Hmmm,
I have a somewhat different perspective. I've owned the Maggie Mg-III and MG-12, Carver AL-III, Acoustat 1+1, 2+2, and Model III, Eminent Technology LFT-VIIIa, InnerSound Eros original and Mk-II, Newform Research Module 30 and VMPS RM30. Additionally I've heard many other popular electrostats and ribbon speakers at length, with my own recordings.
Of the speakers I have owned and evaluated, my preference, based on overall performance, first-last, is as follows: VMPS RM30, InnerSound Eros, Acoustats & Newform Research (draw), Magnepans, ET LFT-VIII, and Carver AL-III.
When I owned the ET VIIIa, I found them easy to listen to and well-balanced. On the downside, I found them somewhat industrial in appearance, lacking in immediacy/detail, and somewhat dynamically limited. Also, they are not the easiest speakers to drive. The InnerSound Eros will play much louder and more dynamically, and has a greater sense of incisiveness, immediacy, and transparency. The two are not in the same league in my view. Downside to the Eros is mainly the head-in-the-vice syndrome due to the marked high-frequency beaming. I didn't realize how much it bothered me until I switched to other speakers.
For the criteria you have set, I think your best bets would be ribbon-hybrid models from VMPS or Newform Research. Selah Audio seems to have some interesting line arrays too, but I have not auditioned them so I can't comment with any certainty on those.
Happy Listening and Happy Holidays!
I have a somewhat different perspective. I've owned the Maggie Mg-III and MG-12, Carver AL-III, Acoustat 1+1, 2+2, and Model III, Eminent Technology LFT-VIIIa, InnerSound Eros original and Mk-II, Newform Research Module 30 and VMPS RM30. Additionally I've heard many other popular electrostats and ribbon speakers at length, with my own recordings.
Of the speakers I have owned and evaluated, my preference, based on overall performance, first-last, is as follows: VMPS RM30, InnerSound Eros, Acoustats & Newform Research (draw), Magnepans, ET LFT-VIII, and Carver AL-III.
When I owned the ET VIIIa, I found them easy to listen to and well-balanced. On the downside, I found them somewhat industrial in appearance, lacking in immediacy/detail, and somewhat dynamically limited. Also, they are not the easiest speakers to drive. The InnerSound Eros will play much louder and more dynamically, and has a greater sense of incisiveness, immediacy, and transparency. The two are not in the same league in my view. Downside to the Eros is mainly the head-in-the-vice syndrome due to the marked high-frequency beaming. I didn't realize how much it bothered me until I switched to other speakers.
For the criteria you have set, I think your best bets would be ribbon-hybrid models from VMPS or Newform Research. Selah Audio seems to have some interesting line arrays too, but I have not auditioned them so I can't comment with any certainty on those.
Happy Listening and Happy Holidays!