel - I'm stealing that!

[@tomeasterbrook9486]

Always tempted by the Philips motional feedback loudspeakers when they pop up on eBay as I reckon they sound far better than they look like they have any right to (if they’re working at the time that is).😊

[@maxine2798]

I’ve got some philips RH 544, the middle sized ones. They sound a little soft but they haven’t been recapped. However they are enjoyable to listen to and have more bass that you would expect from the cabinet. Really do try for the RH545s as they are proper big and loud. I use mine in a home music studio. (My main system is Naim and ‘Briks). There’s a lot of technology in them

[@thindarogiancola9358]

@Tom Easterbrook panassonic? philips♥️ mfb "MartinLogan" electrostatic's ,sony stk ...🔎

[@thindarogiancola9358]

🎵O3 ozônio ,medical use !!!

[@TheNorliss]

What a wonderfully oddball product from Sony and that it came with a midi-system of all things! £1,500 was quite a lot for midi/mini systems back in the day? I seem to remember such systems being considerably less than that i.e. even the more 'fancy' ones being sub £1k? And this also seems abnormal insofar as all the money being in the speakers; from what I remember back in the day, for the (nicer) midi/ mini systems the electronics weren't too bad and usually it was the speakers that were a bit on the cheapy side? Maybe my memory is cheating me?!

[@oliverbeard7912]

Although not so innovative,perhaps almost as unexpected were the Realistic Optimus with their Linneum ribbon tweeters .Another inexpensive product that broke the mold for their price point.Cosmetically somewhat similar to these Sony's. I can't say that i've had any experience first hand with either model,however .Intriguing as they were/are. It would be interesting to play either on an outrageously high end system just to hear what would happen .Thanks to you both for another interesting Riff.

[@MrVinylista]

Thanks Oliver. I use a pair of Realistic Optimus Pro LX5s in my bedroom system. I have modded them a bit, and they sound great. We'll be featuring this speaker soon. I'll put them on the end of my main reference system and see if Mike wants to sell his Quad ESL-63s after hearing them!

[@bad_manIV76]

I had the mach5s they were three way 15 inch towers realistic \ radio shack speakers when I was a kid had excellent speakers for there high end systems 750 to 1200 bucks was high end when I was a kid and they were a gift for my friend from his grandmother she bought him the whole system record player dual tape deck and tuner and the new CD player it was still just new then lol we partied with those speakers till I was 29 years old I had bought them from my friend when I was 19 I sold them to another friend in our group and they got stolen right out of his living room less than a year later, 😢😢😢 I have been looking for a pair ever since... Why did I seem them?

[@proffessasvids]

Absolutely brilliant. My friends dad had that midi system xx

[@menfallinloveandwomenmakeplans]

You are most welcome, David. By the way, what happened to Noel Keywood, your former colleague in HiFi World? Is he still in hifi?

[@MrVinylista]

Sadly Hi-Fi World closed last year, due to the general lack of interest in print mags and of course the lockdown - which was a nightmare for many people running businesses. I haven't spoken to Noel recently, but I wish him well. I hope he is happy and perhaps enjoying a well-deserved rest, listening to his Garrard 401, valve amps and big Tannoys!

[@mike222698]

@@MrVinylista Hi David , a little off topic , but you recently reviewed the Marantz PM10 amplifier. Have you ever done a review of the partnering SA10 sacd player? I own both! You liked the amp , I was wondering what you thought of the player!

[@MrVinylista]

@@mike222698 I heard the SA10 at Marantz's HQ in Eindhoven when it was launched with the PM10. I remember it as an extremely good performer, with the typical high end Marantz polished sound - and particularly clever in SACD mode. I still think that via its digital out, it wouldn't quite match a Chord Hugo TT2 DAC playing Red Book CDs, though.

[@Revelator2025]

Not that unique but unfamiliar to most average consumers. Electrostatic speakers have been around since BEFORE dynamic cone drivers. Check out Martin Logan, Sanders. Magnetic planar speakers are another mind-bendingly good loudspeaker (Magnepan). Their LRS speakers are VERY affordable. Best deal in audio industry.

[@MrVinylista]

How many active electrostatic/dynamic hybrids with motional feedback can you name? I can only think of one - meaning the Sony SA-S1 is the dictionary definition of unique. Happy to stand corrected if I've got it wrong. Totally agree about Magnepans, though!

[@TheLuthier1959]

@@MrVinylista Sony SA-H7900 , Sony SA-EX100

[@titntin5178]

I'm loving the look of these things, fantastic! I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder :)

[@MrVinylista]

Should have gone to Specsavers!

[@titntin5178]

Lol

[@peterlynn3190]

Review idea would be the Unison Research Primo amp

[@owenoneill5955]

I have 2 early model PS3,s Specifically for playing DSOTM in 5.1. Sony took the SACD decoder from later models. I only ever listen to DSOTM through a PS3 now. I bought two in case one breaks. 😀😀😀 There is a website where you can check the serial numbers of the SACD capable ones.

[@timothyfreeseha4056]

You guys are awesome!

[@MrVinylista]

Is that you, mother?

[@bad_manIV76]

I just watched this video on the pair I bought for 20 bucks and they are dusty but other than that there mint and they sound good but that sounds he mentioned about the housing is a real thing I kept noticing it while watching this. I just ran 1\8th mic to L&R RCA right from my tablet. It's too late to try them on my mixer so I'll spend the rest of the night cleaning them back to brand new deciding if I should open them or not. But it sure would be nice to get in there and kill that housing noise then the part I suck at..... Knowing I should sell them but deciding to keep because the audiophile geek in me won't let go of them. Yes to rare I just keep them... Lol.... My wife is going to divorce me one day over some speakers I can already see it...

[@MrVinylista]

Many of us here feel your pain!

[@HighlightReel]

Have you heard of the SA-H7900? They’re basically this configuration but they are ported with a Bass Reflex on the bottom.

[@Hi-FiRiff]

I haven't, David will have, but I now want to! Mike

[@invisiblekid99]

Still have mine, tho one of the speakers keeps cutting out so need to try and find someone to repair it as I really do not want to get rid of them. I hook the speakers up to my Klipsch DAC/headphone amp and they do sound wonderful still....when both are running.

[@dougg1075]

They are oddballs but they look great to me. Love this kind of stuff

[@richardmakura]

My sister had this set in 1998. Nothing tops high frequency clarity of the speakers.