Electrostat transparency from conventional speaker

A good tweeter can give you the same immediacy as an electrostat but there is no real substitute for the type of sound that an electrostat produces. A ribbon tweeter or a magnetic planar speaker could give some of the same magic I guess.

An overly simple answer for being able to potentially replicate an electrostatic with a dynamic speaker is getting a dynamic speaker which has the capacity for very high resolution/transparancy, but not artifically up tilted. Not easy to do and not especially cheap. However there are several designs that come close.

The results are easily compromised by improper electronic's, in fact the more transparent/resolved the speakers the more critical the electronic's become, however you can use lesser electronic and all you will do is reduce the speakers sense resolution/transparency, you need not experience poor sound as a result.

Electrostats on the otherhand have built in compromises as well. They are usually set-up critical because they radiate equally in two directions and the treatment of the rear wall and placement from it are highly critical. Compared to dynamics they are usually compressed dynamically and limited in maximum output levels. The really good ones are also very sensitive to the electronic's, crap in = crap out, no cream and sugar to cover up the effects of inadequate electronic's.

Dynamics are usually more easily accommidated in smaller rooms if you cure 1st reflection point issues. Electrostats usually have fewer side reflection point issues but that rear wall and placement can be a killer if you want the best sound they can produce.

Personally, I have gone thru very good dynamic's, to planars, to electrostats and back to high resolution dynamic's. In my 13x19 room my dynamic speakers just match the room's acoustics and set up possibilities much better than in my previous home where my Quad's ruled.

I would suggest that either could sound great if properly set up and driven in the right room. You have to evaluate your room's potential before you can make an intelligent choice.

An electrostat, direct-radiator dynamic, or horn system succeeds to the extent that it reproduces the illusion of a live performance.

Transparency varies more from speaker to speaker than from amp to amp or preamp to preamp.

Low coloration (including smooth and extended frequency response and freedom from resonances & diffraction) is crucial to good transparency.

In my opinion, much of the open and transparent presentation of a good electrostat is related to the radiation pattern. Electrostats have unusual radiation characteristics: Usually line source (emphasizes first-arrival over reverberant sound), usually relatively narrow pattern (minimizes early floor, ceiling, and sidewall reflections), and lots of relatively late-arriving energy to add richness and spaciousness (largely the result of the dipole pattern). In addition, several of the more successful manufacturers go to some effort to keep the radiation pattern reasonably uniform, which is beneficial to timbre because it preserves the spectral balance of the reverberant sound.

In my opinion a low-coloration horn system in an acoustically "live" room does many of the same things well that a good electrostat does. In my opinion it's a bit harder to get the same sort of presentation from a direct-radiator dynamic system. Direct radiator dynamics give you deeper bass and typically better imaging in a smaller package.

If you like the presentation of a good electrostat but for whatever reason neither electrostats or high-quality horns are practical for you, you might consider Maggies, Audio Artistry, Gradient Revolution (I sell these), Linkwitz Orion, and Eminent Technology. If you have the financial resources but not the space, you might consider the Acapella LaCompanella.

Duke