Something I've always wondered: does Steve notify you when he's featuring your system, or do you just have to hope you see the video where your system is shown?
@@jakeross8533 He responded to my email a couple days after I sent it saying he'd be featuring my system soon, but didn't give specifics beyond that. This is the first video he's posted since his reply so I tuned in and was pleasantly surprised!
Steve…I just saw in the current issue of Stereophile that Sound By Singer is having a huge sale that is a once in a lifetime opportunity. So sad to think Andy is gone and that someone is liquidating all of his beloved joys for his estate / family. It’s sadly all part of life that no one escapes.
@@MrGudgeon1 Thanks for the invite!! I really mean it. So often I see these systems and it’s either not my cup of tea or I can pretty well imagine what it sounds like. But your system…it’s obviously thoughtfully put together and while I think I have an idea of what it might sound like, I think I would be surprised. It’s a serious system that also seems like a LOT of fun!
Appreciate that! I've been strategically tweaking things over the past 15 years to get to this point, buying up all the components you see here used on local classifieds. As is, the system is super clean, articulate and engaging with a very full range sound. I need something that sounds good at low volume levels since I live in a townhouse with shared walls, and this system is great in that regard. The technics horns are very resolving to my ears, without any squawking or shouting. The 12" paper woofers have beautiful tonality and slam, but don't go super deep on account of the cabs being a bit undersized for the drivers. Once I added the KEF KC-62 sub to round out the low end everything snapped into place just right 🤙
Bought a pair of ESS AMT5 bookshelves in 74 as I was a poor college kid. Used them well into the 90's and still have then stored in the original boxes. Just turned 70 and need to get them out and see what needs to be done to revive them. Loved the sound. I saw these Pure Audio Trio 10's at the Tampa show this year and got excited to see the big Heil's being used and the ESS logo. Got me thinking...
Systems of the day segment is awesome! Even when there are systems that I do not think would be my cup of tea, I'm blown away the care given to the creation of those systems.
Clayton Shaw's new Caladan open baffle speakers are obviously something you need to review to complete the moderately-priced open baffle speaker series :)
I loved this review SO much. Over the years I've commented that you need to review some ESS speakers, but it was lost in the comments. Now you have reviewed the Heil large tweeter! 😃 I run 4 pairs of speakers on a switch. Original ESS AMT1 restored 10" woofer original tweeter about 1970; recently built ESS LTD 12 " woofers, restored Polk SDA-2 and Elac Uni-Fi 2 as monitors. If the source material is low quality I run it thru the Polks. I have spare large AMT tweeters that ESS sells for projects. Note ESS will sell you replacement ribbons or replace them for you. In the past they've put on new woofer surrounds and remagnitized too. They will also test and rebuild crossovers. Your reviews of Nelson Pass shows he worked at ESS when my vintage speakers were made. He said his wife folded ribbons then. She may have made mine. ❤ Nelson said he bought a pair of these tweeters to experiment with. Please follow up on his project. ESS has a limited amount of brand new AMT-1D revivals at $2300 a pair.
Back in high school 1974, I had a friend with ESS Heil speakers and some serious Carver amplification. Rich kids at private school in Pebble Beach California. One of his demos was "Lucky Man from Emerson Lake & Palmer. The Album was so wide open like a basketball court, but also felt like it was spitting all over me. What a lucky man he wasSSSSSSSSSSS
I had ESS AMT1s in high school! Really loved the sound. Dipole and crossing over at midrange frequencies are key characteristics. If these had onboard amplification and an active crossover they would tick all the boxes for me and I would be considering them...
The Last Concert is also superbly mixed. One of the best live album mixes and engineering I've ever heard. So glad to see it make an appearance for a listening test.
I dig the Heil. Summer of '77 I saved all my summer work checks to buy a pair of ESS AMT 1B speakers on the basis of hearing them as well as having Julian Hirsch's review. Funny, at the start of the summer I actually thought I was saving for the Bose 901's only to find out Lawrence Hi-Fi, then Alabama's preeminent hi-fi dealer had dropped them telling me they had too many quirks. I'm glad I did not have the money sooner as such. The ESS speakers are still in my possession. I even bought another pair, the AMT 1Ds, direct from ESS in the 90's. I confess I was swayed by Cory Greenberg's review of the Eminent Technology LFT-8B speakers finally replacing the ESS as my go to two-channel sound choice. Guess I drank the planar kool-aid early on, Lol. So, even though I may never hear the Trio10s I feel your review makes sense. If there is one driver for mids and highs that gets more right in a single driver it has to be the original Oskar Heil model used on those AMT-1 speakers by ESS and now these Trio10s. Of course a complete system must be more than mids and highs projected with high clarity and major impact. Thus, what you said about your 15's also makes a lot of sense. It's just a long-term listening sweet spot thing which, apparently, the 15's deliver. Another very enjoyable review Steve!
