electrostatic speaker from Zenith X334

[ferninando]

here's a pic of the electrostatic speaker from my new zenith X334 tube radio.

[electroking]

Very interesting, I had always thought that electrostatics in tube radios were
an Europe-only thing. What extra info do you have about this radio?

[ferninando]

I just got it yesterday. Put some power to it and it works fine. speakers abit scratchy from being old paper cone. Hope I can get a new one. Pots are clean and tuning is good across the band near as I can tell. Hell, I can tune in stations!!! What more do I want? As I get more info I'll post here.
what a Kick.

[bandersen]

Hey, that's great news!
What a strange looking speaker - I've never seen one quite like it.

[Reece]

I have such a tweeter in a similar Zenith, it worked fine. As to your PM speaker, take it out of the set and try moving the cone in and out gently with fingers on each side and inside and outside of the cone. Is there any scratching? If so, voice coil may be uncentered. Sometimes the cone sags over the years.

If there's mechanical scratching, try this: put a little water in a cup. With your finger, spread water over the whole cone so it's thoroughly dampened. Don't let it drip down the center voice coil. Leave the speaker face up where it won't be disturbed in a warm place (not hot: just indoors is fine) and let dry overnight. This often will realign the voice coil. If it doesn't, there's something further can be done. Most speakers can be fixed.

[ferninando]

Originally Posted by Reece

I have such a tweeter in a similar Zenith, it worked fine. As to your PM speaker, take it out of the set and try moving the cone in and out gently with fingers on each side and inside and outside of the cone. Is there any scratching? If so, voice coil may be uncentered. Sometimes the cone sags over the years.

If there's mechanical scratching, try this: put a little water in a cup. With your finger, spread water over the whole cone so it's thoroughly dampened. Don't let it drip down the center voice coil. Leave the speaker face up where it won't be disturbed in a warm place (not hot: just indoors is fine) and let dry overnight. This often will realign the voice coil. If it doesn't, there's something further can be done. Most speakers can be fixed.

Well I solved the 5x7 spkr prob. Found a pair of nice sony 4 ohm 6" round cardoor spkrs I had stachsed away. One will fit nicely where the 5x7 was and it sounds great to boot. I'll leave the electrostatic hooked up for now working or not. I cant hear it anyway. Sides the sony has/is a 2way with a little tweeter mounted coaxially so it takes the place of the electro. Hey, I'm happy for only a $20 outlay to get something like this that works fine and sounds good and will look good when Im done with it. It was/is just a fun project to get into for a time then back to the maggy amps.

[leadlike]

I was unaware such a thing existed from this time period. I am familiar with the huge Magnapan speakers-they are something like 5.5 feet tall and only a few inches thick. Supposed to sound very nice though the membranes do wear out. I believe I have seen mini-Magnepans, that use an element about as large as yours, to create a pair of computer speakers. Probably the sound isn't as room-filling as their much larger brothers.

[ferninando]

Originally Posted by leadlike

I was unaware such a thing existed from this time period. I am familiar with the huge Magnapan speakers-they are something like 5.5 feet tall and only a few inches thick. Supposed to sound very nice though the membranes do wear out. I believe I have seen mini-Magnepans, that use an element about as large as yours, to create a pair of computer speakers. Probably the sound isn't as room-filling as their much larger brothers.

anyone remember the Infinity Servo-Static One?

[Zenith26kc20]

I had a pair for a long time. They had their share of midrange panel (the early ones were put together with duct tape) problems. The later panels were a bit better. The tweeters were RTR electrostatic. I had to repair the woofer amp a few times as well as get the 18 inch woofer recoiled (the feedback coil would fail).
They were a hard load and finished off a few amplifiers. I finally got an Infinity SWAMP and it drove them with no problem.
I replaced them with Magneplaner Tympani 1B's after I got tired of replacing the expensive midrange panels (and waiting for them).
I've re-tweetered the Maggies twice. The panels slowly open up and have to be replaced.
The SWAMP, on the other hand has proven very reliable and powerful. It can play the Maggies at uncomfortable levels......

[leadlike]

Thrill the wife and....

build your own electrostatic speakers:

http://mark.rehorst.com/ESLs/index.html