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ELS 57 repair - request from a friend

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Nic P

pfm Member
A friend has had a pair of ELS 57s for 20 years and one has started "ticking". He has asked me if I know whether to ignore it, and if it does need repairing who is recommendable, and a possible estimate of likely cost. He is not well off and I have heard rumours that owning ELS 57s can be very expensive when they need attention. I know the square root of F all about this subject and request more knowledgable advice from pfm members. He is a great bloke.

Nic P
 
This would probably be better in the 'classic' section, where some serious experts lurk. 57s are fairly fragile, and the youngest are about 40 years old. Repairs will not be cheap.
And that is the 'gentle' version. Best scenario, the ticking is made audible by the high humidity causing minor arcing, just ignore it, worst scenario...new panels, refurbished parts, no pocket money left.
 
A quiet tick is not fatal. The key I think is whether the panel is losing sensitivity.

OTA, http://www.onethingaudio.net do a full refurbishment including fully rebuilt/replaced panels for £1200 odd. I think this is a bargain. Unless you don't get on with the sound of the result.

Paul
 
paskinn said:
This would probably be better in the 'classic' section, where some serious experts lurk. 57s are fairly fragile, and the youngest are about 40 years old. Repairs will not be cheap.
And that is the 'gentle' version. Best scenario, the ticking is made audible by the high humidity causing minor arcing, just ignore it, worst scenario...new panels, refurbished parts, no pocket money left.
Click to expand...

Quite possible as Paskinn states. I think they are a lot more robust than people suggest. Mine have been to Scalford, in storage and travelled across the Irish sea in my car. Working perfectly. Being 20yrs old as Paul advises they could need some work if it aint humidity. If you have balance control on your amp check if the volume levels are equal on both pairs. Also if you find that your friend needs to turn the volume up further to get decent volume levels work of some sort will be neeeded. Onethingaudio is your best bet for an assessment if the suggestions here don't resolve the issue.
Sometimes it can be better especially for UK based folk to try and source a pair with the work done. If genuine you are saving a lot but taking a risk as you will have no idea how they have been treated. But if funds are tight £800-1000 should get you a good pair. Sell the other ones for £300-400.
 
You really need to be ok with DIY to work on these cost effectively - the ticking could be caused by an excess of dust inside, only way to know for sure is to pop the grills off and take a look.

A Hoover with attachment can be used to clean off worst of dust, baby wipes will make a good job of cleaning up the dust covers afterwards - by this stage you'll be able to see the state of the actual panels through the dust covers and assess whether any new panels are needed too.

Certainly the EHT units will need rebuilding by now, but if you do those only it will likely make the make the ticking worse (more EHT).

If you fancy making a DIY job of it, I have some EHT units here and the bits to rebuild them (just need to order more wax to refill them with after) - I'd be happy to rebuild and send them to you on the cheap; I'd then strip, clean and inspect - if no obvious panel damage, replace EHTs and re-assemble.

Best case - problem solved
Worst case: you now know what extra panel work needs doing

Other option: sell them to me - I regret selling mine before leaving Ireland :)

Richard
 
It is not the quantity of replies that matters it is the quality. My friend is very grateful.

Nic P
 
Dowser said:
Y
Other option: sell them to me - I regret selling mine before leaving Ireland :)
Richard
Click to expand...

Hi Richard, I ended up getting 63's as well. Love the detail but still think there is a magic sound to the 57's. I flick between the two, don't believe I will ever sell either. Simon moved yours on would you believe, he has ended up with Sonus Faber elipsa's
 
Paul R said:
A quiet tick is not fatal. The key I think is whether the panel is losing sensitivity.

OTA, http://www.onethingaudio.net do a full refurbishment including fully rebuilt/replaced panels for £1200 odd. I think this is a bargain. Unless you don't get on with the sound of the result.

Paul
Click to expand...

I have a pair of OTA Quad 57's with OTEC treble panel recently rebuilt/serviced by OTA I am a very happy customer. I can also say that Steve & Ron at OTA are experts in their field & honest as well as fun to deal with...
 
Big John said:
I have a pair of OTA Quad 57's with OTEC treble panel recently rebuilt/serviced by OTA I am a very happy customer. I can also say that Steve & Ron at OTA are experts in their field & honest as well as fun to deal with...
Click to expand...


