[milosz]

From JansZen's October 3 2015 newsletter:
 

We're working on headphones. 

I've done enough so far on this project to know that it will be possible to make electrostatic headphones unlike any others. Aside from having JansZen electrostatic clarity, they won't need a special interface box. They'll plug right into a portable player or phone and go out with you like any other headphones, although of course the best performance will be with a headphone amplifier. 

We'll be using crowdfunding, probably through indiegogo.com, to raise the funds for getting these into production. Please stay tuned.

If you'd like to be one of the very earliest of adopters, contact me at headphones@janszenloudspeaker.com for details. You'll have to wait the longest for your headphones, but get half off the final price, whereas the discount in the formal crowdfunding campaign will be 30% off. 
 
 
Thanks for your attention. 
Sincerely,

David A. Janszen, President | JansZen Loudspeaker Co., Ltd.
480 Trade Rd.,  Columbus, OH  43204 | +1 614-448-1811 | Skype janszen_esl1

 

[kevin gilmore]

if they are anything like the panels in the klh9, they are going to be fantastic

 

[preproman]

Columbus, Do they have a store front? 

 

[beek]

Amen I had a pair of Nines that I refurbed in the 80'S it was clearly the most detailed of all the stats too. By what I learned in a conversation with Mr Winey (magneplanar) it was his true love too and modeled the Maggie's after the 9'S

 

[milosz]

if they are anything like the panels in the klh9, they are going to be fantastic

JansZen is now under the ownership of David Janszen, son of the late founder / inventor Arthur Janszen.  David Janszen is an engineer AND a musician.
 
JansZen currently makes some very well regarded hybrid electrostatic speakers, which you can see at http://www.janszenloudspeaker.com/ 
 
I've heard these speakers and can attest to their good quality.
 
I assume that the ES 'phones will not be hybrids, and will leverage Janszen's 65-year history of successful electrostatic transducer design. This is  DEFINITELY a product that I will watch for with much interest, and I think a fair number of ES headphone enthusiasts will also be keen to follow this development.
 
I have to say, however, that I am a bit skeptical about an ES 'phone that can be driven off an iPod etc.  Electrostatic headphones with built-in transformers / parasitic bias schemes have not been well-liked in the past, and unless Janszen has something new in mind here I worry that they might follow this same blighted path.  I don't think the world really needs another ESP-6.  (My 2 cents worth)

 

[Earspeakers]

^ agree - 'stats have never made the mainstream for obvious reasons, so why try to appeal too the mainstream by making it 'convenient' and portable? That will likely turn off the core 'stat crowd who are the main customers, or at least it would me. If it plugs into a Stax amplifier via an interface cable, and has a separate interface cable to plug into an iPod/whatever then I'd get it (and forgo the iPod interface)

 

[yaluen]

Yet I would hazard a guess there wouldn't be much of a buzz around the Enigmacoustics Dharma if it didn't incorporate an electret element, and that the interest would be there from others for a product such as JansZen is envisioning. I will say that the best sonic experience I've had with full-range electrets is with a model with built-in transformers, if that means anything as regards stats. Except it's voltage-hungry and nowhere near being able to be driven by an iPod.
 
If this will indeed utilize a signal derived bias supply, I suppose we can expect a closed-back affair to house the circuitry...
 

 

[sbradley02]

He is expecting to start the Indiegogo campaign next month.
Rendering below

 

[milosz]

Here's another CAD image.
 
The 3-circuit ring-tip-sleeve plug shown in the picture above worries me, can't have polarizing voltage on something like that. Are these self-energizing, rectifying audio to provide the bias?  ESP-6 tried that.... not many sold....very heavy if you put transformers in the earcups....
 
The little coily wires at the top going from one earcup to the other worry me, too, seems like those would eventually fatigue and open up.
 
Also, these look BIG I wonder if that means  HEAVY......??
 

 

[Phiral]

Hey guys I've got an update on this (which isn't really an update) but here you go:
 
I wrote the email address provided at the top -
 
Hi Janszen,
 
I've been a follower of your campaign to build a fantastic-looking pair of Electrostatic cans and haven't seen any updates lately. I voted on color (standard silver/black looks best to me, or a black/black variant) but what else can I do to help make these a reality, and get a pair on my head?
 
Thanks,
Phiral
 
Response:
 
Hi (Phiral),
 
Lots has distracted us from that project over the last year or so. I am currently concentrating on it, and trying to ensure that the electronic portion will be practical and manufacturable. I really should broadcast an update, and hope to do so pretty soon. Thanks for voting and for asking. 
Best regards,

David Janszen,
President
Janszen Loudspeaker, Ltd.
480 Trade Rd., Columbus, OH 43204

 

[jgazal]

Has anyone already listened to Janszen Lotus headphones at the Axpona?

 

[dolstein]

Any update? I noticed that the Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign was never launched.

 

[ztatic]

Please check our web site periodically for news. I'm finally convinced that I have a reliable and practical method for making the transducers and have had the overall design through a couple more prototype iterations. Took a prototype around town last Summer with a videographer and asked random people to take a listen on camera. Here's the video.

I'm in the final stages of preparing the Kickstarter campaign, and hope to have it up by the end of the month. FWIW, the video is the hardest part for me -- I'm lousy on camera and can't remember what to say -- next will try a teleprompter program on my laptop.

If anyone has suggestions for who should be getting the word out about the campaign, and who might review the prototype and be read widely, please do tell. You can PM me here or send email to headphones at janszenloudspeaker dot com

Thanks!

- David J