Paul McGowan gets asked about rotary subs.


Paul McGowan of PS Audio has for years posted frequent (daily?) videos on YouTube in which he answers questions sent in by people from the world over. I just watched one in which he answers a question sent by a guy in India, inquiring as to why rotary subs are not more popular. Paul gets around to completely answering that question, but before doing so says this:

 

"The Rotary Sub was invented by a guy named Bruce Thigpen, and Bruce is a VERY (Paul’s emphasis, not mine) creative inventor who used to have a company---maybe he still does---called Eminent Technologies (sic. It’s actually named Eminent Technology). And Eminent Technologies, they made some GREAT (again, Paul’s emphasis) loudspeakers. They were---if I remember right---they were planar, or electrostatic---I think they were planars, they weren’t electrostatics, but they were REALLY (Paul again) good. And I don’t know what ever happened to that, but I DO know that Bruce figured out a way to make a subwoofer that could go well below what normal subwoofers do."

 

But this post is not about the Eminent Technology TRW-17 Rotary Subwoofer (there aren’t rotary "subwoofers", there is only one Rotary Subwoofer, the product of ET alone), it is about Eminent Technology itself. I mean geez, if Paul McGowan doesn’t know if Eminent Technology is still making planar loudspeakers, just how low IS the visibility of the company?!

To set the record straight: though Paul differentiates between a "planar" and an "electrostatic", while not all planars are electrostatics, all electrostatics are planars. I routinely see Magnepans referred to as planars (by Steve Guttenberg, for instance), which they of course are. But so are electrostatics. When Paul and Steve say planar, they are speaking of planar-magnetic loudspeakers. Both Magnepan and Eminent Technology make them.

 

The Eminent Technolgy LFT-8 planar-magnetic loudspeaker was introduced in 1989/90, and remains in production today. It has gone though a few revisions over the past thirty-three years: in 2007 an improved woofer replaced the original, with a change to it’s nomenclature: the LFT-8a. In 2015 an improved tweeter replaced the original, the new model designation being LFT-8b.

The LFT-8b remains available, and there is also a new version of the LFT-8: the 8c. The 8c consists of the same planar-magnetic panel as the 8b (which contains the midrange---180Hz up to 10kHz---and tweeter---10kHz and above---drivers), but with the monopole woofer of the 8b (for frequencies 180Hz and below) replace with a "gradient" dipole woofer (still a sealed enclosure, but with a 6.5" rear woofer added to the 8" in the front), which simply bolts on in place of the monopole woofer enclosure. Also included with the 8c is a power amp for the woofers, and DSP for the low-pass x/o filters for the woofers, time-alignment of the panels with the woofers, and equalization.

The LFT-8b retails for $3200, the 8c $4500, shipping in the U.S.A. included.

 

Magnepans are commonly discussed and owned (I own a pair), but the Eminent Technology LFT-8 remains virtually unknown (I also own a pair of the LFT-8b). Why is that? It has received rave reviews (REG in TAS, cudos from VPI’s Harry Weisfeld---who characterized the midrange of the LFT-8b as "the best I have ever heard", a number of reviews in the UK hi-fi mags), yet remains virtually unknown to the vast majority of audiophiles. I know ET has few dealers and does no advertising, but still.....

128x128bdp24

@curiousjim: Allow me to suggest a subwoofer that is ideal for your Acoustats: The Rythmik Audio/GR Research OB/Dipole Subwoofer.

Planar lovers (especially electrostatics) have been looking for a sub which can "keep up" with their loudspeakers since QUAD and KLH introduced their ESL’s in the 1950’s. Everything form the 24" Hartley woofer in a huge enclosure to a transmissionline-loaded KEF B139 woofer (David Wilson used two B139’s in each of his original 1970’s WAMM model, for midbass frequencies.). The Finnish company Gradient was for a time making OB/Dipole subs for use with both the QUAD ESL and QUAD 63. The design was good, it’s execution not-so-hot. It was reviewed by Robert E. Greene in TAS, if I remember correctly.

