Back in the '70s Ess released the AMT-1 speaker. I own it's predecessor the Ess Transsatic. The TS uses a Kef 12x9 flat piston driver in a four foot long floor ported transmission line woofer. The mid-range is handled by a Peerless 5in polypropalene cone driver in a short rear firing transmission line. The tweeters were 3 RTR ESR-6 electrostatic drivers, one mounted horizontally above the mid-range, two more mounted vertically below the mid-range. This speaker is the best sounding speaker I've ever heard. The bass is crisp, taut and very deep. Reference 2001's low D organ opening of "Also Sprach Zarathustra" or the bass riff in Stevie Wonder's "Superstition". The highs are clear, sweet and shimmer transparently on the most difficult to reproduce instruments. Find any well recorded piece containing triangle strikes. Response is dead flat from 20 to 30K Hz. The speaker combined transmission lines and electrostatic tweeters hence "Transstatic". It's sonic strength was offset by the weakness of the RTR ESR-6's. They find any number of ways to self-destruct, from arcing grids to just losing thier ability to respond to the high voltages required to drive them.
The Heil based speaker was released immediately after Ess ceased production of the Transstatic. To my ear comparing the two speakers the AMT-1's bass was weak and muddy. The mid's and in particular the highs sounded screechy and strained, but then my ear may have been spoiled.
I still have my Transstatics if anyone knows how I can get my hands on some RTR ESL-6 drivers please write.
Thanks, Jim Miller
The Heil based speaker was released immediately after Ess ceased production of the Transstatic. To my ear comparing the two speakers the AMT-1's bass was weak and muddy. The mid's and in particular the highs sounded screechy and strained, but then my ear may have been spoiled.
I still have my Transstatics if anyone knows how I can get my hands on some RTR ESL-6 drivers please write.
Thanks, Jim Miller