ESM-3 Speakers

nick_ville

Active Member
I was in a local used shop yesterday, and found a pair of ESM-3's. They appear to be in great shape, and the price is only about $17 (they are having a sale, which allowed me to pick up a great condition HK330i for less than $10, taxes in, which will probably be a flip). I was thinking that they might be a good grab, but in researching them, I believe that the 8 inch driver has been replaced. The drivers in them are clear plastic (like in old Paradigm Monitor speakers), and the pictures I have found of the ESM-3's online show black cones.

I feel that since they may not be original, I might pass on them. From what I have read, they are good sounding speakers, but I don't know if that stays true considering the drivers have been replaced. I wasn't sure if I would flip them, or sell either my PSB 500's or 500i's and keep the ESM-3's.

Any thoughts?
 
Last edited:
After doing a little more searching on-line about the ESM speakers, and the possible connection to the Energy Pro22 line, I wonder if perhaps the driver was replaced with a Pro 22 driver? Those appear to have a clear polypropylene driver....

I still don't know if they would be worth picking up...:scratch2:
 
I've re-foamed two sets of ESM-2's and ESM-3's. The woofers were definitely black. They are great sounding speakers for their size. If the woofers are from Pro 22's they will be stitched.

Energy.jpg


Energy_2-1.jpg
 
Last edited:
Cabs and tweeters are probably worth at least $17. Replacement woofers might sound ok? Can't tell until you listen.
 
I've re-foamed two sets of ESM-2's and ESM-3's. The woofers were definitely black. They are great sounding speakers for their size. If the woofers are from Pro 22's they will be stitched.

Energy.jpg


Energy_2-1.jpg

Thanks for the pictures. I went back to snap a photo of the speakers, but don't have them uploaded yet. The driver is certainly different than both of those....I'll upload a pic tomorrow.
 
Here are the pics of the ESM-3's for sale. Definitely different drivers, and no stitching, so they aren't drivers from 22's. I think that I might still see about picking them up. Going to be a tough sell to my wife right now though!
 

Attachments

  • 2012-10-11 15.55.45.jpg
    2012-10-11 15.55.45.jpg
    66.2 KB · Views: 65
  • 2012-10-11 15.54.12.jpg
    2012-10-11 15.54.12.jpg
    65.8 KB · Views: 117
C'mon dude. Seriously.

They're only $17.

The cabs, tweets, crossovers, etc. are worth more than that. And who knows, maybe there's decent woofers in there even if they aren't stock.
 
Those woofers look a lot like Paradigm to me.

The clear woofer material is similar, but the rest of those woofers are different to Paradigm OEM woofers. Paradigms don't have the cardboard outer rings, nor do they have raw metal (or gold passivated) metal baskets as can be seen through the woofers in this particular example. The Paradigm baskets are cast alloy and feature thin black spokes, and have a smaller dust cap and also a rubber surround vs foam surround.

There's a good example of the Paradigm woofers here:

http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/216890-pradaigm_5se_mk3

Sadly the woofers in the Energys appear to be a generic foam-surround clear-coned woofer.
 
The clear woofer material is similar, but the rest of those woofers are different to Paradigm OEM woofers. Paradigms don't have the cardboard outer rings, nor do they have raw metal (or gold passivated) metal baskets as can be seen through the woofers in this particular example. The Paradigm baskets are cast alloy and feature thin black spokes, and have a smaller dust cap and also a rubber surround vs foam surround.

There's a good example of the Paradigm woofers here:

http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/216890-pradaigm_5se_mk3

Sadly the woofers in the Energys appear to be a generic foam-surround clear-coned woofer.

Even the older Paradigm stamped steel baskets were also not silver, looks like a cheap generic as said above, by them and flip then for 50-75 bucks. Even with original woofers they won't be good as your psb 500's.

2 perfectly good woofers that needed a refoam are probably crushed under tons of garbage in a landfill...sad isn't it :tears:
 
Last edited:
Back
Top Bottom