Hello everyone, I just registered in hopes to get some input.
I am a fan of Stax headphones, and recently discovered the Quad 57 which got my attention due to the fact that they're also estats. I managed to listen to them yesterday on a nearby store that has them for sale for 1250€. There's no info on them aside from the fact that the store promises they've been checked and well taken care of (but no idea about refurbishing etc). The serial number is around 40000 on both. They sound fine but I felt like the room wasn't doing them justice and I didn't like how the center image sounded near to the floor instead of in front of my eyes which is what I like. I can fix that by getting new stands made, I guess. Also they're crazy directional which is a bit of a problem because I need that perfect center image at all times but I can get used to it if I find the sweet spot and stay still.
I don't know if I should buy them or not. I just turned 25 and these would be my 2nd pair of "decent" speakers, my first one being the JBL 530 which I use on my computer desk as nearfield and I love how they sound, but I need something for the livingroom which would be the Quads if I buy them. The livingroom is 3m wide by 5 meters long. Untreated, sadly. I would also power them with a vintage Sony class A solid state amp that puts out 18 Watts.
The thing that makes me doubt if they're good for me or not is the fact that I never really listen to classical or orchestral music, I mainly listen to 70's and 80's music, which is lots of japanese fusion jazz and stuff like Dire Straits, Michael Jackson, Toto, and tons of 70's funk. I guess they would work because 70's music has lots of horns, saxophones and pianos, and I've been reading the Quads do well with that... But at the same time I'm not sure if they'll be the best option for me.
I don't plan on playing them really loud... and I will refrain from playing metal music on them since I've read it's not ideal.
What do you guys think? I'm really lost here because if I buy them and they don't play nice with my amp and I'm not happy with the placement, it's gonna be a tough sell in my area...
Thanks.