Panthalassa, now that's fantastic music, In A Silent Way is a knockout, so many layers of contrast, etc. Great review, super comparisons, so... you have come to the contusion that, for now, open baffle has that clarity you seek. Hope to hear them one day.
The specs say the crossover is first-order (6dB/octave) at 700Hz. If the Heil driver only extends down to 600Hz, as you said in the review, something doesn't compute; it would be only 6dB down at 350 Hz-well below its linear operating range.
The way that I remember it, the old HEIL AMTs were like that also. In other words, they were also designed to perform midrange duty. That’s why most of the old HEIL speaker systems were 2 way.
@@bikdav I have to wonder, however, if the ESS Heil driver is being crossed over much too low, which is causing distortion. Steve says he prefers "a more laid-back, more fleshed-out, warmer, fuller sound." Maybe he's hearing some midrange harshness that wouldn't be there if the crossover was moved up to 1.5k (and 24dB/octave).
Steve great comparison, been waiting for this - Why are they so different? Lets look at the build referencing Steves comments. First one large low extension 15" vs 2 10" longer extension drivers? The area of 2 = 10 inch drivers = 156 Vs 1 15" = 177 Bet you thought the 2 10's were more area, but they are not. The extension of the morel's accounts for more kick dynamics. Top end resolution being better with the Heil Ribbon is obvious. I sold AMT -1 speaker in the 70's for years and they were so far ahead of their time. Which is why I don't get why the Voxativ driver is so ridiculously expensive. You can approximate that cone driver with other alternatives but the Heil driver is light years ahead of any cone driver - just ask Nelson Pass who was at ESS in their heyday. There are also other more accessible and lower cost dipole ribbons out there, but this is the rational benchmark. What this does show is that PAP is doing good things with different components and voicing them very well. Also remember you are looking at 2 ways here which makes the crossover voicing so much simpler = fewer things to screw up. Whether you want smoother vs high res Heil listening? You can adjust for that with the right electronic parameters so why not start with the truth and adjust accordingly? Its less costly the other way but on the really good recordings high res is the way to go. Thats what gives me goosebumps.
Hi Steve, I too love my Pure Audio Project speakers. Mine are Quintet 15s with Voxative PiFe full range speakers. You actually showed them in one of your videos. I did have Mike Trei here a while back (I was having a turntable issue). He said you would love my system. But the real reason for this note is your upcoming video on SUTs and headamps. I recently got a Hagerman Piccolo Zero transpedence headamp. It totally changed the built in MM phono pre in my Current integrated, a VPI 300d. Before that I ran my two tables through a Musical Fidelity phono pre. I hope you have a chance to try one, absolutely spectacular.
These trio 10’s were at AXPONA paired with a Heaven11 class d tube hybrid amp. Amp was $2k and they used a MacBook for streaming. Total system was roughly $8k and it sounded absolutely awesome. I went back to the room 3 times over the weekend. Having also heard the duet 15 a fair amount as well as the horn quintet 15, Steve’s summary of the model differences is spot on.
I stopped by the room at Axpona, literally as one of my first stops on Friday morning, unfortunately they were missing the xover and had not started yet. I was not able to go back but as you said: the overall system is incredible and an incredible value! Considering the 3.7i are now closer to $9k….
Great review. You could also have titled it "why AMT tweeters only suit a limited percentage of audiophile tastes", as those conclusions seem to apply to many/most AMT tweeter speakers.
Nice review, as you know , my dynaudio confidence 5s are similar to your duet 15… Again… your reviews are spot on .. like the HsU sub… this was a game changer …fixed my bottom end…
Super competitive price point these days.The Denmark Audio Group bookshelves,SVS ultra's, meeting old standby's like Harbeth 7'.,Vandersteen 3's etc etc
My first hi-fi system had ESS Heil speakers, I bought them back in the 70s because my friends older brother worked there with some guy named Nelson Pass and he assured him they were good speakers. they were a bit light in the bass but I had air and detail in the hf that none of my friends speakers could touch
I like AMTs and I like open baffles. Would love to hear them implemented in the same speaker like this. (Also really curious about their OB horn speaker.)
