Electrostatic/Planar Speakers

[Ninanina]

Believe it or not my plinths are still not supporting my Maggies... it's a nightmare but it's all down to Colin not being that great at the moment...

However I still love the Maggie sound even in their rubbish placement..

I am completely hooked on their sound and I know there is more to come once they are correctly placed & supported ...

I absolutely love them and they are definitely my best ever hifi purchase

[User211]

Maggie May - get some stands, Rod Stewart reference intentional!!!

[Ninanina]

Maggie May - get some stands, Rod Stewart reference intentional!!!

Indeed Justin

[Caber10]

I have a pair of ESL 63s and they sound great. I added Gradient subwoofers with their active crossover and it sounds so good I can't imagine I could get better. I do have a large room and have plenty space behind the speakers. If you liked 57s you will find 63s even better and without the incredibly narrow distribution. Currently I am driving these with a pair of Quad 303s one for the high range and one for the low. when I got the Gradients they were mis wired so that the two speakers were acting against each other.Even with these out of circuit the 63s sounded much better through the crossover I guess taking Low Frequency load off them helps with clarity and detail.

They are big even more so sat on the Gradients so if you don't have a big room they may not work so well for you.

Caber10

[Pharos]

It is funny how opinions differ, I heard the 63s at a friend's house and was left with the impression that the instruments were all distributed along axes central to each speaker, at various positions on those axes up to a couple of feet in front and behind each speaker.

[Barry]

It is funny how opinions differ, I heard the 63s at a friend's house and was left with the impression that the instruments were all distributed along axes central to each speaker, at various positions on those axes up to a couple of feet in front and behind each speaker.

So all 'left and right' with no central image? Sounds like they might have been wired out of phase with one another - but I'm sure you would have checked that.

[Ninanina]

Can I ask anyone 'in the know' whether a Croft amplifier of 45 - 50 watts will drive the Maggies?

[Sherwood]

Can I ask anyone 'in the know' whether a Croft amplifier of 45 - 50 watts will drive the Maggies?

I know I will sound like a broken record on this, but Maggies only come alive (IMHO) when driven by a high current amplifier. I am a big fan of Croft amps and had some myself in the past.

Maggies can sound fine when driven by valve amps at low to moderate levels, but struggle to cope on musical peaks or to produce a convincing bass performance. I would suggest that you try and borrow such an amp to reveal the true potential of this speaker.

I don't know what your budget is, but something like a Quad 909 would work.

Geoff

[Ninanina]

I know I will sound like a broken record on this, but Maggies only come alive (IMHO) when driven by a high current amplifier. I am a big fan of Croft amps and had some myself in the past.

Maggies can sound fine when driven by valve amps at low to moderate levels, but struggle to cope on musical peaks or to produce a convincing bass performance. I would suggest that you try and borrow such an amp to reveal the true potential of this speaker.

I don't know what your budget is, but something like a Quad 909 would work.

Geoff

Thanks Geoff
So the Croft won't work then ?

I'll maybe take a look at the Quad

[Sherwood]

Thanks Geoff
So the Croft won't work then ?

I'll maybe take a look at the Quad

By all means give it a try, it may just work, but my experience has been that most valve amps are not a great match. I mentioned the Quad as something that is easily sourced, but there are other options. What is your budget?

Geoff