Awesome Dual Force Sony Electrostat Of Old?

[User211]

Sony SSR10

Be sure to read this too.

Dual membrane per driver. What are they describing here - seems a bit ambiguous... is this a dual force arrangement as per the CLX? Thoughts? Can't see it can be much else but... only it seems to be full range dual force - every driver uses 2 membranes.

If so, ML were kind of beaten to it all by well over a decade... or was the CLX a rip of this Sony tech? Again, thoughts & facts?

80DB

 

[Brad225]

I never cease to be amazed at what members find. Almost an Apogee shape with stat panels.

They are simular in that the Dual Force is along the same lines as ML.
I had know idea Sony had worked on this technology.

Did others members have any idea these speakers existed?

 

[User211]

Actually, the whole site is a good one, so be sure to check it out if you're into hi-fi history and old classics.

The Vintage Knob

 

[tonepub]

any idea what these cost when they were new?

 

[timm]

any idea what these cost when they were new?

Think it said 1 million yen? I saw 1 mil yen in the article somewhere
that's 10k based on today's exchange. This is 1995 pricing and I don't the historic exchange rates either

 

[JonFo]

Pretty cool find.

I actually saw a patent for a dual diaphragm ESL that I'll need to dig up. It was NOT from ML.

Not sure this is not a paired set of stators (i.e. four stators, two diaphragms) vs. the CLX three stators two diaphragms setup. The pics of the bass ESL units sure make it look like its doubled up ESLs. Those seem pretty thick.

Impressive achievement, no doubt.

 

[User211]

"The goal was to avoid using a thicker membrane to allow for larger movement for lower frequencies to be reproduced. From the fairly conventional 2 or 3mm between electrodes and the membrane, the spacing varies for each panel, up to 10mm (2x 5mm) for the bass, allowing roughly the equivalent of a 2mm movement on a conventional 38cm cone."

That's 2cm for the bass just on spacing, not including the width of the stators.

Has to be said the drivers look clumsy and "overworked" compared to the CLX. But the bass drivers go down to 30Hz... assuming that's +/-3DB - which may be a big assumption.

Be interesting to know the origin of the patent, Jon.