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In Reply to: Sound/build quality of ESS transtatic I? posted by centaurus3200 on February 21, 2007 at 10:48:21:
I had a pair of Transtatic Ones that were sent to Stereophile for review(the review was never done because the Heil speakers came out before the review was written). When I got them home they were the darkest speakers I ever heard which turned out to be because the KEF B110 drivers in both speakers were hooked up to ground(both hot & ground) so there was no mid-range. When this got fixed they were beter but laid back and still not as focused and defined as an IMF Studio(also a transmission line). I finally got lucky and traded them even up for a set of Rogers LS3/5a's.
This was a sort of hodge podge design with a speaker that began as a 'point source' and then switched to a dipole for the tweeter(the electostats shot out the back to a 45 degree reflector panel) and there is no way this sudden change in dispersion characteristics could ever be integrated.
Follow Ups:
so, it looks like I'm not missing out on much. i guess i will stick with my KEF Calinda and janszen Z-200 plus REL Q100 sub. i just thought the ESS would be fun.The Calindas are keepers, T27 tweeter/B200 mid/woofer and a passive B139 radiator. the Z-200 are very cool and are really fun in their huge soundstage. maybe not the greatest imaging, but their tonal qualities are insane. one of the few speakers i've heard that can capture a piano. the microdynamics are also very exciting. the little nuances you hear when you play something etheral like dead can dance are insane. you transported to another world.
they use a 130U 4 panel array that slides into the back of each cabinet. the woofer is a janszen B250 12" alnico woofer. the bass is okay, but not great. but tight and punchy plus it melds well with the ESLs.
k7niq, don't confuse the RTR panels with the janszen ones. rtr tried to up the spl capabilities of the original janszen design, which also increased distortion and faliure rate. the janszen panels are much more stout. it's their step-up trannies that blow ;-)
to continue development of the Janzen drivers and to improve their production quality?
try here:http://db.audioasylum.com/cgi/m.mpl?forum=speakers&n=235660&highlight=janszen+west+rtr&r=&session=
after having learned that last year in a discussion with Dr. West.Wasn't sure if you did. :)
Yeah, they were RTR's, and the KEF midrange was mounted in a cardboard tube open at the back.
They were dark, dark, dark sounding, and bass was nothing to write home about, even with a 100 LB Bedini 200/200 welding machine driving them.Hey, for 100 bucks ....
Could always use em for firewood, or sell off the drivers ?
I forgot about the open back to the tube but since the tube was damped and probably crossed over at at least a couple of hundred herz there was probably little output out the back though it would act as a pressure release which might be a nicer loading for the B110.
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