~ Excellent speed, dynamics, and bass range, especially for its size. ~ Images/soundstages very well. ~ Finish is outstanding. Can easily compete with other finely-veneered brands such as Avalon, B&W, JM Labs, ProAc, Sonus Faber, Thiel, Vienna Acoustics, etc. For their price, I'd say they rate "5 Stars - Bargain, Giant-Killer".

~ Fairly low efficiency, but very acceptable. ~ Somewhat hardened lower midrange when pushed.

This is for the 11L (Yew finish), mounted on Lovan Affinity II stands. See Yew finish on the "10L" review page. These are very capable 2-way mini's, but I guess that by now, with all of the different speakers I've had over the years, I've become somewhat "spoiled" for more output, greater bass extension, and a more refined lower midrange. Thought I could get away with it, but you can't circumvent the laws of physics! But having said that, the Quad 11L's have come as close to cheating Mr. Newton as any "mini-monitor" I've yet heard - especially if you consider the box size, the 5" driver, and the price. For instance, IMO the 11L handily whips the ProAc Response 1SC in many areas, at what - a third of the price? No easy feat that! Just don't drive the 11L harder than I'd say around 50-60 w.p.c., or else they'll get a bit harsh. I think that's in part due to the way they're "voiced", which is to say: stronger output in the mid/upper bass range, which then doesn't leave much room for the mids to remain linear when driven to higher output levels. These are pretty transparent little speakers also, and I know what "transparent" is supposed to sound like, having owned 'Logan CLSII's and a REL Stentor III. Too bad Quad has lately discontinued the Yew wood finish: it's superb if you like the orange-brown color. However, when I got these, I was expecting the somewhat more pronounced grain pattern that I've seen on other Yew finishes (ProAc). But I suppose that's picking nits. If you want a very well done mini - by all means get these!! I think they're one of the best values in their size range, and probably as good a sound as you'll ever get from a small 5.25" 2-way. Judged against their peers in their size-range, and compared to some speakers twice as expensive or more, I'd have to give them a "5-Star - Far better than you imagined" Overall.

Similar Products Used:

a/d/s L990, Quad 21L, Martin-Logan CLSIIa + Entec LFX, Magnepan Tympani IV-D & 2.6R, Apogee Stage, REL StentorIII/StadiumIII, JM Labs 924, B&W Nautilus 805/804/803, DM, LM series, JBL 4412, KEF C80, Mission, Bos. Acou., etc.

Musicality, very clear midband, vocals feel in the room with you. Gorgeous looks and very compact.

yes, slightly light in the bass dept - but timing is spot on which helps you forget about it after a short while. Probably not the top choice for dub reggae fans though!

The UK press reviews are correct, for the money I was unable to find any speakers with the same combination of transparency, clarity and sheer musicality. Add to that the gorgeous finish (I have the birds eye maple) and this is a terrific buy. I'm sure these speakers are capable of revealing even more if partnered with top end electronics, but for now I'm very happy with my choice.

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Head to head test against comparable price and one bracket up including Monitor Audio, B&W, Tannoy all left me with a feeling that the Quads had the edge in extracting the last bit of detail.

Beautiful soundstage, warm and detailed, gorgeous finish, biwirable.

None to speak of.

I used a pair of Mission 772, but found them disappointing, then bought a pair of Tannoy M2 in a sale. This was quite an improvement, but then I read these raving reviews on the Quad 11L and decided to order a pair. I had to wait for a few weeks, since demand was bigger than stock apparently. I have used them at first with the Onkyo receiver, which was a great improvement over the Mission and Tannoy speakers. But now I have linked the Onkyo reciever to my older Rotel amplifier and the sound is astounding for such a small speaker. Great clarity and a very detailed soundstage. Bass is good considering the size. It is certainly the best sounding small speaker I have had so far in my listening career.

Similar Products Used:

Mission 772 Tannoy M2

All around great speaker sound especially in the mid range. Great exterior/lacquered finish.

Bass, but they're bookshelf speakers.

I was lucky enough to get these new at a bargain price. There isn't much to dislike about the Quad 11Ls. Most of the reviews in teh British press are on the mark (this was speaker of the year for a couple of Brit Mags). Wonderful sounding bookshelf speakers. Very clean, crisp sound. They aren't overwhelming but they'll fill a medium size room easily. I found that placing them a little over a foot and a half from the wall improved the sound tremendously. The lacquered finish deserves a special mention. I recieved the piano finish. Not my first choice but the quality is so high I can't imagine not having them. Quad 11Ls are a great little speaker. So much so that I'm now looking for the 12Ls or 21Ls.

Similar Products Used:

Wharfedale, Bozak, Polk