[Audio_Empire[_2_]]

On Friday, October 25, 2013 6:29:33 AM UTC-7, wrote:
Iv'e said it before and I'll say it again. The ESL 57 reproduces the midr=
ange more realistically tham any other loudspeaker extant. This includes al=
l the big boys - Magico q7, Wilson Audio whatever, Martin logan clx et al,a=
ll other Quads and insert your favourite speaker here. Don't bother to as=
k if I've heard all of the above pretenders to the quads "it's alive" thron=
e. Of course I haven't. I've heard Wilsons live(Wamm.Watt puppy 5 or some s=
uch), Martin Logan (some entry level efforts whose model #s I forgit), Magi=
co q7 (on youtube along with countless others).=20
=20
=20
=20
This post is not so much to dismiss my opinion as it is to solicitate you=
rs. Specifically, in the context of the complete listening experience have =
you found any loudspeaker before or after that clearly betters the quad's a=
bility to deliver a "the thing sounds alive" reaction from its listeners?=
=20
=20
=20
=20
ESTG/
=20
A quad esl63 owner..........

First a question: What do you mean when you say that you have listened to t=
hese=20
various speakers on "YouTube"? Do you mean that you use Youtube audio as a =
source
or that you actually listen to these various speakers via YouTube videos of=
them playing?
To tell you the truth, neither explanation makes any real sense. So, if you=
mean something=20
else, I at least, would really like to know what it is.

I had a set of stacked ESL "57's" for about three months one time (I think =
the system was=20
made a by a company called Hartley). The system consisted of two floor-stan=
ding bass=20
enclosures with a frame that stuck-up on either side to hold two pairs of =
ESL57s, mounted=20
bottom-to-bottom. Because both speakers are curved, with the tops sitting f=
urther back=20
than the bottoms, the effect was of a barrel-shaped speaker mounted between=
two=20
stanchions like a free-standing blackboard. Between the two ESL 57's was a =
strip of wood=20
with a Decca ribbon tweeter centered between the two ESL panels.=20

Like you, I thought the midrange was glorious! I was less impressed with ho=
w the woofers
merged with the ESL panels or how the ESL panels merged with the ribbon twe=
eters. I was also
frustrated by the fact that the speakers wouldn't play very loudly before a=
t least one of the 4
ESL panels would arc over with a snap!

As for their place in history, ESL57s were landmark speakers, no doubt abou=
t it, but to=20
compare them favorably with modern electrostatic designs like the Martin Lo=
gan CLS is=20
just very unrealistic. While the ESL57s had marvelous mids, the lower midra=
nge and bass was=20
laughable and and the highs were beamy didn't give much above about 12 KHz.=
OTOH,=20
the CLS have even better mid-range plus the advantage of extending the exce=
llence and=20
coherence of electrostatics down to below 60 Hz and all the way out to well=
beyond 20 KHz.

Also, the M-L CLS will play at realistic volumes, do not beam, and have low=
er overall distortion.
Heck, I suspect that a pair of Martin-Logan Electromotions ($2100/pair) wil=
l outperform a pair
of ESL57s in every way a speaker can be outperformed.

I have no experience (other than hearing them at shows and in Hi-Fi salons)=
with the ESL63s or
newer Quad speakers, but I'll still bet that any modern electrostatic Marti=
n-Logan design=20
will outperform them. And I'll go so far as to make you another bet. If you=
placed a pair of=20
refurbished and perfectly functioning Quad ESL 57s next to a pair of Magnep=
an's SMGs (under=20
$700/pair) and even the SMGs will outperform the ESLs in midrange and every=
where else,=20
including bass and top-end.