ESS Performance Series Model 4 - Video

[13stoploss]

Friend of mine found these and gave them to me, knowing I'm an ESS fan.

Anyway, the diaphragms sound fine, and so do the crossovers. They do NOT have the Mexican red-ended capacitors. I added new 10" passive radiator discs. I also added new 10" driver foam surrounds. Sad to say that my job on these look ugly. The driver cones were in bad shape. Glue, no matter how you dab and swab, just looks bad on an old paper cone.

Result, however, is positive. The speakers sound great. They obviously don't go as low as my 12" AMT Monitors or 12" AMT-1a pyramids, but the 10" driver and 10" passive do a good enough job in reproducing low freqs while not blanking out on mid-range freqs like the Monitors and 1a/b/c/d. In fact, I think these mini AMT ribbon tweeters are gold, an un-heralded, forgotten, understated system that is, fortunately, in use by dozens of modern manufacturers today.

Excuse me for the shltty iPhone video.

 

[DR_Simpkins]

I've got a pair of LS 8 ESS's that satisfy me completely in my small living room. Just an 8 in. woofer but they sound fine.

 

[Porkloin]

Have you listened enough to articulate the differences between the smaller AMT and the bigger Heil? As a fan of dipole, I would imagine that the smaller, front (only)-firing tweeter would leave one wanting.

 

[nclh77]

First heard this speaker in 1981. To this day it remains one of my most fond audio memory. That Heil tweeter was fantastic. Happy to say, time has been my friend, and the expiration of Oskar Heil's patent. Many more people now enjoy that fantastic air motion driver, including me.

 

[Leben]

Have you listened enough to articulate the differences between the smaller AMT and the bigger Heil? As a fan of dipole, I would imagine that the smaller, front (only)-firing tweeter would leave one wanting.

I know this post isn't directed to me but I do have some experience with the smaller and larger Heils. I have found that the smaller Heil doesn't leave me wanting at all. If used in an appropriately sized room, my LS-8s have as good of imaging and detail as any speaker that I've listened to. For critical listening, I actually prefer it to the dipole Heil. But for listening to live music, Its hard to beat the large Heil. It gives you the "you are there" feeling that I imagine open baffle fans also enjoy. Both are equally wonderful in my opinion.

I'm interested to hear the OP's opinion on this.

 

[nclh77]

People often complain of the large Heils not going low enough but on the other-hand, this one crossed over to a 10", so no real midrange to fall back on and I've not really hard of many complaints about this speaker. On the other hand, this sold no where near the numbers of the 1a,b,c etc.. so more people commenting.

 

[13stoploss]

Have you listened enough to articulate the differences between the smaller AMT and the bigger Heil? As a fan of dipole, I would imagine that the smaller, front (only)-firing tweeter would leave one wanting.

First heard this speaker in 1981. To this day it remains one of my most fond audio memory. That Heil tweeter was fantastic. Happy to say, time has been my friend, and the expiration of Oskar Heil's patent. Many more people now enjoy that fantastic air motion driver, including me.

Agreed. It's fantastic and I didn't even replace the diaphragm or caps in the crossover.

I know this post isn't directed to me but I do have some experience with the smaller and larger Heils. I have found that the smaller Heil doesn't leave me wanting at all. If used in an appropriately sized room, my LS-8s have as good of imaging and detail as any speaker that I've listened to. For critical listening, I actually prefer it to the dipole Heil. But for listening to live music, Its hard to beat the large Heil. It gives you the "you are there" feeling that I imagine open baffle fans also enjoy. Both are equally wonderful in my opinion.

I'm interested to hear the OP's opinion on this.

This smaller Heil is excellent. It's not as temperamental vertically. Dispersion is lovely.

Oh. I should mention that my big boy amplifier arrived this week. I'm no longer using the DIY PE 2x50w that is pictured and heard in the above video. I've now paired the speakers with an Emotiva XPA-2, so that's 2x300 at 8ohm or 2x500 at 4ohm. With the small DIY amp, the speakers were crystal clear, had no midrange, and only occasionally moved some air down low. Now? See quoted comment below.

People often complain of the large Heils not going low enough but on the other-hand, this one crossed over to a 10", so no real midrange to fall back on and I've not really hard of many complaints about this speaker. On the other hand, this sold no where near the numbers of the 1a,b,c etc.. so more people commenting.

Now that I have a decent amp, I agree. There's now plenty of midrange and it can really drive the low freqs. This is a fantastic speaker system. It's not as pretty as the newer stuff, but it's exceptional. If I wasn't going to sell it (I mean, if this Missus wasn't already happy with the Monitors/Pyramids), I'd redo the crossovers and add some banana cable terminals. Alas, I love and value my marriage...

 

[sum of sand]

What's the difference between the PS and LS tempest line? they look the same to me.
And the difference between those and the ESS built Lafayette criterion 3000 series?
Those feature a small heil corona field on the opposite side
10" woofer, no stands

 

[Leben]

What's the difference between the PS and LS tempest line? they look the same to me.
And the difference between those and the ESS built Lafayette criterion 3000 series?
Those feature a small heil corona field on the opposite side
10" woofer, no stands

As far as I know, the ESS Performance Series and Lab Series have the same components in the same cabinets, the only difference is that the LS models use wood veneer. I'm not as familiar with the Lafayette Criterion 3000 series so I can't offer any help with those.

