Tantris
pfm Member
I’d like to hear that set-up!
Hi -FI Riff - The Quad ESL 63 - A Legend in it's own lifetime and beyond
- Thread starter Miss Ariel
- Start date
I’d like to hear that set-up!
Yes, and it was terrible, sounded completely off - in fact that was the first thing I tried when I first had two pairs to play with. I think of this arrangement as exactly the same as stacked 57s, just horizontally arranged rather than vertical.
Zombie
pfm Member
No we won't forget. We also wear the t-shirt: I don't dance because I can afford drinks at the bar. Conventional speakers are for common people.
A 63 plus extra bass panels, that would be a 989.
Zombie
pfm Member
With two added bass panels compared to a 989
camverton
pfm Member
A valuable point, especially if buying secondhand. Over the years I’ve had a pair of 57s, two pairs of 63s and now 2812. The 57s and first pair of 63s were reliable and I shouldn’t have sold them but cash was needed. Some years later I bought another pair which were trouble all the way including one that hummed. I think that it’s best to buy new if possible (the later models ime sound much better) but if buying secondhand allow for the cost of replacing the panels. At the time Quad would send out panels at a very reasonable price to allow you to replace them yourself. It wasn’t a particularly difficult job but later they preferred to replace them themselves and bumped up the price of panels for self repair.
The 63s were a brilliant speakers if one had the space and it is good to see that in the latest models they have brought back the “aliveness” that the 57s had without the head in vice requirement. Snags, they are difficult to move about on your own, being heavier and bulkier, and whilst they look much nicer to my eyes they are more dominant looking in the room. They do sound good though and there are very few speakers that I prefer.
Dowser
Learning to bodge again..
In my view 63s are pretty easy to keep alive, they just need re-glueing. My mistake was I never spent the considerable time to re-glue every panel when one went - that meant in a few years I'd had to in and redo different areas a few times, and last year this lead to a mylar film tear too big to repair. Two new panels from Quad, ouch. If buying a pair now I'd spends the weeks needed to strip every panel and re-glue it properly as a first step.
Jim Audiomisc
pfm Member
Transformer buzz is the main - but minor - irritant with my current ESLs. I did replace the transformers on an earlier pair and that deal with it, but these days I'm old and doddery, so wary of any such diy for a delicate HV op. In the end, I'll send them off for 'refreshing' or a part-exchange. Certainly wouldn't want to be without some ESLs despite the 'maintainance' etc requirements. That *anyone* can make them so good is impressive despite the possible snags.
Yep, you could do that indeed. There are people out there who have mounted the 6 panels in a frame as per the newer taller quads. But if you have 2 pairs of 63s there, and are willing to spend an afternoon messing about with them, its worth a listen for sure. No surgery required.
And for the record, I think self-sufficiency with quads is the way to go. Panels will fail, just like a hard drive in a computer - its a "when" not an "if" thing.
tonerei
pfm Member
Fran put me on to it. Initially I tried it with a loaned 'mini' set of 63's with only the treble panels. It was too bright for me. I already had a second set of 63's the other pair being used in another room. In my main system I had been switching in/out Tannoy Legacy Cheviots and 63's. I really didn't want the double pair of 63's to work because of the size and also the fact I had only recently bought the Cheviots brand new from Audioemotion.
Once I heard the 2 pairs I couldn't take them out. Equal value I think has to be put on the source and amp driving them to get the best out of them.
You have to hear a good 'set' of pairs with good source and amp before making a judgement. I didn't expect it to work but for me they are end game set up at an affordable price. The only issue is having a large enough room. I get away with them in a 15x15 room with 10 1/2 ft ceilings.
Once I heard the 2 pairs I couldn't take them out. Equal value I think has to be put on the source and amp driving them to get the best out of them.
You have to hear a good 'set' of pairs with good source and amp before making a judgement. I didn't expect it to work but for me they are end game set up at an affordable price. The only issue is having a large enough room. I get away with them in a 15x15 room with 10 1/2 ft ceilings.