On your FR + woofer speakers, try unscrewing the small driver and put about 1/4" spacers between the baffle and driver. Doesn't matter if your small driver is mounted forward or on the back of the panel. This 1/4" gap gives more highs and a more defined voice presence and more attack on percussion (what you are looking for). You can tweak the gap (between the driver and the baffle) for your favourite sound! 😅 it doesn't hurt your speakers in any way (and it's easily reversable) but might most probably improve them a lot, and if it doesn't, well then it doesn't matter then, does it. 😅 You might think this is nuts, but wait till you try it! Best way to make different size spacers is to use nuts! 😅
I love AMT tweeters , but the resolution can be a bit attention grabbing at times. That's why I have a pair of recapped KEF Concerto as my main speakers, powered by a Sugden integrated. Powered HEDD Type 05 nearfield monitors with a sub in my secondary system. Ideal having both to choose from depending on mood and music.
Thanks for another entertaining and informative video, Steve, though, with a new pair of Forte IVs here, that you helped me pick, I'm not in the market for speakers, right now! It's good to be reminded, though, that I can always count on you, not just for your knowledge and taste in audio gear, but for your taste in music. I went through a huge Bill Laswell phase, some years back, that included the Panthalassa album, but I lost track of it "in the archives," and haven't listened to it in far too long. Thanks, my friend, for everything! And all the best to you and Mrs. Audiophiliac. ❤
Have a pair of AMT-3 tweeters from ESS. Do recognise your observations, especially relating to the "leading edge speed". In my system (active open baffle) it got on my nerves over time. Had a Pass F5 amp hooked up to the tweeters, so amp agression was not a thing. After that I played quite some time with BlieSma Beryllium tweeters but was missing the dipole character of the AMTs. Now breaking in a pair of Mundorf dipole AMTs and that definitely is the ticket. :)
Had a pair of ESS in the 70s with the matching ESS 500 watt power amp . Sounded amazing, but they failed to survive a dumb teenager's need for ear damage. Probably the best tweeters Ive ever heard.
I have 14 of the ESS AMTs in a 7.5 system, but I am no longer using any of those speakers. Moved into a 420 sqft house with 7' ceiling. ESS is just across the river from me.
Steve excellent review as always ! I have an Ayon Integrated Tube amp, Spirit V , would I have any issue driving these speakers ? I like to get a pair ! Thanks
Hi Steve This ESS speaker looks like those on my Oskar Kithara made by Precide in Switzerland. If I am no tot mistaking they don’t seem directional as those of the Kitharas. Regards
Had a pair of AMT1b back in the 80's and lost them in a divorce. Wondering if those were the best sounding speakers I've owned, I have a pair of LRS+ now. Lafayette Electronics in NY used to sell Criterion speakers in the 80's that had the Heil drivers in them too, those speakers sounded great for the money.
The heil amt always put the cone speakers to shame in detail, clarify, depth, range, and imaging. I bought a new pair of ess amt monitors in 1980, still have them. As amazing as the monitors sound stock, by the early 90s, I had the monitors tri-amped with either 15s or 18s subwoofers.
nice to have a dipole speaker over the whole frequency range courtesy of a dipole tweeter , but judging from the dimensions of the baffle , there is no chance in hell that this thing has constant directivity .
Anyone else notice all the lip smacking and tongue knocking here.....lol, Steve, you must have been excited like a teenager over this gear. Very impressive review. Wow, 14lb tweeter.....that's actually more then impressive. Even my mouth is sweltering and noisy thinking about this speaker system, and I like the older open baffel as well. Keep both of them. As the new one burns in, the sound will mellow out. Burn in and a few hours warm up of gear has hugely tremendous affects on the sound of all of my gear.
