It has more to do with the heavy air damping going on rather then the structure. The open area on the SR-001/003 stators is only about a quarter of the total area.
There is plenty of bass to start with but it is cleaner. Highs have more range but it is mostly the midrange which gains a lot more presence.
Electrostatic transducers don't move air in that sense, they produce sound via vibration. But like Dusty said, the size of the transducer has to be in context with the air it needs to excite.
The SR-003 isn't a circumaural but comfortable they are not.