A floorstanding hybrid sold as a pair: a curved XStat electrostatic panel 86 cm tall reproduces mids and treble, and a 20.3 cm bass-reflex woofer looks after the low end. It is meant for stereo listening and for the front channels of a home cinema.
ElectroMotion ESL: panel and woofer
The ElectroMotion ESL is the single-woofer floorstander of the ElectroMotion series. Its XStat panel measures 86 x 22 cm and works from 500 Hz upwards; below that point a 20.3 cm long-throw woofer takes over, built around a very stiff paper cone and reflex-loaded in an asymmetrical chamber shaped to avoid resonances. Stated response runs from 42 Hz to 22 kHz within ±3 dB. With 91 dB sensitivity and a nominal 6 ohms it can be driven by an AV receiver or by a serious power amplifier; impedance does fall to 1.6 ohms at 20 kHz, though, which is worth bearing in mind when choosing electronics.
The panel is curved horizontally on the Curvilinear Line Source principle: shaping it as a slice of a cylinder lets a wide radiating surface spread treble properly, giving 30° of horizontal dispersion. It is held by an AirFrame made of aluminium and composite, which stiffens it without masking any of the working area and keeps vibration and resonance away from it. The steel stators use MicroPerf perforation, exposing more of the diaphragm, and a thinner gauge, so from the listening seat the panel is close to see-through. Being a dipole, it also fires rearwards in opposite phase: output cancels at the sides, side-wall reflections drop and the wall behind adds depth to the soundstage.
The Vojtko-topology filter relies on air-core coils, low-resistance inductors on steel laminations, capacitors in polyester and an audio transformer wound to order. The terminals are push types and, once their rubber caps are removed, take banana plugs too. ETC spikes come in the box; they help on thick carpet and let you adjust how the speaker tilts towards the listening position. Anyone who prefers not to use them can simply leave the rubber covers fitted.
Specifications
- Type: floorstanding electrostatic hybrid, bass-reflex loading
- Supplied: sold as a pair
- Frequency range: 42 Hz to 22 kHz (±3 dB)
- Sensitivity: 91 dB (2.83 V at 1 m)
- Impedance: 6 ohms nominal, 1.6 ohms at 20 kHz
- Suggested amplification: 20 to 300 W a channel
- Crossover point: 500 Hz
- Electrostatic panel: XStat CLS, 86 x 22 cm, 1,892 cm² radiating area
- Dispersion: 30° horizontally, 86 cm tall line source vertically
- Woofer: 20.3 cm, stiff paper cone, long-throw motor
- Inputs: push terminals that also take banana plugs
- Size (height, width, depth): 132.3 x 22.9 x 41.4 cm
- Weight: 16.1 kg each
