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ESS speakers "Translinear" Transstatic

These were speakers designed by California based company called ESS, that is, Electro Static Sound before they used the Heil Air Montion transformer. These models were current in 1970-1975. I am curious if any one still owns either of the above models, or has seem them listed on any of them listed in the used audio web sites. They were incredible speakers for their time,and sounded as good as many of so-called elctrostatics of today. They used good driver elements, for example, the KEF B-139 oval driver for the bass response.If anyone has knowledge of either of these above vintage speakers,please leave info on this Web page. Thank you!!
sunnyjim

Showing 2 responses by tooitu

tooitu
2 posts
 
I picked up a couple of Translinears several years ago at a Goodwill for fifty bucks, but since I have another high-end system, after listening to them for awhile, I put them into storage. I would like to restore them as a gift for a friend along with a Carver HR-752 and TLM-3600 that also are stored. In case I have to replace the drivers, I need crossover points. Please, help.
tooitu
2 posts
 
Ds1058:

I love this story, especially about the speakers flying off the car roof on the freeway! This speaks to the difference in build quality compared with today's junk, which would have to be swept up instead.

I first ran across the Transtatic and Translinear in 1970 when an Oakland dealer was going out of business. He was selling both at half price, but I could not come up with the asking price then. At the time only the Infinity ServoStatic at about five times the price of the Transtatic, could outperform them among the speakers that I had heard. But the bass of the Transtatic was at the time the best I had heard, nearly causing me to wet myself!
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