Quad ESL 989 Electrostatic Speakers

One of two ESL loudspeakers launched in the year 2000, to replace the Quad ESL-63s which had long been regarded by many to be a reference loudspeaker by which all others are judged.

Unlike conventional loudspeaker designs, the Quad ESL 989s use a very thin sheet of negatively charged mylar that is stretched between two large electrodes. When voltage is applied to these electrodes, audible sound is produced by the thin sheet of mylar. It is a very clever but very difficult technique to get right but Quad some how pulled it off in the 1950's when the Quad ESL 57 was launched and have been making electrostatic speakers ever since

The Quad ESL 989 are slightly taller than the original ESL 63s due to the addition of two extra bass panels in each loudspeaker. One of the main gripes listeners had with the original Quad ESL 63s was their apparent lack of deep bass so much so that people resorted to pairing the Quads with sub-woofers in an attempt to rectify the problem. This was not always an ideal solution and careful setup and selection of a suitable sub-woofer was necessary to avoid any problems or nasties creeping into the sound.

Most listeners found that sub-woofers were not usually required providing the Quads were used in a large room and at least a metre away from any walls. Being a rear projecting speaker as well as a front one meant that if the Quad ESL 63s were placed near the walls, bass was difficult to hear as the rear projecting waves bounced off the walls and cancelled out the bass eminating from the front of the loudspeaker.

The new Quad ESL 989 loudspeakers are slightly easier to place but you still need a good sized room and a good quality amplifier to drive the speakers. The new ESL are slightly tilted to help the listener focus on the sound and produce one of the most realistic sound stages that you will ever hear from a loudspeaker. Some listeners may still find bass lacking but even they will find it hard not to appreciate the accuracy of these loudspeakers.

At around £5,000 a pair they are not cheap but you are getting something very special indeed for your money.

Quad ESL 989 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): 133.5 x 67 x 31.5 cm
Weight: 25.3 kg each

This entry was posted on Sunday December 10th, 2006 at 10:08 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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