New Quad Electrostatics

[Codmate]

I'm absolutely 'electroecstatic' (sorry) about Quad's new speakers.
http://www.quad-hifi.co.uk/esl2905.htm

I'm intending to order some in the next year, and something decent to drive them with (any suggestions?).

I'll let you all know how unbelievably good they sound when I get 'em

Once you go flat - you never go back to those cone things

 

[Bear]

I love electrostatic speakers accept the bass is not to my liking but treble and mid range is fantastic, which was why I loved the Martin Logans I listened to once upon a time.

 

[DRZ]

Enjoy!

32Hz isnt fantastic at the bottom end though.

All things considered, would you not get a flatter response at higher bandwidth with a good old fashioned cone speakers? Reading through those specifications, they dont really stand out as being particularly "good".

I havnt heard any quad speakers I liked over the competition yet, so maybe that has something to do with my scepticism.

 

[Mr_Sukebe]

Like all types of speakers, the Quads have their own set of compromises. Have to say that I do appreciate how well they do certain things.

 

[Codmate]

I know what people mean about the bass on Electrostats - but I don't really miss it to be honest. In fact, I prefer a less bass heavy sound.

There's actually very little music below 40hz anyway (certainly no fundamentals) - it's mostly mud down there. When I'm engineering I often put a 6 to 12db low shelf at around 40 - 60hz - even on bass instruments, and I know many others that do the same.

For the 63s they had an optional electrostatic subwoofer though, so I guess some people do miss something down there.

I've always liked the sound of my 57s - and I think they're probably the worst for bass response. I mostly listen to jazz, classical and older rock music (Led Zeppelin etc) though so maybe that's why I don't miss it.

For me nothing can beat the transparency, response and sound-stage of a good electrostat. Some speakers with cone drivers come surprisingly close - but I've never heard anything that I like as much.

They're the only speakers I've heard that allow you to hear the 'room' and every tiny detail of the music, pinpointed in the stereo field.

If you're into jazz and classical music (or anything acoustic really) audition a pair of electrostats (preferably Quads), you might find it's worth it (orchestral music *really* shines)

 

[Mr_Sukebe]

As it happens, read a thread recently on the PF forums where a chap seemed rather happy running his ESLs with a Pathos valve amp.

I've suggest you scan around on the PinkFish and Zerogain forums, LOTs of people with experience with a wide variety of kit on there, and IMO much less biased than the chaps on the AV forums, who seem to believe that anything they own should always be recommended, even when it's clearly got nothing at all to do with the question at hand.