Effects Of Power Cords On Electrostatic Speakers

@ghdprentice  What you wrote about Planars above and returning to more traditional drivers is most interesting to me because I was about to make the investment this very evening in about 18-36 planars at, what would be for me, a very substantial investment. (I had planed on building a stereo system for each of our children.) I have heard almost uniform praise of the transparency of planars, the lower distortion, the flatness of response, the tightness of transients. Now your comment has baffled me because you obviously have much audio experience, esp. with AMT planars. Could you please advise us further or share more detail?  

@hsbrock If you haven't heard the specific speaker you were going to buy, with the electronics and source that you will use, do so before you make a decision.

I have used planars almost exclusively for 50 years. Every time I slide into cones, I have to replace them, with the exception of my isobaric subs, which make no sound on most music.

@terry9  Humm...Listen before I buy? I was going to order the speakers online from overseas-- they are clones of the BG NEO10 & NEO8s--and so I've been relying on others' recommendations. When you said "every time I slide into cones, I have to replace them" - "them" is referring to the cones you regretfully acquired? And the isobaric subs: I don't know that I've ever communicated with someone with those: worth the double cabinets and double drivers? If so, why? what is really accomplished? (While in the process of ordering subs and designing cabinets, I want to consider every worthy alternative to get the best I can.) 

I used "audiophile" power cables on my Crosby Quad 63s. Once my ’57s were restored I used good quality standard power cables (part of the restoration by Electrostatic Solutions was converting the connectors to more standard types).

They sound fine, actually better than ever. I bought them in 74, they were made in ’73 and were my reference until around 1990. Now, they run in a second system, largely period, and great fun. Kind of how far we haven't come in almost 65 years.

@hsbrock Yes, I always replace the cones. An isobaric sub usually has a driver installed in the usual way in a cabinet of optimal size, plus a driver facing the other direction, the two drivers forming a clam-shell, and wired out of phase. The result is one cone compressing air inside the box, and the other cone driving air in the room, so that distortion is dramatically reduced.

Thinking of it another way, there are two motors to move the same amount of air.

I like drivers from Scanspeak. Their best are very clean and fast, and the isobaric configuration makes them faster. Also, you get another few Hz at the bottom end.

Another great thing about DIY - you don't have to use cheap amps with all their shortcomings. I began with cheap amps, but wasn't satisfied until I hooked up a Bryston 4B SST that I had lying around - BIG difference.

To keep this in perspective, most of my bass adjustment comes from Magnepan DWM panels, also Bryston powered. It's only a few notes every 20 records that need the sub, so it's not really worth the money unless you've got a lot invested, or you listen to a lot of organ music. IMO