I could not resist using the above title for my query. I have recently
purchased all Quad equipment, i.e. 99 CD player, pre-amp and 909
amplifier.
Up to now I have been using B and W Speakers but have now bought a
second hand pair of Quad ESL 63's which are also owned by a friend of
mine who raves about them.
Having got used to the different sound of them, especially in my first
love, classical music, I have been puzzled by the lack of volume, some
distortion and also the need to run my 909 at a higher level.
I have now discovered from Quad my 63's have lost sensitivity and may
have a panel problem, (please excuse my layman's description). I have
about half the volume of my friends speakers and my 909 which is usually
hot even on standby, seems to get exceedingly hot when using the 63's.
I have decided to send them back to the dealer so that he in turn can
deliver them to Quad for a complete check-up.

My queries really are, first of all, why is my friends Quad amplifier
quite cold in operation and standby, I understand its an older and
smaller powered 303, (or some such number). Quad tell me its normal for
the 909 to be hot, but how hot, as mine is almost untouchable when under
power and I can smell the new paint on it.
Has anyone any idea why my friends ESL's are so powerful and punchy and
mine are not and with a 3 months guarantee on my speakers just starting,
where do I stand, I paid £1295 for them and I feel that especially the
ESL's should not be sold by a dealer supposedly in good working order,
when they are quite obviously in need of servicing. I am certain that
they "will" give me a good service when I go back to them but should
they not have done so before selling them in the first place. Only I
have a knowledgeable friend who owns 63's that I can use as a benchmark,
I might never have discovered their faults and how for they fell short
of their full potential.
Your views would be greatly appreciated.
--
Derrick Fawsitt

Derrick Fawsitt said:

I have decided to send them back to the dealer so that he in turn can
deliver them to Quad for a complete check-up.


They should be repaneled.
If you bought them with a full warranty, the dealer should pay for the
costs, which would amount about $1000 per panel.


My queries really are, first of all, why is my friends Quad amplifier
quite cold in operation and standby, I understand its an older and
smaller powered 303, (or some such number). Quad tell me its normal for
the 909 to be hot, but how hot, as mine is almost untouchable when under
power and I can smell the new paint on it.


That is simply too hot for any amp.
I have no experience with the 909, but if that amp is designed along
the lines of the 606, 405 and 303, it is biased in class AB and as
such, shouldn't get too hot under normal conditions.

Try the 909 with your friend's 63s and see if it gets too hot, too.
If so, there's probably something wrong with it.

--

"Audio as a serious hobby is going down the tubes."
- Howard Ferstler, 25/4/2005

In message , Sander deWaal
writes
Derrick Fawsitt said:

I have decided to send them back to the dealer so that he in turn can
deliver them to Quad for a complete check-up.


They should be repaneled.
If you bought them with a full warranty, the dealer should pay for the
costs, which would amount about $1000 per panel.


My queries really are, first of all, why is my friends Quad amplifier
quite cold in operation and standby, I understand its an older and
smaller powered 303, (or some such number). Quad tell me its normal for
the 909 to be hot, but how hot, as mine is almost untouchable when under
power and I can smell the new paint on it.


That is simply too hot for any amp.
I have no experience with the 909, but if that amp is designed along
the lines of the 606, 405 and 303, it is biased in class AB and as
such, shouldn't get too hot under normal conditions.

Try the 909 with your friend's 63s and see if it gets too hot, too.
If so, there's probably something wrong with it.

A lot to digest and thank you for the above. I will be putting back my
old B and W's today and then will be better able to test the temperature
of the amp, thank you again.
--
Derrick Fawsitt

In message , Signal
writes
"Signal" emitted :

"Derrick Fawsitt" emitted :

I could not resist using the above title for my query. I have recently
purchased all Quad equipment, i.e. 99 CD player, pre-amp and 909
amplifier.
Up to now I have been using B and W Speakers but have now bought a
second hand pair of Quad ESL 63's which are also owned by a friend of
mine who raves about them.
Having got used to the different sound of them, especially in my first
love, classical music, I have been puzzled by the lack of volume, some
distortion and also the need to run my 909 at a higher level.
I have now discovered from Quad my 63's have lost sensitivity and may
have a panel problem, (please excuse my layman's description). I have
about half the volume of my friends speakers and my 909 which is usually
hot even on standby, seems to get exceedingly hot when using the 63's.
I have decided to send them back to the dealer so that he in turn can
deliver them to Quad for a complete check-up.

My queries really are, first of all, why is my friends Quad amplifier
quite cold in operation and standby, I understand its an older and
smaller powered 303, (or some such number). Quad tell me its normal for
the 909 to be hot, but how hot, as mine is almost untouchable when under
power and I can smell the new paint on it.
Has anyone any idea why my friends ESL's are so powerful and punchy and
mine are not and with a 3 months guarantee on my speakers just starting,
where do I stand, I paid £1295 for them and I feel that especially the
ESL's should not be sold by a dealer supposedly in good working order,
when they are quite obviously in need of servicing. I am certain that
they "will" give me a good service when I go back to them but should
they not have done so before selling them in the first place. Only I
have a knowledgeable friend who owns 63's that I can use as a benchmark,
I might never have discovered their faults and how for they fell short
of their full potential.
Your views would be greatly appreciated.

Where did you buy them? A dealer who resells ESLs should really be
qualified to detect faults like this. Example of going rate for ESL63s
needing attention can be found here :

http://www.badaweb.co.uk/showroom-li...dioconsultants

Under UK consumer law you were entitled to a refund, but I'm not sure
now you've returned them for servicing. I'd be looking for something
in writing at this stage, if there are any doubts..

I read in the uk group that the dealer is trustworthy and getting them
back up to speed, so ignore the above and enjoy your reconditioned
ESLs when they are returned :-)
Yes, thanks, but I have found your link very interesting, thank you so
much.
--
Derrick Fawsitt