Jump to content

Plasma Speakers...


justin_tx_16

Recommended Posts

Wow. They look seriously complex. Anyone ever hear one? They must be good if someone is willing to put so much effort into building one Smile.gif

here is a pictures of a plasma tweeter (which are powered by tubes, just FYI Smile.gif

corona_schnitt_s.jpg

corona.jpg

They have no moving parts, some crazy stuff here!

here is a pic of one without the horn loading yet done... notice the light shooting from it

Plamsa%20closeup%20semi-bright%20with%20

i have actually seen one and heard it in action, but it was at a science convention and was very protypish, but it is super neat. i just remembered about them today and thought, what if someone else has heard one! Smile.gif i heard it at this museum in san francisco, i think it was san francisco...

here is a video of one in action

http://www.soundwise.org/klipschubb/plasmaspeakerinaction.mpg

kinda looks like a fire hazard Smile.gif

what do you guys think about these?

------------------

-justin

SoundWise

promediatech@Klipsch.com /1-888-554-5665 - RA# 800-554-7724 ext 5

s>

Link to comment
Share on other sites

quote:

Originally posted by Flason:

I think there was a post from about a year ago about "flame speakers". Could be the same thing. Check it out.

yep...

http://216.37.9.58/ubb/Forum4/HTML/002021.html

------------------

-justin

SoundWise

promediatech@Klipsch.com /1-888-554-5665 - RA# 800-554-7724 ext 5

s>

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'll take 2. How much?

What is special about them? Are they LOUD, precise, or what?

Look at the END of the horn, it is like 2mm.!!!

------------------

Receiver: Sony STR-DE675

CD player: Sony CDP-CX300

Turntable: Technics SL-J3 with Audio-Technica TR485U

Speakers: JBL HLS-610

Subwoofer: JBL 4648A-8

Sub amp: Parts Express 180 watt

Center/surrounds: Teac 3-way bookshelfs

Yes, it sucks, but better to come. KLIPSCH soon! My computer is better than my stereo!

For JBL related subjects and more fun, click: http://www.audioheritage.org

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That video?

WTF?

Is the music coming drom the tweeter???

------------------

Receiver: Sony STR-DE675

CD player: Sony CDP-CX300

Turntable: Technics SL-J3 with Audio-Technica TR485U

Speakers: JBL HLS-610

Subwoofer: JBL 4648A-8

Sub amp: Parts Express 180 watt

Center/surrounds: Teac 3-way bookshelfs

Yes, it sucks, but better to come. KLIPSCH soon! My computer is better than my stereo!

For JBL related subjects and more fun, click: http://www.audioheritage.org

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This kind of speaker is nothing new.

I haven't heard this one, but I did hear an EV T3500 (Ionovac) years ago when I actually had some high end hearing. It was made in the 50s. From what I could hear, and what I have read, its high end performance beat anything else available at the time. If I remember correctly, it had ususable response out to 40 kHz. Great if you want to annoy dogs.

Downside is you do have to live with high voltage and ozone, and tubes. If you get one, besure to keep it away from anything with rubber in it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Plasma speakers are an old idea but implementation has been difficult. Bell Labs and GE made "singing arcs" in the late 1920s and EV used a plasma horn tweeter, the Ionovac, in the 1950s. It had reliability problems, had considerable distortion and produced lots of ozone. For detailed info on this tweeter go to Roger Russel's McIntosh speaker site, there's a link to it on my site.

The Hill Plasmotronics was a plasma speaker made by a nuclear weapons scientist in the 1970s, he solved the ozone problem by ionizing an inert gas, helium, instead of air. The speaker came with a large cylinder of helium, presumabley owners of the speaker took their empty cylinders to a welding supply shop to get refills.

www.chicagohornspeakerclub.org

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Whats wrong with ozone?

What will it do to rubber?

------------------

Receiver: Sony STR-DE675

CD player: Sony CDP-CX300

Turntable: Technics SL-J3 with Audio-Technica TR485U

Speakers: JBL HLS-610

Subwoofer: JBL 4648A-8

Sub amp: Parts Express 180 watt

Center/surrounds: Teac 3-way bookshelfs

Yes, it sucks, but better to come. KLIPSCH soon! My computer is better than my stereo!

For JBL related subjects and more fun, click: http://www.audioheritage.org

Link to comment
Share on other sites

quote:

Whats wrong with ozone?


the plasma flame ionizes the air putting out NO2 and O3 which irritates and burns membranes in your nose and your eyes... benadryll anyone? Smile.gif

quote:

What will it do to rubber?


It will melt rubber

------------------

-justin

SoundWise

promediatech@Klipsch.com /1-888-554-5665 - RA# 800-554-7724 ext 5

s>

This message has been edited by justin_tx_16 on 08-13-2002 at 01:44 AM

Link to comment
Share on other sites

COOL!!!

Hook me up!!!

You mean the gasses emitted from the tweeter cause rubber to melt? Hmmm, what do most speakers use as surrounds...

------------------

Receiver: Sony STR-DE675

CD player: Sony CDP-CX300

Turntable: Technics SL-J3 with Audio-Technica TR485U

Speakers: JBL HLS-610

Subwoofer: JBL 4648A-8

Sub amp: Parts Express 180 watt

Center/surrounds: Teac 3-way bookshelfs

Yes, it sucks, but better to come. KLIPSCH soon! My computer is better than my stereo!

For JBL related subjects and more fun, click: http://www.audioheritage.org

Link to comment
Share on other sites

most surrounds are made of rubber, especially subs. some are made of foam, cheapo systems are made of paper, like BOSE, better speakers have a foam/rubber hybrid surround. some even have a cloth surround. KLH i believe used to make a silk surround

edit: it is not KLH, another company, one from England... made speakers similar to the Quintets... This is gonna drive me crazy

------------------

-justin

SoundWise

promediatech@Klipsch.com /1-888-554-5665 - RA# 800-554-7724 ext 5

s>

This message has been edited by justin_tx_16 on 08-13-2002 at 02:25 AM

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ozone can be pretty nasty stuff, especially in closed spaces (such as most home theaters are probably in ...). The OSHA limit for prolonged human exposure is 0.1 parts per million. In addition to attacking mucous membranes (lungs, eyes, throat, etc.), it degrades many rubber and plastic products (such as wiring insulation and speaker surrounds). Not great stuff to have around your HT, let alone yourself!

Here's a link detailing all the nasty effects:

http://www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/ozonegen.html

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On the opposite side of the whole Ozone thing- Ionic air cleaners or ozone generators in industrial air quality systems do the same thing. The Ozone kills bacteria and helps neutralize odors.

However, it can also be harmful to people in high quantities. It's like the clorine in tap water- clorine makes drinking water safe, but you don't want to drink bleach directly.

Larry

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...