I use subwoofers with both my ESL 63s and 57s. I use a Dahlquist crossover set to 70 Hertz for the subs and the ESLs play full range. Everything I have ever read about Quads says to limit the sub's hi frequency response to 60-100HZ.
FYI: Subs are DIY in 21 cu. ft. enclosures. Built from a design in Audio Magazine back in the 70s. Have Altec 15" woofers. 416-8Bs I think. -3db @ 20hz.
I had a DIY sub with quad 57s with passive x-over but just between you and me the bass quality was better without the sub after removing the metal grills.
Thanks Dynalead. So are you running them from the same amp in parallel with the ESLs? I was thinking of powered sub(s) using a high impedance input from the speaker terminals...
The best sub for any dipole is an OB. In the 70's a company named Gradient made one for the ESL63, with two 12 inch drivers facing in opposite directions in an OB "H-frame". A company named GR Research now offers a similar design, but with the addition of the Rythmik Servo-Feedback system. It is available only as a DIY kit, which is two 12 inch drivers and one 370 watt Servo Amplifier. You build (or have built, from the plans on the GR site) an H-frame into which the drivers are mounted. Serious, world-class bass the blends really well with dipole speakers. A pair will cost you about $1500 plus the cost of the H-frames.
If you can find a Janis 1W that setup works great with Quads. It has an outboard box/crossover, so what goes to the power amp is limited to whatever the crossover is. Puts less strain on the panels - a very good thing.
I've had this setup, it's the only sub I've heard that I liked with Quads.
I got a REL Strata 3 and it works well. I adjust it depending on recordings but for the most part keep it subtle. Definitely adds something to the Quads. I hope to buy a second one.
UPDATE! In the intervening years since my 2014 post above, I have learned that hardcore panel speaker enthusiasts recommend employing Magneplanar Tympani-IV bass panels as woofers, or even subs. There is one guy over on the Planar Speaker Asylum who uses them as woofers for his Martin Logan ESL speakers, with an Eminent Technology TRW-17 Rotary Woofer for the VERY low bass. That I would love to hear!
I had the Quad ESL 63s and the Gradient dipole sub made for them. To this day the best panel/dynamic speaker blend I've ever heard. Not perfect, but far closer than I've heard since.
All you need are,8-10" subs, a pair is ideal. Drive them from your main amp using the high level inputs, so not run cables from your preamp, set the crossover at 40Hz, adjusting the volume to blend, use a piano and a vocal recordings, when either becomes to thick/heavy sounding you raised the volume to high, after you are happy try 50Hz, you may have to adjust the volume a bit, choice is yours on what you prefer, don't crossover higher than 50Hz.
noromance Has anyone tried adding a sub to a pair of Quad ESLs? If so, did it work out?
When we played around with them with subs. The problem was the 57’s bass to where you use it to is very fast and agile as it is with all ESL’s To mate this with a big diameter 12" 15" 18" slower sub for us was not successful, there was always a disconnect between the two. We found it better to use subs the had 10" or less drivers with maybe even twin 8" and that were also servo controlled to mate up better with the Quads bass. And I agree with phillyb 2 stereo subs are better each next to or behind each Quad run off the L & R preamp outputs (not from the mono HT sub output)
Thanks guys. I ended up removing the old REL and adding it to the other rig. It burned out anyway and I replaced it with an S3 which is MUCH better. The Quads sounded better without it. I've also removed the grills. I was thinking of something like a pair of REL T5i.
@noromance You might also consider a set of Swarm subs from Audiokinesis.com
They will insure that you get 20Hz response, with bass evenly distributed throughout the room, since the Swarm system eliminates standing waves that might otherwise be present if you only use one or two subs.
They can be fed a mono bass signal, as the ear cannot detect location information below about 80Hz, so of course you'll want to set the Swarms up so that they stay below 80Hz.
This setup integrates easily (you'll be using a separate sub amplifier, probably running off of a preamp output). The Swarms are small, 1 foot square by 2 feet high; Duke (Audiokinesis) recommends running them on their side and as close to the wall as you can get them, asymmetrically placed in the room with two in front of you and the other two might be to one side and somewhere in the rear. Harmonics of bass instruments like the string bass, bass drum and the like will allow the Quads to convince you that the instruments are in front of you. This system really works- what is different about the Swarm is that the speakers are designed to be up against the wall which makes them a lot easier to place. Most subs are meant to be away from the wall so they are not messed up by the room boundary effects.
noromance OP @georgehifi Nice but they don’t have high-level inputs which won’t work for me.
Pity, the more I just looked into them the more they make me want a pair, they even use Hypex Class-D amps. From some review literature the sound of them seem they more designed for stereo music listening. Hence maybe why no speaker "hi level" inputs as it’s more colored than "line level" from a preamp L&R, and that would suit the Quad 57 also. From my experience todays large driver subs seem to "doof" more for movies and are hard to voice seamlessly into hiend stereo speakers.
My dealer has 2 Carver Sunfire Mk II's along with ESL 57's (fed by a Naim Statement and Naim 500DR. Just stunning. Lowest possible volume setting though on the subs and crossovers at neutral.
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