Hi all.
I'm thinking of building some ESLs some day (been thinking about it for ages...) but i'd like to make them nice and original so here are some questions.
The first thing you learn is to enclose speakers to get a better pressure variation in the room rather than just turbulance around the speaker. Looking at ESLs it seems that none of them have enclosures at all, am i wrong or is there some good reason for that?
What are good easy to find materials for the membrane and what are the best conducive coatings?
As ESLs are not so good in the low frequencies have there been any models made using electromagnetic woofers to backup the ESL using its membrane as a passive one for the lower range?
And last, i quite like the idea of a double tube direct drive have any of you done that? Is it worth the bother? Would the EL509 be a good tube to use (I've saved a few from old TVs) or is that still too low for voltage?
thanx
I'm thinking of building some ESLs some day (been thinking about it for ages...) but i'd like to make them nice and original so here are some questions.
The first thing you learn is to enclose speakers to get a better pressure variation in the room rather than just turbulance around the speaker. Looking at ESLs it seems that none of them have enclosures at all, am i wrong or is there some good reason for that?
What are good easy to find materials for the membrane and what are the best conducive coatings?
As ESLs are not so good in the low frequencies have there been any models made using electromagnetic woofers to backup the ESL using its membrane as a passive one for the lower range?
And last, i quite like the idea of a double tube direct drive have any of you done that? Is it worth the bother? Would the EL509 be a good tube to use (I've saved a few from old TVs) or is that still too low for voltage?
thanx
SDS said:
1) Me too!
2) I would stick to an open construction - I think that's partly the reason for the clear open sound from 'stats.
3) I'm looking for sources, that can provide materials from Europe - any good links?
4) Now I'm using magnetostatics. They go down to around 80 Hz without any problems in the midrange/upper bass, but the tweeter diaphragm is not quite as lightweighted as an electrostatic tweeter diapraghm would be, so I've been thinking about combining a magnetostatic (80-500 Hz) with an electrostatic (above 500 Hz). My Sub's handling the below 80 HZ.
Any comments from all you wise guys?
ESLs are very sensitive to back pressure on the membrane, since the driving force is the E field rather than the B field of magnetic speakers, there is always the possibility of arcing. If you increase the power without moving the membrane, you increase the potential, and normally it arcs before there is any appreciable displacement.
For this reason you can't use a conventional enclosure.
A horn is a good idea, but it will need to be massive. By reducing the radiating angle and reducing the interference from the backwave, you will get greater dynamics and bass extension. A compression horn is again a bad idea, you do not want your panel to arc, ever!
Alternatively you could use a transmission line (of the classic variety only), but it will need to be massive (a CSA far in excess of the Sd of the membrane) and lightly stuffed (if at all).
Finally, you could use an infinite baffle, but it would have to be huge, probably the classic through the wall arrangement
For this reason you can't use a conventional enclosure.
A horn is a good idea, but it will need to be massive. By reducing the radiating angle and reducing the interference from the backwave, you will get greater dynamics and bass extension. A compression horn is again a bad idea, you do not want your panel to arc, ever!
Alternatively you could use a transmission line (of the classic variety only), but it will need to be massive (a CSA far in excess of the Sd of the membrane) and lightly stuffed (if at all).
Finally, you could use an infinite baffle, but it would have to be huge, probably the classic through the wall arrangement
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