One of the best tweeters ever, whatever happened?


I own a pair of the amazing Optimus 5 (yeah, that's right, RADIO SHACK) speakers with the Lineaum tweeter.

I modified them according to an old article by Dick Olsher, and am still amazed by the clean, fast, transparent high frequency reproduction they accomplish.

Anyone know whatever happened to Lineaum? Seems like a killer "reference" speaker could have been made using this amazing tweeter...

BTW -- I currently own a pair of M.L. Prodigys, so I have a good reference point for high frequency reproduction ;>)
denf
I really don't think this was the best tweeter. The Ionovac plasmas were the best I hear. Ultimately Hill Plasmatronics tried to get plasma down into the midrange and Pass had a full range plasma that nearly killed him. The present plasma tweeter of Acapella is the outgrowth of this technology. I still hear only the excellence of this tweeter when I hear their speakers using it. It is too bad no one has ever overcome the inefficencies and ozone associated with this design and gotten it into a full range design.
funny you should ask. at our audio club meeting last week, we auditioned some home built speakers that had the lineaum tweeters. everyone loved them, good stuff. in the discussion that followed, it was mentioned that lineaum had been sold to radio shack, and then radio shack stopped production. it was also mentioned that radio shack has a limited quantity left for sale.

aloha keith
There were 3 versions of these ribbons. The original design utilized a pure silk ribbon and are significantly better than both the later mylar ribbons and the polypropelene version [last version]The earliest ratshack speakers used a mylar ribbon,the rca examples employed the poly ribbons. With a little mod work they can sound very good but should be crossed where they would operate as a super tweeter only. One of the best tweeters ever? Not even close to the purity of the Ionovac or Dukane plasma [never heard the present Acapellas].
Sean;

It is in an early (1996) issue of FI magazine, volume 1, issue 4, May.

I will scan the parts list/instructions & send to you.
I once owned the Ionovac tweeter in a custom made speaker that used it, the Jenzen electrostatic curved 4 panel midrange, and 4 10" woofers. Each of these were in their own separate cabinets.

The sound was good but not great.

Richard