Best Electrostatic loudspeaker?

Lived with ESLs all my audio days. Finally settled for the Sound Lab Ultimate a few years back, driven by Atmas or Siegfrieds. Stopped fretting, tweaking and being ambivalent, just listened to the music ever since.

Jeffrey, I have had experience with the 989 and have driven them with Jadis 500s, Spectral 360s, Gryphon Reference monos and InnerSound monos in direct comparison with the Sound Lab Pristine. Wires by Nordost, MIT and the ones sold by InnerSound, which are surprisingly good. Now the Pristine is quite aged by now, but it had by far the better dynamics and I found it less coloured over all than the 989, which sounds a bit darkish in my setup. I find the old Quad 63 by far the better speaker than the 989. I have never had any trouble with the Pristine, whereas the 989 has hardly proven reliable and is a downright disappointment as far as I am concerned. Considering that the M2 is a tremendous advancement over the Pristine, I would not hestitate a second in choosing it, if I were in your shoes. The M2 probably, like the Pristine, needs quite a bit of power to make it sing,( I am now using the Jadis 500 with it for best dynamics ) but contrary to the 989 it can take it.

Excellent post Duke! Thanks! You've helped me to understand my (highly ambivalent) experiences with various types of ML hybrids in various rooms far better now, by expaining the obvious! Cheers,