Quad ESL 63 Floorstanding Speakers
Quad ESL 63 Floorstanding Speakers
USER REVIEWS
[Jan 31, 2019]
in phase
Strength:
Staging paints a perfect image of the engineers studio.0 color. Weakness:
Hates Humidity on the west coast of Canada. Price Paid: 1200 us
Purchased: Used
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[Dec 25, 2018]
Belien
Strength:
I just have them and still doing a lot of listening. Until now really impressed by the sound. It doesn’t matter from Allison Krauss is breathtaking. Weakness:
Getting your wife convinced they should be in the living room can be a bit challenging;-) Purchased: Used
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[Aug 26, 2017]
Ralph John Steinberg
AudioPhile
Although I was quite happy with the Martin-Logan Sequels, I have dreamed of owning Quad ESL's since 1981. I finally decided to upgrade to full range electrostatics, so I purchased a pair of ESL-63's from One Thing Audio, who specializes in rebuilding Quad speakers and bringing them up to current audio specifications. WHY DIDN'T I GET THESE SPEAKERS YEARS AGO?????? These transducers sound only like real music, no more, no less. Of course, One Thing Audio is to be praised for making a legendary speaker into a PERFECT legendary speaker. I hear no problems with low volume, shy bass, or head in a vice directionality. And unlike any speaker I have ever heard, they get you into the emotional content of the music; I listened to Igor Levit's recording of the Beethoven Piano Sonata #31 and was NEVER as moved by the music and the performance as much as when I heard it over the Quads. That is the highest praise any music (notice I don't say AUDIO) component could garner. And again, 50% of the praise goers to the basic design, and the other 50 goes to One Thing Audio. I will never own any other speakers, I am what I'd call QUADIFIED! |
[Apr 03, 2010]
servicef
AudioPhile
With my association with audio stores I have been able to preview numerous speaker and amp combinations. Of all those that I have listened to, the Quad 63 and its later varients, along with the esl 57 presents the closest approced to the original sound.
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[Jan 30, 2009]
groland
AudioPhile
I bought my ESL-63s about nine months ago. In my many years of audio exploration, I have owned many other speakers. During the last four years, I have had PSB Stratus Golds, Magneplanar MG 1.6QRs, Klipschorns, Thiel CS 3.6s and the Quad ESL-63s. The Quads are the only ones left in my listening room. That may say enough right there.
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[Dec 18, 2008]
Wempie Pauned
Casual Listener
Strength:
Especially vocal may be the best, instrument almost no coloration added. Able to reproduct some missing tones on cone speaker, especially fast tones.
Weakness:
Low sensitivty and need high power amplifier to drive to match the listener's listening level. At high level volume in high humidity may cause spark on the panels. Limited bass level at large room. Quad ESL63 sound very close to original sound, no coloration added and the most interesting is non fatiquing for hours of listening. Customer Service Quad Huntingdon - England after sales service ce is very good and responsive. Not only for their amplifier but also for ESL-63 parts. Similar Products Used: Magnepan MG? |
[Feb 21, 2005]
franksmith
Audio Enthusiast
Strength:
If you can affort them (including possible reparation), you can live with what i describe in weaknesses, I cannot see anything like them that I heard in shows and stores and don't cost more than my car.
Weakness:
Large, need big room, need to be rised from the floor. Dipolar, can be hard to position and may need absorbant panel behind them. They need very stable power with a lot of reserve. I use a old mcintosh amp with superb result at raisonable price. I had many speakers in the last 5 years mostly totem, elipson, klipsh. On some occasion i got to listen to esl-57 and esl-63 and they slowly grow in me. Each time i was amazed by them. One of the best setup i ever heard was based on esl-63 with good stands in a very big basement. More i was searching for my sound, more i was interested to electrostatic speakers. In another hand i was affraid of the high cost maintnance and reliability of the quad and find some flaw on mangnepan speaker exept on very high-end ones. I finaly I found a good deal and take my chance on a recently rebuilded pair who seem to sound good in the very small seller room. At home it was simply a revelation, any speakers i even own was simply forgeten in a couple days of listning. With position tweaking (lot of space on the back and from sidewall), rising them 14 inches and using the 16 ohms tap on my amp and I'm now in my nirvana. They certainly don't lack in bass, the mids are sweet as hell and instruments really sound like they should. All thoses years that i wanted them but was too afraid to buy a pair ... Thoses speakers are for real music lover, not for excesive purist. Similar Products Used: Nothing with standard driver if you are in that kind of sound except some back loaded horn designs. |
[May 26, 2004]
kb0000
AudioPhile
Strength:
Awesome imaging, inner detail, transient response, and vast sound stage. Most like real music of any speaker ever.
