Sound Lab DynaStat - removing vintage panel


I just scored a pair of vintage DynaStats locally and haven't figured out how to remove the electrostatic panels. Sound Lab sent me a 1996 Owners Manual that states the panel is secured to the woofer box by 6 connections and some velcro and I'm still waiting (days) to hear back from them.

These speakers have vertical interlocking metal pieces about 4" long, kind of like a drawers' channel, where it looks like the panels could slide right off of the box; but they seem stuck and there's no sign of a locking mechanism???

I've got to move these up a narrow staircase so any help from somebody familiar with this rig would be greatly appreciated.
faded501s

Showing 1 response by audiokinesis

Glad you got the information you needed. I didn't think I could be an intermediary and reliably relay information back and forth about something I hadn't seen.

I don't know if this will apply to the 1996 generation Dynastats or not, but here is what I learned about setting the level controls of post-2000 Dynastats:

Start out with the woofer level at 3/4 and the brilliance level at maximum. Use the "bias" level control as a "midrange" level control. You'll notice that at maximum bias it's too bright and forward, and down near the minimum it's too dull. Now somewhere in between those two extremes is a "sweet spot", and you have to find it by ear. Do this for both speakers, and then after measuring to make sure they're both exactly the same distance from the center of the your listening position, use small changes in the bias controls to dial in the center image. Once the center vocalist is dead center and both speakers have the bias within the "sweet spot" zone, you're almost done. Now you can go back and adjust the woofer level and brilliance controls as you see fit.

It takes a little longer for the bias to come down than for it to go up, so when making your initial search for that "sweet spot" wait a minute or so for an adjustment to settle in especially after lowering the setting.

The bias might drift a bit the first few days, so don't be surprised if you have to run through the process again once or twice. After the first time it goes pretty quick because you know what to listen for.

If you find the bass to be a bit heavy (it can be in some rooms), you can shove handfuls of Polyfill through the port and into the box to absorb some of the energy inside the box and thus reduce the port's output. And/or you can lower the tuning frequency by buying a section of cardboard tubing or PVC that's a little bit smaller in diameter than the port, and wrap the ends with enough electrical tape to get a fairly snug friction fit. The longer the port the lower the tuning frequency, which tends to tame excess bass but you can go to far in the other direction as well. Fortunately you can adjust. IN my opinion it's even okay if each speaker ends up with a different length port, as they may each be in a significantly different acoustic environment as far as boundary reinforcement goes.

Finally, you can give me a holler if you need to and I'll do my best. You're a SoundLab owner now, a member of the family.

Duke
dealer/manufacturer