My single bucket list project is finally completed.

Bought in Belgium in 1978 to mimic my (involuntary) first musical guru’s speakers (1b), i found mine, demo and beated for $1000 bucks. They needed love and repair.

Life got in the way, rollercoaster emotionally and financially. Never an easy task or even a possibility. But i never let them go, even when i had roof to call my own.

Even the last parts took their time as importi g from my neck of the woods is expensive, overloaded with taxes and imaginary and undefined fees. My last elements were the diaphragms, bought in the US but brought to Europe where they waited 2 full years before a friend of a friend hand delivered them to me in Buenos Aires.

The ESS speakers are ab acquired taste. I currently own 6 of them. Bought 4, during Lockdown, overexited, while looking for parts for my 1a’s. A YOLO moment.

My Man Cave is too small for them, i can listen to them as nearfield speakers for lack of breathing roon, barely 2m wide, wall to wall.

Crazy milestone, never thought i could see a 48 years task to completion.

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Congrats, 0-0! I'm sure it's a relief and pleasure to have that project complete! Sit back and enjoy!

Thank you, Carl.

It’s been crazy. A lifetime (unexpected) project.

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I don't believe you

So happy for you. I have told you how much I like those speakers. Now let's see the money shot of them in action.

quote:

Originally posted by 0-0:
Thank you, Carl.

It’s been crazy. A lifetime (unexpected) project.

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All the more reason to enjoy to the max, Nicky! (I'm thinking of that Maxell tape commercial...)

Never heard of them, but vintage stereo brings back lots of wonderful memories. Several vintage receivers and speakers in my house.

I hope you enjoy them as much as I have been enjoying my Klipschorns and Forte's.

Have tried and listened to other speakers, some better than the outdated ESS but somehow they give me a special feeling no other can.

Had and enjoyed 2 pairs of OHM pyramid speakers that gave me that warm feeling but they were short on the gutsy bass.

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OHM pyramid speakers

I had to search to refresh my memory. I think they were the Walsh speakers.

My first set of hifi speakers, bought in 1975, were Ohm E's. Simple two way, but to my young ears combined with a Nikko 5055 receiver, I thought I was the shit!

Close but no cigar. I’m not Bosch

Mine were smaller 2x0. Great sound, specially for Jazz music

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Ha!

I had considered upgrading two steps to I thought the Ohm 510, but that number doesn't come up in a search. It had a rear firing speaker.

I did end up getting a set of ADS L710's and used them for a long time. Then came Platinum Audio and then Klipsch...forget which model. Finally I'm using Devore Super Nine's. I wonder if I'm done?

Congratulations!
I have communicated with you for years about your ESS Heil speakers, I have a pair also, bought new in the late 70's as best I can remember.Many times over the years I have wondered if you were ever able to find the ribbons for the Heils and how I could get you a pair.
Mine were marketed by Pacific Stereo as Concept brand.
Heil air motion transformer, Woofer, passive radiator. Mine need some attention the cabinet bases, speaker cloth, and crossovers show wear, but I still love to hear them, especially cranked up. This can only be accomplished when my Wife is away.
I agree, need pictures.

Congrats 0-0. I remember you asking about sourcing parts in the US a couple of years ago. It is nice to complete a project.

I am a minor audiophile/ home theater enthusiast myself. I have home built speakers from a kit by GR Research. I had to save for a long time to buy my equipment, but my Marantz receiver and speakers have now lasted 30 years. Amazing!

Nice, congrats. What are you powering them with.

My 80's era linear phase speakers still sound great but at some point, I should replace the crossovers.

I’m using a Yamaha Aventage RX-A2A.


The crossovers were my main concern as the originals had weird values and are considered a poor choice of components and compromises.
Hundreds if not thousands of hours spent reading reviews, boards and whatnots. Daydreaming about getting it all together. All now in the past.

Need to run YPAO again as i’ve shuffled stuff around and the speakers now should sound differently.

Working on a test playlist once that is done.

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Mine were marketed by Pacific Stereo as Concept brand.

Wow, Pacific Stereo--where I bought my first Dynaco FM tuner and preamp.

My hearing has gotten so bad, I think it only sounds good through my AirPods Pro 3's. But when the grandkids leave the house (daughter and son-in-law buying one near us) I will dig out my Rogers LS3/5A's and see if I can still hear the definition I could hear in the 80's. Sigh.

Edited to add: I have a pair of Linaeum speakers (not the Radio Shack version, the original) with a blown woofer. One of my thousand of undone projects is to get the woofers reconed or replaced. The linaeum if you recall uses a flexible figure-eight ribbon, and was highly regarded for the sound of its tweeter back in the day.