Need Help with Acoustat Model 4 speakers


I bought these Model 4 speakers with the Mk 121 interfaces on a whim. They aparently are in need of service as they play very softly, with the receiver volume needing to be cranked up just to hear them. Would appreciate any thoughts on these, really regret the purchase at this point.
skykomish
Very few receivers have the current to drive Acoustat or any other planar for that matter. These require a least 100 WRMS perside in power with at least 20 amp in current delivery. Ideally you should be into a separate power amp and preamp to get the most from these speakers. Accoustats have a widely varying ohm load and can dip into the 1 ohm range depending on source material. The new batch of receivers on the market today just cannot handle that kind of ohm load, a few receivers back in thelate 70's and early 80's were capable such as a Luxman 1070 for instance, but nothing in the current line up of modern receivers can be expected to drive the Accoustats.

Accoustat are some of the most difficult to drive planar speakers ever made. Over the years have had several of the pass through here. With these model 4 I would use a 200 WRMS per channel amp to derive the most from them. Even with a proper amp they will not be able to be driven to ear splitting levels. I have found that Accoustat works the best with Jazz and Classical music as well as vocals.

They are a great speakers, just not for everyone.
What receiver are you using? The biggest bang for the buck is Acoustats own amplifier called the TNT-200.
Here's a really dumb question - have you plugged them in? I don't know if they would even work if you didn't. I've never tried.

FWIW, my 2200's really needed a high current 200/400 SS amp to get them off the ground. I've never had the 4's but I believe Ferrari's comments.

BTW, lest you happen upon and want to buy an Acoustat Amp, don't assume that it will be ideal as suggested. One of the initial reviews of this amp commented on its current delivery and thought it was interesting that indeed it was not ideal for at least some Acoustat speakers. I think the speakers were the tall two's but my memory is poor for that kind of detail. Oh, more trivia. As I recall the design for the Acoustat amp was passed on to and used in one of the later Hafler amps. I think the designers name was Strickland. FWIW.