Custom ESL using quest panels

[Brandon Hartwick]

I’d love to learn more about the aftermarket transformers you used. I have a spare pair of quests with one panel having a bad transformer. ML no longer supplies the part, so I need to go DIY with it to repair it, but have not seen any documentation on how. Would love to learn how you are driving the panels with aftermarket electronics if you’d be willing to share. Thanks for the inspiration!

Have a look at my post in this thread from October 19th, it has the part # of the trannies I used and the wiring diagram from Jazzman. Don't let those speakers go to waste! They have almost the same panel size at a pair of brand new 15A's.

 

[Brandon Hartwick]

So, how much to ship?
Just kidding.
Nice work.

Honestly you could ship them truck freight for under $1000 easy. As long as you skid and pack everything so it can go through a trucking warehouse shipping costs wouldn't be that bad

When I'm done I'll make a simplified version of the plans available to the public. You could send it to an online laser cutting company such as "Send Cut Send" or a local laser company as long as they will deal with the public. It's cheaper than you think

 

[Robert D]

Funny you mention that, I'm a huge metal/metalcore fan, even some deathcore such as Lorna Shore has really got my attention lately. Electrostatic speakers just show off technical side of extreme music so well it just grabs me and sucks me right in, just close your eyes and you're surrounded by an assault of sound.

Ive always been a huge metal fan. Ive got ticket for next November to see Pantera and Metallica in concert. 2nd time I will have seen Pantera and 3rd for Metallica. I was lucky to see Pantera back in 92 or 93 for their Vulgar Display of Power tour.

 

[Brandon Hartwick]

Ive always been a huge metal fan. Ive got ticket for next November to see Pantera and Metallica in concert. 2nd time I will have seen Pantera and 3rd for Metallica. I was lucky to see Pantera back in 92 or 93 for their Vulgar Display of Power tour.

That would be awesome, I haven't been out to a concert in forever. A lot of metal bands unfortunately only really get to play smaller venues and with so much going on in the music most of it often gets lost in the garbage room acoustics of just overdriven speakers.

I did see 36 crazyfists a number of years ago and those boys from Alaska out on a show I will never forget. For a metal band they absolutely killed it live.

 

[Brandon Hartwick]

Some boxing Day fabrication, no shortage of bracing here.

 

[Robert D]

That would be awesome, I haven't been out to a concert in forever. A lot of metal bands unfortunately only really get to play smaller venues and with so much going on in the music most of it often gets lost in the garbage room acoustics of just overdriven speakers.

I did see 36 crazyfists a number of years ago and those boys from Alaska out on a show I will never forget. For a metal band they absolutely killed it live.

Judas Priest always sounds very good in concert. The Metallica and Pantera concert I'm seeing is at the big football stadium in Detroit. Not sure how that will sound. I've never seen a stadium concert.

 

[Brandon Hartwick]

Update time

The last few days I've spent many hours welding and grinding to make sure the front baffles are all sealed up. I still have a bunch more to do before a can seal the insides with silicone.

Tonight after work I get the footer, panel frame and box all bolted together to check fitment. Thankfully all my dimensions seem to check out and the panels can be moved forward or backward to help time align the the panels and woofers. These are ridiculously heavy in case anyone still had doubts lol.

 

[Robert D]

I guess the metal is some kind of steel? Those must be really heavy! I wonder if you could use aluminum, or would that metal not be hard enough for the frame? Aluminum is pretty light weight, but I bet it would be super expensive.

 

[Brandon Hartwick]

I guess the metal is some kind of steel? Those must be really heavy! I wonder if you could use aluminum, or would that metal not be hard enough for the frame? Aluminum is pretty light weight, but I bet it would be super expensive.

Yeah it's just regular carbon steel, same thing almost all our industrial equipment is made from. The woofer cabinets are about 70lb without drivers and the panel frames are about 40lb with the ESL panel. I'll have to weigh it when it's complete.

You could most definitely use aluminum, really you could just change the material title on my drawings and do the identical thing out of aluminum. It would weigh less than half, probably cost triple and be way more difficult to weld though.

 

[DanR]

Man I just have to say you sure do high quality work those speakers are a one of a kind thing of beauty!!!! Nice job!!!

 

[Robert D]

Yeah it's just regular carbon steel, same thing almost all our industrial equipment is made from. The woofer cabinets are about 70lb without drivers and the panel frames are about 40lb with the ESL panel. I'll have to weigh it when it's complete.

You could most definitely use aluminum, really you could just change the material title on my drawings and do the identical thing out of aluminum. It would weigh less than half, probably cost triple and be way more difficult to weld though.

Ok. I know bicycle frames have been made from aluminum alloy for years, so I guess its pretty strong. Can you imagine your frame made from carbon fiber!? Carbon fiber might be too light? Some heft is needed to keep the frames anchored to the ground. I still remebering opening and closing a carbon fiber door on a race car. It was as if it were made of paper. So many different materials to choose from.

I think it's really cool what you've done and can't wait to see the end result in photos. One of a kind speaker for sure.

 

[Russr]

With all the bracing you have there, I'm thinking cabinet resonance might not have a chance... are you thinking of any kind of sound-dampening material, or just going to wait & see how the boxes perform?

For reference:

 

[Brandon Hartwick]

Ok. I know bicycle frames have been made from aluminum alloy for years, so I guess its pretty strong. Can you imagine your frame made from carbon fiber!? Carbon fiber might be too light? Some heft is needed to keep the frames anchored to the ground. I still remebering opening and closing a carbon fiber door on a race car. It was as if it were made of paper. So many different materials to choose from.

I think it's really cool what you've done and can't wait to see the end result in photos. One of a kind speaker for sure.

You could do carbon fiber, I'm sure some manufacturer likely has. Carbon fiber would likely need a lot of structure to keep it from ringing but they can do some wild stuff with carbon so I'm sure it's possible.

 

[Brandon Hartwick]

With all the bracing you have there, I'm thinking cabinet resonance might not have a chance... are you thinking of any kind of sound-dampening material, or just going to wait & see how the boxes perform?

For reference:

Since I'm only doing stitch welded construction the panel joints will leak so I'll be coating the entire inside in a silicone or rubber. Solid welding this thing is absolutely not in the cards lol, I solid TIG welded the baffles and it took hours. I'll stuff the cabinets with something as well, I don't like that plastic cloud crap you get at Walmart so I'll have to do some research.

 

[Brandon Hartwick]

The one thing I'm kind of wishing I did was spend a bit more time on the back of the woofer enclosure. It would have been cool to add a removable slot port that could be swapped with different lengths and even sealed right up if needed.

I'm going to try and get out to my shop tomorrow at some point and get the remainder of the welding completed.

 

[Brandon Hartwick]

Not a big update, but I was at my shop this morning and got both power supplies roughly assembled.

 

[Brad225]

These are fantastic Brandon.
It is probably mentioned and I missed it. How much do these monsters weigh?

 

[Brandon Hartwick]

These are fantastic Brandon.
It is probably mentioned and I missed it. How much do these monsters weigh?

Thank you! I expect somewhere around 200lb each fully assembled. One person can move around the individual components.

 

[18000rpm]

Not a big update, but I was at my shop this morning and got both power supplies roughly assembled.

View attachment 24312
View attachment 24313

Nice and ambitious build! Are the electronics and power supplies from a Quest?

 

[Brandon Hartwick]

Nice and ambitious build! Are the electronics and power supplies from a Quest?

The boards are directly out of the Quest power supply but the transformers are aftermarket.