Quad ESL 63 review
TroyD
Posts: 13,077
Associated Gear:
VPI HW-19 MKIII TT (Rega RB300/Dynavector 10x5)
Jolida JD100
Melos SHA-1
Conrad Johnson MV-75A1
MIT cabling/IC's
Let me start off by saying that ever since I heard the Carver Amazings for the first time, I was intrigued by planar-type speakers. So, I'm naturally biased. I first heard a pair of Quads at Galen Audio in San Antonio five or six years ago. It was a relatively short demo but since then, a pair of Quads have been on my short list.
Now, the ESL-63 is a full range affair, meaning there is no crossover to muck things up. But with all things, there are trade offs. One is that if you overdrive these speakers, they protect themselves by shorting out your amp, one reason to choose a tube amp. Anyhow, I'm not going to get into a huge description of the speakers, google them and you'll find more reading on them than you can imagine.
The big question is, how do they sound?
Well, the short answer is this is by a good margin the best pair of speakers that I've had in MY room. More on that later.
As I've said, these are the most transparent and seamless sounding speakers that I have heard to date. Bar none. They present a precise stereo image and soundstage that has incredible depth if not width. Soundstaging has a lot to do with positioning and the farther apart the better.
A word on positioning: sidewalls don't seem to be a factor but they do need to be out from the rear wall a couple feet and not parallel to it. I have mine 2 feet out and angled directly at the listening position. I also have mine up off the floor about a foot. I find them to be relatively room friendly, certainly the closer to ideal positining the better but they are more than listenable in about any position you want.
So, more about the sound. I've been wracking my brain as to how to describe the sound and, well, about all I can come up with is natural. Things sound, to me, how you would expect them to sound. One thing I listen for is metal percussion. If you can get a cymbal to sound like a cymbal, IMHO, the rest is probably in good shape. I was listening to an Eva Cassidy track and there is a cymbal in the background on her rendition Bob Dylan's 'The Letter' that I hadn't really noticed before but the first time I heard it through the Quads, it was pure and righteous. Unlike anything that I've heard it on before.
Much has been made about the crazy amounts of detail that ESL's are capable of. Well, that's true, however, it's not my experience with the Quads. Sure, there is LOTS of detail, however, I don't think that it comes at the expense of the music. I think, overall, that the Quads are more of a music afficianado's speaker than an audiophile speaker. I don't find them to be ruthlessly flat like the DQ-10's were and to a lesser extent the AR-9's. Suffice to say that you can listen to the Quads for hours on end without a hint of listener fatigue.
Okay, so, what can't they do? As I've said, these are my favorite speakers to date but there are limitations.
They will NOT play at ear splitting volumes. You will damage the speakers and/or your gear. I don't enjoy music when I can't hear myself think so this is a non-issue for me.
Bass. Well, I really don't consider this a weakness. I would actually say that as deep as it goes, which I would say is high 30's, easily, in my room. Not bad. Certainly not the AR-9's or the Amazings to be sure, however, what is?? What IS there is as solid and tuneful as you could ask for. There is a sub (Gradient) that is designed specifically for the ESL-63, however, any other sub I've heard, I couldn't imagine doing anything but ruining the continuity of the sound.
They aren't as dynamic as some speakers, I suppose, but short of a couple of Telarc discs (1812, which my TT has issues with as well, Firebird Suite) I just don't see it as a negative. It plays the music I enjoy, just fine.
This is probably one of the more tedious reviews that I've written as I'm trying to come up with adjectives to describe something that, frankly, comes as close to not having a 'sound' as anything I've heard. I can't compare it to any other speaker I've heard, to include the ML's (which as much as I want to like them, don't) Again, in a big room, yeah, I'd take the Amazings along with a 4-5 horsepower amp. In MY room with an all analog rig, I couldn't imagine a speaker sounding any better. Period.
Bring a sixer and pint of Maker's and come on by for a listen.
BDT
VPI HW-19 MKIII TT (Rega RB300/Dynavector 10x5)
Jolida JD100
Melos SHA-1
Conrad Johnson MV-75A1
MIT cabling/IC's
Let me start off by saying that ever since I heard the Carver Amazings for the first time, I was intrigued by planar-type speakers. So, I'm naturally biased. I first heard a pair of Quads at Galen Audio in San Antonio five or six years ago. It was a relatively short demo but since then, a pair of Quads have been on my short list.
Now, the ESL-63 is a full range affair, meaning there is no crossover to muck things up. But with all things, there are trade offs. One is that if you overdrive these speakers, they protect themselves by shorting out your amp, one reason to choose a tube amp. Anyhow, I'm not going to get into a huge description of the speakers, google them and you'll find more reading on them than you can imagine.
The big question is, how do they sound?
Well, the short answer is this is by a good margin the best pair of speakers that I've had in MY room. More on that later.
As I've said, these are the most transparent and seamless sounding speakers that I have heard to date. Bar none. They present a precise stereo image and soundstage that has incredible depth if not width. Soundstaging has a lot to do with positioning and the farther apart the better.
A word on positioning: sidewalls don't seem to be a factor but they do need to be out from the rear wall a couple feet and not parallel to it. I have mine 2 feet out and angled directly at the listening position. I also have mine up off the floor about a foot. I find them to be relatively room friendly, certainly the closer to ideal positining the better but they are more than listenable in about any position you want.
So, more about the sound. I've been wracking my brain as to how to describe the sound and, well, about all I can come up with is natural. Things sound, to me, how you would expect them to sound. One thing I listen for is metal percussion. If you can get a cymbal to sound like a cymbal, IMHO, the rest is probably in good shape. I was listening to an Eva Cassidy track and there is a cymbal in the background on her rendition Bob Dylan's 'The Letter' that I hadn't really noticed before but the first time I heard it through the Quads, it was pure and righteous. Unlike anything that I've heard it on before.
Much has been made about the crazy amounts of detail that ESL's are capable of. Well, that's true, however, it's not my experience with the Quads. Sure, there is LOTS of detail, however, I don't think that it comes at the expense of the music. I think, overall, that the Quads are more of a music afficianado's speaker than an audiophile speaker. I don't find them to be ruthlessly flat like the DQ-10's were and to a lesser extent the AR-9's. Suffice to say that you can listen to the Quads for hours on end without a hint of listener fatigue.
Okay, so, what can't they do? As I've said, these are my favorite speakers to date but there are limitations.
They will NOT play at ear splitting volumes. You will damage the speakers and/or your gear. I don't enjoy music when I can't hear myself think so this is a non-issue for me.
Bass. Well, I really don't consider this a weakness. I would actually say that as deep as it goes, which I would say is high 30's, easily, in my room. Not bad. Certainly not the AR-9's or the Amazings to be sure, however, what is?? What IS there is as solid and tuneful as you could ask for. There is a sub (Gradient) that is designed specifically for the ESL-63, however, any other sub I've heard, I couldn't imagine doing anything but ruining the continuity of the sound.
They aren't as dynamic as some speakers, I suppose, but short of a couple of Telarc discs (1812, which my TT has issues with as well, Firebird Suite) I just don't see it as a negative. It plays the music I enjoy, just fine.
This is probably one of the more tedious reviews that I've written as I'm trying to come up with adjectives to describe something that, frankly, comes as close to not having a 'sound' as anything I've heard. I can't compare it to any other speaker I've heard, to include the ML's (which as much as I want to like them, don't) Again, in a big room, yeah, I'd take the Amazings along with a 4-5 horsepower amp. In MY room with an all analog rig, I couldn't imagine a speaker sounding any better. Period.
Bring a sixer and pint of Maker's and come on by for a listen.
BDT
I plan for the future. - F1Nut
Post edited by TroyD on
Comments
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Nice review, can't wait to hear them. I'll bring the root beer.
Political Correctness'.........defined
"A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."
President of Club Polk -
i'll pretty much concur with that review. with little experience I had with them. I lestened to them for about a half hour at the sellers house in mamaroneck. Natural hits the nail on the head, and bass dug far deeper than I though a speaker like this could. I had a blast soaking these speakers in at that time. no fancy audiophile words, they were just frikkin sweet.
I remember thinking during the demo that while I liked em, they would probably be a little overwhelmed in my large basement, but in Troy's Manncave? I was pretty cerain they would be perfect. guess I was right.
When Troy listened to these at my house when he picked em up, they still sounded great, even in my basement, but i could tell the sound was just short of what I heard in the sellers house. I've said many times my basement can be a sound challenge, couple that with my Amazings occupying the best spot, and none of us in the mood to move them (knowing a pending move of the AR9's from Troy's car to my basement was on the horizen)
funny thing was, I expected them to have little to no Bass in my basement with the positioning we had them in, color me surprised, the Bass was there. Less than I heard in the first demo, ut far better than I thought it would be.
Long story short, I would love to hear these things at your pad Troy, I feel a SC roadtrip down the road Living Room 2 Channel -
Schiit SYS Passive Pre. Jolida CD player. Songbird streamer. California Audio Labs Sigma II DAC, DIY 300as1/a1 Ice modules Class D amp. LSi15 with MM842 woofer upgrade, Nordost Blue Heaven and Unity interconnects.
Upstairs 2 Channel Rig -
Prometheus Ref. TVC passive pre, SAE A-205 Amp, Wiim pro streamer and Topping E50 DAC, California Audio Labs DX1 CD player, Von Schweikert VR3.5 speakers.
Studio Rig - Scarlett 18i20(Gen3) DAW, Mac Mini, Aiyma A07 Max (BridgedX2), Totem Mites -
Very nice review! I've only briefly listened to ESL's, but the first impression was that they were great sounding. Enjoy!DKG999
HT System: LSi9, LSiCx2, LSiFX, LSi7, SVS 20-39 PC+, B&K 507.s2 AVR, B&K Ref 125.2, Tripplite LCR-2400, Cambridge 650BD, Signal Cable PC/SC, BJC IC, Samsung 55" LED
Music System: Magnepan 1.6QR, SVS SB12+, ARC pre, Parasound HCA1500 vertically bi-amped, Jolida CDP, Pro-Ject RM5.1SE TT, Pro-Ject TubeBox SE phono pre, SBT, PS Audio DLIII DAC -
A really nice writeup. Congrats Troy!