Steve, I’m embarrassed. I’m about 10 years older than you meaning I’m in my late 70s. I’ve been in hi-fi to give you an idea I was 13 1/2 years old when so I’m Marantz was developing this too bad. I worked in a small electronic store with tombs and Trent sister and the passengers and we had a high room there Had JBL and out and so was buying his parts from us initially when I developing his too and I was asked to listen in on his listening test with gold years 13 1/2 14 years I’m hearing is perfect and that’s when I heard that blew me away And I’m surprised you don’t remember them. You were in the business and you were considered high. These were considered high and at the time revolutionary high end we can’t can’t know them all impossible but I think it would be worth your while they getting touch with the factory and they’re in Carson California and let him send you out a pair for review. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised and only retail for under $5000 for the pair that’s very inexpensive. knowing that there are many many more three and four times that price in our industry anyway enjoy your show. Enjoy your thoughts and you got some great golden years. I can appreciate that. Good luck, brother and pick up another million subscribers you deserve it and you’re doing a great job for the community and I appreciate it as a pure audio file.
I've never liked the Heil amt (or any amt for that matter) with a soft suspension type woofer. My friend back in the day used them with Gefco woofers when I got turned on to them, and nowadays I run them with Acoustic Elegance td10-m woofers. I will probably never build another speaker to use as my main reference.
Steve, do you think you could get away with these speakers being placed closer than 1m to the front wall with acoustic panels behind them (eg: Stillpoints Apertures)?
The cone area of two 10"s is almost at 50 pi where a 15 inch area is very similar at 56 pi. As for your mentioning the quality of the trio 10's that is what I heard from the original Heil speakers back then. I didn't like them then so I would not like them now. Especially with the Phase Linear amps at the time the dealer was using for demos. The sound was even worse with the Big Bose amp. hamon kardon SS Citation amp in the wide band mode was even worse. Now they sounded great if you had a pair of Marantz Model 9's and you didn't push the amps. What you needed was two MC 3500's. But we sold those and not this dealer. You need to have a pair of MC 3500 MK II for speaker evaluation when you need close to 500+ watts of peak tube power.
All the ESS fans commenting on the great sound are troubling to me; I always found the early Heil driver designs to be highly fatiguing after an hour or so of listening, partly because of IM distortion, and partly because of the crossover point being too low, IMHO they should never be utilized below 3000 hz.
Asymmetry to a largely OCD L/R balance viewership is akin to a glitch in the Matrix! Existential territory! It's all good! That's what the balance knob's for.
I have a pair of 50 year old ESS AMT speakers. “Sound as clear as light” is the company motto and they are correct. Wonderful tweeter.
Nelson Pass of the Pass Labs fame worked as ESS when he was attending U.C. Davis University a long time ago. Wow!
@@rw3915Interesting, thanks!
Thanks for the Viewer System of the Day feature, Steve! So surreal seeing my living room on your channel 😅
Something I've always wondered: does Steve notify you when he's featuring your system, or do you just have to hope you see the video where your system is shown?
@@jakeross8533 He responded to my email a couple days after I sent it saying he'd be featuring my system soon, but didn't give specifics beyond that. This is the first video he's posted since his reply so I tuned in and was pleasantly surprised!
Looks amazing!
well curated ... respect!
Nice setup nice photo!
I've always been a fan of the AMT tweeter and its amazing sensitivity. I had a pair in the 80's. Like horns, but with better fidelity.
Steve…I just saw in the current issue of Stereophile that Sound By Singer is having a huge sale that is a once in a lifetime opportunity. So sad to think Andy is gone and that someone is liquidating all of his beloved joys for his estate / family. It’s sadly all part of life that no one escapes.
Now THAT is a viewer system of the day I would LOVE to hear! Very interesting!
Thanks! I'm the proud owner of that system, hit me up for a demo if you're ever in Toronto 🤘
@@MrGudgeon1 Thanks for the invite!! I really mean it. So often I see these systems and it’s either not my cup of tea or I can pretty well imagine what it sounds like. But your system…it’s obviously thoughtfully put together and while I think I have an idea of what it might sound like, I think I would be surprised. It’s a serious system that also seems like a LOT of fun!
Appreciate that! I've been strategically tweaking things over the past 15 years to get to this point, buying up all the components you see here used on local classifieds. As is, the system is super clean, articulate and engaging with a very full range sound. I need something that sounds good at low volume levels since I live in a townhouse with shared walls, and this system is great in that regard. The technics horns are very resolving to my ears, without any squawking or shouting. The 12" paper woofers have beautiful tonality and slam, but don't go super deep on account of the cabs being a bit undersized for the drivers. Once I added the KEF KC-62 sub to round out the low end everything snapped into place just right 🤙
Bought a pair of ESS AMT5 bookshelves in 74 as I was a poor college kid. Used them well into the 90's and still have then stored in the original boxes. Just turned 70 and need to get them out and see what needs to be done to revive them. Loved the sound. I saw these Pure Audio Trio 10's at the Tampa show this year and got excited to see the big Heil's being used and the ESS logo. Got me thinking...
