tube amps and electrostatics

Mapman: "Over sweet treble and midrange bloom"

You forgot to include the word "recessed" you guys are just too much.

Cheers George

Bruce (Bifwynne), the lengthy response Ralph (Atmasphere) provided above to your last post provides, IMO, a nuanced, balanced, and technically sound perspective on the issue, derived obviously from extensive experience as well as technical expertise.

Here is another idea to consider, though: Supplement your dynamic speakers and the ARC amplifier with a set of Stax electrostatic headphones and a dedicated Stax headphone amplifier. That's what I do, and I really enjoy having the two different perspectives on what a given recording has to offer. As well as the fact that headphones eliminate (and facilitate assessment of) room issues, and allow me to listen at times when listening via speakers would conflict with my wife's activities.

Just a thought. Best,
-- Al

Bifwynne, I have to admit that on some level I agree, finding suitable amplifier compatibility for ESL's seems to be a bit daunting. While I've admired some of the qualities in ESL's in the past, certain aspects have kept me apart from them. I've yet to hear the mixing and matching of conventional drivers with them in the effort to negate the often heard deficiencies in bass response and macro dynamics done successfully. Still, they do seem to offer some superiority in other areas. In the past, I have attributed my perception of uneven frequency response in ESL's due to the challenge of properly coupling their somewhat unique dispersion patterns to the rooms they're placed in. Perhaps that was misplaced. Was the uneven frequency response I've experienced due to amplification issues? Though these challenges might be too much for me to overcome, I can still understand why some would be attracted to ESL's, despite these observations. Furthermore, I have still yet to hear the a couple of the most very favorably reviewed brands, so I keep an open mind to their ultimate capabilities.

Frogman, your post of 12-5 here is one of the best of the kind I have seen on this site - thanks!

Autoformers in finished boxes showed as costing over a grand. A barebones version would be less i suppose. Es speakers can be pricey, so its all relative i suppose.

Mapman, your original comment was

Autoformers cost more than many speakers themselves. That's a factor to consider in the equation that can't be ignored.

If you're talking about some of the smallest hybrid ESLs on the market, especially purchased used, you may have a point, but that is not 'many' compared to prices of ESLs currently manufactured and certainly not the majority no matter how you slice it.