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Quad ESLs - I have some questions

Recently I heard the latest model Quad ESL, 2905 I think, and it was a love at first listen kinda thing.  Of course I began looking at used Quad ESLs, and I am curious what the significant differences are between the 63s and the later models like 2805s and 2905s?  Used 63s are in my price range now, 2805s etc would require some patience, so I'm curious if the SQ, reliability, power handling, or other differences are worth the additional cost?  W/r/t 63s, should I be wary if they've been rebuilt. or should that be comforting if the rebuilder has a good reputation?  Anything else I should know?

The 2905s I heard were powered by a Bob Carver Crimson 275, the dealer said my BAT VK-55 would also be a great match.  I listen to singer/songwriter/acoustic/Americana/indy/alternative music with some experimental, jazz, chamber, and classical piano thrown in.  Think First Aid Kit, Jeff Parker, Wilco, Michael Kiwanuka, Gordon Lightfoot, Everything but the Girl, Anna Meredith, generally 85-93 dBs.  Room is 12x20x8, set up for one listener, fairly well treated.  Current speakers are Thiel CS-2.3s.  Also considering Zus and Devores.
thosb

Showing 2 responses by georgehifi

georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 

They were magic ESL’s even by todays esl standard, BUT!! are all dying.
Stay away from the original Acoustat ESL’s 1, 1+1,2, 2+2, 3, 4, 6 and 8’s

All these now are having problems with the whole honeycomb plastic stators decaying with age, and becoming porous absorbing humidity, which allows for HT leakage arcing tracks to form like a cancer, mainly all around where they sandwich glued front and rear together. And once these cancerous tracks form that’s it good-by panel.

After all the plastic honey comb panels were originally just office fluro lighting diffuser covers, never meant to be insulated for 4kv esl voltage
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/4m9ybVTLxiw/hqdefault.jpg
These are Acoustat 4’s, notice the panels resemblance to office fluro diffusers?
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/P3K12rV-kJxL-Oc9ptuJcITsfn_yuBy5NDsQiw_H65k35TWNj-Dfb2r1fful...

And not to mention, the other problem they have, the 100’s of yards of stator wires becoming unglued from those honeycomb plastic stators, as the glue is now brittle and just lets go causing them to rattle.

Cheers George
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 

All well design ESL’s are great, the only area that they fall down is deep powerfull bass that moves the air in the room common theme of most esl/planer speakers. The only one that did move air was the old Maggie 3 panel Tympani with additional side wings making them 4 panels wide each, but they were the size of room dividers. http://usr.audioasylum.com/images/6/63369/image1.jpg (these don’t have the wings attached yet.)

It’s why my Monolith esl’s are xover at <150hz to great dynamic bass units, that can if needed, you feel through your body with organ notes, and hit’s hard in the chest with the dynamic snap of drums.

Crossing over any higher than 150hz is not advised, as it means the bass drivers are then getting into the lower mids, and you want to keep this for the esl, been there done that, no good

Cheers George
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