I have both stacked Quads(ESL 57's) and SoundLab A-1's. The Quads can't approach the A-1's in either dynamic range, or maximum SPL. And the A-1's are far more durable. You can push them near their limits without worrying about damage. Wish the same were true for Quads, love them even as I do. But the Quads are wonderfully transparent, even in the stacked configuration, and not highly demanding of the amp the way A-1's are(except that a 30w or less amp is crucial). My stacked Quads have the same splendid midrange that single units do, only a little larger in size. I don't understand why Curriemt11 had the odd experience in this regard, but suspect something else was wrong, possibly a bad panel. Either one of these speakers will provide a clear window on the music that is very rare in AudioLand.
