Electrostatic speakers

I thought I'd throw the Apogee's in they may not be true stats,, but they are in a simlar vien and sound a damn site better. imo
The spoundlabs imo are total hifi pap (major money too, unless you get an ex-demo pair ), I'd take the Quad 989's anyday over them
Interesting I had an anitpodean gentlemen visit a couple of weeks back trying out amplification (Apogee's through and through, he was rather shocked at the Blue heron II's ).
Arn't they some german stats whoch are surposed to be the mutts?

 

What about the new quads?

 

I was rather shocked by those speakers Tony but I'm not sure that's what you meant.

BBV, electrostatics do not play rock music - fact. They excel in areas thrash bands are totally unfamilar with. For rock you need big cones.

 

Not at all "thrash" bands SM - plus lets not forget that is only a small part of my collection. I am aware quads cant play rock - but perhaps the soundlabs can from what I have read?

 

This is the biggest myth associated with Quads. They will play rock music... with astounding clarity...

Quads won't play at rock concert levels, which in most cases is immaterial for home use.

If you need more bass than quads will provide, then you need to add a couple of subwoofers...

 

I am sure - but I want rock concert levels occasionally Without adding conventional subwoofers.

 

So, put the current PA system you own on castors and wheel that out when you feel the urge,,

 

Its hardly just a pair of PA speakers

 

Quads don't play rock with authenticity. They might play it with clarity but how many PA's do that. Rock starts to sound good at the levels the 988's gave up.

They certainly lack the energy in the upper bass that is essential for driving that type of music IMO. Same with Logans, despite the hybrid nature of the design.

If you love rawk, you will love big cones.

All the electrostatics I have owned have also suffered an apparent lack of real dynamics.

 

Indeed - that is my experience with MLs and quad.

Soundlab and metaxas appear to have tried to answer these deficiencies but I have no idea how sucessful they have been.

Do ribbons like the apogee full range play rock well?

 

I know what your saying, and I partially agree, there is a lot of enjoyment to be gained from playing music REALLY QUITE LOUD

However, if you play your "rawk" at normal listening levels (and I'm including 85dBA in that category) then Quads work.

That they are not adding a significant amount of speaker related distortion is a matter of subjective preference - nevertheless, the point is Quads do work for rock, and the idea that they are for classical music and esoteric jazz w@nkery is a myth...

Subwoofers etc..

True.

I have come to the conclusion that it is necessary to own more than a single pair of good speakers...

This (no doubt) would be with vinyl?

 

With SMs vinyl system

Yes maybe I should have a second pair.

 

Nooooooo!

Nick, don't do it - If you like PMC you will hate Apogee!

A friend of mine has run the Apogee Scintilla for many years and IMO they give an incredibly impressive but incredibly fake perspective to anything they reproduce.

The soundstage is huge and is imparted onto the the music like a cloak - the speaker creates it without taking any clue form the music. They also make averything sound huge. Singers have 6 foot wide mouths and all sense of perspective is lost.
As for PRaT....forget it.

The load is sub 2 ohms - stupid and you dont need that.

 

I'm really thinking of the area between 150hz and 500hz. Unless you are lucky enough to own DEQ and custom subs, this will not work. Domestic subs are useless above 100hz IME.

Absolutely. If you want the best of everything then I suspect you are right.

That's why I used the word apparant - I knew an old objectivist would pick up on that. Let's try to agree that most people perceive vinyl to be more dynamic - and leave the actual theory out of it.

 

Actually what is the theory for that? I definately think vinyl is more dynamic sounding.

 

Electrostatics?

Don't forget Stax Earspeakers (Headphones to you or I). Great personal electrostatics but a bit clammy at this time of year

 

I use akg 340 ES at the moment

 

what's a dynamic speaker that sounds overall the closest to electrostatics?

 

Probably an open baffle line array with isoplanar tweeters.

 

closest I've heard is Merlin TSM and VSM