Have you owned Sound Labs Electrostatics?

Larry, I've owned Sound Lab U-1s for about four years. Before that, I had Quad ESLs (57s), Acoustat 2+2s, and Audiostatics. I find the Sound Labs have all the best qualities of the others and a lot of advantages. Sound Labs can play quite loudly, they are quite dynamic (macro and micro), the bass is prodigious and tuneful, there is no beaming of treble, and the sound of the panels driven full range is seamless. I find it easy to listen to music for many hours without fatigue. For me, there is no going back. They play every kind of music imaginable very, very well, from chamber music to big band to hard rock.

The backplates (interface electronics) contain two audio transformers, with a crossover at about 500 Hz, as the impedance variation with only one transformer would make the speakers virtually impossible to drive. The frequency ranges are combined on the panel, which is driven full range. Sound Lab can build or modify backplates for biamping if desired, which may result in greater clarity and dynamics.

As for power requirements in your room, I would have to say it depends upon your listening habits but anywhere from 100 to 400 watts are recommended. I think the 100 watts minimum should be considered as tube watts, although there may be exceptions. Higher powered amps have been used to good effect, and Sound Lab has used amps up to 800 watts on their speakers. There is no hard and fast rule as to which is better, tube or solid state. Rather, it may be a matter of preference. I've achieved excellent results with both, as have others.

Time for a disclaimer. I became a Sound Lab dealer a while ago, wanting to share my passion for the finest music reproduction and as a delighted owner. My enthusiasm as an audiophile spills over, which may sometimes get in the way of being an audio salesman, but life's too short for compromises. I had heard Sound Labs at some of the shows through the years and finally bit the bullet and have been happy ever since.

Larry, if you get to Chicago you're welcome to visit for a good long listen just to check them out, no obligation whatsoever. If you're in another dealer's territory I'll refer you to them, and you can still come and have a great time here. People who fly in know I offer complementary accommodations and offer full travel reimbursement upon purchase.

Brian Walsh

Lrsky, Yes the bridged Classe CA-201 will drive Soundlabs with ease. Like others here I prefer tubes but the Classe is a good amp and with proper set up of the speakers you would have excellent sound.

Albert, not only are your posts thoughtful and articulate, your home is just beautiful. You are obviously a person of very discriminating tastes in all regards. I'll bet you system is wonderful. Thanks for sharing.
My wife is, and always has been delighted with the sound of electrostatics. I always joke that women hear better than men except at night time, (I know, bad taste sex joke), but it is really true.
The A-1 was owned by a good friend and he claimed them to be the most neutral, tonally, texturally, with lifelike portrayals of the performers. The only negative I ever heard was ongoing maintainence issues. They break, and repairs are tough because of size. Have you had any problems with them? I hesitate to mention this, since rumours are hurtful to the manufacturer, and only that, rumours, sometimes prompted by jealousy of competitors.
Any input on that is appreciated. I can't physically move them, to rebox etc, so this is important.
Again thanks for the input.
My thoughts were to use a Spectron (500wpc) along with his feedback cable, which without, the Spectron is incomplete, I am told. Then the First Sound Preamp, and the Electrocompaniet front end. In my size room, that should make for a pretty lifelike portrayal of performances, sizewise etc. Also, realistically how deep does the bass really go on the A-1 in a room large enough for it to develop?
Thanks,
Larry

I auditioned a pair of Sound Lab U-1's and would agree with all the comments above concerning how natural, unfatiguing and seamless they sound. I did have one caveat, which ultimately prevented me from considering a purchase at that time: I did not find the soundstaging to be precise or well-focused. Placement of performers seemed a bit 'diffuse', not pinpoint.

I wonder whether this may be due to the panel elements of the SLs, each of which sends sound out in a slightly different direction. I'm sure this has advantages, in terms of widening the sweet spot and achieving a natural reverberant field, but could it have something to do with the less-than-sharp soundstaging I heard? Or could the soundstaging have been the result of the room we listened in (no more than 11 by 15)?

Anyway the sound really was so non-fatiguing that we listened for hours without getting tired. I may check out SLs again some day.

I've listened to them at length at one of my customer's homes. They are WAYY up there with me too. So far up the speaker tree that choosing is a matter of taste. It's the only electrostatic on the market that can go deep in the bass without resorting to hybrid technology. Their low level presentation, natural timbre, and sheer sense of speed at all frequencies is amazing. True you can mate a sub pretty well to an electrostatic, and true a big sub will go deeper with more authority but you will lose out that 'one driver' sense that only a huge electrostatic can provide.

The cost of course is a huge object in your room with a backpressure wall force that could tip a humvee. I guess you could keep them by the front door to enforce the 'no soliciting' sign.

Personally I prefer tubes with planars. That combination of 'life' and presence on a huge scale is to me the ultimate in sonics. They seem to benefit more from the use of tubes than other types of speakers.

I wouldn't go below 200 watt tube or 400 watts solid state with those monsters. The more the better with those.