Weakness:
These ain't cheap. Go to eBay after searching the web for how to tell a fried panel. My first pair of ESL-63 speakers were the original International Monitors, serial # 5000s. These were purchased in England years before a modified ESL-63 was sold in the USA as the US Monitor. After 22 years, one of them developed a leaking capacitor which makes weird noises, and I replaced it with ESL-63 USA Monitors (serial # 21,000s), an upgraded version of the originals. The original ESL 63 was the best speaker ever made, especially for classical music. The US Monitor is better, being a bit more open. These speakers are not fussy unless they are over powered. If you have pop music induced hearing loss, you won't like them. Quads roll off from 40 Hz (which is pretty good bass unless you are a hard rock nut), and a little low base boost makes sense, but running the Quads through a crossover is not a good idea, it only makes things worse. I built my own subwoofer with its own amp that rolls off -6db between 30 and 40 Hz, and the signal is terminated at 40 Hz. That way. in only adds bass in the region where the Quads roll off without taking anything away from the Quads. Similar Products Used: MacIntosh, Quad, Adcom, Tandberg, Berning, Crown, and Marantz amps. Magnavox, Sony, JVC, CEC cd players. Ariston 400 turntable/Ortofon OM-40 mm cartridge. |
[Jul 05, 2003]
mchpeters
AudioPhile
Strength:
Transparent, "open window" reproducers of the natural timbre of acoustic instruments and voice, if faithfully recorded. Beautiful mid-range fidelity. Wide,stable soundstage.
Weakness:
Lack the "punch" of dynamic speakers. Difficult to blend-in a dynamic subwoofer. Require a lot of space around the speakers. I purchased my new Quad ESL 63s with "Stand and Deliver" stands in late 1979, along with a Janis 15" W-1 Subwoofer and crossover/amp. In 1988 I traded them for a pair of ESL 63 USA Monitors. They have always been driven by Audio Research M100 tube monoblocks and an ARC SP-9 hybrid preamp. After 14 years, this system continues to thrill me with the transparent, holographic delivery of beautiful music, especially with the acoustic classical and jazz performances now becoming available using the new DSD SACD recording. The Quads deliver astonishly real(true) voice, piano and woodwind sound, and with a well-blended sub do not seem to slight the musically deep bass notes on the DSD disks. I have an all-digital Meridian home theater surround sound system, which is really great for movie sound as well as music, but it can't input the DSD multichannel SACDs, so I prefer my Quad ESL63/tube system for stereo listening to these super-fidelity recordings and other good analog source material like Direct-to-Disk and high quality vinyl. Over these many years, I have had no problem with the speakers deteriorating. Similar Products Used: VPI T.T., Souther Linear Tracking Arm, Koetsu MC Pickup, Sony SCD-777es SACD |
[Jun 23, 2003]
Edmund Rigby
AudioPhile
Strength:
Satisfying natural sound
Weakness:
Damnably unreliable (especially if you live in a humid clime). Arguably (but please don't) the best speaker ever made - including the 988 & 989. I respond to Juan Romero's review of June 18th ,2003. I agree with everything he said except his comments re the ESL57. I heard these several years ago but cannot remember how they sounded (as part of an HQD Mark Levinson system). The comments from persons who have heard both seem to divide fairly evenly with respect to which gives the more transparent midrange. Check out MT Audio Design at http//user.tninet.se. He has extensive experience with both. BTW, I have never heard them sound jumbled. Your comments about the stator elements separating from the frame because of glue deteriorating are well taken. My experience has been much worse than the 10 or so years you mentioned. I have had failures on the order of a different one every 6 or so months. It may be the humidity here in Nassau. I have learned to repair the panels however. Address info on your repair source would be much appreciated as I am on the look out for better tools to effect such repairs. |
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