Digital or Analog signal to panel?

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jazzmatazz

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Hi,

I own a pair of Expression 13a's.

Does the electrostatic panel receive a digital signal (after DSP) or an analog signal from the amp?

Thanks,
Steve
 
Hi Steve, I believe that in all powered ESL systems, the analog amp feed stays analog and goes through a passive high-pass crossover on its way to the panel. The analog amp signal is also attenuated and fed to the DSP board that implements the low-pass crossover and EQ for the woofer(s) and drives the built-in amp for those woofers.

I hope that helps.
 
Hi Steve, I believe that in all powered ESL systems, the analog amp feed stays analog and goes through a passive high-pass crossover on its way to the panel. The analog amp signal is also attenuated and fed to the DSP board that implements the low-pass crossover and EQ for the woofer(s) and drives the built-in amp for those woofers.

I hope that helps.

Thanks, JonFo. Your description mirrors my understanding as well but I recently read--I believe on Audiogon Forum--that the signal to the panel also went through the DSP board first.

Anyone at ML care to comment?

Steve
 
... I recently read--I believe on Audiogon Forum--that the signal to the panel also went through the DSP board first.

Hum, that's not technically possible, as the only input those speakers accept is the high-level/high-power signals from an amplifier, and while one can 'sample' and attenuate the signal (like they do for the low-pass crossover for the woofer), the speaker would need to have (and advertise) a dedicated amp for the panel, which they don't. Also, it would make the external amp completely redundant and a massive source of unwanted THD and noise.

So the only possible topology is the one I described, where the external amp signal powers the panel after going through a passive high-pass crossover.

I do hope and encourage ML to someday make a fully active speaker, with power, crossovers and all that optimized for the specific panel and woofers. But audiophools being what they are, that will probably not sell well.

I mean, it's as if Chevy were to only sell Corvettes without an engine because car enthusiasts insist on putting in their own wierd selection of engines.
 

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