This is insane...the Quad ESL
- Thread starter awsmone
- Start date
Yes Ked all excellent especially brass and piano as well as vocal, double bass are stunning
Bill, there's a guy at Emporium in Suffolk who knows a thing or two about stacked 57's.
I remember talking to him, and thinking Ked would be interested.
I remember talking to him, and thinking Ked would be interested.
Yes indeed - I know him and everyone says he is king of these. My room won’t be completed without a pair in there so might as well get some.
Interestingly on the higher stands bass is very good
I am experimenting currently with a baffle to further boost low end
The sound and loudness I am getting now is pretty impressive certainly my wife thinks they are too loud
at times and I dial it back....
There does seem to be an upper limit you eventually hit, I guess stacked would give you 6db more of headroom
The room I am in is pretty large 7 metres by 6 with cathedral ceiling and I am sitting 2.5 metres away
So they play loud
The bass with or without the baffles at least for acoustic instruments is very good
I watched whiplash last night and the drums were pretty stunning !
The Goldmund’s seem to have great synergy with the quads...am so enjoying the system I spend less time in the big system room downstairs
I am experimenting currently with a baffle to further boost low end
The sound and loudness I am getting now is pretty impressive certainly my wife thinks they are too loud
at times and I dial it back....There does seem to be an upper limit you eventually hit, I guess stacked would give you 6db more of headroom
The room I am in is pretty large 7 metres by 6 with cathedral ceiling and I am sitting 2.5 metres away
So they play loud
The bass with or without the baffles at least for acoustic instruments is very good
I watched whiplash last night and the drums were pretty stunning !
The Goldmund’s seem to have great synergy with the quads...am so enjoying the system I spend less time in the big system room downstairs
Nice one Awsmone;
Those ESL 57's are and will always be the original ESL ever made and designed to date, by the legend himself, Peter Walker.
Although amplifier matching is critical, any well designed amp with stable power supplies and the ability to deliver stable current to handle the notorious impedence swing of full range stats can drive Quads. Then again not all high-end amps are well designed...
These are one of those transducers that will make or break any amplifier.
As you mentioned that you were enjoying your Quads compared to the larger system downstairs; In fact, one of the most enjoyable systems I've ever owned were the ESL63's driven with the CJ Premier 11A, including the Gradient Subs just for added bass augmentation. Quads and CJ are just magical!
The iterations that came after, such as the ESL988, 989, 2805, 2905 (which I also owned) and then the 2912's were ok but nothing to compare to the original 57's, that was the top dog!
Enjoy mate and have a good one. Remember not to over drive them, arcing can occur and will damage the mylar, including a few other failures along the way.... (been there!) Quads are mainly for enjoying the music, not to have a blast.
Cheers to Peter Walker!
RJ
Those ESL 57's are and will always be the original ESL ever made and designed to date, by the legend himself, Peter Walker.
Although amplifier matching is critical, any well designed amp with stable power supplies and the ability to deliver stable current to handle the notorious impedence swing of full range stats can drive Quads. Then again not all high-end amps are well designed...
These are one of those transducers that will make or break any amplifier.
As you mentioned that you were enjoying your Quads compared to the larger system downstairs; In fact, one of the most enjoyable systems I've ever owned were the ESL63's driven with the CJ Premier 11A, including the Gradient Subs just for added bass augmentation. Quads and CJ are just magical!
The iterations that came after, such as the ESL988, 989, 2805, 2905 (which I also owned) and then the 2912's were ok but nothing to compare to the original 57's, that was the top dog!
Enjoy mate and have a good one. Remember not to over drive them, arcing can occur and will damage the mylar, including a few other failures along the way.... (been there!) Quads are mainly for enjoying the music, not to have a blast.
Cheers to Peter Walker!
RJ
Yes understood but you don't want to play them too loud to set off the protection circuits. Those are meant to protect from arcing and other issues with Mylar damage... Which the previous versions did not have.
Quads are a wonderful stat, they have this sort of expansive sound stage and depth where the music wraps around you, and especially superb for late night sessions.
Playing them loud is not a Quad trait at all. These were never designed to reproduce high levels accurately. For that matter and type of playback, the CLX's are a better choice, as you know quite well.
When I had the 57's, many amps could not drive them properly and then when over driven they weren't safe to use. It was a hard task finding the right amp. Moved onto the 63's, which was better in terms of protection circuitry but failed miserably in tropical climes... Then got the big 2905's and what a disaster!
Even with all this drama, my favorite all time full range stat will always be the Quads. You just gotta love them for what they are and what they deliver, sheer musicality!
Cheers mate and enjoy your 57's, I'm sure you're discovering more of your music.
RJ
Quads are a wonderful stat, they have this sort of expansive sound stage and depth where the music wraps around you, and especially superb for late night sessions.
Playing them loud is not a Quad trait at all. These were never designed to reproduce high levels accurately. For that matter and type of playback, the CLX's are a better choice, as you know quite well.
When I had the 57's, many amps could not drive them properly and then when over driven they weren't safe to use. It was a hard task finding the right amp. Moved onto the 63's, which was better in terms of protection circuitry but failed miserably in tropical climes... Then got the big 2905's and what a disaster!
Even with all this drama, my favorite all time full range stat will always be the Quads. You just gotta love them for what they are and what they deliver, sheer musicality!
Cheers mate and enjoy your 57's, I'm sure you're discovering more of your music.
RJ
Still loving the Quads
Gone back to the Big tube amps which just sound bigger and clip nicer
Getting up to 95db at the listening position currently 10 ft away
Listen to slow movement of Mahler 4 th last night was spell binding, strings are rendered so well....and layered
Gone back to the Big tube amps which just sound bigger and clip nicer
Getting up to 95db at the listening position currently 10 ft away
Listen to slow movement of Mahler 4 th last night was spell binding, strings are rendered so well....and layered
Nice one, nice one!
That's what I'm talking about; full range stats, tubes and a turntable, that's about all you would ever need for top quality music, regardless of price.
Cheers to stats! RJ
That's what I'm talking about; full range stats, tubes and a turntable, that's about all you would ever need for top quality music, regardless of price.
Cheers to stats! RJ
I've tried the MC275 with the ESL2905's, when I had them, on both occasions during the repairs and after J Hall's re-panells. Although the mc275 sounded great, Quads just sound extraordinary when driven with CJ amplification. Same goes with the ESL57, 63 & 2905. On the 989's, it was the CJ mv60se or the Premier 140, both are outstanding amplifiers, partnered with the Prem 17LS or 16LS.
Those late night sessions were most enjoyable. Cheers, have a good one, RJ
I am very happy with the Weston amplifiers which are much cheaper
I was having some challenges with the sound but discovered the preamplifier rectifier was on its last legs
Since corrected and the sound is stunning again
Listened to wee hours last night and Dvorak 9th this morning
I was having some challenges with the sound but discovered the preamplifier rectifier was on its last legs
Since corrected and the sound is stunning again
Listened to wee hours last night and Dvorak 9th this morning
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