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How to elevate the performance of Quad ESL63s...literally ;)

Dowser

Dowser

Learning to bodge again..
I bought my 63s around 2010 I think - after getting them up off the ground with Stand & Deliver stands they ultimately replaced my 57s (also way up high off ground on custom stands)...but only when I was forced to make a decision between the two when I moved back to Switzerland from Dublin, Ireland.

I always wanted to try them a bit higher of the ground, and around a year ago I got a cheap second set of Stand & Deliver stands. No idea why I waited so long to try them - bolting them together puts the centre of the speaker at ear height when playing. Simply stunning, even just listening to Radio Paradise so far through my Micromega Duo DAC. Can't wait to listen to CD and vinyl :)

Any guesses how long it will be before I actually get around to repainting the shitty white pair? :D

WAF factor is zero of course, they are now very imposing...but I'm divorced ;)

Before;
51136002269_becfb7f94a_k.jpg


After;
51136002274_1991c68f02_k.jpg

51136002254_0c97a35355_k.jpg


And from listening position;
51135442223_7a6806e99d_k.jpg


Perhaps worth mentioning I've modified the 63s a bit; electrolytic in signal path swapped for film and smaller bipolar, both the metal grills and plastic cling-film dust covers removed, all panels painstakingly re-glued, and sexy new red socks :) Honestly, I cannot imagine anything sounding better, and have no desire for different speakers (arg - well, except a decent set of vintage tannoys of course :)).

If you have 63s still sitting on the floor, get them up and off it now.

Richard
 
I've been telling people for years :).
Peter Walker demonstrated them sat on kitchen chairs.
The factory builds in a 3 degree tilt back on the bases to achieve something similar.
The disadvantage of having them raised up is that they could topple. The newer ones with the rear brace have a 5Kg weight on the bottom.

Next step is to remove the panels and fit into a purpose built steel frame. the flimsy L aluminium they are screwed to does them no favours.

Feed them the lowest distortion signal you can and there is bass aplenty, though mine are 989's.
 
misterdog said:
I've been telling people for years :).
Peter Walker demonstrated them sat on kitchen chairs.
The factory builds in a 3 degree tilt back on the bases to achieve something similar.
The disadvantage of having them raised up is that they could topple. The newer ones with the rear brace have a 5Kg weight on the bottom.

Next step is to remove the panels and fit into a purpose built steel frame. the flimsy L aluminium they are screwed to does them no favours.

Feed them the lowest distortion signal you can and there is bass aplenty, though mine are 989's.
Click to expand...

i know, and I also knew it would make a difference. Even adding spikes to the original stands improved things...I reckon by raising them and tilting them back a bit further.

Now I have them pretty much vertical...but yes, they could do with some ballast below...you see those mono blocs behind the speakers? 25kg each :)

Still getting used to the sound - it is basically a 3 dimensional wall in front of me, the speakers are gone sonically, loads of shivers down my spine ;)
 
John said:
I purchased these stands back in the early 90’s from a Quad dealer who was a big fan of 57’s. They were custom made for them from solid steel and weigh quite a bit.
hysj3Ae.jpg
Click to expand...

I raised my 57s twice as high as that (there’s a post here somewhere), they were fantastic - better than the 63s if you were in the very limited sweet spot. All IMO of course - either are fantastic speakers.
 
Dowser said:
i know, and I also knew it would make a difference. Even adding spikes to the original stands improved things...I reckon by raising them and tilting them back a bit further.

Now I have them pretty much vertical...but yes, they could do with some ballast below...you see those mono blocs behind the speakers? 25kg each :)

Still getting used to the sound - it is basically a 3 dimensional wall in front of me, the speakers are gone sonically, loads of shivers down my spine ;)
Click to expand...

I have mine on stand and deliver stands but also made heavy wooden platforms to put them on. Not as high as yours but completely agree getting them up is so worthwhile. Definitely the cheapest way to ever get to high quality stereo reproduction is to get a sorted pair of 63's, 57's or 989's. The later models move into the more expensive territory especially when buying new.
 
John said:
I purchased these stands back in the early 90’s from a Quad dealer who was a big fan of 57’s. They were custom made for them from solid steel and weigh quite a bit.
hysj3Ae.jpg
Click to expand...
Your set up and room are both charming John. I've seen the image before and it stuck in my mind.
 
When I fitted the panels into bespoke steel frames the change was so dramatic I thought I had broken them .
There was so much 'noise' coming from my TT phono amp (Paradise).

It wasn't noise though it was information :).
I had to reduce the loading by 20R then all was restored.

I had already performed the R/C input tweak and had them naked with PU glue strengthening to the matrix/stators.
 
