capaciti modules

[NurEinTier]

Has anyone heard these ribbon modules?

400hz crossover>

http://www.capaciti-diy.com/kategori...301/index.html

300hz crossover>

http://www.capaciti-diy.com/kategori...907/index.html

They have kits available too.

[MJ Dijkstra]

Hi,

These are not ribbons but electrostatic panels.
I have not heard them yet, but price/build-quality seems very good. Positive reviews in hobby magazines as well.

[Bazukaz]

It is bad that there is no english version of the site...

[Calvin]

Hi,

right, the Capacities are Electrostatic panels. And probabely some of the best You could buy, regardless of price! I´ve no doubt that they are the best affordable DIY-panels on the market.
Build quality is very high, tolerances low and the resultant acoustics excellent. These panels are built as an ESL-panel should be built.
It´s not just another try to earn cheap money by putting somehow together 2 plain metal sheets and sell the stuff to some numb guys via ebay
For my taste they are actually way lower in price than they could be!
The CEO and S&D engineer has a very profund knowledge base he gained over more than 20 years. I regard him as one of the most kompetent guys with ESLs. I like their active concepts very much, which get the most out of the panels.
These are definitively a ´Best Buy´

jauu
Calvin

[knubie]

He has been posting at this forum as Capaciti,
very informative posts as well.....

[NurEinTier]

Sorry for the ribbon remark.
I'm such a n00b.

Could someone clarify some points for me.

This modul 80 kit>

http://www.capaciti-diy.com/kategori...a12/index.html

Do I understand correctly that it comes including a class-d poweramp for each speaker?
The price for a compleet kit will be 2 x 570 = 1140,-
That's excluding the price of the power amps?
So what do these cost?

My source is a pc.
Is it possible to connect the speakers/amps directly to the soundcard?
No need for a pre-amp anymore?

Does anyone know when Element 150 will come out?

The faq mentions a lifespan of 10 years for normal conditions.
I play lots of music.
I mean LOTS.
About 6 hours a day, more in the weekend.
"Normal" is what 2 hours a day, does this mean I'll have to repair them after 3 or 4 years?
What does a repair cost?

To conclude my n00b questions.
Can these speakers endure Metal (Tool, Sepultura)?

[Calvin]

Hi,

I´s suggest You contact Capaciti via mail to get 100% correct Infos.
Until then, You might be happy with these infos here.

Der Bausatz enthält folgende Bauteile zum Aufbau eines Lautsprecherpaars:
1x Elektrostatisches Modul ESW-80/23 mit Versorgungsteil
1x 20cm Tieftöner Visaton TIW 200 XS
1x Anschlussterminal mit 4 Polklemmen und Netzteilbuchse
1x 2-Kanal-Digitalendstufe mit steckbarer Aktivweiche und Gehäusebausatz*
1x Bespannstoff in Schwarz oder Silbergrau

in short:
"The kit contains:
1 electrostatic panel + supply (HV + Audio-tranny, etc.)
1 8" Bass driver
1 Connector-Terminal
1 stereo-amp + crossover to drive ESL + Bass (Housing included)
1 some fabric in black or silver"
Apart from a frame for the ESL and a box for the bass and maybe some cabelage(?) this is a complete Kit for 1 speaker.

As far as remember Capaciti told me that the complete working stereo-set comes for ~2.300€, which would be a very good price for a completely actively driven speaker of this kind in general and a BestBuy and bargain for this concept in special.

The quality of all parts is very high and I´m convinced that the claimed 10 years of lifespan will be reached under normal conditions (under normal conditions I understand things like medium climatic conditions and non excessive smoking, or high humidity together with loads of dust). Playing the speakers alot doesn´t stress them very much.
Capacity is involved with ESLs for such a long time and he´s gained experience and knowledge about materials and build procedures like hardly anyone else. And this makes imho the positive difference to other offers on the market.

For the amps coming with this package:
I understand that they come as a DIY-package too. You should prove that before. The completed PCB or even the complete finished amp will probabely cost more.
Reports in Forums claim, that it should not be too hard even for a noob to build up the amp if he follows the advices.
These are stereo power-amps with ~180/250W @8/4Ohms.
They are build up on one PCB and You need to connect the Power-Tranny and connectors to the housing and the PCB. (see the pics on their website)
They feature a slot where modules can be put in. There is a module that is specifically designed for this speaker, that includes the eqalization circuitry for the bass too (its no ordinary active crossover, but specialized for this speaker)
Removing the module You have a normal stereo power amp that You can use like any other power amp.
So If You drive the speaker from a PC You have to have a volume control. This could be a minor problem, if the volume control of the soundcard is of low quality. Additionally You mght experience minor probs with long cabling from the SC to the speaker. I´d suggest that You add a small preamp with volume control and driver.
This can easily and quite cheap and within tiny dimensions be done by Yourself (when You were able to complete the speaker, You should have no probs in building such a thing. And we can assist You with that)

D-amps are especially good partners for ESLs, since they keep quite unimpressed from the complex and hard to drive load. The amount of power is sufficient to drive the panels as well as the bass to their limits.
The bass driver is a newly developed 8"unit, that plays well in small cabinets.

When I heard this combination, I was most impressed about how good bass and ESL blended in (a typical problem with hybrid-ESLs). The bass is very remarkable for such a relatively small driver in such a tiny box. Beeing involved with ESLs myself for >20years I was still impressed about the panels capabilities. Resolution and neutrality are on a very high level (to my taste on a clearly higher niveau than ML or Audiostatics and alike) and beeing hybrids dynamics are also well.
You can play them far louder than whats safe for Your ears with continuous SPLs and far louder than whats possible with a fullrange-ESL. I listened to them with material from the Cincinnatti Pops and the speakers didn´t faint
After this experience I wrote a comment in a forum with the conclusion. " worth every penny, outperforms very many speakers I´ve heard in that price-class and would give even speakers with a pricetag 10times its own a hard match!"

jauu
Calvin

[NurEinTier]

Will contact Capacity for further info.
My German spelling and grammar isn't that great but it will have to do.

A dutch diy gathering is being organized hopefully Capacity will be there.
I think esl's will do very well with the softer side of my music taste but I'm curious how they'll manage the harder stuff.
Tool, Sepultura, Metallica are very demanding for a speaker.
Frankly for the bass I don't think an single 8" per side can pull it off.

Looks like a very simple pre-amp is all I need.
Maybe in a combo with an external soundcard.
The Hifi-Akademie's pre-amp is very impressive but I don't need all it's features.
And offcourse I would like to avoid the costs.

Thanks Calvin for all your help.