Infinity speaker id electrostatic panels not emits

[bloodrock]

Picked up a pair of Infinity speakers tonite. I know these are from the 70's, but no id on the grill or back panel. The only id on the back is Infinity System Inc. Chatsworth Ca. The cabinets are approx 20 inches wide, 30 inches tall, and 12 inches deep. They have a 12 inch woofer with a grey colored material around the dustcap. A 4 inch mid, and 4 electrostatic panels which run from top to bottom on the right side of cabinet. These stats are blue in color. They do have an electrical cord to plug in the element. Controls on the back are for electrostatic mode. From left to right it says Normal... +3db...protect. Also was given a pair of AR 4's with these Infinitys. I cant send pics, but when I get my camera back, I will. I havent hooked them up yet, just waiting to hear any input on the panels and any potential damage that may occur if I dont troubleshoot 1st. Thanks

 

[SpeakerLabFan]

Nice scores Larry! :thmbsp: I hope those Infinitys are in good shape and I'd like to hear them. Free stuff is hard to beat. :yes:

 

[Arkay]

Sounds like you've picked up an early pair of Infinity Servo-Static speakers. Do they look like the top picture here(?):

http://www.bobbyshred.com/infinity.html

If that's what you got, I'd call it a "major score"! :thmbsp: Please do let us know how they sound. They should want a good, powerful amp supplying them (no clipping, please!).

 

[bloodrock]

Infinity ID

Sounds like you've picked up an early pair of Infinity Servo-Static speakers. Do they look like the top picture here(?):

http://www.bobbyshred.com/infinity.html

If that's what you got, I'd call it a "major score"! :thmbsp: Please do let us know how they sound. They should want a good, powerful amp supplying them (no clipping, please!).

Hi Arkay

I saw those to doing research, but these are not the ones. Mine have 1 woofer and 1 midrange, and the the array of statics which consists of 4 small panels from top to bottom. Looks like the same principle. Hopefully pics will help once I get my camera back.

Forgot to mention that on the back of these, there is a grill which is directly behind the static arrays.

 

[bloodrock]

Infinity ID

Found a pic of them. These are the 2000a

 

[Kencat]

That SIR, is a major find (to my way of thinking anyway) :thmbsp:

What a fantastic piece of Infinity history. I would think that there are very few of those speakers in that condition that exist today. Hopefully all those electrostatics work perfectly for you.

For anyone here interested, go to the Infinity-classics site and read the manual and the reviews (just read the Stereo magazine review - very good one, and will go to the Arts and Music review shortly). The manual is a treat in techno-garble and I loved the heedings to use good quality equipment with the speakers or else

Do keep us posted on your impressions and comparisons, and give the folks here every possibility to acquire them if you are going to get rid of them for any reason, as these speakers should be preserved as a piece of Infinity history somewhere, I think.

Jeez, do I sound a little excited? I really think those are cool because of how early they are, and represent what must be Nudell's and crew's first shots at the concepts that led to the Emits and Emims etc. Really nice acquisition. Wish I could hear them :yes:

 

[bloodrock]

Infinity 2000a

That SIR, is a major find (to my way of thinking anyway) :thmbsp:

What a fantastic piece of Infinity history. I would think that there are very few of those speakers in that condition that exist today. Hopefully all those electrostatics work perfectly for you.

For anyone here interested, go to the Infinity-classics site and read the manual and the reviews (just read the Stereo magazine review - very good one, and will go to the Arts and Music review shortly). The manual is a treat in techno-garble and I loved the heedings to use good quality equipment with the speakers or else

Do keep us posted on your impressions and comparisons, and give the folks here every possibility to acquire them if you are going to get rid of them for any reason, as these speakers should be preserved as a piece of Infinity history somewhere, I think.

