First I wonder what happened to the speakers? Were they repanelled at the factory? Did some fool with the crossover?
Thats a hard speaker to drive and a 100 watt integrated mignt not be up to the task. The Perreaux is much larger and probably more tollerant of the low impedance.
An RM-200 will drive your speakers from the 2 ohm tap to some reasonable level. How loud do you listen, at what distance and what is the sensitivity of the speaker?
The best amp for you would be a Direct Drive to the ESL. Thats what I use.
I have a keen interest in ESL speakers and have measured many. What I have found is that the hard part of driving them is often the transformer, not the panel. Going direct to the panel makes a big difference. My DD amplifiers produce about 1200 VA into a
capacitive load.
Thanks for your reply.
The original panels had lost their top end, sounded rolled off, tried washing them as per instructions, the ML SL III clearspan replacement panels were just too bright with the Plinius 9100, (which for a 120W intergrated is pretty robust, but may have been stretched driving the unpowered subs as well as the electrostatic panels), plus I notice you say torroidal transformers are not ideal for electrostatics, which this amp has, (there was no futzing of the cross-overs), it really did make sense to bi-amp. The old Mos-fet Perreaux looks like a PA amp, XLR inputs and limiters (volume controls) on the front, which assisted the bi-amping.
Is there a particular Direct Drive Amp you can recommend to drive the panels? (Again I’m in a 240V 50Hz country).
I don’t generally drive my stereo too loud, and have been using the pre-amp in the Plinius to feed the Perreaux it all sounds pretty sweet just hankering for that tube sound.