Rapture Audio System

System Overview

Background

I became very interested in electrostatic loudspeakers (ESL) in 1999. Unlike most loudspeaker projects, the actual driver in an ESL can be constructed from scratch. Elysian Audio was somewhat built around the design of an ESL speaker system, which then grew to include an amplifier. This led to the inclusion of a subwoofer system, control electronics, active crossovers and signal processing. The whole project was renamed the Rapture Audio System.

Design Components

• 7 piece modular system
• Electrostatic Loudspeaker (ESL) full range panel
• Transmission Line load Bass Driver
• Integrated Bi-amplification
• Active Crossover and Signal Processing
• Digital and Line Level analog inputs

Layout

ESL Module

• Single large electrostatic loudspeaker for >200Hz
• Mounted on top of Bass Module

Bass Module

• Single dynamic woofer for <200Hz
• Transmission line loaded
• Active servomechanism (accelerometer)

Power Block

• Appropriate amplifiers and power supplies for ESL and Bass Module
• DSP/uC for active crossover and housekeeping
• DAC directly ahead of amplifier
• Communication to/from Central Control

Central Control

• Input signal conditioning (analog and digital)
• ADC for analog inputs
• DSP/uC for given signal processing
• User Interface/Remote Control
• Support for active room equalization/phase alignment