Traditional engineers will tell you (the guys at SVS did me) that a woofer can’t be "slow", as it is reproducing only "slow" frequencies. That is of course an over-simplification of a more complex situation. In his excellent series of Tech Talk videos on YouTuve, Danny Ritchie of GR Research discusses all things loudspeakers, including subs. I won’t bore everyone with information better explained by Danny, but suffice it to say that the reason subs have never sounded "fast enough" to blend seamlessly with ESL’s can be explained. Which Danny does.

One important factor is that monopole subs (whether sealed or ported) don’t propagate sound in the same manner as do dipole loudspeakers, nor "load" the room the same way. Employing either dipole planar woofers (as Magnepan does) or traditional woofers used in dipole fashion (a woofer mounted both front and rear in an enclosure, in polarity opposite each other, just as the front and rear of a dipole loudspeaker) solves that problem.

Magnepan has been working on a dipole sub (but it is not open baffle) for a few years now, and has demoed it at a few high end dealers (and hi-fi shows, I believe) around the U.S. The woofer system is the basis for an upcoming Magnepan model: The 30.7 For Condos. It will have Magnepan planar-magnetic drivers for midrange and treble, the woofers of course for bass. Magenpan will also offer the dipole sub as a separate product, for use with their other models (or the loudspeakers of other companies). Eminent Technology already offers a similar woofer system, but it is available only in their LFT-8c loudspeaker. Perhaps ET will sell the woofer system separately? It is offered as an upgrade for current LFT-8b owners, $1500/pr, I believe. Complete with power amp and DSP for crossover functions, time alignment, and equalization.

But the best answer is the amazing OB/Dipole Sub from Rythmik Audio/GR Research. Either two or three (your choice) 12" servo-feedback "free-air" woofers mounted in an open baffle frame, low frequencies (up to 300Hz) propagated both front and rear, just like dipole loudspeakers. The best thing I’ve found for use with my QUAD ESL’s, Eminent Technology LFT’s (both -4 and -8b), and Magneplanar Tympani T-IVa midrange/tweeter panels (I have no room large enough for the Tympani’s bass panels. They are HUGE!).

The sub is available only as a kit (which contains the plate amp---which provides the best controls in the business---and the woofers.). The OB/dipole frames are your responsibility, but GR Research has a company in Canada which makes the required OB frame, shipped as a flat pack. I know that sounds like a lot of work, but the frame is very well designed and fabricated (on a CNC machine, the MDF very high quality and thick), and easily assembled (only wood glue and clamps needed). Reasonably priced, too.

The genius speaker/crossover designer Siegfried Linkwitz came to the conclusion that open baffle/dipole loudspeakers are the way to go, and designed and sold (he died back in 2018, but arranged to have a colleague continue to market his designs) a loudspeaker that includes a sub of the same design as that of GR Research. But the latter is the superior sub, imo.

End of sales pitch/shill. ;-)

@bdp24,

Thanks for the tip. When I get a chance, I’ll give Danny a ring. Years ago, I built my second to last sub with two Dayton 8” drivers. I got very close,  but I could never get all the way. 

I have read many posts in which @bdp24 praises the ET LFT8b's and having owned (and still own but rarely use) Magnepans, I finally decided to look up an ET dealer close to where I live.  I called to ask if I could visit and listen to a pair but was disappointed to find out that he no longer carries the speaker since there was never much interest in it and he sold very few.  I really would like to hear these speakers and have identified other dealers within a few hours drive.

Any of the powered bass biamplified Vandersteen models are flat in most rooms to the twenties, my 7’s with the patented Ti / aluminum push pull sub are -1 db at 20 in a decent sized room ( see Poverty Bay sound in my system photos ). My Treo w single Sub 3 are flat  into the high twenties…. and without using ANY of the available 11 bands of ANALOG eq….

EJ - you are welcome to visit any time… and as you have previously invited me, i really should get down to hear your Tympani - you know i am a fan….

Also, Bruce is his own genius… i dont think we can know his goals for ET ? Thankfully we have the speakers…. yes of course, i have heard them…they are very sweet, somebody looking for a planer, curved panel nit included would do WELL to audition them….

Best to all on our shared quest for better more emotional music reproduction 

Jim

And i agree w genius and frustration w ET-2. I sold more than a few maddening Souther back in day and agree there as well. Thankfully we do have at disposal here on the forum an excellent thread on the ET-2 arm optimization / maintenance by many contributors…..

Peace