Solid State Amps for Quad ESL 57?

I wonder, just out of curiosity, what it would take to resuscitate a pair of those old Mark Levinson ML 2 amps. After all these years, they gotta have needs- are the parts unobtanium? I know Charlie King found a stash of some old ML parts at one point that he used to Frankenstein some tape preamps.
If I didn’t already have the Quad II amps, I’d probably be interested in exploring other options. I did get to meet Peter Walker back in the day--he was pleasant to talk to- I was pretty young, but he was polite and tolerated my questions.
In some ways, reviving this old gear is more interesting than buying current high end stuff off the shelf--I think my expectations are different, and there is something satisfying about getting a commanding musical performance out of an antique. I haven’t settled on a preamp yet for this "funk" system, but the McI MX 110z seems to ring a lot of bells- a bit of a sleeper since it isn’t a purist preamp only; has an FM tuner that could be a kick to use for a household system and looks like the build quality is stupendous. (Sympathetic restoration would be required as would a little tube rolling).
As to multiple systems being a cheap substitute for an uber system, I have yet to hear any system --at any price- that didn’t have some area where the illusion collapsed. Again, I think it goes back to expectations- you can get a hell of a lot of musical enjoyment out of older gear if you don’t expect it to do everything well. And, I might just be surprised- one pretty well known guru of old Quads told me I might find myself spending more time listening to this system than my "main" system--
I’m certainly open to that possibility. I’m a gear head for sure, but I’d really rather spend the money on records at this point in my life than constantly search for the latest and greatest. These last few years have been very gratifying for precisely that reason- my main system was pretty well dialed in, I knew what it could and couldn’t do, and focused on buying records. Now everything is packed and crated. The movers arrive in a few hours. Yay! :)

I am curious this morning and questioning this ML_2 that has been mentioned.

There are two outputs coming out of my preamp. One goes to the RM10 which is run full out to the Quads. The second preamp line out goes to the Subs which are set to cutoff at 60 hz.

I am trying to understand how the ML_2 mono pair, not having heard them, and just based on specs.....can get the job done. if I was using them I think I would need to use a higher cutoff on the subs?  

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From nyame’s post

ML_2 Mono - Pair 25, 50,100 watts into 8, 4, and 2 ohms

this implies to me and please tell me if I am wrong.

2..............4.............8............16..............32 OHMS

100..........50...........25..........12.5...........6.25 ML_2.....Output Watts.

***So only 6.25 watts available at 32 ohms***.

The Quad 57 use approx 32 ohms to make 100 hz. See the graph that was posted earlier and here it is again.

http://www.quadesl.com/graphics/quadGraphics/quad_impedance_graph.jpg

Somebody explain this one to me please.

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Whart - would have loved to have met Peter Walker in person. Also John Bowers.

Cheers Chris

ct0517                            1-09-2017

I am not sure that ohms law is the correct tool to unravel the mystery of the Quad 57 which present a capacitive load. My own experience is that very little power is required to reach acceptable music levels in a small/medium sized room. A friend of mine drove his quads with a 12 watt per channel solid state amp at bass levels which surprised me. 

Roger Modjeski  had the same experience: "The RM-10 came into being in early 1990, when I noticed I rarely played music above a few watts on my Vandersteen 2C speakers. Later, I acquired a pair of the old QUAD electrostatics and achieved the same listening levels at even lower power."


 

Hi nyame
yeah,
I get the fact that the Quad 57 presents a capacitive load. Atmasphere also made this clear earlier. Also I do remember now, similar discussions with the OTL manufacturer who made the 200 wpc OTL amps I was using with my Acoustats.
    
btw - do your amps have a brand name ?

So I have a recommendation to unravel this Quad 57 mystery.

Nyame - you may send me your ML_2's.

Kalali - you may purchase those Quad II's you linked earlier, and send to me also.

or alternatively Whart;  can send me his Quad II's while his Quad's are being restored.

I promise to complete the shoot out with my RM10, post results here, and all equipment returned by April 1, or when boating season opens; whichever comes first. :^)

How's that sound ? My LP assimilation project can wait .  8^0 

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Bdp24 (Eric) Is it my correct understanding that Roger will only build RM9's now upon request, due to the cost ........or is this a myth too ?

Cheers 

Chris (ct0517), I believe the RM-9 is no longer available, even as a special order. I could be mistaken however. Roger has relocated to the Bay Area, and appears to be more involved in his Audio Engineering school than in running Music Reference. He has a right-hand man still operating out of his old Santa Barbara location.