Sound Labs are the MOST coveted loudspeaker for any electrostatic fan. You have reached heaven when you can own a pair. Lower mass diaphragm plus its the engineering of the transformer that makes a huge difference. Martin logan uses 2 transformers both in the signal path in their loudspeakers. One to couple and the other to increase efficiency. I am listening to my Logans now and they sound like sound coming from a metal trash can. Martin logan are just a STARTING point for an electrostatic speaker lover.
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.
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.
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thosb, keep an eye out on the used market. Both Acoustat and Sound Labs speakers are indestructible as long as nobody has gone into them. You might trip across a pair at a good price. Once you have lived with one of these there is no going back. Everything else makes Kate Bush sound like Brad Roberts:) |
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 |
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