Electrostatic Loudspeakers

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image of JansZen One in free standing configuration

JansZen One, right and left units, one grill removed, rosewood

<a href="home.htm">Home</a>   <a href="Products.htm">Products</a>   <a href="company.htm">Company</a>   <a href="services.htm">Services</a>   <a href="news.htm">News</a>   <a href="ordering.htm">Ordering</a>   <a href="contact.htm">Contact</a> The new generation of JansZen electrostatic loudspeakers may have visual personality. But by not having much individual sonic personality, these speakers deliver sound reproduction that is extraordinarily accurate, convincing and natural. An enormously satisfying, almost physical sense of intimacy and immediacy is thus added to your enjoyment of recorded performances. Hear it once, and you'll never go back. Furthermore, its elegant appearance proclaims its inner refinement, and introduces an extra element of distinction into your audio or A/V area, while keeping its high technology "under the hood" and maintenance-free. Read on to discover how JansZen systems combine the utmost in simplicity of operation and durability with the most advanced sonic reproduction obtainable. Many would say that the somewhat hard to define [and therefore potentially meaningless] qualities of clarity, detail, warmth, and imaging are superbly expressed by the Janszen One. But regardless of terminology, A/B testing alongside any other system will provide an intriguing and deeply appealing demonstration of nearly perfect sound reproduction. Technology. Our newly developed electrostatic driver elements achieve wide dispersion without the usual phase-skewing surface curvature or facets, and also avoid the need for dipolar sound distribution. Combined with an innovative enclosure and woofer, and the latest amplifier technology, they establish a new state of the art in high end sound reproduction. Practicality. With their wide, uniform, cylindrical dispersion pattern and closed backs, there's no sweet spot, they are relatively insensitive to position, and they can project a stereo image throughout small or large rooms. Their decorative front grille is not an active component. It keeps the drivers protected from the usual hazards, while children and the speakers are mutually safeguarded. An array of special, internal design elements make them as reliable, rugged, and care-free as any conventional speaker. While capable of very loud play, their 19" x 16" (48 cm x 41 cm) footprint is sensibly modest, and they can be placed near walls if desired. A wide range of room acoustics and speaker position can be easily suited by listening while adjusting a pair of simple bass controls (sub-sonic for thunder/rumble de-emphasis, and sub-50Hz for bass de-emphasis). A guy thing? Who knows, really, but when one person wants an audiophile system, it can happen that the other would rather have a home theater. If you're the audiophile, then our simple answer is to say: If you use JansZen speakers for the front channels of a home theater, you'll get fantastically thrilling soundtrack playback from A/V sources, and unparalleled accuracy of reproduction that does honor to the very best quality music sources. And with a 20 Hz bass extension, their delivery of body-shaking thunder and explosions is rock solid. JansZen One <li style="margin-left:0;">Two-channel (stereo)</li> <li style="margin-left:0;">100 dB at 3 meters </li> <li style="margin-left:0;"><0.1% THD at 94 dB, 3 meters, 15 Hz to 20 kHz</li> <li style="margin-left:0;">20 Hz to 20 kHz, +/- 3 dB </li> <li style="margin-left:0;">Bass and sub-sonic de-emphasis controls</li> <li style="margin-left:0;">Input imedance: 18 k Ohm; 1V RMS (2.83V p-p) for full volume</li> <li style="margin-left:0;">19" (48 cm) W x 16" (41 cm) D x 72" (183 cm) H</li> <li style="margin-left:0;">150 lb (68 kg) (each side)</li> <li style="margin-left:0;">Power requirement (each channel) 1.2 kW max. (adapts to any mains voltage/frequency) </li> <li style="margin-left:0;">Separate electrostatic tweeter and mid-range</li> <li style="margin-left:0;">Dynamic woofer, ultra low distortion design</li> <li style="margin-left:0;">Integrated power amplification: Three Class D amplifiers per side (tri-amp tweet/mid/woof); 1000W RMS to each woofer</li> <li style="margin-left:0;">Line level crossovers at 250 Hz and 2 kHz</li> <li style="margin-left:0;">Price: US$18,000. per pair, direct</li> How electrostatic speakers work Electrostatic force is familiar to everyone. You've probably rubbed a balloon on your shirt and stuck it to a wall for a birthday party, or had clothes stick together after you take them out of the dryer. In the world of static electricity, opposites always attract and likes always repel. That is, areas with high negative voltages are attracted to areas with high positive voltage, and areas that are both positive or both negative are repelled from each other. Electrostatic loudspeakers harness this attraction and repulsion to make sound. All modern electrostatic loudspeakers have a very thin membrane that vibrates between two conductive surfaces. The two surfaces have holes in them to let the sound through. By putting opposite voltages on each side, and alternating these voltages, one surface pushes the membrane while the other pulls, then the roles reverse, over and over. This vibrates the membrane and produces sound. For the lowest distortion in the sound, a steady voltage is held on the membrane, with no current flowing on or off of it. This is known as a constant Q or constant charge system. It gives the alternating voltages on the outer surfaces something to be attracted to and repelled from, and keeps the force very consistent. There are other ways to arrange the voltages that have various performance trade-off's, but the basic principle remains the same.