Quad electrostatic speakers / Quad 11 amps

[Audio Al]

Hi

I have the opportunity to purchase 2 of these speakers

went to see and have a listen

condition was average ( in my opinion )

one noticeable concern was that one speaker was quieter than the other and at one point stopped working , but later started working again

They were connected to the quad 11 amps

so I had no way of telling if it was the amp or speakers playing up ?

Can you get these items serviced / repaired ?
if so can anyone recommend a place to contact


Also any idea on a value for 2 amps and 2 speakers

Thanks

[Macca]

Which Quad Electrostatics? There are quite a few different models. I am guessing you are talking about the original one aka the ESL57?

[Audio Al]

Which Quad Electrostatics? There are quite a few different models. I am guessing you are talking about the original one aka the ESL57?

Yes ESL57

[Macca]

Classique sounds in Leicester do refurbs for the ESL57, not sure about cost, I'm guessing about £500 you will have to check the site. Paul there is a straight bloke I did some busines with him way back in the '90s.

If you are handy then you can buy a refurb kit form Australia, Graham (Northwest) is the man to speak to about this as he has the kit, not sure if he has started on it yet though.

Price-wise I have been looking at some recently myself out of interest. Not working 100% and in tatty condition around £400 seems to be the level. The Quad 11 amps are real collecters vintage stuff, quite sought after, but not I've seen any sold recently. I would guess at around £300- £500 the pair if all original. Hope that is some help.

[Audio Al]

OK Martin

Thanks

The asking price for the57's is £400
and the Quad 11 is £700 so maybe a bit OTT

Thanks

[DSJR]

I'd push for far less if the speakers are duff. ONE THING AUDIO are the people for all Quad 57 and 63 refurbs in the UK and I understand that Quad themselves use them now (and possibly Classique Sounds do as well, since OTA have the proper tooling to re-manufacture the panels I believe).

As for the amps, they're collectors items now really and will fetch whatever the physical condition allows. I love my rebuilt II's but acknowledge that they're completely outclassed by modern amps today, have limted ability at the frequency extremes and compress all too easily on musical peaks, but it's the way they "go wrong in all the right places" that I admire so much from them in all honesty, although the old preamp is awfully veiled by today's standards unless all but rebuilt and even then.......... In reality, for 57's, a 303 with modern preamp would be a far better bet and a Croft Micro Basic and 303 for restoration could be had for around £500 - 600. Net Audio and my faves, Dada Electronics are an excellent source of replacement amp boards and the latter too for cap kits etc to refurb existing boards...

If it MUST be valves :) then maybe a WD kit or the lovely sweet sounding icon Audio amps can be looked at, the latter I saw, coming with detailed instructions and packaging, a warranty, solid build and, I think, a fair price.. You could maybe ask them how the smaller integrateds would behave into the load, which is 2 ohms at very high frequencies and capacitive with it.

[Macca]

.......... In reality, for 57's, a 303 with modern preamp would be a far better bet and a Croft Micro Basic and 303 for restoration could be had for around £500 - 600..

Having heard that very combo (Croft micro - Quad 303 - ESL57) at Graham's place I can vouch that it sounds truly special, mid-range in particular is unrealistically realistic, if that makes sense ;)

[walpurgis]

Reduced output may likely mean a failing rectifier. Had the same thing on mine and rebuilt the rectifier myself, not difficult if you're a bit handy. I'm sure there'll be project info on the net. Geoff.

[northwest]

Having heard that very combo (Croft micro - Quad 303 - ESL57) at Graham's place I can vouch that it sounds truly special, mid-range in particular is unrealistically realistic, if that makes sense ;)

Why, thank you Martin, I do know you liked the sound it produced.
Well, to answer your question I need to go 'round the houses a bit. Without producing a list of speakers I have owned, these are - by far - the best speakers I have ever owned for midrange and the sound stage they produce is just freaky. But this is all the time and every time. There is a snag though, the "sweet spot" is short and narrow. And they don't do big rooms well though the answer there is to stack them.
I looked into the whole thing before I set off down the ESL route and passed on a couple of pairs before I bought my pair.
I bought the whole rebuild kit - everything - from Rob in Australia and so far I have about £700 in the deal but there are still the legs and the Speaker Cloth to pay for (in fairness, the legs will stand me nothing as I am using materials I have and I am doing them myself) but when you are able to do this yourself - it is NOT that difficult, just a bit daunting if you have never done anything like it before - you end up with a pair of world class iconic speakers that you will struggle to better. IF and only if, you present them with the proper load and I think I am doing that.
Martin also commented while he was at mine that the system presented the music in a way that made the whole listening experience "easy" (perhaps he would care to elaborate on that) but I do know that I can relax in front of my system and just enjoy the music, which is the whole idea as far as I am concerned!
I would also recommend a visit to Sheldons Quad ESL pages (really helpful guy) and look at his website: http://www.quadesl.com/

