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ESS AMT LE 6" speakers

V

vlad2304

New Member
Hello!

Today I came across an offer from ESS:

http://esslabsusa.com/speakers/

Namely, AMT LE 6" (Pair) for $795.00.
Unfortunately I cannot find any reviews on the web for this model.
Now I am running IFI Retro 50 tube amplifier and am very tempted with their high sensitivity - 94db @ 1W / 1m.

Can anybody share thoughts or experience with these speakers?
Thank you!
 
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I've had larger ESS Amts (12", 10"). They're wonderful speakers with an elegant appearance. I also used the Great Heil tweeter/mid with 6" woofers, but there were four of them (= to a 15-inch woofer).

The ad says its bass reaches down to 40Hz, but they don't say that's a "flat" response. Frankly I doubt that figure from a 6" cone — but OTOH the internal space of the cabinet is larger than normal.

The worse case is you might want to add a subwoofer to get the extra octave of bass. But that depends on the kind of music you like: some music has no deep bass. And 40Hz (if true) can rock real good — the lowest note on a bass guitar is 42Hz IIRC.

I'd get them. The midrange and treble of those AMT drivers is almost impossible to beat, and the bipolarity adds so much depth and realism to the soundstage. Price is very reasonable for what you'll be betting.
 
It's amazing that there is actually no info about current ESS products on the web. I've checked their web site only because I am 60 and heard about this company in 70s and 80s.
 
The "current ESS products" are pretty new. Takes time for enough people to get them and form opinions.
 
vlad2304: Very interesting. thanks for posting. I am not on the ESS website on a regular basis and not up to date on all the current models. I don't think they have had this in the lineup very long. I don't see any crossover frequency posted. Also, I guess no grills of any type?? This does not look like the full sized Heil. ESS only has a couple of dealers listed and is pretty much an on line company. There is a local dealer to me in Yorktown VA, but this guy is only a catalog store. He has nothing to look at. So with the demise of the big audio magazines of the 70's, I don't think there are too many sources to do technical reviews anymore.
So here is a project I just finished a couple of weeks ago. I did put this in a separate post about ESS Mini Monitors. These speakers are the same size as the ESS ones you are looking at and have full sized Heils in them. I am no great craftsman and there is no engineering here, but I retained the original Realistic 8 inch woofers. With a little bass EQ, they don't sound half bad. ESS Nova Mini monitor 1.JPG ESS Nova Mini Monitor 8.JPG ESS Nova Mini Monitor 9.JPG ESS Nova Mini Monitor 10.JPG
 
I am an absolute novice in ESS technology but they state "HEIL Air Motion Transformer III" in the description. And they also promise that "Each speaker is still hand-crafted and tested for... Sound as Clear as Light!".
I had a lot of various speakers in my life but still live with the hope that this very one will be really special :)
 
I have always been a fan of the Heil since I sold it in the 70's. I preferred it to the other speakers we sold in the store which included Altec, JBL, AR, KLH, Dynaco, Rectilinear, McIntosh, B&O. and a few other brands. However, this is my personal taste. I was able to compare these at that time. There are plenty of other excellent speakers that we did not carry. I did not have opportunities to hear or compare them.
You are unfortunately faced with making a decision on a speaker that you will not see or hear before you buy them. I would suggest you clarify the ESS return policy before you buy. If you don't like them, you will need to be able to send them back.
If you look back on their website, the Heil III is the smallest of the 3 sizes. It will work exactly the same as the other 2 and should sound the same except for ultimate power handling and volume.
The Heil, folded pleated diaphragm, is a very viable technology and has been embraced by other current manufacturers including Martin Logan and Legacy among others I can't recall. Dayton makes its own version of it.
It will be very good and competitive with other current speakers.
 
I would steer away from that model personally. They don't have the Heil size we all have heard and enjoyed so it's not anything more than the smallest (tiny) diaphragm in a housing that was not designed for that diaphragm. I'm also very leery of the specs advertised since they aren't capable of putting out any more than 89db. Info about them isn't available because they don't sell. I'm reminded of a friend who bought the 8" model for way too much money and lost a great deal of that when he ended up selling them because he wasn't happy with the sound staging. The company doesnt seem to back up the claim of measurements or honor returns as I've heard. On another note they seem pricey to me.
 
I think you're doing the right move. As I think about it myself he told me the cabinets construction was ridiculous. Anyone who says ridiculous when describing wood modeling together for a speaker well, it can't be too good.
 
nomenclature said:
I would steer away from that model personally. They don't have the Heil size we all have heard and enjoyed so it's not anything more than the smallest (tiny) diaphragm in a housing that was not designed for that diaphragm. I'm also very leery of the specs advertised since they aren't capable of putting out any more than 89db. Info about them isn't available because they don't sell. I'm reminded of a friend who bought the 8" model for way too much money and lost a great deal of that when he ended up selling them because he wasn't happy with the sound staging. The company doesnt seem to back up the claim of measurements or honor returns as I've heard. On another note they seem pricey to me.
Click to expand...

Boy this post has a lot of misinformation and conjecture.
 
Nomenclature: I am curious about your comment that the speaker won't play any louder than 89db. From what source did you learn this?
 
jcidave said:
So here is a project I just finished a couple of weeks ago. View attachment 1493945
Click to expand...
I'm not trying to throw shade on your lovely Heils...

Maybe you posed this shot by the window for the 'see-through' view of the diaphragm (a perfect image for 'transparent' sound) — but they must be shaded from sunlight.

It de-laminates the wires from the pleats. I did this to two Great Heils. I started with one, in a pair, one in the shade, the other exposed to sunblight through a window 2-3 hours a day. It began to buzz. Inspecting with a loupe, I saw some wires had separated, causing the buzz.

I just thought that one Heil "went bad", and replaced it with another. Sure enough, within a couple months it was buzzing too. Like an idiot, I never associated it with a clearly visible cause, and destroyed two.

2 out of 2 is proof enough for me. And the shaded ones were never affected. Another 2 out of 2 proof.
 
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