MuRata came on the scene just a couple years ago with a line of add-on super tweeters. Priced around $2000-$3000 a pair, MuRata was all about achieving that last 1% of system performance. MuRata, of course, isn't making worlds of revenue off of little pipes pumping out sound above the human hearing limit. Their main business is in industrial electronics and machine tools.

The technology that lends itself to audio is their piezoelectric ceramic material. The speaker shown is ES024 using a 3.15" spherical dome driver doing both the mids and highs. As far as I know, there isn't another dome in existence that hits 350Hz up to 30kHz. Moreover, they're not using their dome as a traditional front-firing driver but in an omni-directional construction. A bass driver hides in that middle slot to fill out down to 50Hz.

While the MuRata super tweeters are available here in the states (along with their new lower priced designs at $299 and $199), the ES024 appears to be a staying in Japan. Price is said to be around $3400/pair for the ES024. MuRata has also been selling their drivers to other speaker manufacturers needing the 100kHz notes. I've been told the tweeters are unbelievably expensive, next only to the diamond tweeters from Accuton. Of course, there's a market for that kinda stuff so don't be surprised if you see the 3" super dome in mega buck speakers soon.

Check out the next page for the ES024 with triangle stand and add-on super tweeter.