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Hi Everyone,I am going to try new speaker cables for my stacked Quads (Speltz anti-cables just to try them out because it is a "relatively" inexpensive experiment given my set-up and the "overall" comments on these are quite positive across a broad range of speakers.)
I am wondering whether I should get one set of dedicated 31" jumper cables to go between the speakers. I have seen in the past a banana plug that has the option of plugging in another banana in the rear. So I can plug my speaker cables into the top speakers (as if I was running a single pair)and then plug the jumper cables into the back of the banana plug and run them down to the bottom speakers
Should I do this, or should I have the whole thing custom made so that the cables are terminated together at the top speaker with the jumper cables essentially permanently attached and dangling down to the bottom speaker.
Sorry if this is confusing. In essence I am asking should I have I have a seperate speaker cable that I can ATTACH to my jumper cable or should I try to do it all as one piece. Do you think it would degrade the sound to have the extra connection? (by plugging the jumper into the actual speaker cable rather than having them connected together as "one" connection? (Those of you with stacked quads probably already know exactly what I am talking about!)
BTW....my current set up is all one piece, but I have never tried it any other way and was just wondering. It would be MUCH easier for me to sell off the cables after this experiment if they are not some kind of "custom" job or have to deal with having them reterminated.
Also, does anyone know where the best place to source Banana plugs for this application and any recommendations for brand/price. (Paul will apparently use whatever you send him.)
Follow Ups:
The fewer connections, crimped, soldered or held together with masking tape the better. Generally, this observation is of critical interest with low level signal (e.g. tone arms, pre-amps) but it is still of value with higher level signal also.I would use the Y-cable arrangement that you suggest if possible.
...decision, which way to turn with stacked Quads. Walker did make a few comments on this general arrangement. One was..."...enthusiasts like to do this with our panels and it's very good for our ledger!" (or something like that) and, "...stacking our panels creates a large line source which does no harm to the sound. You tend to gain around 3dB in the middle and 6dB in the bass".I do not recall that he said anything about parallel .vs. series connection either, Bill (you're right). No less an audio entity than Julius Futterman said that his OTL amps did run rather well with series connection, as I recall, though.
Down to tin tacks (or tin-plated silver, for more transparency :)). The parallel connection (Waldenpuddle) is going to (as Bill says quite rightly) demand much from your amplifier. Particularly current delivery. The 2 ophms point is a at a very high frequency and fortunately, there's generally not a lot of power being delivered at those frequencies in "average" music program. So, unless you have a lot of music with near-supersonic syntehsizer at high levels then you're likely to be "safe" ampifier wise. Using a valve amp will ensure a little more margin for error. SS amps can be a bit of a lucky dip for this application unless you know the manufacturer and specs well.
Regards,
Gary Jacobson
Perhaps you have not considered using 4 power amplifiers, one for each speaker. Apart from the issues of cables that you have there is the greater issue of whether to wire the speakers in parallel or series. It sounds that you are connecting two speakers in parallel. Don't you feel that loading a power amp with 2 reactive ohms is a greater issue than the cabling?
Bill
Hi Bill,Thanks for the post.
Stacked quads were made to be run this way. I understand it's what Peter Walker specced when he originally came up with the idea. My amps are very comfortable with the load so it has never been an issue.
BTW...I had EXACTLY the same instinct when it came to stacked quads as I happened to have 4 identical monoblocks, but it turned out to be unecessary (I found out about this after posting here on the Asylum!)
You surprise me greatly. Where/when did Walker have anything to say about stacked ESL57s? I would like to read it.I don't want to flog a dead horse.....but the ESL57 presents a mainly capacitative load of about 4 ohms. Two ESLs in parallel present an even greater challenge to the power amplifier. You seem convinced that your amplifier is up to that challenge. What are you using? I don't think you said.
How have you arranged the top speaker with the lower? I used to use stacked 57s and had difficulty with the physical relation between the upper and lower unit. Perhaps the room was too small to get it 'right'.
Have fun,
Hi Bill,Thanks again.
Well so I looked around and I did find a copy of a Quad document showing their recommendations for stacking the ESL's and the angles etc. That can be seen at the link below (along with their recommendations that they be connected in parallel.)
My amps are somewhat custom (tubes) but are based on a classic Mullard 5-10 circuit and have never had ANY trouble at all with the load from the Quads. Why? Synergy would really be the only explanation. I went through an ENORMOUS amount of gear to find what I wanted. (They sound superb.) I DO have an almost ideal environment to be able to enjoy the +3/+6db that Gary mentioned as my listening room is quite large. (Approximately 22 x 32) so I can really let the Quads "hang out" when the time comes.
But I guess I may have to ask elsewhere for the cable issue.
BTW...plenty of people are running stacked quads and so it would seem that there are plenty of amps up to the task.
Also.....FWIW...I have never heard of anyone running stacked quads that were NOT wired like mine.
Regards...WP
...the Quads can certainly be wired in series to offer a higher loading.The reason for the parallel connection and the arrangement shown in the original Quad (approved) literature is that it is relatively easy to do without making massive changes to the speakers themselves.
If the amp isn't producing squeaky noises at HF and running out of breath on crescendos then it's coping alright.
Regards,
Gary Jacobson
I would love to see your 4 QUAD ESL 57-s in your Custom Stack Racks.
Please email me a photo.
Regards,
David
NT
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