Hi All,
I'm still in the gathering stage for building my ESL, you might say it's going to be a sloooooow build! But I've always been learning things over the months, here and else where. And I had the opportunity at a local hi-fi show to listen, at considerable length, to the in many ways remarkable Sanders Electrostatic Speaker system.
And importantly, for this conversation I hope to have with you all, I've come to appreciate using PVC insulated stator wire like many of you have been using in your builds.
In exploring other websites, I've seen photos of users building their ESL's with metal frames with their PVC wire! I was a bit surprised, as I've not seen that here. Could this possibly be a a HV electrical short path using PVC wire? I guess the peak voltage would under dynamic conditions playing music. With the right solid state power amp, the voltage running through this PVC wire could be a bunch!
This method of a metal framework would be appealing to me, as my woodworking skills are not up to par, especially compared to Charlie's wonderful efforts. But I can definitely and skillfully do metalwork! And not that expensive too!
Attached are some photos. None of these photos are mine, they are just to show you what I'm asking about.
Thanks ahead, Neil
I'm still in the gathering stage for building my ESL, you might say it's going to be a sloooooow build! But I've always been learning things over the months, here and else where. And I had the opportunity at a local hi-fi show to listen, at considerable length, to the in many ways remarkable Sanders Electrostatic Speaker system.
And importantly, for this conversation I hope to have with you all, I've come to appreciate using PVC insulated stator wire like many of you have been using in your builds.
In exploring other websites, I've seen photos of users building their ESL's with metal frames with their PVC wire! I was a bit surprised, as I've not seen that here. Could this possibly be a a HV electrical short path using PVC wire? I guess the peak voltage would under dynamic conditions playing music. With the right solid state power amp, the voltage running through this PVC wire could be a bunch!
This method of a metal framework would be appealing to me, as my woodworking skills are not up to par, especially compared to Charlie's wonderful efforts. But I can definitely and skillfully do metalwork! And not that expensive too!
Attached are some photos. None of these photos are mine, they are just to show you what I'm asking about.
Thanks ahead, Neil
Attachments
Hi,
Yoy can use metal braces as in those pics and here.
Audiostatic has used such for their commercially sold ESLs.
They used quadratically shaped anodized aluminum tubes (10x10mm) which You can source over here off of the shelf in DIY shops.
I did similar with my first panels, also using those tubes, as well as 2x10mm aluminum rods and massive 5x5mm steel rods (tin plated for nicer optics).
Due to the field effect the PVC wire charges up and so does the metal.
So it might happen eventually that You can 'feel' a slight tickle when You touch the metal.
Nothing serious but from the point of safety insulative materials are preffered.
The nice thing about the metal braces is their optics, stability, ease of sourcing/cost, convinience (just cut them to length and glue) and ease of fixing (glue or screw).
jauu
Calvin
Yoy can use metal braces as in those pics and here.
Audiostatic has used such for their commercially sold ESLs.
They used quadratically shaped anodized aluminum tubes (10x10mm) which You can source over here off of the shelf in DIY shops.
I did similar with my first panels, also using those tubes, as well as 2x10mm aluminum rods and massive 5x5mm steel rods (tin plated for nicer optics).
Due to the field effect the PVC wire charges up and so does the metal.
So it might happen eventually that You can 'feel' a slight tickle when You touch the metal.
Nothing serious but from the point of safety insulative materials are preffered.
The nice thing about the metal braces is their optics, stability, ease of sourcing/cost, convinience (just cut them to length and glue) and ease of fixing (glue or screw).
jauu
Calvin
Hi Neil,
Glad to see yet another DIYer willing to put forth the effort to construct a pair of "Walker's Little Wonders" {ESLs} (btw..so far beyond nowadays)
I wish you all the best if you decide to build..I'll be watching this thread....🙂
Glad to see yet another DIYer willing to put forth the effort to construct a pair of "Walker's Little Wonders" {ESLs} (btw..so far beyond nowadays)
I wish you all the best if you decide to build..I'll be watching this thread....🙂
Last edited:
- Status
- Not open for further replies.