Hi John, thans for hangin around here to answer questions and tell us more about your speaks.
Jon Scull can help with you PR and get you connected to the right people. He is a nice guy. PR is >50% of any success in this, or any biz.
http://www.scullcommunications.com/ Some questions I thought of while reading your site:
How good is vertical treble dispersion above the height of the top of the speaker? Do you rely on floor reinforcement for bass or can the speaker be raised up to mitigate the height issue, if there is any?
Are you concerned with diffraction or turbulence caused by the sharp edges of the triangular diaphragm? Turbulence being non-linear I would think you would want to minimize that.
At higher frequencies I would guess that the diaphragm is vibrating rotationally through a very small angle. Does the frequency response vary through an arc? Put another way, do the points and flats of the diaphragm project sound different from each other enough to affect tone in different horizontal listening locations?
I am curious about what looks to be a rather high moving mass if traditional high strength materials are used. With steel frame to support the diaphragm faces, rotational axle and bearings, 48" x 3/4" carbon faces, and a voice coil with what looks to be a very high moment of inertia, minimizing moving mass must have been a major design criteria. Voice coil current capacity vs. wire mass must have been a tricky compromise too. Maybe silver windings?
Beryllium, magnesium and ceramic drivers, as well as some ultralightweight paper drivers, ESL and true ribbon transducers are all very low mass and provide extreme detail. Can the Planot hang with these big boys at the microdetail party? That's what a lot of audiophiles really like - when the detail remains within the bounds of a musical performance.
I noticed that the purple text used to identify parts of the speaker in your 'How it works' section are unreadable against the blue background, hindering the explanation. Also the fixed popup window size does not allow the pixels on the bottom of the picture to be seen. No biggie, I just can't help myself but to mention it.
The press will always follow a good story, so you can make a story worthy of their attention by letting loudmouth audiophiles hear your speakers and tell everybody they know. Probably the most economical and practical way to expose the speakers to the ears of many audiophiles is to exhibit your speakers at Rocky Mountain Audio Festival. All of the press now gives it full coverage, maybe equal to CES for 2channel audio gear. It is cheaper than CES to exhibit and it is a great place to interface with your potential customers, get feedback from hundreds of attendees and press, and if your exhibit is exceptional, you will get some print. If you are seeking a review in a major magazine there is only one way to get that, now someone or exhibit at a tradeshow where the reviewers scout for products that make stories that will sell magazines. Planot on the cover of Stereophile? I would wanna read that article!
I hope you would consider publishing buildable plans for your speakers. If someone of mgalusha's stature in the DIY community were to say "Yeah, not bad..." there would be a lot of people that would become very interested very quickly. Don't discount the forums as a place to build your business from grass roots without the press. Press will catch on when there is something in it for them moneywise. Audiophiles just want stuff that sounds good, and they will tell the honest truth according to their beliefs. 100 Planots being talked about regularly by diyaudiophiles will establish that "averaged review concensus" you described. If your invention is patented you can harvest the experience and experimenting effort of your DIY builders, building a reputation and creating a movement. Manufacturers will be more interested in licensing your transducer if it is already working in people's homes. Same as any novel invention.
Sorry for the long wind, and thanks for your reponses to my questions! I hope I have not put you on the spot, just genuinely interested in something so radical and with such great potential. Thanks!
Rich