Jeez, do I sound a little excited? I really think those are cool because of how early they are, and represent what must be Nudell's and crew's first shots at the concepts that led to the Emits and Emims etc. Really nice acquisition. Wish I could hear them :yes:

I will be able to check them out later today. I dont know much about these, so will look at the reviews on the Infinity Website which Arkay pointed out. I was very fortunate picking these up. Speakerlabfan e-mailed me and asked if I had seen the posting for these, and at that time I hadn't. These were owned by an older gentleman, who really didnt know much about them other then the fact he had owned them for 30 years and they had been stored for at least 20 and moved 4 times. His wife decided that since they were moving again, that these needed a new home. These were free and also a pair of AR 4's to boot. To say I am excited....so will hook up later and will post my thoughts on these.

 

[phaedrus]

I think you'll really like them. I finally got mine hooked up last week and was really impressed. Great high end (of course), and the bass is quite nice. Nice score! Just don't overdrive them, because you'll never find a replacement set of the electrostatic tweeters.

David

 

[Kencat]

For Totem and phaedrus,

I see that the two of you also have 2000a's. Although probably rare, it's nice to see a few sets with members here.

How do they sound compared to some of the later Infinities, like the Quantums, RS 2.5's, et al ? Do they hold their own, or are the later models improvements of a great nature?

 

[bloodrock]

Infinity 2000a

I think you'll really like them. I finally got mine hooked up last week and was really impressed. Great high end (of course), and the bass is quite nice. Nice score! Just don't overdrive them, because you'll never find a replacement set of the electrostatic tweeters.

David

Well just got them hooked up and let the statics charge up for a few minutes. All drivers are working and these speakers are really perking up the more I play them. I will listen to these for a few more days and let them re-break back in and see if the sound changes at all, but for now i am pleasantly surprised.

 

[phaedrus]

How do they sound compared to some of the later Infinities, like the Quantums, RS 2.5's, et al ? Do they hold their own, or are the later models improvements of a great nature?

Kencat,

I haven't gotten the opportunity to really do an A/B comparison yet, so the jury's still out. On first impression, I would say the highs and mid are as good as any of the later models. The bass, while very nice, can't really compare with the Watkins woofer or the array of woofers in something like the RS-1. But, given the relatively compact size of the speaker, the bass is nothing to sneeze at, either.

Bloodrock,

I would recommend you keep them plugged in and let the electrostatics charge before playing them much. I let mine charge for 4-5 hours before playing them the first time. If you stress them at all before the electrostatics are charged, you risk arcing them.

David

 

[bloodrock]

Infinity 2000a

Kencat,

I haven't gotten the opportunity to really do an A/B comparison yet, so the jury's still out. On first impression, I would say the highs and mid are as good as any of the later models. The bass, while very nice, can't really compare with the Watkins woofer or the array of woofers in something like the RS-1. But, given the relatively compact size of the speaker, the bass is nothing to sneeze at, either.

Bloodrock,

I would recommend you keep them plugged in and let the electrostatics charge before playing them much. I let mine charge for 4-5 hours before playing them the first time. If you stress them at all before the electrostatics are charged, you risk arcing them.



Well to late for a full charge, but they have been charging for 4 hours, and I have been listening off and on for 4 lp's total during that time period. Hopefully all is ok. I have heard of arcing, but is there a physical sign when it happens? Or some type of sound like popping or? They seem to be fine as I type. Can arcing be caused by to much volume? I havent played them above moderate levels.

 

[SpeakerLabFan]

I will be able to check them out later today. I dont know much about these, so will look at the reviews on the Infinity Website which Arkay pointed out. I was very fortunate picking these up. Speakerlabfan e-mailed me and asked if I had seen the posting for these, and at that time I hadn't. These were owned by an older gentleman, who really didnt know much about them other then the fact he had owned them for 30 years and they had been stored for at least 20 and moved 4 times. His wife decided that since they were moving again, that these needed a new home. These were free and also a pair of AR 4's to boot. To say I am excited....so will hook up later and will post my thoughts on these.

Larry this is a great story; the kind I love to read about here or better yet experience myself. Free Infinitys and AR-4's in the neighborhood - I'm glad you jumped on them when i emailed you.

