Yes, but you said dipole or OB, apparently lumping these exciter driven foam DML panels with the same. My point is that unlike a dipole or OB which sounds terrible placed next to a wall as that defeats their opposed phase open space airiness. True, DML’s can sound better away from a wall. ALL speakers sound better 2 ft or more away from a back wall. But that doesn’t mean one can’t design a DML to sound quite good mounted next to a wall like a painting. That’s one of their key features. For background Muzak it is just fine.
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That's just you're opinion as some would argue that DML are Dipoles and not true Omni's as there radiating pattern is more of a figure 8 with nulls on the sides unlike a true omni with no nulls....So yes I said Dipole or OB because its very similar in type but not exactly, even your self said it was LIKE a dipole.
Wait so a dipole and or OB sounds terrible placed next to a wall but DML's don't? Like you said that DEFEATS their opposed phase open space airiness its no different for a DML panel as DML panels use the walls rear reflections for that live open spaciousness airy effect, which is one of the reasons DML's have that 3D like imaging....If you place them directly on the walls they lose that effect.
It seems you are contradicting yourself by saying all speakers sound better 2ft. away from the wall but that doesn't mean one cant design a DML panel to sound good on the wall?
....For conventional boxed enclosure loudspeakers that is true but for a DML panel which is similar to Dipoles they NEED space between them and the wall as its mandatory for that type of loudspeaker if you want to hear them at there FULL POTENTIAL. I am not saying that you cant use them for background music or surround sound etc...but if you want to utilize there full potential they need to BREATH away from the wall and not be smothered by it....One can mount a OB loudspeaker to a wall if its only purpose is for background music. LOL
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I think we are in agreement. DMLs can sort of work near a wall but like all speakers, sound best when away from a wall. If you put a (circa 2.5in deep) frame around a DML and put stuffing/foam in it to absorb the back radiation, it can sound good next to a wall - and for more than just background music.
Has anyone tried 'forex print' sheets as a DML? There are websites that will print your uploaded photo onto this stuff in various sizes. It is 5mm rigid PVC foam. I was thinking it could be an instant picture / centre speaker to hang behind my projector screen. The problem is it is a bit expensive in large sizes if it turns out not to be suitable for a DML exciter.
I was hoping a second exciter might help even the frequency response.
Placed high because I thought up high would sound better and had many more options for placement near wall and out of the way. Its for background music for the first floor of our house which has an open floor plan.
A heartfelt thanks to the pioneers in this thread, I owe you! My electrostatics never recovered from the move to France and I after days of diagnostics it appears I have a major panel rebuild before me. As that means yet more time without sounds I thought why not give these DML panels a try.
I read through this thread, which took some time, then threw together a couple of panels made from some cheap thin ply from the local DIY store. I used Dayton DAE32EP-4 Exciters and hooked it all up in the approved fashion.
Total cost 67 Euro and about two hours work. Not expecting much but needing some music I gave them a whirl.
Bloody hellfire!
First record was Vaughn William’s ‘A Lark Ascending’ by The Academy of St Martins in the Field. What a wonderful presentation. It’s a very distinctive soundstage but utterly convincing. I had read the descriptions of ‘being there in the room’ but I have heard that so many times before I had discounted the claims. Wrong! What a strange experience. The walls to the listening room have simply gone and you can literally walk into the soundstage, something I have never experienced before.
Next up was ‘A Walk in the Wild Side’ by some bloke called Lou Reed. Oh my days what fun! I am there in a NewYork club sitting a couple of tables back. When the Coloured girls did their thing I burst out laughing.
Then there’s the timbre of instruments. I have never, ever in all my days heard such a realistic piano sound, ever. Nor have I heard the accidental tap of a bow on a music stand in the middle of a violin concerto before, not like that, no so clearly defined it stood out against the music, a tiny but distinctive error.
There are a few things that I need to think about. Some recordings sound like a transistor radio, some sound utterly perfect, incomprehensible so considering the tiny outlay. I am going to have to do a deep edit on my collection. And it’s not just classical, jazz V rock. As I write this Lana Del Rey has begun ‘ Born to Die’ and it is ravishing.
I also think they need help from some decent subs but those subs are going to need to be very good to keep up with the quality. Both problems are very minor.
So I just wanted to say thank you to all the pioneers who have kept the flame burning for this extraordinary technology. Might be a long time before those panels get rebuilt. Might use the frames for something else. Colour me amazed.
I read through this thread, which took some time, then threw together a couple of panels made from some cheap thin ply from the local DIY store. I used Dayton DAE32EP-4 Exciters and hooked it all up in the approved fashion.
Total cost 67 Euro and about two hours work. Not expecting much but needing some music I gave them a whirl.
Bloody hellfire!
First record was Vaughn William’s ‘A Lark Ascending’ by The Academy of St Martins in the Field. What a wonderful presentation. It’s a very distinctive soundstage but utterly convincing. I had read the descriptions of ‘being there in the room’ but I have heard that so many times before I had discounted the claims. Wrong! What a strange experience. The walls to the listening room have simply gone and you can literally walk into the soundstage, something I have never experienced before.
Next up was ‘A Walk in the Wild Side’ by some bloke called Lou Reed. Oh my days what fun! I am there in a NewYork club sitting a couple of tables back. When the Coloured girls did their thing I burst out laughing.
Then there’s the timbre of instruments. I have never, ever in all my days heard such a realistic piano sound, ever. Nor have I heard the accidental tap of a bow on a music stand in the middle of a violin concerto before, not like that, no so clearly defined it stood out against the music, a tiny but distinctive error.
There are a few things that I need to think about. Some recordings sound like a transistor radio, some sound utterly perfect, incomprehensible so considering the tiny outlay. I am going to have to do a deep edit on my collection. And it’s not just classical, jazz V rock. As I write this Lana Del Rey has begun ‘ Born to Die’ and it is ravishing.
I also think they need help from some decent subs but those subs are going to need to be very good to keep up with the quality. Both problems are very minor.
So I just wanted to say thank you to all the pioneers who have kept the flame burning for this extraordinary technology. Might be a long time before those panels get rebuilt. Might use the frames for something else. Colour me amazed.
