Zero Distortion: FM Acoustics, Zellaton, Stenheim, Brinkmann

morricab

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Apr 25, 2014
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I have GammaII but with back load bass horns. They are comparable to the Beethoven. The Gammas are modular design, you can choose different bass horns sperately, while the Beethoven are more one piece. Cessaros are very well made with heavy composite material so no worry about termites. (My agent had one of the popular horns mentioned in WBF eaten by termites in his ware house. The wood they were made of also bent from moisture here in Thailand.) They are extremely heavy. My set weigh about two tons. Considerable patient, time and tuning are needed to make them sound right. I dont doubt at all when people say they sucked at show. My initial set up by Ralph himself sucked too tbh. Only after he came the second time, they become terrific.

Kind regards,
Tang

Could it be that Ralph doesn't understand how to setup his own product? If he can't get good sound at shows and didn't help you get good sound it at least begs the question...
 

bonzo75

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caesar

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May 30, 2010
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Bonzo,
Outstanding work! Great to re-read your blog.

Interesting that so many planar/ stat and also horn lovers enjoy Zellatons. What is it about the design that the typical box speaker sins that are so evident on the magicos, wilsons, focals, sonus fabers, etc., do not come across on the Zellatons?

In other words how does the box disappear? Is it the Zell driver or the enclosure, or something else?

Does anyone know what material is used in the Zellaton enclosure?

And how is the Zellaton treble? Is it "accurate"? Is it "screechy"? "Organic"? Does it integrate well?
 

caesar

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May 30, 2010
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And as for Stenheim, it's supposed to be a fairly a "high-efficiecy" speaker. One would think to drive them with a low-powered tube amp. Yet that sucked at Axpona, or at least wasn't memorable.

But seems like the guy is getting much better sound with the balsy, SS FM Acoustics.

Anyone have any insights?
 

bonzo75

Member Sponsor
Feb 26, 2014
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And as for Stenheim, it's supposed to be a fairly a "high-efficiecy" speaker. One would think to drive them with a low-powered tube amp. Yet that sucked at Axpona, or at least wasn't memorable.

But seems like the guy is getting much better sound with the balsy, SS FM Acoustics.

Anyone have any insights?

Actually, he did mention he can drive them with his thoress. But we did with FM because at that trip I wanted to isolate as much as I can from that Zellaton system to understand what is doing what
 

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