ESS speakers "Translinear" Transstatic


These were speakers designed by California based company called ESS, that is, Electro Static Sound before they used the Heil Air Montion transformer. These models were current in 1970-1975. I am curious if any one still owns either of the above models, or has seem them listed on any of them listed in the used audio web sites. They were incredible speakers for their time,and sounded as good as many of so-called elctrostatics of today. They used good driver elements, for example, the KEF B-139 oval driver for the bass response.If anyone has knowledge of either of these above vintage speakers,please leave info on this Web page. Thank you!!
sunnyjim
I still remember my one and only audition of the Transtatic l speaker system at a boutique stereo store located in Santa Cruz Ca. in 1972. In their era I think they were the best system by far until the introduction of the Infinity Servostatics which were a whopping 2200 dollars more expensive than the 1200 dollar price of the ESS. My house payment at the time was 145 dollars per month so one can see that these high end speakers of that era were more expensive than 10K speakers today relative to the vanishing value of the dollar.
I've been an ESS fanboy for some 40+ years, still using my amt 1b pyramids I bought from a friend in the late 70s in my main system. He got them from the original owner as trade for some concrete work he'd done, and I paid $350 for them. All I've done since is refoam the woofers twice, and replace the passives once.

What brought me here to this old thread is that I have a chance to purchase a pair of Translinear speakers from an acquantance the next town over. On-line info for these is very lean, and that helps muddy up consideration of their fair market valuation, so I haven't any idea what a fair price would be for the pair.

I heard them yesterday and boy do they sound nice. Huge and heavy, though


Better late than never to respond. I have a matched numbered pair of ESS TS Is and have been contemplating selling them. I purchased them (1973) as floor models from Paulson's in Tacoma, WA. They are in great shape and the rosewood veneer is intact and shiny. I have 7 or so extra RtR es wafers that I scored on ebay a few years ago. They are the only downfall of the TSs because the wafers were glued and riveted together making it difficult to repair. I also have a roll of mylar given me by a British man in case I decided to attempt a repair. What are you willing to pay for a one-owner pair of ESS TS towers? I reside in WA, the State. Shipping would be expensive for over two hundred pounds. Also, I would have to custom construct transport boxes in the case of sending them via freight. 

I've loved ESS since first hearing them back in the early 70's. Still have a couple pair with the large original Heil tweeters. One with original mylar and the other with Kapton diaphragms, still sound great to me! Just wondering if anyone has a pair or heard the model with the huge Heil woofer. Can't remember the name, Transtar?