Quad ESL 988 Electrostatic Speakers

The Quad ESL 988 is the smaller of two ESL loudspeakers which Quad brought out in 2000. The ESL 988 was essentially a direct replacement of the Quad ESL-63 considered by many to be a reference loudspeaker.

Electrostatic loudspeakers use an extremely thin and almost massless sheet of material to produce sound, in this case mylar. Unlike conventional loudspeakers each one of the Quad ESL 988 loudspeakers requires it's own mains supply so that high voltage can be applied to the mylar via large electrodes - Listeners with small children take note, the two are not really compatible. It is a very difficult and complex feat to achieve but Quad pioneered the technology in the early 1950s and as a result the Quad ESL 57 was born, Quad's first electrostatic loudspeaker.
The Quad ESL 988 are slightly smaller than their bigger brother the Quad ESL 989 as the ESL 989 have two extra bass panels to the extend the low frequencies. Bass was something that some listeners found the original ESL 63s lacked and one of the main reasons manufacturers started producing purpose designed sub-woofers for the ESL range.
Most listeners found that providing the Quad ESL 63s were placed in a large room away from the walls, the Quad ESLs could produce surprisingly good bass. But Quad ESL loudspeakers have never really been about bass. What the Quad ESL 988 do best is try and place the listener in the auditorium in front of the orchestra and then play music rather than produce sound. Once you have heard their sublime sound most people tend to forget about the bass altogether.
The Quad ESL 988 loudspeakers may not be cheap and suit everyones' budget at around £3,500 a pair but you really are buying something special and if you do get a chance, give them an audition even if its just curiosity.

Quad ESL 988 Specification
Maximum Power Output:2N/m2 at 2m on axis
Sensitivity : 86db
Impedance: 8 ohms (nominal)
Maximum continuous input voltage: 10V
Programme peak (20 Hz to 20 kHz Undistorted):40V
AC Input: 220-240V (double insulated)
Dimensions (HxWxD): 94 x 67 x 31.5 cm
Weight: 20.53 kg each

This entry was posted on Monday November 20th, 2006 at 10:34 AM and is filed under Loudspeakers. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response.

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