How was the image and soundstage when you were standing in the listening position vs sitting in it? Do you lose the image and content?Carl -
Very :cool: BDT. Natural is a great way to describe ESL's. That slogan "is it live or is it Memorex" comes to mind. I closed my eyes the first time I heard ESL speakers and I was there with the musicians. Plain and simple. Great review.Audio: Polk S15 * Polk S35 * Polk S10 * SVS SB-1000 Pro
HT: Samsung QN90B * Marantz NR1510 * Panasonic DMP-BDT220 * Roku Ultra LT * APC H10 -
Great job Troy! Glad you like the Quads! Those are a brand that I have not heard yet.
JoeyMagico M2, JL113v2x2, EMM, ARC Ref 10 Line, ARC Ref 10 Phono, VPIx2, Lyra Etna, Airtight Opus1, Boulder, AQ Wel&Wild, SRA Scuttle Rack, BlueSound+LPS, Thorens 124DD+124SPU, Sennheiser, Metaxas R2R -
It wasn't that long ago you had mentioned wanting a pair of these. Congrats Troy, on your newly aquired nirvana.Halo wrote:I closed my eyes....
I think you ought to get a pair.:cool:
Salk SoundScape 8's * Audio Research Reference 3 * Bottlehead Eros Phono * Park's Audio Budgie SUT * Krell KSA-250 * Harmonic Technology Pro 9+ * Signature Series Sonore Music Server w/Deux PS * Roon * Gustard R26 DAC / Singxer SU-6 DDC * Heavy Plinth Lenco L75 Idler Drive * AA MG-1 Linear Air Bearing Arm * AT33PTG/II & Denon 103R * Richard Gray 600S * NHT B-12d subs * GIK Acoustic Treatments * Sennheiser HD650 * -
That's a thought I've been entertaining. If only I could find a nice pair - they are so rare afterall. :rolleyes:SCompRacer wrote:I think you ought to get a pair.:cool:
Audio: Polk S15 * Polk S35 * Polk S10 * SVS SB-1000 Pro
HT: Samsung QN90B * Marantz NR1510 * Panasonic DMP-BDT220 * Roku Ultra LT * APC H10 -
Troy, great review. From what I heard in Lou's basement they sounded fantastic and are now on the short list of speakers to buy along with the AR9's. Hopefully i get to hear them again in the mancave. Sounds like a roadtrip with Lou with a stop at the liquor store is in store.
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F1nut wrote:Nice review, can't wait to hear them. I'll bring the root beer.
C'mon down, Mr. Self-Employed.
Anyone else? The Ansley Trail Inn is open for bidness.
If you listen to them off-axis you lose a LOT of treble information. The 63 has much better, I'm told, dispersion than the original ESL (57) did (which I've not heard)....so the sweetspot with mine is fairly wide. Get out of it though and you lose the magic. Vertical isn't as much of an issue but, as with any speaker, ear level is a good thing.
BDTI plan for the future. - F1Nut -
I'm glad you're digging them, Troy!TroyD wrote:In MY room with an all analog rig, I couldn't imagine a speaker sounding any better. Period.
I've never heard full range ESLs, but my limited time with hybrids has been very pleasing. By mid-winter, I hope to have the new phono stage in place and revisit that system. The sweet spot, with flat panels, is fairly small (2 feet +/-) and further off-axis suffers appreciably until you move double the height of the listening triangle away. Then, the darn things really start to surprise you.
Enjoy! -
I'd really like to compare the Innersounds with the Quads.....hmmmmmmmmmm.
BDTI plan for the future. - F1Nut -
Really cool write-up Troy. I would love to hear these speakers.I never had it like this where I grew up. But I send my kids here because the fact is you go to one of the best schools in the country: Rushmore. Now, for some of you it doesn't matter. You were born rich and you're going to stay rich. But here's my advice to the rest of you: Take dead aim on the rich boys. Get them in the crosshairs and take them down. Just remember, they can buy anything but they can't buy backbone. Don't let them forget it. Thank you.Herman Blume - Rushmore
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Hop the jump seat to Andrews, I'll pick you up!TroyD wrote:I'd really like to compare the Innersounds with the Quads.....hmmmmmmmmmm. -
Quads.
Hell yeah. I can't wait to visit the Quad setup at CES. I hope the same boys from Germany are there this year, tuggin Jack like LAST year.Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service. -
Nice, and I will take you up on the invite. But, you and Dave are overdue for a trip to the Shed, something rather large landed there recently as well.
Good write up, kinda funny how old rock n roll dudes get an ear for fine music when hair starts growing in our ears.
Congrats Troy.
RT1