Thanks for sharing the AR-4's with me! I'm looking forward to comparing those with my Advents, Rectilinears, and KLHs. You're the man! :thmbsp:

By the way, i still haven't listened to the KLHs but I did pick up those Stereo phone plug connectors at radio shack tonight - for the single speaker wire jack on those. The connectors cost more than the speakers.

 

[phaedrus]

Well to late for a full charge, but they have been charging for 4 hours, and I have been listening off and on for 4 lp's total during that time period. Hopefully all is ok. I have heard of arcing, but is there a physical sign when it happens? Or some type of sound like popping or? They seem to be fine as I type. Can arcing be caused by to much volume? I havent played them above moderate levels.

Sorry, I didn't mean to alarm you. Arcing is most likely to occur when you are playing them at high volume, or if they haven't really developed a good charge. It's noticeable as a popping noise, sort of like a pop or click on a record. AK member Grainger has a lot of experience with the Infinity electrostatics, and recommended they be kept plugged in full-time to maintain the charge. Failing that, giving them several hours before playing them hard is recommended. Hope you enjoy them!

David

 

[bloodrock]

Infinity 2000a

Sorry, I didn't mean to alarm you. Arcing is most likely to occur when you are playing them at high volume, or if they haven't really developed a good charge. It's noticeable as a popping noise, sort of like a pop or click on a record. AK member Grainger has a lot of experience with the Infinity electrostatics, and recommended they be kept plugged in full-time to maintain the charge. Failing that, giving them several hours before playing them hard is recommended. Hope you enjoy them!

David

Thanks for the great info. I used to have Acoustat 1+1 speakers years ago, and was always curious about the popping noise I would hear every so often. I never drove them hard either, but occasionally it would happen. Thanks again..

 

[bloodrock]

Infinity 2000a

Larry this is a great story; the kind I love to read about here or better yet experience myself. Free Infinitys and AR-4's in the neighborhood - I'm glad you jumped on them when i emailed you.

Thanks for sharing the AR-4's with me! I'm looking forward to comparing those with my Advents, Rectilinears, and KLHs. You're the man! :thmbsp:

By the way, i still haven't listened to the KLHs but I did pick up those Stereo phone plug connectors at radio shack tonight - for the single speaker wire jack on those. The connectors cost more than the speakers.

Not a problem. Thank you for letting me know about them, and giving me the chance to get them. let me know when you get the jack wired up. Would like to compare the speakers you have collected recently. On a side note, just spent the last 3-4 hours sorting lp's and they are scattered all over the living room. Man this is alot of work. :scratch2:

 

[bloodrock]

Infinity 2000a

That SIR, is a major find (to my way of thinking anyway) :thmbsp:

What a fantastic piece of Infinity history. I would think that there are very few of those speakers in that condition that exist today. Hopefully all those electrostatics work perfectly for you.

For anyone here interested, go to the Infinity-classics site and read the manual and the reviews (just read the Stereo magazine review - very good one, and will go to the Arts and Music review shortly). The manual is a treat in techno-garble and I loved the heedings to use good quality equipment with the speakers or else

Do keep us posted on your impressions and comparisons, and give the folks here every possibility to acquire them if you are going to get rid of them for any reason, as these speakers should be preserved as a piece of Infinity history somewhere, I think.

Jeez, do I sound a little excited? I really think those are cool because of how early they are, and represent what must be Nudell's and crew's first shots at the concepts that led to the Emits and Emims etc. Really nice acquisition. Wish I could hear them :yes:

Thank you for the kind response and information. I have been listening to the 2000a's for the past week with a Sansui 717 Int-amp. My 1st impressions were good. Not sure what to have expected from these. As the week has gone by, while I admit that these are very sweet sounding speakers, they probably wont be the ones that I will continue to use. Mostly out of fear of over driving them. My listening moods can swing from soft to chest pounding db's. Not sure if these would fit my listening habits. I wish I could find more info on these, other then what has been posted.