Quad 989 ESLs “ordinary speakers are like toilet rolls”

[misterdog]

My guess is that sat in front of such large radiating surfaces, much of the sound would be direct and dominant over the room reflections? That’s what I need. What do you think?

My guess is that the later 29> series 'should' sound better ( those with the rear bracing strut).

They weigh some 10Kg more than the 989's, though research showed that 5/6Kg of that is a steel block in the base, I can only assume as an anti topple counterbalance.
The other added mass however is why I fixed my panels into steel frames.

When the additional 2 panels were first fitted into the 63 ++ (989) they merely extended the 10x10 x 0.8 mm. aluminium angle to which the panels are all screwed.
(fact from my actual rebuilds )

An aluminium 'L' section of 800mm. length has maybe just enough rigidity (63's) but allows the 989's to flap about, especially in the middle 2 sections where the magic really happens.
(See my note above that the membrane can only move by 1mm. !! )
A 'T' section alloy would have been what, 10 times more rigid.

So 'I think' that the the 29> series should be better, though I have never dismembered or heard these so it's purely hypothetical.

Note that all the panels from the 63 to the 29 series are interchangeable, I assume these are all now made in China, so even with Huntingdon serviced 989's they will be fitted with these panels.

 

[irb]

Mr.D I’ve long admired your set up. Can I clarify your experience that they don’t excite the room- are you talking about frequency response issues such as bass boom or rather, reflections? I’ve now got a room with a lot of reflections and little damping by way of curtains, a hard floor etc. That’s where your comment about giant headphones captured my imagination because I have hearing problems exacerbated by reflections. Would dipoles do nothing to resolve this? Big Tannoys would I feel. I have kef ref 1s in another room and find the coaxial mid/tweeter very good in this respect.

If the Kef Ref 1s are ok for you, then I guess it's treble frequencies that you need to limit the reflections of? If that's so, the Quads will probably be ok, as their treble dispersion is pretty limited. But in a bright, reflective room it might not be limited enough - there is the rear radiation, after all. In the real world, dipoles control dispersion in the lower frequencies (relative to boxes) more than in the upper frequencies, so speakers with waveguides for the upper frequencies might actually work better for you in a reflective room.