Quad ESL57 electrostatics

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pre65
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#1 Quad ESL57 electrostatics

Post by pre65 »

I've unboxed the ESL57s, screwed the feet back on, and roughly positioned them.

To start off I was using my chip amp, but for some reason it is not compatible with the speakers. :shock:

One or other was cutting out then switching back in at anything other than low volume, I suspect the Quads protection circuit ?

Anyway, the trusty Quad 11 valve amps seem to have cured that problem, after all, they were designed for that job.

First up is a Dean Martin CD, sounds good, with more bass than I was expecting. I'll play for a while and see how things develop. :)
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#2 Re: Quad ESL57 electrostatics

Post by Dave the bass »

pre65 wrote: Mon Mar 26, 2018 10:58 am
To start off I was using my chip amp, but for some reason it is not compatible with the speakers. :shock:
IIRC ESL's are a highly capacitive load at HF, maybe the chip amps aren't happy about driving such a load?
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#3 Re: Quad ESL57 electrostatics

Post by pre65 »

Could be, our Dave.

I read in the bumph folder (that the previous owner stuffed with related info) that the panels need a while to charge up properly, and for certain the sound has "opened up" quite a bit.

Got some Mozart on now. :)
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#4 Re: Quad ESL57 electrostatics

Post by Ali Tait »

I used to leave mine on all the time Phil.
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#5 Re: Quad ESL57 electrostatics

Post by DSJR »

If plugged in after a long time in storage, they can take many hours to fully 'charge' and sort themselves out. My now late friends pair had the extra (over-power) protection boards fitted and they sounded superb like this with a Quad 606 driving them for some years up until her passing a few years ago - I've no idea as to the fate of the system she had, but anyone now using her 57's would have a very good and un-thrashed pair.

I'd probably have destroyed any that I'd have owned back then, but a good pair angled carefully so as not to 'beam' too much at the listener, sounded superb to me, the slight 'sound' they have disappearing very quickly and actually enhancing string tone (they could sound more like massed strings than massed strings actually do I remember, but who the hell cares 'cos you're so lost in the music played :D )
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#6 Re: Quad ESL57 electrostatics

Post by pre65 »

I've connected up the GK-71 monoblocks this afternoon. :)
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#7 Re: Quad ESL57 electrostatics

Post by andrew Ivimey »

That's it for Phil then ...
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#8 Re: Quad ESL57 electrostatics

Post by pre65 »

Still enjoying the ESL57 + GK-71 combination. :D

The ESL legs (a bit rudimentary) raise the speakers 15 inches off the floor, I'm sure that helps.
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#9 Re: Quad ESL57 electrostatics

Post by IslandPink »

Very good . What are you hearing that's new -finding anything in familiar records ?
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#10 Re: Quad ESL57 electrostatics

Post by pre65 »

IslandPink wrote: Fri Mar 30, 2018 12:37 pm Very good . What are you hearing that's new -finding anything in familiar records ?
Not as such, because I found the baffles quite revealing.

Probably the ESLs are just more "harmonious" to me ?
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#11 Re: Quad ESL57 electrostatics

Post by pre65 »

Still loving the 57s, in fact I'm going to upgrade from my Bushmaster DAC to a SEG. :D
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#12 Re: Quad ESL57 electrostatics

Post by pre65 »

Not had the system on for a few days, so having a session now.

I had noticed some slight "nasties" on my Doris Day disc, a slight edge to her voice on certain tracks. I thought it might be my el cheapo valve buffer, so I've taken steps to get the Pre 3 sorted.

What I've done is replace the two 0.1uf coupling caps. They were orange drops, but I had upgraded to Clarity Cap SA. I found a couple of World Designs caps (also made by Clarity I believe) in the spares box, so I subbed them in this morning before I went on my Tuesday walk.

It's (the Pre3) up and running now, and the Doris Day problem is much less pronounced, perhaps it's on the disc ?

Anyway, more listening. :D
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#13 Re: Quad ESL57 electrostatics

Post by karatestu »

Some things Phil are just on the disc and there is nothing you can do about it. :x

Vocal sibilance nearly drove me mad on some recordings and I thought it was my modded cdp. Eventually i played the cd's on enough systems to realise that it was on the recording. A certain Stevie Wonder CD had me questioning my diy abilities until that point and I was going round in circles trying to find the culprit.
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#14 Re: Quad ESL57 electrostatics

Post by Cressy Snr »

"Part Time Lover" on "In Square Circle" was horrible IIRC.
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#15 Re: Quad ESL57 electrostatics

Post by simon »

pre65 wrote: Tue Apr 17, 2018 12:57 pm I had noticed some slight "nasties" on my Doris Day disc
That's a gift for someone :lol:
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