Anyone ever heard of "ESS" speakers?

[Chris Brown]

I have a pair of bookshelf speakers that have an “ESS” emblem on the front (see picture below). Has anyone ever heard of these before? They are in great condition except on the back there is a big hole on both cabinets… almost like there used to be a passive radiator there before. Inside there is sound dampening material with little chunks of what looks like old pieces of speaker surround foam (which supports my passive radiator theory). Not sure what the deal with the missing passive radiator or whatever on the back is, but if I could find out a little about this brand maybe that would be a start?

Thanks.

 

[soundmind]

ESS was a manufacturer in the 70s and 80s whose claim to fame was "the heil air motion transformer" a kind of tweeter for which they claimed great things. They also allowed Lafayette Radio to manufacture speakers under their name using this tweeter. You might be right about a passive radiator. I know they had at least one floor standing model that used one.

 

[Thatch_Ear]

Passive radiator. There was a 10" woofer with a 12" PR and a dome tweeter. If the PR is gone the foam on the woffers is liable to be too. Take a pic if the tweeter, you have me curious.

 

[KenP]

I remember vaguely that they did have a passive radiator in the back and a weird tweeter mounted on top.

 

[Chris Brown]

Well I was getting bummed about not having a digital camera, but then I realized… their bookshelf speakers, why don’t I just put the darn things on the scanner!

http://www.GotNoRice.com/essfront.jpg
http://www.GotNoRice.com/essback.jpg (notice the chunks of old speaker surround foam)

The surrounds on the woofer are rubber, and thus do not suffer from foam rot.

 

[grumpy]

Can you say Resize ?

 

[Don McR]

ESS is still in business. Give them a call to see if they can supply a replacement pasasive radiator.

http://www.essspeakers.com/

 

[Chris Brown]

Originally posted by grumpy
Can you say Resize ?

: I was lazy, and thats why I just linked them instead of posting them. They are smaller now.

 

[Thatch_Ear]

If you can't buy replacements they are easy to make if the hole is the right size for a standard refoam kit.

 

[EchoWars]

Hmmm...no air motion transformer in that one. Yes, ESS was (and still is) big into the passive radiator.

ESS was a manufacturer in the 70s and 80s whose claim to fame was "the heil air motion transformer" a kind of tweeter for which they claimed great things.

/me looks over at my biamped Dynaudio/Heil setup

They DO do great things. I prefer them over any domed coventional tweet, and over 99% of the electrostatics and ribbon tweeters out there. Resistive load, very efficient, wonderful sound, affordable. 'nuff said.

 

[Chris Brown]

Well I can't really spend much money on these. Any suggestions on how I might rig up a passive radiator, or should I just leave the back open like that?

 

[soundmind]

I don't think leaving the back open is a good idea. You won't get much bass. You'd be better off finding an inexpensive driver that has no holes in it and installing it where the passive was. Don't connect it to anything though. Try to be sure that the opening is as air tight if possible. Use a rubber or foam gasket or silicone caulking if necessary around this drone driver.

 

[Thatch_Ear]

Chris B
I doubt that they cost much. I was checking the site out today and called them and they sell replacement diapragms for $30.
Echo'
Maybe you can answer a question for me. I ordered my drivers today to build a 2 way with some Heil AMT-1s I have. They measure 3.4 ohms resistence. They basically stay at the 3.4 don't they? So I should use the 3.4 and not 4 in figuring my cross?

 

[EchoWars]

The ohmmeter doesn't send enough juice through the diaphram to give realistic idea of what impedence the amp sees. When driven from an amp, the amp will see a bit more than what the ohmmeter sees. When I was using passive crossovers for my Heil's, I figured 4 ohms and didn't fret about it further.

Where are you crossing them at? ESS says they are good down to 1KHz. Personally, I think they get raspy below about 1.8KHz or so. With my active crossover, I cross 'em at 2.2KHz to 2.6Khz, depending on what I'm listening to or what mood I'm in (yes, it's a luxury...)

 

[Thatch_Ear]

I am going to cross them around 7.5 KHz
Rest will follow in DIY.
And thanks for the info.

 

[EchoWars]

I am going to cross them around 7.5 KHz

Nothing terribly wrong with that, except the Heil's do such a nice job in the upper midrange, especially with the human voice. They really come into their own at around 3.5K or so.

Anyway, have fun.

 

[Thatch_Ear]

Yea, I have been kind of torn over that. I might end up going another route after I try this one.