Audiophilepure

https://www.stereophile.com/content/rogue-audio-dragon-monoblock-power-amplifier

The ESS Transtatic I is a hybrid-electrostatic loudspeaker (footnote 4). The fabric-wrapped 120lb cabinets are three-walled, open on the inside face. Low frequencies are transmission-line loaded and radiate from bass ports above each laminate-veneered loudspeaker pedestal’s cardinal directions.

Each speaker uses a 9″ × 12″ foam, flat-piston KEF B139 oval “racetrack” low-frequency driver and a rear-ported KEF B110 midfrequency driver, coordinated with an array of three RTR electrostatic panels. These drivers were fairly common in the 1970s, used by various manufacturers including Infinity. According to the specifications, the Transtatic I’s lows extend below 15Hz, the highs up to 32kHz, with a ±3dB range of 25Hz–20kHz. Admirably, ESS specified a minimum—not nominal—impedance, of 4 ohms. Sensitivity wasn’t specified, but I estimate it as in the vicinity of 90dB/W/m. The user manual suggests a minimum amplifier power of 60W and says it can take “greater than 650-watt musical peaks without distortion.”

Uncolored and unboxy, these are the best-sounding loudspeakers I’ve ever heard at low volume. For this review, I used them exclusively.

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