“ Electrostatic loudspeakers have great advantages but also various flaws that have inhibited ther diffusion considerably; many of these are attributable to the inability of producing high-performance electrostatic loudspeaskers on industrial scale due to high costs and times associated with production problems that hand made manufacture can resolve efficiently.
For these reasons high quality and performance electrostatic speakers can only be hand crafted. ”
The main structural characteristics of the DEA speakers are listed below.
Stators
At DEA we use high thickness insulated copper stators, subjected to a special perforation technique and isolated with a high rigidity dielectric coating (90KV), in order to avoid the corona effect: electric discharge that can form between the membrane and stator when high voltages are applied. All this makes for increased efficiency and dynamic capabilieties of our speakers.
Charging the membrane
DEA loudspeakers are equipped with specific templates that permit turning on a micrometric scale. Also at the end of the charging process the membrane is subjected to a special treatment that eliminates mechanical stress to which is subjected during traction.
Step Up Transformers
Represent the heart of electrostatic loudspeakers: we use oversized transformers (developed after having produced hundred of prototytpes) that interface directly withthe stator without the interposition of cross-over network or guards which normally alter the signal with introduced timbre and distortion.
Also, in our loudspeakers each stator has its own step-up transformer, and this make the only bi-wiring electrostatic loudspeakers in the world.
Structure
The structure is another important element, not only because it affects the resonant frequency of the system but also because it contributes decisively to the achievement of a perfect azimuth. Structures support the stators and can infact create significant alteration to the azimuth when they are not perfectly planar.We use plexiglass structures of the high quality worked with very low tolerance, computer numerically controlled (CNC) milling machines.
Power
In order to obtain a correct azimuth while not limiting the dynamic capabilities and efficiency of the loudspeaker, the membrane must be powered in the most ideal manner possible. It's therefore necessary to use polypropylene capacitors, ultra fast diodes, and high quality power transformers. Many manufacturers are convinced that correct powering of electrostatic loudspeakers is superfluous due to current polarization of the membrane being just few milliamps.
Environmental resonators
At DEA we have developed a special panel, whose membrane vibrating with reflected sound wave is able to extend low frequencies, in a totally passive manner - with a significant improvement of the entire frequency range, mitigating excessive displacements of the active panel membrane.
