I've built three electrostatic loudspeakers during my lifespan and currently I'm using two of them - one being a hybrid panel (mid / high) paired with a transmission-line subwoofer and one rather big full-range stat. I get the impression, together with others that listened to my DIY stats, that they always sound rather bright and a little aggressive and harsh in the higher frequencies compared to some electrodynamic (cone) loudspeakers.
Is this a general property of stats, or is it just my stats? I did apply active equalizing, my stats use secondhand transformers that originate from Audiostatic stats (a set of two 1:75 transformers per channel). Those transformers have a LR-resonance frequency at somewhere around 11 kHz so output falls off after 11 kHz. They don't have the typical upwards raising frequency response as I equalized them - they have a rather straight frequency response in the mid and high range.
Do you recognize my findings about the aggressiveness and harshness? What could be the cause? Is it a material property - the mylar? Could it be a distortion coming from either / and / or the power amplifier, transformers? Or some unwanted by-products? Is this sound typical for all stats?
I've read that compared to stats, magnetotstats (Magnepans) tent to have a more coherent sound and lack the harsh high frequencies. Do you people agree on that and what would be the cause of this difference?
By the way: although being critical about my own creations (the stats), I'm very happy with them and have always felt attracted to there presence.