Floor Loudspeaker Reviews

Quad ESL-63 loudspeaker Martin Colloms

Martin Colloms added some comments in January 1987 (Vol.10 No.1):

The Quad ESL-63 uses an 0.00137" diaphragm, with 0.001" plastic film for the dust-cover membranes. (The ESL-63's diaphragm weighs just 0.003gm, or 3 milligrams, not too far removed from the tip mass of a pickup cartridge!) The diaphragm diameter is subdivided no less than eight times, providing a controlled reduction of element size with frequency, and thus maintaining a good radiation angle.

Electrostatics generally have a finite sound-level limit, due to considerations of peak voltage and electrical flashover, or saturation limiting in the cores of the step-up transformer. Other problems include aging—changes in the diaphragm tension—and dust build-up due to electrostatic attraction. The Quad ESL-63, however, is dust-proofed.

For the record, the Quad ESL-63, while not able to play rock bass to the same level as the MartinLogan CLS, Apogee Duetta,or the Magneplanar MG3.5 speakers, was, in fact, the best as regards tonal balance and low-frequency uniformity. It was also consistently neutral to a wide range of sources.—Martin Colloms

COMMENTS
Echolane's picture
Submitted by Echolane on April 16, 2024 - 3:48pm

I imported my Quad ESL-63 from a London store in summer 1985 after reading a glowing review of them in Opera News. They were considered the ideal speakers for opera and classical. Unfortunately, they were unaffordable at their US price point. Luckily, I discovered they were less than half that in England, even adding in transportation and a small import duty and I have been enjoying their lovely sound ever since. I often joke that I will be buried with them, they are that wonderful for the kind of music I like, opera and classical. I snapped up a pair of US Monitors in 2023 that had just been restored to like new which should keep me happy the rest of my life.

While it’s true that they do not produce a lot of bass I’ve never missed it. But a friend loaned me a subwoofer and I’ve decided to keep it. I have it turned to barely there and am quite happy with it set to barely there. Without the need for a crossover, the sound is seamless, the midrange and highs are exquisite. I have to add that it is also fun to own them because they tend to fascinate my visitors.

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