Box speakers that sound like Electrostats?

As much as I hate to admit it regardless of the hype Muralman1 is correct. No box speaker I've heard can truly escape the box and completely disappear as a well set-up dipole can. The Merlins are in the top tier so far as disappearing goes. On the other hand unless the system is large enough most stats compromise on the macro dynamics of music that bring it to life. I can live with a little boxiness rather than limitations on dynamics, a personal preference but others may demur.

This can be achieved with stats but it takes a large diaphram and room for starters. The other problem is bass performance. If you want great bass and a stat, subwoofers are out for me. Gotta have the large panels pushing the bass. The coherence is lost with a subwoofer. It may not be apparent at first but it will catch up with you sooner or later. Dipoles are about speed and refinement. A dynamic driver thrown into the mix just can't keep up with the speed of those panels. Choose your poison, nothing's perfect.

My experience with single-driver speakers has led me to the opinion that they can be very close to electrostats for speed, transparency, and imaging. The point-source nature of these single drivers, is about the best for imaging, and the very light cones, with strong magnetic motors, like my Lowthers, can approximate the speed, and miniscule low level detail reproduction. The box is actually the thing that you hear, that makes you realize it is in a box, because the resonances add colorations to the otherwise "stat-like" sound. If the box is very good, this is minimized, but still there. I can't drive electrostats, so I think single-drivers are the next best thing.

Von Schweikerts. The literature claims they excell any planar/electrostat in terms of transparency, and they do just that, dissapearing in a room like none other I've ever heard, and most models go down to at least 20-25hz. There are not many VSA dealers around but if you have one locally give them a listen, you will be impressed.

Mike, thanks for the link to the translated Monitor db site. Now if I can only scrape together DM60,000 for the Imagine system! (This price must be out of date since it's been a couple years since the DM has been traded). My best guess would be in the $35-40K range in US dollars... This is a little out of my range, but it makes for interesting reading nonetheless (although the 'verb last order' structure doesn't translate very well at times). Maybe Albert or Cornfedboy can give them a try?!?! Wayne

I went from M-L Sequel IIs (10+ yrs) to Merlins VSM-SE and they were dyanamic as hell, but even after changing out dacs, transports, amps (two ss), wires, I couldn't tame 'em. Verity Fidelios filled the bill. Musical, detailed---no, make that MUSICAL and detailed.