 

[nclh77]

Now that I have a decent amp, I agree. There's now plenty of midrange and it can really drive the low freqs. This is a fantastic speaker system. It's not as pretty as the newer stuff, but it's exceptional. If I wasn't going to sell it (I mean, if this Missus wasn't already happy with the Monitors/Pyramids), I'd redo the crossovers and add some banana cable terminals. Alas, I love and value my marriage...

Sorry for not being clear. With the large Heil dipole tweeters like on the AMT 1b, etc, many said it did not go low enough to properly crossover to the woofer therefore the mids are lacking. But with your speakers, you have an small heil tweeter crossing over to a 10" woofer with no midrange driver yet I don't hear complaints of the mid lacking.

 

[nexus]

as far as Lafayette and their 'corona field' bs they were terrible sounding speakers and i can hardly believe ESS was actually involved with them.

they were strident and piercing and had no bass at all. they also were very unreliable.

now all these other Heils discussed here a another matter! they all great to one degree or another.

i am glad to see the AMT making a comeback.

 

[spoofer]

I had a smaller pair of ESS speakers bak in the later 70's. I had a 35 watt Technics receiver hooked up to them. They sounded pretty great to a 17 year old. They lit up the neighbor hood pretty good. ha ha... I had a nice tape deck and of course a turntable. They had the same speakers, but the passive was in the rear. Sadly I gave them to a friend and he had them refoamed. I don't know if he still has them.

 

[Boto]

Still loving my old PS-8's that I bought new.

 

[13stoploss]

FTR, I cardboarded and plastic-wrapped my AMT Monitors this weekend. Shipping to a buyer in Atlanta from DC...

As soon as I unplugged the AMT Monitors and then plugged in the PS-4 Towers, I turned on a familiar record with wife in attendance, and she said, "Oh, wow." Mind you, this is a young woman (33; we've been married 14 years; I'm 34) who likes big speakers, and who likes my ESS AMT Monitors and AMT-1a. After having heard the AMT Monitors for years, then plugging in the PS-4, she said, "Oh, wow." An impressive "Oh, wow."

If, gddamnit, they looked as good as the AMT line, I wouldn't be interested in selling. They sound that good.

 

[13stoploss]

So, today I received my new iOS mic and I decided to also try a new video app. So, I did a speaker comparison, including these ESS PS-4!

 

[Porkloin]

Call me a neophyte if you will, but even via a microphone onto the internet and through my little computer speakers, the PS4s sounded bigger and more.
Was the difference that drastic, or are the results colored by the abovementioned mechanisms?

 

[essNeff]

How do you like the XMC-1?
Really nice unit.

 

[13stoploss]

Call me a neophyte if you will, but even via a microphone onto the internet and through my little computer speakers, the PS4s sounded bigger and more.
Was the difference that drastic, or are the results colored by the abovementioned mechanisms?

You are correct, sir. My home theater 6.5" bookshelf speakers--with a giant sub for freq's under 80hz--sound smaller than the ESS PS-4. There are very little colorations. The video says Stereo mode, but it might've been Direct. With the XMC-1, it'll play Direct with sub. Aside from the speakers, the biggest difference for each setup is the CD player. My Oppo is much nicer than my Sony 5-disc carousel from the 90s...

My AMT-1 rebuild is gearing up for completion. Got brand new drivers, brand new cones passives, and brand new Heil AMTs. Just need the bolts annd rubber platforms, and then to veneer. Once complete, I'll add into the video comparison mix. I suspect the PS-4 is better balanced, better midrange, and while it's just as clear up top, it isn't as big up top.

How do you like the XMC-1?
Really nice unit.

LOVE it. I'm a previous customer, used my 40% off coupon, but I'd pay every penny of the full list price. It's excellent for both audiophile music and home theater.

 

[EntilZha]

Reviving this thread (new user at the site) to ask a question of other Heil fans. I bought a set of the Performance 4 units a while back, and have noted the default performance is heavy on the midrange with inadequate response at the high and low ends. I figured the issue might be old caps in the crossovers, so I picked up a new set and rebuilt them...but the response is the same. At present I have an equalizer (remember those!?) in place to boost both ends, but am wondering if others have seen the same behavior and how it might be resolved.

I also have a set of the smaller bookshelf units, and they have the incredible Heil performance I remember from the late '70s.

 

[Porkloin]

Reviving this thread (new user at the site) to ask a question of other Heil fans. I bought a set of the Performance 4 units a while back, and have noted the default performance is heavy on the midrange with inadequate response at the high and low ends. I figured the issue might be old caps in the crossovers, so I picked up a new set and rebuilt them...but the response is the same. At present I have an equalizer (remember those!?) in place to boost both ends, but am wondering if others have seen the same behavior and how it might be resolved.

I also have a set of the smaller bookshelf units, and they have the incredible Heil performance I remember from the late '70s.

This has got to be the first time I've ever heard anyone complain about a lack of lows and highs on an ESS two-way.
Did you replace any of the resistors? If yours is the one below, I'd be concerned about the status of R1 and R2.