I am currently designing my OB, I can imagine a rear firing AMT on your Duet 15's to complete the sound field. Love your passion for the hobby.
I had a pair of ESS AMT 3b Tower Monitors back in the day. Just superb and the Heil Air Motion Transformer was magical.
Systems of the day segment is awesome! Even when there are systems that I do not think would be my cup of tea, I'm blown away the care given to the creation of those systems.
Clayton Shaw's new Caladan open baffle speakers are obviously something you need to review to complete the moderately-priced open baffle speaker series :)
I hope to have them soon
Love your channel so much. With my love for music and high fidelity your channel is the one place I can go where I feel at home. Thank you mr Steve
Thank you!
I loved this review SO much. Over the years I've commented that you need to review some ESS speakers, but it was lost in the comments. Now you have reviewed the Heil large tweeter! 😃 I run 4 pairs of speakers on a switch. Original ESS AMT1 restored 10" woofer original tweeter about 1970; recently built ESS LTD 12 " woofers, restored Polk SDA-2 and Elac Uni-Fi 2 as monitors. If the source material is low quality I run it thru the Polks.
I have spare large AMT tweeters that ESS sells for projects. Note ESS will sell you replacement ribbons or replace them for you. In the past they've put on new woofer surrounds and remagnitized too. They will also test and rebuild crossovers.
Your reviews of Nelson Pass shows he worked at ESS when my vintage speakers were made. He said his wife folded ribbons then. She may have made mine. ❤ Nelson said he bought a pair of these tweeters to experiment with. Please follow up on his project.
ESS has a limited amount of brand new AMT-1D revivals at $2300 a pair.
Steve! Thanks for posting this video
Thanks again Steve! You never disappoint. The trio 10's seem to be right up my alley.
Back in high school 1974, I had a friend with ESS Heil speakers and some serious Carver amplification. Rich kids at private school in Pebble Beach California. One of his demos was "Lucky Man from Emerson Lake & Palmer. The Album was so wide open like a basketball court, but also felt like it was spitting all over me. What a lucky man he wasSSSSSSSSSSS
I had ESS AMT1s in high school! Really loved the sound.
Dipole and crossing over at midrange frequencies are key characteristics. If these had onboard amplification and an active crossover they would tick all the boxes for me and I would be considering them...
The Last Concert is also superbly mixed. One of the best live album mixes and engineering I've ever heard. So glad to see it make an appearance for a listening test.
I dig the Heil. Summer of '77 I saved all my summer work checks to buy a pair of ESS AMT 1B speakers on the basis of hearing them as well as having Julian Hirsch's review. Funny, at the start of the summer I actually thought I was saving for the Bose 901's only to find out Lawrence Hi-Fi, then Alabama's preeminent hi-fi dealer had dropped them telling me they had too many quirks. I'm glad I did not have the money sooner as such. The ESS speakers are still in my possession. I even bought another pair, the AMT 1Ds, direct from ESS in the 90's. I confess I was swayed by Cory Greenberg's review of the Eminent Technology LFT-8B speakers finally replacing the ESS as my go to two-channel sound choice. Guess I drank the planar kool-aid early on, Lol. So, even though I may never hear the Trio10s I feel your review makes sense. If there is one driver for mids and highs that gets more right in a single driver it has to be the original Oskar Heil model used on those AMT-1 speakers by ESS and now these Trio10s. Of course a complete system must be more than mids and highs projected with high clarity and major impact. Thus, what you said about your 15's also makes a lot of sense. It's just a long-term listening sweet spot thing which, apparently, the 15's deliver. Another very enjoyable review Steve!
Panthalassa, now that's fantastic music, In A Silent Way is a knockout, so many layers of contrast, etc. Great review, super comparisons, so... you have come to the contusion that, for now, open baffle has that clarity you seek. Hope to hear them one day.
Back in the late seventies I owned a pair of ESS AMT 1b's. Traded them in for Snell Type A's.
ESS has a limited amount of brand new AMT-1D revivals at $2300 a pair.
I’ve got a few milk Jackson recordings and let me tell you that the sound of the way he plays and his instrument are incredible!
