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I'm talking about these ESL kits from Rob Mackinlay http://www.eraudio.com.au/index.html
Had you had any prior experience successfully building ESLs?
On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the most difficult, how challenging
was it to build the Acorns or the ESL lIIs?
So that I can make informed practical decisions about building one of these three ESLs-particularly the Acorns or the ESL IIIs-would you state your estimated listening room size?
And, using passive crossovers, what was the approximate minimum watts/per channel applied power where at 11 ft away you got ?? db SPL at 35Hz from the Acorns or ESL IIls?
I ask this because the amp that I would prefer to use only does 25 wpc 8 ohms/40 wpc 4 ohms. I realize that it may appear ridiculous to think of using a low power amp as ESLs are hardly efficient speakers, like horns or some direct radiator drivers. But my room is ~ 16 ft x 14. And I'd only need 85db SPL at 35Hz, because between 70Hz to 7kHz I'd only want to listen between 55db and 50db SPL, respectively, as per the revised Fletcher-Munson curve. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fletcher%E2%80%93Munson_curves
Based on those conditions, would my amplifier have enough power to drive the Acorns and/or ESL IIIs, without risk of clipping or much audible distortion?
On the other hand, if you chose to build the 505 mini panels and used one panel per channel, did you mount it above something like a 15 or 18" woofer in an H-Frame open baffle?
If yes, and again using passive crossovers, what was the minimum watts/per channel applied power where at 11 ft away you got ?? db SPL at 35Hz?
It would certainly be great to hear one of Rob's ESLs before building them, though I've never heard of anyone who wasn't amazed by their sound.
Any NY, NJ, CT, PA builders?
Thanks to all for your input and experiences.
Follow Ups:
I know a guy who has esperience with trying to build the small model and thought it was crap, but he is very opinonated. I think you would be better of buying to quad esl63 panels- in fact I think the bass paanels caan be used to go full range. Something you can google. You could also do a search for my post (with image 0of a rebuilt reasembled quad esl57
Thanks for your reply. Was it the 505 mini panels that he found to be such poor performers? If yes, why?
Too small a sweet spot? Restricted sound stage? What else?And they only go down to 200Hz. What did he use for below that? Designer Rob Mackinlay says it's best to use an open baffle woofer below it http://www.eraudio.com.au/Mini_Panels/mini_panels.html But unless your friend's willing to bi-amp the system he'd have to find a woofer (18"??) that's within a db or two of the 505 panels' 86db. Please let me know what he thinks about this.
From what I read, it doesn't seem to pay to think about going with the ESL III kits. For the time and effort, bass response
is not quite there. But as for the Acorns, which I've read nothing but raves about, check out this thread
http://www.world-designs.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=1295
Edits: 05/19/16
I dont really know. Unfortunatel Pat, who did it, is on his last legs die to cancer.
here's his website
http://www.turneraudio.com.au/
Very sorry to hear about Pat. I checked out his website; looks like he did a lot of great mods on amps and preamps.
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