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AUDIO FORUMS >> General Discussion and Support >> ESS AMT Speakers
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Message started by beowulf on 09/06/15 at 04:34:21

Title: ESS AMT Speakers
Post by beowulf on 09/06/15 at 04:34:21

ESS AMT Speakers ... Heil Air Motion Transformer, super efficient with the lowest efficient speaker coming in at 95db @ 6 ohms (8″ AMT Series Speaker) and the highest coming in at 98db @ 6 ohms (AMT Limited Edition) ... reasonably priced from $1900 to- $4400 (in a world full of $20K speakers) and ... made in the USA.

OK, so what's not to like? Why have I never heard of these guys?

Title: Re: ESS AMT Speakers
Post by mark58 on 09/06/15 at 13:11:07

This company is a Resurrection of one that went out of business long ago. I had a pair of ESS AMT 10b speakers purchased in 1979/1980...they were wonderful. They had a knob on the back that increased or attenuated the higher frequencies and a 10" woofer. I ran it with a Kenwood KA 9100 integrated Amplifier (90 WPC) and a Pioneer TT with Audio Technica stylus. With my audio memory, I couldn't compare it to my current systems but I was very happy with it. I have no idea what the efficiency of those speakers was but assumed it was about 89 dB like most back then.

I still have all this equipment but when I was waiting for my Decware Taboo to be made I decided to have an Adcom amp repaired and when I got it back I pulled out the ESS speakers and hooked it up and after a few minutes they were toast. As I have stated here often, I am not technically inclined but went to the internet and after reading, discovered the amp had been returned to me with a very high Voltage output...I think one channel was 6 or 7 and the other 4 or 5. I found this after buying a meter at radio shack. I have no idea what was damaged...just the woofers or the Heil Air motion Converters but would love to get them repaired someday and try them with the Torri MK IV. Any ideas folks?

If you get a chance to listen to some I would take it. I think some companies, like "The Horn Shop" have incorporated the Heil Air Motion Converter into their designs. Below are pics of what I have. Mark.

Title: Re: ESS AMT Speakers
Post by Kboe on 09/06/15 at 13:34:30

Their bookshelf speaker is very pretty. I dig the retro style.

Title: Re: ESS AMT Speakers
Post by beowulf on 09/07/15 at 22:56:54

Those are cool Mark, thanks for sharing. I dig the retro look to them as well. IMO the previous generation of ERR's have the same vibe as the AMT Limited Edition.

I've never heard the Heil AMT, but I've heard a lot of positives about it that include placing them in open baffle designs.

I'm wondering ... does the AMT cover most of the mid to upper band range? Is it ran full range or is there some sort of crossover involved and if so what type (simple, cap or more elaborate). Is the AMT a dipole type of design?

I would love to hear these sometime.

Title: Re: ESS AMT Speakers
Post by mark58 on 09/08/15 at 02:41:11

Beowulf, the crossovers, Heil Air Motion Converters, woofers and fully assembled original speakers are often for sale on ebay. Below is a picture of the crossovers. They handle frequencies above 800 hz. I don't know what folks use in combination with a single driver design paired with a Heil Air Motion Converter. Mark

http://www.thehornshoppe.com/