Quad ESL 57 worth it?

[FennerMachine]

I’m thinking of getting some Quad ESL 57 electrostatic speakers possibly as a second pair of speakers.

Problem is my room size, approximately 3.3m x 2.8m with the speakers across the larger wall.

I would have just enough room to physically accommodate them but I have read that they need room to work at their best.

I would obviously demo them first but I’m wondering if that’s even worth doing considering my room limitations?

Also how would they compare to my Spendor SA1’s?

 

[nopiano]

What an intriguing prospect!

I've not heard the quads for about 20 years, but did so in several domestic settings in the late 70's and early 80's - the pre CD era, if you like.

They were all in sizeable rooms, but for one, and standing well into the room at least a metre from the rear wall, and away from corners. In the smallest room, about the size of a decent dining room (I think that is what is was) I remember the sound being a bit stifled and flat - very little top end. It was heavily carpeted and curtained which doubtless didn't help. I fear your room is pretty tight unless you could devote it entirely to the hi-fi, and even then not ideal.

The trouble you will have is in finding a pair in decent working order and not failing in some respect. Not that you can't get them fixed (at a price), but the challenge will be hearing some tip-top ones to test in situ.

Another classic might be easier to accomodate - the LS3/5a - or easier still, some KEF R100s or LS50s brand-new! I cannot comment on your Spendors as I don't recall them well enough (only heard once).

 

[oldric_naubhoff]

seconded, I think large planar speakers like Quads would be too large for your room. I've got my Magnepans in a 4.5m * 4m room and I think they fit in there only just.

however, if you're interested in experimenting with planar speakers you could try Maggie mini system. not quite ESL speakers but planar ribbon have their many strengths too. and I'm quite sure you'll fall for presentation planar dipoles offer once you've listened to them. (can't think any small ESLs that are available out there, save for Stax. but those are headphones so doesn't count)

 

[FennerMachine]

Thanks for the replies so far.

The room is currently dedicated to audio/visual tasks.

It has my Hi-Fi, TV, computer, surround system, games consoles, CD's, DVD's, games, two seater sofa all in it.

So it is already quite full! Not sure how easily I can move things around or out to another room.

The Magnepan's look interesting. Had a quick look for some but no joy.

Any dealers in the UK? Don't mind second hand.

 

[lindsayt]

I would take the Quad ESL 57's over the LS3/5a's, R100's, LS50's, SA1's any day - even if my listening room was the cupboard under the stairs. But then speakers are a very personal choice.

The ESL 57's may well take a bit of experimentation in positioning to get the best tonal balance in a 3.3m x 2.8m room.

 

[oldric_naubhoff]

The Magnepan's look interesting. Had a quick look for some but no joy.

Any dealers in the UK? Don't mind second hand.

I think you'll be extremely lucky if you find them SH, especially in Europe or GBR as Mini Maggie is a fairly new product AFAIK and Magnepans rarely show up for sale SH. I just made a quick worldwide search on the bay for Magnepan/ Magneplanar and I got 2 useful results. and both of them were for large and already discontinued products.

if you decide to go Mini Maggie route I'm afraid it'll demand some dedication on your side. it appears they can be bought with 30-day home trial guarantee. there's a Magnepan dealer in UK: http://www.stoneaudio.co.uk/?manufacturer=magnepan but there's not a sign of Minis on their web site. you could give them and Magnepan a call to ask if they can arrange them to be shipped to your home. I see very slim chances to try them out otherwise.

I believe I saw a very favourable review of Minis in one of the recent issues of one of British Hi-Fi mags. can't remember the title now but I'm sure it wasn't WHF though. they had to get their review sample from somewhere so I hope it'll not be a major problem to get you that 2.1 system.

EDIT: in case you haven't seen this one yet

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71ntRZ-zdqA&feature=related

 

[Exshopguy]

I'd agree that the Quad ESL's are fantastic speakers if you can accommodate them but they really do need a good metre clearance all round minimum to really work since they radiate from both the front and back. I wouldn't say any cone driven speaker can really compare, it's like apples and oranges.

It would probably be worth going to a dealer with your SA1's and comparing to anything good in your price range, if you were to buy new that is.

 

[FennerMachine]

Check with a dealer of Quad ESL 57's and says that his demo room isn't much larger than my room and that I could go and demo them. I was thinking of possibly keeping my SA1's but getting the ESL 57's as a second pair to use now and again, alternating speakers every few months, unless they where that much better, then sell the SA1's.

I could probably take my SA1's to compare side by side and maybe arrange a home demo if I think they might work. Probably worth a demo just out of curiosity then if I like them take it from there. Not dedicated enough to track down Magnepan's!

 

[oldric_naubhoff]

Check with a dealer of Quad ESL 57's and says that his demo room isn't much larger than my room and that I could go and demo them. I was thinking of possibly keeping my SA1's but getting the ESL 57's as a second pair to use now and again, alternating speakers every few months, unless they where that much better, then sell the SA1's.

if everything goes as I expect I think quite soon your Spendors will be looking for a new owner so you could finance the purchase of a nice and very fast and tuneful sub to join your new Quad speakers.

keep us posted!

 

[FennerMachine]

Just been doing a bit of checking today to see if my amps are up to the job.

