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combwork
19-10-2008, 23:26
Hi. Does anyone know how much it takes to keep a pair of ESL 57s powered up when not in use? Are we talking the equivalent of 100 watt light bulb, 50 watt, 10 watt ??? Some people say they should be left powered up, some say they shouldn't. As usual I'm sitting on the fence, trying to avoid the splinters.

jandl100
20-10-2008, 18:14
I always left mine powered up. Probably explains the melting polar ice caps and the hole in the ozone layer!

I seem to recall they use next to no juice. 10W bulb. But that's a guess.

Ali Tait
20-10-2008, 19:53
I thought mine sounded better after being on for a while,but you should bear in mind that 57's are a vintage item,and as such things like the insulation inside the transformers is an unknown quantity.I would only have them on when you are at home IMHO.Treat them as the vintage item they are.

Primalsea
20-10-2008, 19:54
You should only leave them powered up if they have a circut to stop the panel being charged if there's no signal. This is because the charged panels will attract dust when not in use otherwise. The dust will increase the weight of the panels and muffle details.

Filterlab
23-10-2008, 11:04
My similar MartinLogan Electrostats used to use virtually nothing when on standby, and the transformers used to generate no practicable heat either. However I used to disconnect them when I was away from the house for any long period of time. You could always get the transformers checked for electrical safety to get some peace of mind. :)

Ali Tait
23-10-2008, 19:27
Yes you could Rob,but that would only tell you it's ok at that time! Testing transformers would normally involve running them beyond their nominal rating to prove the internal insulation.They may measure fine at the time,but have been stressed because of the test and fail at a later date.Insulation can become brittle over time in vintage transformers,so IMHO I really wouldn't leave any sort of vintage equipment on when you are not present.In the case of 57's remember the transformers are at least 30 odd years old or even a great deal more.I don't even leave my modern valve amps on when I'm not there.Please note I'm only trying to keep peeps safe,not just shout you down.:)

Filterlab
24-10-2008, 08:21
That's fine matey, I'm no electrical expert. You're right of course, it follows the same principal of an MOT - it's only OK on that day, however an electrical engineer would be able to spot potential problems that someone may miss. I'm with you on leaving vintage stuff not powered on though, modern electronics are built to deal with a lot more than electronics were 50 years ago.

David Price
26-10-2008, 16:27
I think my ESL-989s are a mere 6W, or suchlike; so negligible drain. Still, I'd say you should never leave electrical equipment on when you're out, or when you're asleep, if not necessary, simply for safety reasons. I know there's a low chance of anything catching fire, but when it's off there's NO chance. I recently made an insurance claim for a flood (!), and asked my insurance assessor what her most regular domestic claims were for. Surprisingly, she said it was TVs and 'hi-fis' (her words) left on standby, catching fire... Practically speaking then, probably best to turn on the Quads as soon as you get back from work, along with your amp, etc., then leave them on all evening for that late night listening sesh... then switch off.

i_should_coco
06-11-2008, 23:08
The ESL-57s power draw should be negligible when switched on, just enough to keep the panels charged to compensate for charge bleeding off (they're basically a capacitor).

The problem with switching them off for a while is that the panels need time to re-charge and I found it took 24 hrs or so for the treble to come in right.

Barry
22-09-2014, 16:18
Apart from a few power cuts and two moves of location, my Quad 57s have been powered up for the last forty years! The power consumption is 6W; however most of that is transformer dissipation. The current drawn to maintain the static charge is miniscule (probably only a few microamps).

Yes, the transformer insulation is getting old and could breakdown at any time, but the metal grills are earthed and the mains lead fused (with a 3A fuse). There is more risk in switching them on each time you use them due to the current in-rush which will stress both the diodes and capacitors of the voltage quadrupler. It also takes about twenty minutes to fully charge up the speakers.

Peter Walker (of Quad and designer of the speakers) left his powered up; only switching them off when he went away on holiday.



Although not asked in the OP, I also leave all my preamplifiers (including phonostages and head amps) permanently powered up.

Oldpinkman
22-09-2014, 16:46
Laugh - I nearly bought a round

You know, I've left mine on since getting them, and I am a committed die-hard militant switcher-offer.

Bless me. I'll have to give this some thought. :scratch: