Interesting, Jim.
I’d be looking for something that is:
Recently Serviced.
Under a grand
As an aside I found the 63s needed raising on a stand whereas the later 2805 and 2812 design doesn't.
Just a matter of subjective preference, Eion. I've always liked big spkrs and plenty of scale. a.k.a. 'wall of sound' and for that, you need that space in front to 'fill the room', as it were. This is why I found the 57s, which others love, lacking. If one is firing across a 12' room, I'd be tempted with looking at folded horns (Impulse and their succcessor, e.g.) or simply I.B. (sealed boxes) and possibly down-firing ports (ProAc, e.g.) rather than sth which requires rear space, like rear-ported spkrs and panels and even front ported.What’s the issue with having them at 8’?
I Ran my 989s quite happily in a 12x14 room, I had them fed with 90wpc IA MB845SE, however the friend I bought them from was using 18wpc Mingda monos with them and they sounded superb.
Very interesting as when my second pair of 63s were in a state of nothing much to lose I tried them without sock, mesh and dust covers. As you say the improvement in sound quality is very clear. I have found that sound from 2812s is much more similar to a nude 63 than a fully clothed one. In particular there is, to my ears, a greater clarity and “liveness“ about the sound, somewhat akin to Martin Logans but without the colouration. In essence I feel unclothed 63s and 2812s are a closer approach to the original sound.My 2p worth... or less
I have 57s and 63s. I could not live with either did I not use subs. Dipole subs.
The Gradients are the perfect match for 63s visually. I had a pair but ended up selling them (because I could), and making my own with scaled-up AE drivers, which I now use with stacked 57s.
Using subs with 63s would surely give you what all other later models do, since afaik they still use the same panels.
One massively important discovery for me was that removing the cloth/ sock, steel mesh and dust covers is a shocking improvement in sound quality. My 63s have been without dust covers for 5 yrs, and even with builders having been in the house, with associated dust etc, they still function perfectly.
Also google the Janis W1. It's a 15" driver in a tuned box that looks more like furniture with a separate active crossover/amp for the sub. Used as a pair. Designed for the 57 but works with the 63. Rarely come up used but there are some out there.
So, if you did go for subs you'd need the/an active adjustable crossover and additional stereo power amp. Maybe tubes for the quads and ss for the subs?
Yep, the 989s were Robins, I bought them when he got his 2905s. As you say, he has them in a 29x11 room, the ARC LS26 is now a Ref 3 and the amp is now a 50wpc Line Magnetic 508i integrated in power amp mode (direct in).Was that Robin? heard those with the Mingda and some AR preamp and they sounded fantastic.
TBF he had something like a 35ft room so had 10ft behind them.
I have used 57s with a Quad 520 and a Quad 303 and 63s with an Exposure XV Super.
I had both well over a metre from the back wall and listened to them at 3m+, so your room may be just big enough.