Acoustat 2+2 with Soundlab are the best brands in the field of electrostats.
With the right amplifiers they leave many cone loudspeakers far behind...
Tall Acoustats were OK, but as with many loudspeakers, it was never as simple as plug and play. First, you needed a lot of space around the panels. About three or four feet out from any side/back boundary worked best, IMO. Next, because of their height, you didn't have vertical 'beaming'--i.e., you could stand up or sit down and still experience a familiar sonic image. However, like many electrostatics, horizontally, you had the 'head in the vice' effect. Move a little to the left, or right, and the image fell off dramatically. Sit on the side of the sofa, or in the adjacent easy chair, and you wished you had bought something else.
Next, Acoustats required a hefty amplifier; one with plenty of low impedance capability. You wouldn't want a tube amp, or a run of the mill 80 watt integrated. Acoustat's Jim Stickland's Trans Nova FET amp worked well. That was about the minimum you'd want. Even with a lot of watts, I always felt that dynamics tended to be constricted. But it's been a long time since I owned them, and memory is often not the best arbiter of reality.
Acoustat sold a lot of loudspeakers at various price points. I was kind of surprised when they went south, given their market penetration. I think that at the time of their demise the higher end audio industry was experiencing a general contraction. Local dealer replaced the line with Magnepan. But I didn't judge those quite as interesting a loudspeaker. They were tall and thin, and possibly exuded a more attractive cosmetic, but sounded completely different. I give that company credit for weathering the storm, and sticking to what they do best. As far as I know, you can still buy a Magneplanar.
My experience with Soundlab was positive, but I never heard them in an ideal listening room. Like Acoustat, a large room was necessary. I think that is one reason small shoeboxes are as popular as they are. You don't need a lot of beef to drive them, and they don't take up much living room real estate. You certainly don't expect something like an Acoustat or Soundlab to perform well in an apartment sized room. That, along with the waifu feng shui thing. It's hard to hide a Sound Lab.