Leak TL 12 Plus with ESL 63s

[mandryka]

Someone is offering me a pair of TL 12 Plus mono blocks, and I'm quite tempted. Will they provide enough power to drive my ESL 63s?

This would be my first foray into valves so any general advice would be appreciated.

 

[Tony L]

The TL12 Plus is basically half a Stereo 20, so a lovely ten Watt push pull EL84 amp. You can get away with that into Quad ESL57s, the Leak is apparently a superb pairing for moderate/sensible levels, but the 63 wants a lot more grunt. I’d have thought a good hefty EL34 push-pull (about 35 Watts) was the minimum feasible for these.

 

[mandryka]

That's clear advice and it's saved me a bit of money, so thank you!

 

[mandryka]

The TL12 Plus is basically half a Stereo 20, so a lovely ten Watt push pull EL84 amp. You can get away with that into Quad ESL57s, the Leak is apparently a superb pairing for moderate/sensible levels, but the 63 wants a lot more grunt. I’d have thought a good hefty EL34 push-pull (about 35 Watts) was the minimum feasible for these.

And I guess it means that there are no suitable "classic" valve amps for me to try, since if you're right even the Leak Stereo 50 won't be powerful enough. I suppose the speakers, which date from the early 80s, were designed with solid state in mind.

 

[spet0114]

Surely the Quad II was designed with the ESL57 in mind (or vice versa)?

Oh wait, just saw it's ESL63. Ignore the above.

 

[Tony L]

And I guess it means that there are no suitable "classic" valve amps for me to try, since if you're right even the Leak Stereo 50 won't be powerful enough. I suppose the speakers, which date from the early 80s, were designed with solid state in mind.

Folk who use tube amps with ESL 63s tend to use a later generation, e.g. McIntosh, Audio Research, Conrad Johnson, Jadis etc, all of whom make some very powerful valve amps, many having four or more EL34s or KT88s a side, so at least twice the power of the UK classics. It might also be worth investigating Quad’s own current production II/40 power amps, I’m sure someone will have tested that combo somewhere and 40 Watts should go a fair way unless you want crazy volumes.

 

[monstrous lie]

And I guess it means that there are no suitable "classic" valve amps for me to try, since if you're right even the Leak Stereo 50 won't be powerful enough. I suppose the speakers, which date from the early 80s, were designed with solid state in mind.

A Radford STA25 would do the job brilliantly. Not cheap, though. There is one for sale on Ebay at the moment sitting at £1400, no bids yet. The Radford is however a seriously good amp - the best I have ever owned - and the sort of thing you keep for a lifetime. BTW, despite the "25" in its name, it actually puts out between 30 and 35 wpc.
ML

 

[brecklandboy]

A good suggestion. Actually, any Mullard 5-20 power amplifier built to the original specification i.e with top quality transformers etc. would probably suit. These are designed, according to spec, to produce 27 watts at around 0.1 per cent distortion. To some extent it depends on the OP's available budget. There are certainly other high quality, relatively high power vintage alternatives out there but these may be prohibitively expensive. Avoid the Leak Stereo 60. IMHO the worst valve amp they ever made.

 

[mandryka]

Anyone have an opinion about the Woodside Rennaissance STA50? There's an affordable serviced one for sale . . .

Correction: there was one for sale at Woodside Electronics -- now gone.

 

[Barrymagrec]

Surely the Quad II was designed with the ESL57 in mind (or vice versa)?

Oh wait, just saw it's ESL63. Ignore the above.

Vice Versa. The Quad II is essentially the same as the original Quad power amp of circa 1950, really only EF37As changed to EF86s. The design may go even further back than that, I have seen an even earlier Quad KT66 amp with built in controls.