Planar Speaker Asylum

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Planar Speaker Asylum

Quad ESL-57 vs Quad ESL-2912

49.130.130.159

I recently listen to both speakers side by side, and they're stunning. The ESL-2912 is more accurate and the 57 possesses a very lovely tonality. it is hard to say which is better.

Anyone is able to share your listening experience?

Which one would you pick?

Follow Ups:

What George said ... - Sondek 10:30:18 10/26/22 (1)
Pretty sure there's not a single right answer.

Assuming cost is not the limiting factor, it really comes down to personal taste.

If it were me, I'd probably opt for a restored pair '63's with a good/solid pair of stands. Although there's a certain charm about the '57's that makes them so hard to ignore.
- RE: What George said ... - Tube747 08:03:03 10/27/22 (0)
  Compared to the 2912, some people preferred ESL-2905 / ESL-63 due to cleaner bottom and overall sound.
RE: Quad ESL-57 vs Quad ESL-2912 - George S. Roland 09:55:25 10/26/22 (0)
I would likely choose the ESL-57 because its midrange is so uncannily real. Reviews of the latest iteration of the four-panel Quad--derived ultimately from the ESL-63 design--indicate the high end has been boosted a bit. Some listeners will likely see that as an improvement.
The speakers do sound different. The 57 is a bit more forward, the 2912 will have a slightly more distant perspective. (I have both the ESL-63 and ESL-57 fully restored. Both are fabulous speakers and each has its admirers.
One other consideration is cost.
If you decide you want the upright, four-panel version, you can save a lot of money buying a used pair of 63s and having them redone by Kent McCollum at Electrostatic Solutions. Since you are considering 57s, I assume you have no problem buying a used pair of speakers and having them refurbished. If you went with used 63s, you could very likely have restored versions of both models for less than a new pair of 2912s.
IMHO you can hardly go wrong with either speaker.
Let us know what you decide. Either way, you'll have a great-sounding system!

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