The specs say the crossover is first-order (6dB/octave) at 700Hz. If the Heil driver only extends down to 600Hz, as you said in the review, something doesn't compute; it would be only 6dB down at 350 Hz-well below its linear operating range.
The way that I remember it, the old HEIL AMTs were like that also. In other words, they were also designed to perform midrange duty. That’s why most of the old HEIL speaker systems were 2 way.
@@bikdav I have to wonder, however, if the ESS Heil driver is being crossed over much too low, which is causing distortion. Steve says he prefers "a more laid-back, more fleshed-out, warmer, fuller sound." Maybe he's hearing some midrange harshness that wouldn't be there if the crossover was moved up to 1.5k (and 24dB/octave).
Glad of the contrasts you made here.
Steve great comparison, been waiting for this - Why are they so different? Lets look at the build referencing Steves comments. First one large low extension 15" vs 2 10" longer extension drivers? The area of 2 = 10 inch drivers = 156 Vs 1 15" = 177 Bet you thought the 2 10's were more area, but they are not. The extension of the morel's accounts for more kick dynamics. Top end resolution being better with the Heil Ribbon is obvious. I sold AMT -1 speaker in the 70's for years and they were so far ahead of their time. Which is why I don't get why the Voxativ driver is so ridiculously expensive. You can approximate that cone driver with other alternatives but the Heil driver is light years ahead of any cone driver - just ask Nelson Pass who was at ESS in their heyday. There are also other more accessible and lower cost dipole ribbons out there, but this is the rational benchmark. What this does show is that PAP is doing good things with different components and voicing them very well. Also remember you are looking at 2 ways here which makes the crossover voicing so much simpler = fewer things to screw up. Whether you want smoother vs high res Heil listening? You can adjust for that with the right electronic parameters so why not start with the truth and adjust accordingly? Its less costly the other way but on the really good recordings high res is the way to go. Thats what gives me goosebumps.
I love my Trio 15 Classics.
Same here !
Hi Steve, I too love my Pure Audio Project speakers. Mine are Quintet 15s with Voxative PiFe full range speakers. You actually showed them in one of your videos. I did have Mike
Trei here a while back (I was having a turntable issue). He said you would love my system. But the real reason for this note is your upcoming video on SUTs and headamps. I recently got a Hagerman Piccolo Zero transpedence headamp. It totally changed the built in MM phono pre in my Current integrated, a VPI 300d. Before that I ran my two tables through a Musical Fidelity phono pre. I hope you have a chance to try one, absolutely spectacular.
The pure audio room was magical in the Dallas show coupled with the pass INT25 and I’ve been a Magnepan owner since 1999.
Which of their speakers did they demo in Dallas?
@@pweston1970 Trio 15
These trio 10’s were at AXPONA paired with a Heaven11 class d tube hybrid amp. Amp was $2k and they used a MacBook for streaming. Total system was roughly $8k and it sounded absolutely awesome. I went back to the room 3 times over the weekend. Having also heard the duet 15 a fair amount as well as the horn quintet 15, Steve’s summary of the model differences is spot on.
I stopped by the room at Axpona, literally as one of my first stops on Friday morning, unfortunately they were missing the xover and had not started yet. I was not able to go back but as you said: the overall system is incredible and an incredible value! Considering the 3.7i are now closer to $9k….
Great review. You could also have titled it "why AMT tweeters only suit a limited percentage of audiophile tastes", as those conclusions seem to apply to many/most AMT tweeter speakers.
Nice review, as you know , my dynaudio confidence 5s are similar to your duet 15… Again… your reviews are spot on .. like the HsU sub… this was a game changer …fixed my bottom end…
Sometimes more laid back is better than the hi res sounding tunes. Great video Steve.
Super competitive price point these days.The Denmark Audio Group bookshelves,SVS ultra's, meeting old standby's like Harbeth 7'.,Vandersteen 3's etc etc
My first hi-fi system had ESS Heil speakers, I bought them back in the 70s because my friends older brother worked there with some guy named Nelson Pass and he assured him they were good speakers. they were a bit light in the bass but I had air and detail in the hf that none of my friends speakers could touch
I like AMTs and I like open baffles. Would love to hear them implemented in the same speaker like this. (Also really curious about their OB horn speaker.)
