Quad ESL 57 in small room (with my pix now working)

[PerF]

I had my 57 less than half metre from rear wall with fine result
Slightly toed in for better dispertion

All other Quad electrostats need quite more distance to rear wall than 57

Allthough I never heard about hanging 57 up on bookshelves there seem to be someone stacking them, perhaps it will work ?

 

[gizze]

Surely if they are on top of a bookshelf that is 25cm deep they are going to have no space behind them?

 

[Rosewind]

Earlier in the thread, I posted a photo of suspended ESL 57s on either side of a flat screen TV. They were placed in two corners. Mine will be put in similar positions.

Mine will be propped up and secured with a line. If it Does not work, I will have to change the setup.

 

[gizze]

I'm really looking forward to hearing your results.

I would love some more ESLs, if 57s are easier to place they could be an option.

 

[PerF]

I would love some more ESLs, if 57s are easier to place they could be an option.

The original 57 is pretty much among a handfull of the very best speakers Ive heard and owned

Much easier to place in room than 63 which I also had

Much easier to amplify than 63

Pretty bad dispertion though

 

[koi]

I’ve had my stacked quads for about 2 yrs now and they still bring a smile to my face every time I use them.

For the money now selling used they are an awesome buy and have a midband to die for,and when stacked I have no problems with lack of bass.

I personally don’t think I’ll ever change them for anything else.

I’m useing valve amplification with them but to scratch an itch and to provide a back up amp I’m going to try a Naim Nait amp in near future.

 

[Rosewind]

Dispersion will not be a problem in my small room. The Quad ESL-57s will be placed high, angled down towards me. . I will use them with a valve amp and /or eventually a Firstwatt F4.

 

[Rosewind]

Today I picked up a pair of EAR 509 Mk. 1s that I will compare to the EAR 869 that will be with me in the new year. Which I keep will be determined after a few days' comparison of the two.
While at the seller's I spent an enjoyable hour listening to the Ear 509s and an EAR 861 through an EAR 868PL and Harbeth HL5s. Source was a Thorens 124 with an Morch arm mounted with an Ortofon Rohmann. The music through the 509s was very authoritative, clean and clear without added "warmth". The 561s sounded grand, a bit sweeter and very likeable, but probably not as precise as the 509s.
Just a few quick notes while waiting for the hydrofoil ferry from Sealand to Jutland in Denmark.

 

[Rosewind]

Today the ESL 57s arrived - well-packaged and pristine. Thank you iansr!
I have had to put them in the livingroom until I get my small room together. See (crappy) photo.
I am playing from a laptop - no DAC or anything - through the EAR 869 that arrived yesterday. The 869 has enough grunt to play fairly loudly.

 

[Yank]

No legs?

 

[Rosewind]

Not yet. They will be placed up high on shelves in my study anyway. Think giant headphones. So that is not, and will not be, a problem. I have had Magnepans that were very close to the floor on their angles stands.
These ESL 57s have been fitted with One Thing bass panels and they look new.

 

[John]

I had my 57 less than half metre from rear wall with fine result
Slightly toed in for better dispertion

All other Quad electrostats need quite more distance to rear wall than 57

Allthough I never heard about hanging 57 up on bookshelves there seem to be someone stacking them, perhaps it will work ?

The original 57 is pretty much among a handfull of the very best speakers Ive heard and owned

Much easier to place in room than 63 which I also had

Much easier to amplify than 63

Pretty bad dispertion though

I can vouch for them working close to the wall. Regarding dispersion, I really don’t see an issue if you have the panels mounted vertically with the tweeters on the same plane as your ears. The vertical dispersion is 15 degrees. The horizontal dispersion is much greater and shouldn’t be an issue as long as your 5 feet from the speakers.

I’m amazed at the sound field they put out in my large room.

BTW, the optimum listening area is the entire lined area, not just the area filled with the text. Reading some of the comments regarding dispersion, you’d think the later was the case.

 

[Rosewind]

Sitting in my sofa some 8 feet from them, I have no problems at all. I am just enjoying the glorious sound.

Thanks, John. A very helpful illustration.

 

[al2002]

Welcome to the Club Rosewind!! I trust you are running the ESLs off the lowest Z (4/2 Ohm) taps of your EAR?

Now you need to source a pair of Gradient ESL-57 woofers......

Today the ESL 57s arrived - well-packaged and pristine. Thank you iansr!
I have had to put them in the livingroom until I get my small room together. See (crappy) photo.
I am playing from a laptop - no DAC or anything - through the EAR 869 that arrived yesterday. The 869 has enough grunt to play fairly loudly.

 

[Yank]

EAR once advertised a direct-drive tube amp for the ESLs, I wonder how many of those are out there?

 

[JemHayward]

EAR once advertised a direct-drive tube amp for the ESLs, I wonder how many of those are out there?

I heard them once - way, way more than the sum of the parts, and they will still do them to order - it was £6k when I asked a few years ago. If I ever win the lottery, this will be one of the first things I do...

 

[Rosewind]

Well. One ESL57 has been put on top of the shelf, but I will need two wires going from the back wall in order for it to be tilted forward. I will put up the second shelf and place the second ESL 57 on top of that. It is not as easy as getting the idea to do it. So it will take some time.

In between positioning I am also sorting through a few years' papers, poems and getting rid of a ton of literature and English books that I have decided to move back to my work space at work. I also have to sort through an enormous mountain of cables picked up over the years, not least a number of UK power cables.

Stay tuned. I have a set of Ear 509s and an EAR 869 in the house.

 

[Rosewind]

Here are the Quad ESL-57s on top of each bookshelf. I am slowly filing the shelves with books, vinyl and what not. When that is done, I will hook up the ESL-57s to the Stereo and have a listen. Then comes the figuring out how to tilt the 57s forward without endangering the speakers themselves and me. It will make for great fun. I just hope I am not living in The Truman Show.

Photos in a link:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/e3iDbqAf0B8nSEIX2

 

[John]

Well. One ESL57 has been put on top of the shelf, but I will need two wires going from the back wall in order for it to be tilted forward. I will put up the second shelf and place the second ESL 57 on top of that. It is not as easy as getting the idea to do it. So it will take some time.

In between positioning I am also sorting through a few years' papers, poems and getting rid of a ton of literature and English books that I have decided to move back to my work space at work. I also have to sort through an enormous mountain of cables picked up over the years, not least a number of UK power cables.

Stay tuned. I have a set of Ear 509s and an EAR 869 in the house.

The photos you posted seemed to have disappeared, but I recall seeing a wood ceiling. If possible, I would consider hanging them from the ceiling similar to what I have recently done. Once secured to the ceiling, you could strap to the lower part of the speaker to angle them in and downward to the desired position. Mine are hanging almost exactly vertical the way I have them and are going nowhere.

 

[Rosewind]

I can see the photos on my windows computer and on my iPad. They are gone when I use my Android phone.

Thanks for the photo, John! That could work for me as well as I am not too keen on drilling holes into the backs of the ESL 57s.

EDIT: I found your your thread on the Steve Hoffmann forum: http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/hanging-quad-esl-57s-from-the-ceiling.722416/