Sound Lab DynaStat - removing vintage panel

UPDATE:
Props to SoundLab for timely responses to my inquiries. I got a pdf Owners Manual the same day of my 1st inquiry. My 2nd inquiry seemed to have gotten lost from Thursday-Monday but my follow-up today got a response within 6 hrs (at 8PM no less). Thanks SoundLab!

And thanks to Duke at AudioKinesis for the PM!

Search : removing electrostatic panel array from SoundLab Dynastat

Thanks Roger at SoundLab for this:

The locking mechanism that holds the panel to the bass enclosure is a tapered device having a male and female type connection. If you were to lay the speaker on the back of the enclosure and strike the bottom end of the panel with a soft mallet, like a rubber hammer, it should break loose. Of course, wisdom applies in what to use to strike the bottom of the panel frame and how hard to hit it. A few taps should do it. I'd start with medium taps and work up until it breaks loose. Someone should hold the top end of the panel when the bottom is being tapped as it could fall when the tapered connectors break loose. When it breaks loose, simply slide the top of the panel away from the enclosure. There's no locking mechanism other than the tapered fit of the connector. Let me know if you have any problems.

Glad you got the information you needed. I didn't think I could be an intermediary and reliably relay information back and forth about something I hadn't seen.

I don't know if this will apply to the 1996 generation Dynastats or not, but here is what I learned about setting the level controls of post-2000 Dynastats:

Start out with the woofer level at 3/4 and the brilliance level at maximum. Use the "bias" level control as a "midrange" level control. You'll notice that at maximum bias it's too bright and forward, and down near the minimum it's too dull. Now somewhere in between those two extremes is a "sweet spot", and you have to find it by ear. Do this for both speakers, and then after measuring to make sure they're both exactly the same distance from the center of the your listening position, use small changes in the bias controls to dial in the center image. Once the center vocalist is dead center and both speakers have the bias within the "sweet spot" zone, you're almost done. Now you can go back and adjust the woofer level and brilliance controls as you see fit.

It takes a little longer for the bias to come down than for it to go up, so when making your initial search for that "sweet spot" wait a minute or so for an adjustment to settle in especially after lowering the setting.

The bias might drift a bit the first few days, so don't be surprised if you have to run through the process again once or twice. After the first time it goes pretty quick because you know what to listen for.

If you find the bass to be a bit heavy (it can be in some rooms), you can shove handfuls of Polyfill through the port and into the box to absorb some of the energy inside the box and thus reduce the port's output. And/or you can lower the tuning frequency by buying a section of cardboard tubing or PVC that's a little bit smaller in diameter than the port, and wrap the ends with enough electrical tape to get a fairly snug friction fit. The longer the port the lower the tuning frequency, which tends to tame excess bass but you can go to far in the other direction as well. Fortunately you can adjust. IN my opinion it's even okay if each speaker ends up with a different length port, as they may each be in a significantly different acoustic environment as far as boundary reinforcement goes.

Finally, you can give me a holler if you need to and I'll do my best. You're a SoundLab owner now, a member of the family.

Duke
dealer/manufacturer

I just wanted to update in case anyone else ran into my situation. I was very VERY concerned trying to remove these panels. I laid the speakers on a pair of 2X4s so the binding posts wouldn't mash against the floor...it was very tricky getting them to balance as the panels themselves are very heavy (probably as heavy as the woofers!).

So anyway, the "locking mechanism" seemed to be "rusted" together. I cushioned a 2X4 with some foam against the bottom of the panel and tried tapping the panel loose with a small claw hammer...no movement at all. So i got a 5 lb mallet from a friend and tried the same thing to no avail. Tried again without the foam cushion and still no movement. Finally, I used a 20 lb SLEDGE HAMMER! to firmly tap a 2X4 placed against the base of the panels. It took a couple of (pretty forceful) taps to get any movement but finally the panels started sliding off : )

Man! I was nervous as all hell putting that much force onto those panels but I tell you what...those things are built like the proverbial tank! Massive inner frame that I bet is solid oak like the outer frame. Again, the electrostatic panel probably weighs as much as the woofer box, which would make them about 45 lbs each.

So finally, I got them set-up and they sound great! Better than my Magnepan 12s (that I love). Surprisingly the sound is very similar (to me) but the Dynastats have at least another level of transparency and the bass extension puts them in a completely different league than the 12s. And after about 5 days of listening to them they are still getting better and better. I'm not here to "review" them but let me just say that I'm VERY happy with the purchase.

Below are pictures of the "locking mechanism". I very carefully sprayed WD-40 onto them before trying to remove them which is why the grill cloth looks "wet". Once removed I just kind of cleaned up the mechanism with 3-in-1 oil before putting them back together.

Thanks again Duke for your help, and to the very responsive Customer Service Department at Sound Lab.

Picture of Electrostatic Panel
Picture of Woofer Box