AudioCircle
Audio/Video Gear and Systems => Planar Circle => Topic started by: BruceSB on 22 May 2019, 01:47 am
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Here is a new electrostatic speaker from Mellow Acoustics.
Looks very distinctive.
Seems to be a number of different finish options.
Assume a review will appear in due course.
Looks like it is pretty room friendly.
Here is the link: http://mellowacoustics.com/home.html
Enjoy.
Bruce
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I like the looks, but made in UK. :cry:
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Very interesting round driver up top. Would love to hear that.
5.25” woofer? That says a lot about the capability. Might be great in an apartment in Europe, but over here?
For me the kick of 12”- 18” woofers is required to keep me listening for any amount of time.
However, like all products, there are those for whom the Mellow will hit all their buttons.
Nice to see some new ideas from the Brits. :D
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Very interesting! Like the passive topology allowing your choice of amplifiers.
Response is relatively flat, but mid-band efficiency is quite low (84dB), meaning they will need some decent power (high current, actually). They are limited to 98dB SPL max. Impedance also goes low (<3Ω) at HF, meaning many amps would not do well with them. I'm guessing a 60V Cherry STM would drive them nicely, maybe even the 48V version. Has anyone here heard these speakers?
-Tommy O
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Reminds me of those vintage stand alone fireplaces.
(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/0d/c7/09/0dc709665105cf0236e4a79c6d6e3e08.jpg)
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Very interesting round driver up top. Would love to hear that.
5.25” woofer? That says a lot about the capability. Might be great in an apartment in Europe, but over here?
For me the kick of 12”- 18” woofers is required to keep me listening for any amount of time.
However, like all products, there are those for whom the Mellow will hit all their buttons.
Nice to see some new ideas from the Brits. :D
In that case, it's Sub time (as they mention on their site). The built-in woofer would (as you say) be perfect for apt dwellers.
At any rate, it's nice to see a speaker that doesn't feel like yet another implementation of a design concept I've seen 1000x before.
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… 5.25” woofer?
We get decent bass out of a pair of 5.25” in Tysen V2, but loudness levels are limited and if you need the real low stuff you will need subs.
My view on the looks: Ugly.
dave
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The AES paper on constant directivity electrostatic speakers is interesting. It shws that Mellows didn't simply decide to throw together a round electrostat just because he was tired of rectangles. I didn't like working with spherical Bessel functions 30 years but now programs such as Matlab, Mathematica, and MathCad make working with them less painful.
From the specs they seem that they would work best in smallish rooms with a sub. The figure eight radiation pattern should mean room placement similar to many open baffle designs.
I think that they look kind of space agey. A set of antennas on top of each would help.
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We get decent bass out of a pair of 5.25” in Tysen V2, but loudness levels are limited and if you need the real low stuff you will need subs.
My view on the looks: Ugly.
dave
Not thrilled with the looks but I guess I'd like them if I was George Jetson...
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I can't imagine their smallish driving area would give much slam but I love the aesthetics.
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My opinion: I would think the bass could sound nice with that small a driver in that large a cabinet will very non-parallel walls, but not be capable of levels that would satisfy many—also would seem to promise a small return for the amount of floor space consumed.
I'm also skeptical about the choice of a round shape for the electrostatic membrane since I think that would give rise to the strongest and most pitch-specific resonances. Maybe the triangular shape should have been employed for the electrostatic element for this reason, although it would be difficult to design that not to look weird, but it would minimize resonant modes in the diaphragm.
The triangular shape is being used to good effect in some microphones these days, e.g., https://ehrlund.se/
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I can't imagine their smallish driving area would give much slam but I love the aesthetics.
Yup, pleasing to the eye for sure, but that 5,25' bass driver a bit small, ain't it?
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Yup, pleasing to the eye for sure, but that 5,25' bass driver a bit small, ain't it?
2 of them can be quite satisfying… Russell want to borrow them?
dave
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2 of them can be quite satisfying… Russell want to borrow them?
dave
Thanks for the offer, but I am in the process of extracting myself from passive speakers at the moment, and to that end am selling a pair of Yamaha NS1000s along with their companion amp, a Yam B-2, in favour of these (very active):
http://www.hedd.audio/en/studio-monitors/type20/
which should be here soon.
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The Hedd’s are supposed to be very good.
dave
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Here is a review.
Here is the link.
https://hifipig.com/mellow-acoustics-frontro-loudspeakers/
Gives the price as 7,500 UK pounds.
Enjoy.
Bruce
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Just a couple of comments.
I actually like the look of these.
Must admit that I am sick and tired of the endless box speakers, and, even with electrostats it is great to see someone thinking outside the box!!
I am completely non surprised about the base lightness of these speakers but it is good to see that the designer realised this and did not try to extract some extra base and make things worse (everything below 40hz is filtered out).
The review indicates that that the manufacturer is working on some subs for these speakers and I am sure that is the way to go.
So pleased that new electrostats just keep popping up.
And, finally I am not at all surprised that they sounded good - would not have expected anything else.
Bruce
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Another update.
Some reviews are now out so I thought I would post some links.
https://www.luxurylifestylemag.co.uk/gadgets/are-these-the-worlds-most-luxurious-electrostatic-speakers-ever-made/
This next review is extremely brief, but here it is anyway.
https://www.upscalelivingmag.com/frontro-the-new-9000-electrostatic-loudspeaker/
The reviews give the UK & US pricing also.
Nice to see that the 'planar field' is wider than one might think at first glance!
Think this speaker would suit music lovers who live in small apartments and appreciate some style.
They have also improved their website in the last year or so.
Enjoy the variety.
Bruce
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You know, as I have drawn attention to this new electrostatic speaker company and their speaker,
There has been a thought niggling away in the back of my mind.
Actually make that a couple of thoughts!
This guy, Mr Mellow, is obviously an electrostatic speaker enthusiast who has been able to turn his passion and his hobby into a business.
That is great.
I deeply admire someone who follows their dream.
Two of my three children have done just that - so good!
Come to think of it that is most of the electrostatic speaker companies!!!
But, I am sure that no one needs me to list them because we all know who they are!
And now I come to my question.
My question relates specifically to Jazzman.
I have always admired you from a distance, electrostatic speaker expert, great guy, humble, helpful, producer of great speakers - but I don't want to embarrass you with too much praise!!
So I wonder Jazzman, have you ever considered following in the footsteps of some of the electrostatic speaker greats and setting up your own company?
I am sure that you could make a real go of it.
So, Jazzman what do you think of this?
What are your thoughts?
I am very interested in your response.
Thanks.
Bruce
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Is there any mention if Tim Mellow is attempting to recreate the circular point source concept of the Quad ESL 57?
BPT
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I'd like to see some reviews in other than 'Luxury Lifestyle' magazine.
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.
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Is there any mention if Tim Mellow is attempting to recreate the circular point source concept of the Quad ESL 57?
BPT
I noticed the same thing and could see no reference, nor could I access any of his patents.
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Is there any mention if Tim Mellow is attempting to recreate the circular point source concept of the Quad ESL 57?
The ESL 57 did not use the "circular point source concept" -- that started with the ESL63, and continues with their current models. QUAD's original ESL used three strips arranged in a W-M-T-M-W configuration.
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The ESL 57 did not use the "circular point course concept" -- that started with the ESL63. QUAD's original ESL used three strips arranged in a W-M-T-M-W configuration.
You are right, of course. I didn't notice the reference was to the ESL 57.
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Correct--my mistake, as I was a Quad ESL owner of the latter designs-988. Still, the point source aspect is the most interesting to me. Loved my Quads but they just couldn't play quite loud enough for my taste.
BPT