My Cyrus SmartPower’s are not designed to handle to low impedance of the ESL 57’s. They can go as low as 0.5 ohms!

I would need to get new power amplifiers!

What would anyone suggest?

Some valves that can handle very low impedance or Quad 405-2?

I’m not actually going to change any equipment until I have demoed the ESL 57’s and have an idea of what other bits I might need to change!

 

[oldric_naubhoff]

Just been doing a bit of checking today to see if my amps are up to the job.

My Cyrus SmartPower’s are not designed to handle to low impedance of the ESL 57’s. They can go as low as 0.5 ohms!

I would need to get new power amplifiers!

What would anyone suggest?

Some valves that can handle very low impedance or Quad 405-2?

I’m not actually going to change any equipment until I have demoed the ESL 57’s and have an idea of what other bits I might need to change!

it may all not be as dire as you think it is. first of all impedance dip is not 0.5 Ohm but 2 Ohm at around 15K Hz (so not so much crucial frequency) after which it rises again. second of all quality amps are usually quite flexible with regards impedances they can take on. which means your amp may well drive Quads without hiccup because impedance for the rest of aoudioband is quite benign. if you amp was asked to drive a resistive 2 Ohm load (i.e. 2 Ohms over entire audioband) then it may not feel so happy unless some very decent engineering went into its construction. so, if you can take your amps for the demo and see what happens. I'd wager that Cyruses will be up to the task.

however, note that subsequent Quads (63, 988,989, 2805, 2905) exhibit easier loads with dips just below 4 Ohms at 10K Hz.

 

[FennerMachine]

The ESL 63's actually look as though they would fit better in my room without having to move anything around as they are 8 inches narrower.

Also they have a higher impedance so my amps would likely do the job.

When I asked Cyrus about the SmartPower's and a 2 ohm load, including that I was thinking of getting Quad ESL 57's they said they could not recommend using them with a 2 ohm load.

Also a Quad specialist said that the ESL 57's can give an awkward load & that some transistor amps can have difficulty driving them. Also read somewhere on t'internet that some amps get fried within minutes!

Alternative is something called a 'Widget' apparently that attaches to the amps. Did a quick search for what they are and what they do, nothing so far! Well, plenty of 'Widgets' but none relating to amplifiers!

What have I got myself into now?

C'est la vie!

 

[oldric_naubhoff]

The ESL 63's actually look as though they would fit better in my room without having to move anything around as they are 8 inches narrower.

Also they have a higher impedance so my amps would likely do the job.

there's also one more advantage of 63s over 57s. 63 are the first ones to use Quad's delay system with concentric rings for different frequencies. this arrangement's aim is to make 63s work like a point source (most of planar speakers behave like line sources) and the result is less beaming from the speakers (beaming is narrowing of dispersion of high frequencies and this begins when frequency wavelenght equals driver's size, which in case of Quad ESLs will start very soon. that's the reason why tweeters are small drivers - so they dissipate high frequencies more evenly). what that means is that 63s should be easier to position than 57s because proper toeing in should not be so crucial.

 

[FennerMachine]

Apparently the ESL 63’s don’t work well in smaller rooms but the 57’s do.

This is according to someone who sells both types of speakers and who says that he uses 57’s in a room with similar dimensions to mine.

Best idea is for me to go and demo some of these speakers to see if I even like them.

Then if I do like them arrange a home demo to see what works.

I’m probably going to eventually end up with some Quad II valve amps as well at this rate!

 

[oldric_naubhoff]

then I'm looking forward to hearing your impressions.

 

[Dave King]

I have a 99 series cd/pre amp about 10 yrs old bought new.

It as always made a clicking noise from cd player on start up for about 2 seconds.

Recently this noise has started lasting various lengths sometimes as long as 6 seconds.

Is this the sign of a problem developing.

The unit is on a narrow boat running off an inverter and has been ok like this for the last 7 years.

Thanks

Dave

 

[nopiano]

I have a 99 series cd/pre amp about 10 yrs old bought new.

It as always made a clicking noise from cd player on start up for about 2 seconds.

Recently this noise has started lasting various lengths sometimes as long as 6 seconds.

Is this the sign of a problem developing.

The unit is on a narrow boat running off an inverter and has been ok like this for the last 7 years.

Thanks

Dave

Welcome, Dave, and you might be better starting a new thread as your question has nothing to do with electrostatic speakers!

At ten years it probably needs a service and may be on the way out, but I'd not worry as long as it plays ok.

 

[Laraine]

I’m thinking of getting some Quad ESL 57 electrostatic speakers possibly as a second pair of speakers.

Problem is my room size, approximately 3.3m x 2.8m with the speakers across the larger wall.

I realise you posted this a long time ago but did you get the Quads? I must admit your room does sound a bit of a squash. My Quads get played in a room about 4.5 x 7 metres and it's the smallest living room I've ever owned. I'm a bit baffled as to why there are supposedly not a lot of Quad 57s still in good order. There is nothing wrong with mine (purchased 1977). I can't hear anything untoward anyway. But from a few things I've read on the Internet I'm guessing a lot of them got downright abused. At the time I bought mine the price would have been at least 10-12 weeks' wages for me (meaning I had to go without other things so I could buy them). I use the 33-303 with them and don't need to set the 33 any higher than about 4, sometmes less.