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Major scroe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

cubdog said:
You had to expect they would need work or they wouldn't have been at good will. Chances are their original owner found out how expensive they would be to fix and decided not to spend the money.

cubdog
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Suppose that's possible. In general, I haven't found that to be the case with vintage stereo gear (or anything else) I've found at thrifts. Many people just think old = junk/no value.
 
SwingModern said:
Suppose that's possible. In general, I haven't found that to be the case with vintage stereo gear (or anything else) I've found at thrifts. Many people just think old = junk/no value.
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It's a bit different with Quads. These were not owned buy rockers or stoners. Likely the owners new what they had but didn't want to invest the money needed to restore them. No offense to rockers it's just that these are not a R&R type speaker.

cubdog
 
Your purchase was a great one ,,,,those stats are a great natural sounding vintage electrostat speaker and once redone you will love them !!! Great purchase!!
 
cubdog said:
It's a bit different with Quads. These were not owned buy rockers or stoners. Likely the owners new what they had but didn't want to invest the money needed to restore them. No offense to rockers it's just that these are not a R&R type speaker.

cubdog
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I'm more inclined to think thr original owner died and the kids helped mom get rid of dad's ol' junk speakers that did not work . Just guessing .
 
zebra03 said:
I'm more inclined to think thr original owner died and the kids helped mom get rid of dad's ol' junk speakers that did not work . Just guessing .
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This is how I acquired my Quad 57s.
I asked and the son said he wasn't interested in them.
For whatever reason, however, they function quite beautifully:).
 
jcamero said:
Ok, in direct sunlight the membranes are loose. When I powered one up, dead silence, the other made a scratching sound. Added a source, did get music from both speakers, but still heard the "scratching sound" from the same speaker. The sound I now hear is that of a deflating ego.
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All righty. You still got the deal of 2014, so don't panic. I'd pay you double your investment for those Gradient woofers without batting an eyelid.

First of all, what amplifier are you using? These speakers can send most amplifiers into protection, so be careful with that.

As for the speaker that is scratching, that means one of the panels is arcing. Power the speaker up, and listen closely with nothing playing. Is the scratching coming from the top, middle, or bottom? If you're really lucky, it's coming from the top..

These speakers have four panels in each. Taking them apart is simple, but make sure you ground the panels before touching anything inside. They can retain high voltages for hours after being shut off.

I'd take apart the arcing speaker, and remove the dust protecting membrane (you can replace that later with a simple window insulating kit). Power it up, and see if you can identify which panel is arcing. If you can't pinpoint it, don't panic. Shut it down, ground the power to the leads to eliminate the four thousand or so volts that are floating around, and remove the top panel. It's soldered in place with 8 wires, IIRC. When you've got that out, power it back up. If it's not arcing, then the problem is in the panel you just removed. You're lucky, because they get progressively more difficult to remove.

If it's still arcing, then repeat the grounding and panel removal for the second panel. Try it again until you isolate the arcing panel.

Note, there may be more than one panel that's arcing.

You can send the panels out and have them refurbed for a couple hundred bucks. Absolutely worth it for one or two panels. If you have more than a couple of panels arcing, then it might be time to learn how to refurb them yourself. The material and instructions are available online.

Good luck with these. They are amazing speakers when working properly.

bs
 
Worth noting here that removing the protective screens and powering them up exposes the user to potentially LETHAL voltages.
 
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This is sounding more and more like the OP should find a professional to work on these speakers . No shame in that .
 
canuckaudiog said:
There's no such thing :thmbsp:

Seriously, these Quads are special. The potential enjoyment they can bring you is more than worth the cost of restoration. :)
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absolutely . For such a low entry level price , I would have to hear them in all their glory , unless I was strapped for cash .

It's always easy to spend someone else's money . :D
 
canuckaudiog said:
There's no such thing :thmbsp:

Seriously, these Quads are special. The potential enjoyment they can bring you is more than worth the cost of restoration. :)
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Restoration should make them last another 30 years. $2K / 30 years = $67 / year. Pocket change. :D
 
Congratulations on a remarkable score for sure!

I've tried the Gradient subs on mine, and found them wanting, both in extension, and dynamics. If ESL-63s on good stands aren't dynamic enough, I think you're much better off with good subs from Velodyne, REL, Vanersteen, or such. Most folks who think Quads can't be used without subs haven't actually heard them. Good working ESL-63s ARE full range speakers, quite capable of playing SPLs into the high 90db's, AND frequencies down into the mid to high 30s on the bottom... better than the vast majority of cone driven speakers out there. Contrary to many folk's impressions, they DO NOT sound thin, or lightweight at all.

I'd sell those Gradients (which hold an unrealistically strong resale value), and use the proceeds to fund a good amplifier & repair of the Quads. As mentioned earlier, having a panel or two repaired isn't too expensive, as long as you're handy & patient enough to pull & replace them your self.

If you really aren't up for repairing them, you will still be able to get several hundred for them just as is. Someone else will be VERY happy to get a good "donor" pair for restoration.
 
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jcamero said:
True statement. I think these true gems may be more than I need.
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Careful there... take your time... these were sent to you. Your biggest investment so far - apart from not getting your diner at TacoBell - is the space this kit is taking up... so not much, really. I think you should keep them for a while at least and study them and how you might work on them or troubleshoot them. They are worth the time.

Oh - and keep those receipts - they are priceless, and if you wisely choose to hold on to those pups, you will smile every time you see the paperwork.

Lucky Bastard!
 
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