Well engineered electrostatic panel exceeds the best cone in speed, providing great detail and transparency. The longer one has enjoyed the audiophile pursuit, the more likely they know that a wide array of performance attributes contribute to overall sense of joy and pleasure. And each individual weighs those performance attributes differently. We all know what we like and how much we like it when we hear it.
Late Ceiling Splash (LCS) provides a unique radiation pattern meeting all of Dr. Floyd Toole's and Dr. Earl Geddes' four specifications for ideal reverberant field. At least one unnamed specification exceeds any other architecture including electrostatic panel.
Jason Victor Serinus of Stereophile noted
HERE:
...The way the speakers' LCS Late Ceiling Splash radiation pattern, which was invented by James Romeyn and Duke LeJeune (implementing reverberant field theories by Dr. Floyd Toole and Dr. Earl Geddes), threw images way high, as well as their amazing three-dimensionality, was quite impressive...
Toole specifies an ideal reverberant field provides the ear-brain a so-called "second look" at the original waveform, increasing the listener's sensitivity to pitch and detail information. For instance: the on-axis signal portrays an F# fundamental tone. A "second look" in the reverberant field confirms and cements the initial on-axis perception. This happens in real time, and rather than distract the listener, it decreases stress and allows the listener to more fully relax into the illusion of live sound.
After working with LCS for a few years now, I feel safe in reporting that it increases detail and pitch sensitivity. In fact, I believe it increases pitch sensitivity so well that one interesting result is the listener's ability to appreciate more complex musical scores, and increased interest in music which previously the did not interest the listener.
I'm under the impression that cone/dome speaker builders constantly struggle with yin-yang regarding detail vs. musicality or smooth musical presentation. There's a certain preferred middle point on this imaginary scale. Too much detail decreases musical enjoyment and causes fatigue. Too much musical smoothness masks detail.
LCS generates detail and transparency in a unique and efficient fashion that decreases fatigue and increases listening satisfaction and musicality. LCS does not rely on the usual detail vs. musicality scale described earlier.
Reflected energy arriving prior to about 10ms does not help in the way described above because the ear-brain can not properly separate and process it compared to the initial on-axis signal. Speed of sound 1130fps x .01s (10ms) = 11.3ft. Dipole and bipole lovers often prefer about 5.5ft front wall spacing because 5.5' approaches a 10ms delayed reverberant field (speaker to wall back to speaker).
Dipole, Bipole, and omni-pole rely on front wall reflection for reverberant field effects, while LCS does not. LCS can setup flush with the front wall and still maintain most of its spatial excellence including the "second look" mentioned above (stage depth increases with some front wall spacing).
LCS also provides electro-mechanical bass mode damping feature throughout most of the listening room, not like EQ which worsens performance outside the mic test locations.
One last item, and my apology for being so long winded. With all the legendary accolades heaped on Peter Walker's Quad 57, home theater use is not one of them. After spending significant time assembling the highest value and best performing 2-ch music system, why must one suffer inferior audio performance in the HT system? Especially going from one of Roger's tube amps to a digital amp receiver! Yech!
Down to its high 30 Hz cutoff, two Zephrin 46 provide a superb L/R Front Array for HT, including uncompressed peaks with low powered tube amp.
The great tube fanatic Lynn Olson says dedicated HT speakers generally have extremely "dry" acoustic in the front LCR array, providing ambiance and reverberant field effects only in the surrounds. Lynn says this is the opposite of nature, causing quick fatigue and desire to do something else.
Conversely, Zephrin 46s LCS provide dense and immersive spatial effects in the L/R Front Array. Lastly, its center image quality from only two L/R speakers challenges the most costly L/C/R array.
And no dreaded step down in performance when moving from 2-ch to HT. Build two to four mono pole speakers (no other radiation pattern) into the walls and you're done...(well, maybe a sub too).
