What speaker to replace ESL 63?

I heartily second the motion on the Harbeth Compact 7, which, although not easy to find-you may have to purchase from the Canadian distributor-is worth the effort. And it will keep you at the lower end of the price range you mention. In its objectives this extremely well-constructed speaker comes from essentially the same school as some of the greats, e.g., Quad (although it's not an electrostatic)& Spendor. The company, which is primarily in the studio monitor field, has been around for a while.

Jtinn, I respect your opinion of what you heard vs the ESL-63, but I must state as matter of fact, that there is no speaker on this planet, that I have ever listened to, including Infinity IRS-Vs, that I can honestly say is any better than the Quad in the mids.(Is that a run on sentence?)If anyone should make the claim that xyz speaker stomps the Quad in the midrange,I would recommend that they attend a chamber music group concert, to recalibrate their ears to the accurate portrayal of the live illusion. (Jtinn, I am not referring to you here) The US monitor version does not seem to have the high panel failure rate that the earlier ESL-63s did. The sound is also quite a bit better on these. Audiokinesis, you are indeed a dealer with accurate advice, and without question integrety. The ESL-63, no longer being available to sell, you told the truth as your ears hear it, not your wallet. Say Class Act Duke!

I am aficionado of chamber music and lied and I have not heard until now other speaker capable of rendering all the nuances, tonal shadings and emotions ( joy, anger, sadness) contained in the various interpretatons of barytone and soprano voices as the Quads do. Listen to the various performances of Schubert lieders recorded during thirty years by Dieskau and Schwarzkopf.This latter is one of the most difficult voice to render in a soud system (and impossible to render from a CD support).

Frap, I will second every word you say. I have often, after having had the privilege and joy of listening to the stupendous Alban Berg Quartet perform here at our Zurich Opera gone home and done just as you have suggested and marveled at Peter Walker's genius. By the way, I've only had 2 panel failures in the last 30 years or so and had the electronics die on me twice as well ( knocking on wood ).
...and Duke, kudos from me as well. Frap has spoken right out of my heart.
Jdanielh, I am not surprised at your words, as a true music lover , you could hardly come to any other conclusion, I find. I am very familiar with the Schwarzkopf and Fischer Dieskau Lps. So I know exactly what you are talking about and I agree wholeheartedly with every word you say. Please try the the wrap around foil. It really does the trick. Greetings from the land of the gnomes and cuckoo clocks and the P-10! Detlof

I would have agreed with you about the 63's with my last breath until hearing the P10's. I may have been a bit "exhuberant" in my "much better" statement, but they really are that good. The break-in period is a rough one and everything improves with playing time on them.

Jennifer Crock of Jena Labs fame owns Entec modified Quad ESL 63's and after hearing my Piegas, bought a pair. She has made it clear to me and others that she has never heard a more coherant speaker.

Frap & Detlof: It appears that we have similar tastes. I too am a huge chamber music enthusiast and appreciate the reproduction of this genre through the Quads. They have been very speacial for many years. At one point, many years ago, the finest sound I had heard.

BTW, Pick up a copy of Haydn's Opus 76 on Astree performed by the amazing Quartuor Mosaiques. Simply fantastic.