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Electrostatic (ESL57/63) Repair & Refurb?

M

MirageF1

Member
Hi everyone on this great forum,


Does anyone know where I can get my ESLs refurbished- or even repaired- here in Europe?

Has anybody heard of: http://www.mae-audio.com/

Certainly looks serious! The pricelist is in Euros which definitely makes things cheaper for me in the UK and it seems the repairs are comprehensive.
Not so bad if one is after "like new" ESLs without paying a fortune for new speakers??


Thanks!
 
If the problem is confined to a single panel it might be cost effective to post the defective panel only to Quad in the UK, or One Thing Audio.
Both will charge you in the region of £100-£150 for repair.
 
Quad have my 63s at the moment. Summer is a bad (i.e. slow turnaraound) time due to staff holidays but I figure the expertise is in the building. I was quoted £120 per panel. I'd rather pay for it to be done right first time!
 
This is not as simple as it looks. One-Thing produce a 'hyped' panel with raised treble, which a lot of people seem to like, but it isn't right; I seem to remember that HiFi World measured their panel at 10db raised in the Treble. Ridiculous.. Quad do a fair service but they have to use new Chinese panels, and they are not the same as the original panels,and don't sound quite the same. Maybe that is fine for you, but you don't get the sound of original Quads. A lot of people seem not to care.
 
paskinn said:
This is not as simple as it looks. One-Thing produce a 'hyped' panel with raised treble, which a lot of people seem to like, but it isn't right; I seem to remember that HiFi World measured their panel at 10db raised in the Treble. Ridiculous.. Quad do a fair service but they have to use new Chinese panels, and they are not the same as the original panels,and don't sound quite the same. Maybe that is fine for you, but you don't get the sound of original Quads. A lot of people seem not to care.
Click to expand...

Can you explain in what way the Chinese replacement '63 panels differ from the originals?
 
paskinn said:
This is not as simple as it looks. One-Thing produce a 'hyped' panel with raised treble, which a lot of people seem to like, but it isn't right; I seem to remember that HiFi World measured their panel at 10db raised in the Treble. Ridiculous.. Quad do a fair service but they have to use new Chinese panels, and they are not the same as the original panels,and don't sound quite the same. Maybe that is fine for you, but you don't get the sound of original Quads. A lot of people seem not to care.
Click to expand...

Talk to them.
If you explain that you want a service to original spec and not any sort of upgrade they'll try to please.
I originally had One Thing 'OTEC' treble panels and didn't like them. So they supplied a pair of Quad original panels which had been checked and passed as within spec.
£80 a panel IIRC.

With regards to the panels supplied by Quad, my understanding is that these are the same as were fitted to the 988 and 989. So very close to the originals but of more modern production.
It is recommended that all four mid/top panels are replaced as a result to ensure balance.
 
johnfromnorwich said:
Can you explain in what way the Chinese replacement '63 panels differ from the originals?
Click to expand...

To my ears the Chinese panels have distinct sound...which might be characterised as a slightly hard upper mid range.I've heard this since production started in China many years ago, so I presume they intend this. Many people don't seem to mind, I would prefer to have an original panel refurbished..if One Thing will do an 'unmodded' panel,to original spec, that would be my choice.
 
If you're talking 57s, also don't forget the EHT units will need rebuilding by now. Straight forward DIY job if current ones are wax potted.

Richard
 
Hi all,

Just wanted to say that I received sterling service from Mark at www.mae-audio.com.

I could listen to my refurbed esl before paying AND the work done on them has been EXCELLENT.

Big thumbs up!!
 
Check out Michael Sombetzki in Germany. If you supply the panels you got them done for about 100 euros. He sometimes sell refurbed panels on ePay...
 
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