Quad ESL63 wonder and advice

[wojtek]

Hello all,

I have just bought some original used esl 63’s. A 30minute drive from the seller’s home lying flat which they thankfully survived unscathed. They were very affordable (less than my headphones), but knowing of course the panels could fail whenever given they are 40 years old.

I guess one point to make is just the sense of wonder. Such wonderful wonderful big sound when listening to strings, orchestra, jazz, voices. Even low midrange in electronic music but of course without the bottom end thump. Easily low enough for a cello C string with just the most amazing texture. The treble isn’t as silvery and tingly as it is with normal drivers but if anything it makes it less fatiguing.

Three questions for folk who know about these -

1. Picking up and moving the speakers I can hear a crinkly sound. This is the membrane flexing presumably as the frame is famously not that rigid? Or is that sound a worry?

2. I’m using a 50W el34 valve amp to power them ( a papworth tva10). Are any of the new age digital amps (Nord etc) good at driving them without losing the valvey soundstage /midrange ? Without blowing them up ideally.

3. I have them in the corners of a rectangular room across the wider wall if that makes sense, trying to move them away from the wall when listening. But I just wanted to check if I should be moving them as little as possibly owing to the fragility of the membranes?

Thank you for any advice!

[Macca]

You should get good results with a modern class D amp like Nord (note these are not 'digital' amplifiers). With valve amp use the 4 ohm tap if there is that option.

I'd use them set up across the width rather than the length of the room - if possible - and the exact centre of the panel should be level with your ears for best results.

Sorry, I can't answer your other two questions.

[Barry]

I would agree with Martin. Use them across the width of your room, about 2 metre away from the rear wall. Avoid placing them in corners.

Yes, the frames of the '63s are less than perfectly rigid, yet are strong enough to be handled during positioning.
If it is of some reassurance, the frames are no less rigid than those of my '57s, yet they are nearly sixty years old and have 'survived' three house moves.

[wojtek]

Thanks!

I’m not that knowledgeable about how those amps handle low impedance, good to know.