Dowser said:
I bought my 63s around 2010 I think - after getting them up off the ground with Stand & Deliver stands they ultimately replaced my 57s (also way up high off ground on custom stands)...but only when I was forced to make a decision between the two when I moved back to Switzerland from Dublin, Ireland.

I always wanted to try them a bit higher of the ground, and around a year ago I got a cheap second set of Stand & Deliver stands. No idea why I waited so long to try them - bolting them together puts the centre of the speaker at ear height when playing. Simply stunning, even just listening to Radio Paradise so far through my Micromega Duo DAC. Can't wait to listen to CD and vinyl :)

Any guesses how long it will be before I actually get around to repainting the shitty white pair? :D

WAF factor is zero of course, they are now very imposing...but I'm divorced ;)

Before;
51136002269_becfb7f94a_k.jpg


After;

51136002254_0c97a35355_k.jpg


And from listening position;


Perhaps worth mentioning I've modified the 63s a bit; electrolytic in signal path swapped for film and smaller bipolar, both the metal grills and plastic cling-film dust covers removed, all panels painstakingly re-glued, and sexy new red socks :) Honestly, I cannot imagine anything sounding better, and have no desire for different speakers (arg - well, except a decent set of vintage tannoys of course :)).

If you have 63s still sitting on the floor, get them up and off it now.

Richard
Click to expand...

Can you please say a bit about your valve amps Richard? I love the golden glow.
 
John said:
I purchased these stands back in the early 90’s from a Quad dealer who was a big fan of 57’s. They were custom made for them from solid steel and weigh quite a bit.
hysj3Ae.jpg
Click to expand...

I always fancied making something similar when I had my 57s. Sadly the 57s weren't practical in my rooms and changed them for Linn Saras.
 
Dowser said:
I bought my 63s around 2010 I think - after getting them up off the ground with Stand & Deliver stands they ultimately replaced my 57s (also way up high off ground on custom stands)...but only when I was forced to make a decision between the two when I moved back to Switzerland from Dublin, Ireland.

I always wanted to try them a bit higher of the ground, and around a year ago I got a cheap second set of Stand & Deliver stands. No idea why I waited so long to try them - bolting them together puts the centre of the speaker at ear height when playing. Simply stunning, even just listening to Radio Paradise so far through my Micromega Duo DAC. Can't wait to listen to CD and vinyl :)

Any guesses how long it will be before I actually get around to repainting the shitty white pair? :D

WAF factor is zero of course, they are now very imposing...but I'm divorced ;)

Before;
51136002269_becfb7f94a_k.jpg


After;
51136002274_1991c68f02_k.jpg

51136002254_0c97a35355_k.jpg


And from listening position;
51135442223_7a6806e99d_k.jpg


Perhaps worth mentioning I've modified the 63s a bit; electrolytic in signal path swapped for film and smaller bipolar, both the metal grills and plastic cling-film dust covers removed, all panels painstakingly re-glued, and sexy new red socks :) Honestly, I cannot imagine anything sounding better, and have no desire for different speakers (arg - well, except a decent set of vintage tannoys of course :)).

If you have 63s still sitting on the floor, get them up and off it now.

Richard
Click to expand...

What’s that odd black, rectangular contraption doing between them? Audiophile foo for a better stereo image? :D
 
Darren said:
Can you please say a bit about your valve amps Richard? I love the golden glow.
Click to expand...

DIY hybrid GM70 / mosfet single ended mono bloc distortion generators according to some. Around 20W of class A, and the best thing I have heard driving ESLs. Not my design, earlier in my life in Oz I worked for a Guru as a tech - he designed and built. They used to run 211s, but the (albeit graphite) GM70s are better...would love to get hold of a copper set one day. They're 14 years old now - he still makes the occasional set for ESL owners in Oz :)

chartz said:
What’s that odd black, rectangular contraption doing between them? Audiophile foo for a better stereo image? :D
Click to expand...

Well, it's at least vintage as well :) Last Pioneer TOTR Plasma. The elevated ESLs make movie sound much better too. Oh, and note, screen is around 50cm behind speakers...for sure still detrimental...but I live in a 3.5 room apartment :D
 
I also liked to stack my old 63s on stands. Now I tend to put a pile of old 2p pieces under the front feet of later version to angle them back and get onaxis. Alas, my old stands don't fit the newer versions.
 
One pair of Stand and Deliver at a slight tilt back makes my ears the target for the centre. Beautiful sounding speakers, super fast and work well with Exposure 18/19 for me. I ran them with Gradient SW63s for a while but all things consideed prefer them alone.
 
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