This is something like the design I am aiming at on these pages: http://quadesl.nl/en/esl-57-refurbishment.html

I am going to start my refurb on June the 22nd and you never know, I might do a bit of an article about it!

[Audio Al]

Well I have taken the plunge ( at a reduced price ) and will be collecting by next weekend :)

so now would like to ask advice on a cost affective pre amp

Please remember I am relatively new at this :scratch: and have not just won the Euro lottery

I need to be able to connect my Technics SL 1200 MK 11 / CD / Tuner and have a aux for a DAC for I tunes

Dont want much do I :D

[DSJR]

Croft Micro Basic at £400 - for a NEW item, a total no-brainer! Glenn could also cast his eye over the II's as well and at least service them or even completely rebuild them (as he did mine) should you so desire later on. If you're lucky, better model used Croft pre's do come up from time to time.

[Barry]

Well I have taken the plunge ( at a reduced price ) and will be collecting by next weekend :)

so now would like to ask advice on a cost affective pre amp

Please remember I am relatively new at this :scratch: and have not just won the Euro lottery

I need to be able to connect my Technics SL 1200 MK 11 / CD / Tuner and have a aux for a DAC for I tunes

Don't want much do I :D

Well done Al! Quite frankly at £400 for a pair of Quad 57's, you would have been a fool not to! :eek:

I have used a pair of Quad 57's for nearly 40 years (original and unmodified) and wouldn't change them for anything else. True they have their limitations and shortcomings, that are well known. But what they do well, is so important to me I can put up with the shortcomings.

I have tried various amplifiers with my Quads. These being:

Quad II 15W valve monoblocks
Quad 50E 50W monoblocks
Quad 303W/channel
Quad 405/1 , heavily modified and voltage limited to 50W/channel
Quad 405/2 , lightly modified and voltage limited to 50W/channel
Electrocompaniet "The Two Channel Amplifier", Class A 25W/channel.

Of the above, by far the best was the Electrocompaniet design. Unfortunately it was not that well built, ran very hot and had a reputation for unreliability.

One amp that I would love to try is either of the original Radford STA15 or STA25 valve designs.

Whatever power amp you choose to use, it is very important the maximum voltage swing at the speaker terminals is no more than 20V rms or 28V peak-to-peak. There is an overvoltage limiter that can be fitted to the speakers (placed across the secondary windings of the transformer), but it, in my opinion, provides security against possible damage to the detriment of sound quality.

[DSJR]

A good pair of 57's with limiter fitted and a 606 driving them sounded far better - free-er - less fettered than the same speakers un-limited and a carefully used 405-2 without internal limiters fitted. Just my view, but I think Jazzbones may know who owns the system..

[Barry]

A good pair of 57's with limiter fitted and a 606 driving them sounded far better - free-er - less fettered than the same speakers un-limited and a carefully used 405-2 without internal limiters fitted. Just my view, but I think Jazzbones may know who owns the system..

Sorry, I have to disagree. Voltage limiters fitted to the speakers must and do affect sound quality, for exactly the resons you say: they sound 'restricted'. I have heard people say fitting the voltage limiting resistors to the 405 power amps has a similar effect. Which is worse I cannot say: I've had my Quads for nearly 40 years, and I'm not going to put them at risk by removing the overvoltage resistors from my amp.

The safest route would be to use a power amp whose voltage rails are no more than 25V. That way it is not possible to overload the '57s

But all of this is IMHO.

Regards

[Audio Al]

Croft Micro Basic at £400 - for a NEW item, a total no-brainer! Glenn could also cast his eye over the II's as well and at least service them or even completely rebuild them (as he did mine) should you so desire later on. If you're lucky, better model used Croft pre's do come up from time to time.

Going for a Demo on the Croft Micro Basic tomorrow and also a DAC :D

at my nearest dealers Audioflair London