On your FR + woofer speakers, try unscrewing the small driver and put about 1/4" spacers between the baffle and driver. Doesn't matter if your small driver is mounted forward or on the back of the panel. This 1/4" gap gives more highs and a more defined voice presence and more attack on percussion (what you are looking for). You can tweak the gap (between the driver and the baffle) for your favourite sound! 😅 it doesn't hurt your speakers in any way (and it's easily reversable) but might most probably improve them a lot, and if it doesn't, well then it doesn't matter then, does it. 😅 You might think this is nuts, but wait till you try it! Best way to make different size spacers is to use nuts! 😅
I love AMT tweeters , but the resolution can be a bit attention grabbing at times.
That's why I have a pair of recapped KEF Concerto as my main speakers, powered by a Sugden integrated. Powered HEDD Type 05 nearfield monitors with a sub in my secondary system. Ideal having both to choose from depending on mood and music.
I'd love to listen to Marina Satti and "Zari" with those speakers and the Perca. GO GREECE!
The name "Heil" gives me the chills.
Ditto. And I'm a Boomer WASP
The AMT when paired with a planar can be even better. The AMT more like a sub-tweeter, and using the planar as the tweeter.
Thanks for another entertaining and informative video, Steve, though, with a new pair of Forte IVs here, that you helped me pick, I'm not in the market for speakers, right now! It's good to be reminded, though, that I can always count on you, not just for your knowledge and taste in audio gear, but for your taste in music. I went through a huge Bill Laswell phase, some years back, that included the Panthalassa album, but I lost track of it "in the archives," and haven't listened to it in far too long. Thanks, my friend, for everything! And all the best to you and Mrs. Audiophiliac. ❤
Very nice, I would love to see measurements of them.
Heil AMTs are in my opinion especially amazing with jazz. Horns and piano are “in the room.”😊
Have a pair of AMT-3 tweeters from ESS. Do recognise your observations, especially relating to the "leading edge speed". In my system (active open baffle) it got on my nerves over time. Had a Pass F5 amp hooked up to the tweeters, so amp agression was not a thing. After that I played quite some time with BlieSma Beryllium tweeters but was missing the dipole character of the AMTs. Now breaking in a pair of Mundorf dipole AMTs and that definitely is the ticket. :)
Had a pair of ESS in the 70s with the matching ESS 500 watt power amp . Sounded amazing, but they failed to survive a dumb teenager's need for ear damage. Probably the best tweeters Ive ever heard.
I have 14 of the ESS AMTs in a 7.5 system, but I am no longer using any of those speakers. Moved into a 420 sqft house with 7' ceiling. ESS is just across the river from me.
I wonder if you could review the Steinway Lyngdorf B system. It is also open baffle but active and digital end to end with room correction.
A new reference maybe 🤔
Those Heil a Air Motion Transformer tweeters have been around for a long time but not wery often seen.
Steve excellent review as always ! I have an Ayon Integrated Tube amp, Spirit V , would I have any issue driving these speakers ? I like to get a pair ! Thanks
Steve saying Heil cracks me the heck up every damn time, LOL!
Hi Steve This ESS speaker looks like those on my Oskar Kithara made by Precide in Switzerland. If I am no tot mistaking they don’t seem directional as those of the Kitharas. Regards
Thanks Steve. I'm super-curious to know how a pair of Schiit Aegir 2 would have sounded as monoblocks. Maybe you can test one day
I agree. Steve please get two and let us know how that sounds.
For anyone in the USA, a pair of Heils is incredibly cheap. Please try them!
I have a pair of the ESS Amt 1b’s love them a lot.
Had a pair of AMT1b back in the 80's and lost them in a divorce. Wondering if those were the best sounding speakers I've owned, I have a pair of LRS+ now. Lafayette Electronics in NY used to sell Criterion speakers in the 80's that had the Heil drivers in them too, those speakers sounded great for the money.
Steve given what you said about the Pass smoothing things out with you had gotten a 50 watt tube amp
Those of us with little kids and/or cats would probably want a sacrificial grille over those woofers.
The heil amt always put the cone speakers to shame in detail, clarify, depth, range, and imaging. I bought a new pair of ess amt monitors in 1980, still have them. As amazing as the monitors sound stock, by the early 90s, I had the monitors tri-amped with either 15s or 18s subwoofers.
nice to have a dipole speaker over the whole frequency range courtesy of a dipole tweeter , but judging from the dimensions of the baffle , there is no chance in hell that this thing has constant directivity .
