Please pardon my long post, while I get this off my chest.
I'm still running Quad ESL63s I bought in the early eighties without any service, or operational issues. Up until about 2yrs ago, I could say that about TWO pairs, but I did damage a bass panel when moving one... it was dropped about 4ft to the concreat driveway, and wasn't boxed at the time, so I can't really blame the speaker for that one. Similarly, I've had several Acoustats, and the only one that has ever failed, did so when it was pushed into a bicycle's handlebar by a 100lb dog... technically, it still works, but a funny buzzing sound is now coming from the fist sized hole in the middle of the panel - can't understand why.
In short, my experience with electrostatic speakers has been that they are, by and large, at least as durable as "conventional" speakers... with one surprising exception...
A little background here is in order.
I've been an electrostatic speaker user since the mid seventies, starting out with AR3s crossed over to JansZen tweeters, then Quad '57s, then stacked '57s, then the '63s I still use. Over the years I've acquired models from most of the major players, Martin Logan, KLH, Acouststat, Soundlab, and Crown/RtR. I can honestly say, the only operational issues I've ever had, that weren't caused by my horrific mishandling, were with Martin Logans. It's always struck me funny, that for all their reputation, and the obvious build quality M/L has vested in their products, that they seem to have a more limited panel life than any other 'stat I've played with!
I bought Sequel IIs & Acoustat Spectra 11s at about the same time in the early nineties, both new. I went through two panels (both under warrenty) within the first 2yrs with the M/L before I traded them in on a pair of Soundlab Dynastats. I still have both the Dynastats & the Spectra 11s. Neither have needed ANY service what so ever, both in regular use to this day. Similarly, the pair of M/L CLSs I bought in the eighties just failed, and they were on their second panels... now M/L doesn't even sell the original panels for those, and want's more than they cost for "updated" panels, AND those would require me to have the boxes modified (more $$$) ultimately making them sound like CLS IIzs, which I don't even like!
I don't mean to unfairly bash Martin Logan, I'm sure if I had kept my original Quad '57s, they would have also needed service by now, but then that's one reason why Peter Walker (designer of the Quad) came up with a more robust 'stat with his second design (the ESL-63). Quad' first model, for all their wonderful qualities, were not the last word in long term durability... when driven properly, they could "only" be expected to work for 20 odd yrs, before likely service. AFAIK, M/L has still not fully licked their issues with panel coating deterioration, so their panels lead the industry in short life expectancy. This baffles me when I can still play a pair of KLH9s made in the late '60s, or a pair of '63s that have been run hard for over 30yrs without so much as a tune up!
I'm sure a bunch of folks with Martin Logans will now jump on me for this little rant, but I'm posting this because I honestly feel ESLs have a largely undeserved reputation of being fragile. With the exception of Martin Logan, I have found the exact opposite to be the case. I feel that after buying two of their speakers, over a ten year spread, and having them both fail in the same way, I'm speaking from experience. I love the looks, and for the most part the sound of their speakers, too bad they just don't make them to last! :thumbsdn:
