Stereophile Review

Hello all, I'm hoping one of you might have a Stereophile back issue containing a review of the Flatline Design Model 175 hybrid ribbon speakers as designed and built by Lewis Muratori. I'm finding it impossible to find any information on these speakers, likely due to their being so few examples made, but there is a listing of a reiew article on Stereophile's master index:

If anyone has this issue and can scan a copy of this article for me, it would be much appreciated. At this point, even the specifications would be much appreciated.

Thanks,
- JP

Well, since noone's offered for the Flatlines, can anyone help out with this review?

Thanks,
- JP

Let me know which issuse specificlly. I have most back to the mid 80's I may be able to help.

Charlie

The issue for the Flatline Designs is Vol. 17 No. 12, which works out to be December 1994, I believe. That for the Infinity headphones is much older, being Vol. 3 No. 12, which was somewhere between 1972 and 1976, most likely the latter, and so too old for you to have.

Thank you much.

- JP

Hey JP,

I scanned them where do ya want them sent.

Charlie

JP,

SENT!

Hope I helped.


Charlie

Sorry about the delay, I was too busy reading the review. Yes! Thank you! This was exactly what I was needing. Actually, it contains more information and measurements than I hoped for, so you made my day. Actually, it even helped me determine that there is a slight wiring fault in my crossovers with an errant resistor that apparently was intended to up the ribbon impedance to 2.4 ohms instead of its 1 ohm it currently has.

This review has made me wonder, though, if I really am too picky. I found the Flatlines lacking in the midbass and too lean, but Novak says much otherwise. I mean, these speakers (when corrected for how difficult planar types are to measure) came in at -0.175dB to +0.825dB. Jeeze, if a 1dB max difference speaker isn't good enough for me, then...

Still, the rest made for some fun reading, if a disturbing image...

Guess I'll have to see tomorrow if my little Fisher tube amp is up to the task.


Flatline Design Model 175 review
Infinity ES-1 review - TBD

- JP

Talkinng about Russ Novak's erotic zones being stroked with a feather? What was this guy drinking when he wrote that review?!?

I don't know what he was drinking, but he was right, the Flatlines are a completely different beast with tubes. I hooked up my little Fisher SA-16 (6BQ5s) a bit ago and I had one of the most moving experiences with music I've had since I took the Magnepans out of my main system. Wow, just wow. The imaging was smeared a bit and the deep bass was lacking, but the palpable nature of the whole experience, the realism of the singer's voice was astounding. I was welded to my seat and didn't move the least bit for the length of the album. When over, I just sat there for a few minutes more in an afterglow of sorts, listening to the subtle sounds of my apartment I never hear -- slight whir of the 1920s electric clock on the table across the room, the tick of another in a different room behind closed doors, and equally minute sounds. Point being, it was damned good and was essentially meditation to music.

Still, there remains room for improvement (bass roll-off, loose/flabby midbass, mismatch between cone drivers and ribbon), so I can't wait to hear the results of "The Project". Though, I do miss the high end the Fisher can't provide.

- JP