Anyone else notice all the lip smacking and tongue knocking here.....lol,
Steve, you must have been excited like a teenager over this gear. Very impressive review.
Wow, 14lb tweeter.....that's actually more then impressive. Even my mouth is sweltering and noisy thinking about this speaker system, and I like the older open baffel as well. Keep both of them. As the new one burns in, the sound will mellow out. Burn in and a few hours warm up of gear has hugely tremendous affects on the sound of all of my gear.
Steve, I’m embarrassed. I’m about 10 years older than you meaning I’m in my late 70s. I’ve been in hi-fi to give you an idea I was 13 1/2 years old when so I’m Marantz was developing this too bad. I worked in a small electronic store with tombs and Trent sister and the passengers and we had a high room there Had JBL and out and so was buying his parts from us initially when I developing his too and I was asked to listen in on his listening test with gold years 13 1/2 14 years I’m hearing is perfect and that’s when I heard that blew me away And I’m surprised you don’t remember them. You were in the business and you were considered high. These were considered high and at the time revolutionary high end we can’t can’t know them all impossible but I think it would be worth your while they getting touch with the factory and they’re in Carson California and let him send you out a pair for review. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised and only retail for under $5000 for the pair that’s very inexpensive. knowing that there are many many more three and four times that price in our industry anyway enjoy your show. Enjoy your thoughts and you got some great golden years. I can appreciate that. Good luck, brother and pick up another million subscribers you deserve it and you’re doing a great job for the community and I appreciate it as a pure audio file.
I would guess they would sound very different from the start …I mean air motion transformer in one speaker , voxativ full range on the other !?
I've never liked the Heil amt (or any amt for that matter) with a soft suspension type woofer. My friend back in the day used them with Gefco woofers when I got turned on to them, and nowadays I run them with Acoustic Elegance td10-m woofers.
I will probably never build another speaker to use as my main reference.
Audiovector uses AMT in his QR (SE) range. I do not know for upper range.
Steve, do you think you could get away with these speakers being placed closer than 1m to the front wall with acoustic panels behind them (eg: Stillpoints Apertures)?
Well you could "get away" sure, but it's never going to be ideal.
Hey Steve would you recommend the Gato PWR 222 and Trio10 pairing?
Absolutely!
What's the point of having 3 guage 10 thousand dollar speaker wires if the cross-overs just have generic 16 gauge wires?
L ... Length
The cone area of two 10"s is almost at 50 pi where a 15 inch area is very similar at 56 pi. As for your mentioning the quality of the trio 10's that is what I heard from the original Heil speakers back then. I didn't like them then so I would not like them now. Especially with the Phase Linear amps at the time the dealer was using for demos. The sound was even worse with the Big Bose amp. hamon kardon SS Citation amp in the wide band mode was even worse. Now they sounded great if you had a pair of Marantz Model 9's and you didn't push the amps. What you needed was two MC 3500's. But we sold those and not this dealer. You need to have a pair of MC 3500 MK II for speaker evaluation when you need close to 500+ watts of peak tube power.
How in your estimation would these compare with the Magnepan 1.7x? Are they are large sounding? Are they ‘cleaner’ sounding?
Yes, clear and more dynamic. Stronger bass.
Does that tweeter have a beaming problem?
No
What is with the left lens of your eyeglasses?
It's an asymmetrical design
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac Neat thank you for sharing
maybe in trio15 coax10 we can get both sound..
Steve; how do they compare to the Eminent Technology?
I didn't compare them so I can't say for sure, but if memory serves the trio 10 is more dynamic and powerful sounding.
👍👍
I'm sure they're nice, but they won't get a dime from me. I'm happy with jbl, altec, klipsch, tannoy etc.
All the ESS fans commenting on the great sound are troubling to me; I always found the early Heil driver designs to be highly fatiguing after an hour or so of listening, partly because of IM distortion, and partly because of the crossover point being too low, IMHO they should never be utilized below 3000 hz.
Right, no speaker sounds right to everyone! It just has to sound right to the people who buy them!
Hey Steve: Two things. What's going one with your eyeglasses? And, the Wah Wah was invented for horns and only later used for guitar.
I have new glasses they are asymmetrical in design.
Asymmetry to a largely OCD L/R balance viewership is akin to a glitch in the Matrix!
Existential territory!
It's all good!
That's what the balance knob's for.