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Planar Speaker Asylum Welcome! Need support, you got it. Or share your ideas and experiences. |
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In Reply to: Re: hmmm... posted by martin poulin on June 10, 2005 at 22:48:11:
Martin: I agree that a cap on the diaphragm side of the load resistor will do exactly what you say. The voltages involved and the physical condition of the stator dielectric combined with program material, your amp (how many volts it can swing) and how loud you like to play will decide if this is a workable idea or not. Later models of Acoustats had higher surface resistivity than did older models. I will check at the ESL Circuit where Andy Zasbo has quote the exact values.
With respect to replicating (or improveing upon) Acoustats I think that all the information is now available. Stators were built on 1/2 inch cube light louvre (3/8 is available and works better). Size is not an issue just make the new panels the same size as the factory units (though slightly smaller or the same size with some dot spacers will yield diaphragm stability). Diaphragm tension is not an issue either if you use the same diaphragm material (DuPont HS65) and shrink to tension you will achieve the identical results (I have some stock of this). Thinner films have resulted in spectral tilt toward the top end (docummented) so you will need the ability to equalise if necessary should you chose a very thin film. Coating for the diaphragm, well I think it's fair to say that it has been established that powdered graphite will do an excellent job. There are a number of materials available which should all do as good or a better job than the factor coating. Gap is just a little over a 1/16 inch (stator surface to diaphragm) which is a readily available size at plastic supply houses. The material is Styrene. Adhesive was in Acoustats case ground Styrene dissolved in Methylene Chloride (sp?) though IPS Weldon #4 is a better choice again readily available. Wire size is your choice, if you want a direct copy of the Acoustat look for a heavy build (high dielectric strength PVC coated wire), 24 guage or pick the wire dielectric of your choice just adjust spacers to keep the diaphragm to stater surface distance at just over 1/16 inch. For bonding the diaphragm to the stator spacers and the two stator halfs together you can use 3M Acrylic transfer tape or non solvent contact adhesive or any number of other available adhesives that will all do a fine job. I would say that there is next to no guess work involved anymore. Some elbow grease yes, always in short supply but will and determination are the most reliable suppliers of these comodities that I know of, available in a person near you now.
As always there is considerable time and effore along with the expense of collecting all the necessary materials for such a project (in small quantities) and I agree with you that for the money there are good kits which eliminate all or most of the fuss. This is a real and valid concern and if the end product is your number one concern the kit option is probably the most logical choice. Remember though that a kit panel is an unknown comodity too and if you just want to drop in brand new identical Acoustat panels the only way to do that is to build your own.
I do believe that the stock Acoustat is probably the best most reliable ESL panel that the commercial market has ever seen. I also believe that superior panels can be consistantly built by DIY constructors but that is for another letter. Very best regards. Martin I would really love to hear your system! Moray James.
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Follow Ups
- Re: hmmm... - moray james 17:35:54 06/11/05 (2)
- Re: hmmm... - martin poulin 04:01:30 06/12/05 (1)
- Re: hmmm... - moray james 20:44:25 06/14/05 (0)
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