Mine are OTEC's also.Hope to stack them some day. Last time we went to Scalford we called in to Ron and Steve on the way from the airport in Birmingham. Saturday but they left us to wander around their 'factory'.
I wanted to see the operation as I bought mine from Rabski on the wam.
Highly recommend them very helpful as BigJohn advised. Just don't expect to be walking into an operating theatre
 
Guys,
I really would like to know whether One Thing Audio are "the" choice to refurb esl-63 panels. Ron Best quoted 975 GBP for all eight pan.

I understand that One Thing Audio operation theater is not as impressive as QUAD Musikwiedergabe, but, I'm after quality and not image...

I also understand that One Thing Audio are not VAT registered company, being a foreigner, I don't really know what that means...

Thank you!
Ran
 
Rodrat said:
Yes their operating theatre is a kitchen table.
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Now, QUAD Musikwiedergabe charge 300 GBP more than OTA. I would pay the difference if it would bring me better quality... Or longevity, which is another issue with ESL-63. What do you think?
 
Mmmm send them to someone who has picked over the guts of a design, or send them to Quad?
 
As I understand it OTA have opened a large workshop away from the main address as for the kitchen table it was to cluttered to use the last time I was there the lounge was full of customers speakers 25-30 pairs awaiting work, several pairs were despatched whilst I was there & there was a workshop in the garden.
 
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Ran Weiss said:
Now, QUAD Musikwiedergabe charge 300 GBP more than OTA. I would pay the difference if it would bring me better quality... Or longevity, which is another issue with ESL-63. What do you think?
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Not all ESL panels are the same.
Musikwiedergabe have the old Quad equipment for making the panels. Servicing there has always been expensive.
Quad themselves will be using new Chinese panels. I think you will find their service cost is cheaper.
One Thing have long been known, in the case of the ESL57, for changing the sound of the speaker with their panels.
You live in Germany? Shipping loudspeakers, especially fragile ESL's is not something I would be keen to do. You can take your speakers to Quad who do a same-day service, which you need to book.
 
Ran Weiss said:
Now, QUAD Musikwiedergabe charge 300 GBP more than OTA. I would pay the difference if it would bring me better quality... Or longevity, which is another issue with ESL-63. What do you think?
Click to expand...

My 57's done by OTA were eventually sold on. Never let me down during my ownership and they had a few years under their belt with Rabski before I got them. I have 63's now (actually had 57/63's at the same time). They were done by Quad in Huntingdon before I got them. Touch wood still going strong. I now use a Jadis DA88S on the 63's (50WPC) I think I would only change them for 989's or maybe the next models at some point in the future.
I would expect the germans would do good quality work and I would be inclined to go that route if you live in Germany. Any problems and you can go back easily. Postage costs to/from UK will make OTA expensive.

From my experience I would have no hesitation using OTA either and they are always on my radar in case I have to get the 63's done again at some point. For me I will have to get a ferry from Ireland to bring them there. I think it is worth it.

Also from what I can see the Musikwiedergabe 'new' model 57/63's are mighty expensive.

Not sure what people mean about OTA changing the sound of the 57's as I have never heard a perfect old pair or ones redone by Quad.
 
[/QUOTE] From my experience I would have no hesitation using OTA either and they are always on my radar in case I have to get the 63's done again at some point. For me I will have to get a ferry from Ireland to bring them there. I think it is worth it.

Also from what I can see the Musikwiedergabe 'new' model 57/63's are mighty expensive.

Not sure what people mean about OTA changing the sound of the 57's as I have never heard a perfect old pair or ones redone by Quad.[/QUOTE]

I bought a new pair of 57's which I ran for many years then one started to buzz, it was cheaper to buy a s/h pair of recently Quad refurbed 57's & sell my original pair. Years later my grand son at age 18 months built like grandad ie. an ox pushed over a 57 which lost 50% of the volume (i still have them) I bought a pair of OTA 57's I got OTA who I now had heard of to check them over. I also acquired a pair of "Widgets" Whilst the original 57's were comforting and very 1950's remember I first heard one mono voiced in 1956, the OTA 57's on rupert stands have a little more presence and imaging add the "Widgets" and they sound smoother evening out a frequency humps apparently or so Ron at OTA told me they also have a deeper sound stage . I would doubt my valve Rouge Titan Atlas Magnum amp struggled with the load as it is a beefed up KT120 version of the transformer coupled Titan Atlas that Rogue modified for Quad users in the USA.

Ron & Steve make and design their own components. The sound from my OTA 57's is more 2000's than 1950's but still like slipping on your favorite slippers and settling down with an Armagnac to chamber music or with a scotch playing Prodigy more convincingly than standard Quad 57's
 
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