QUAD ESL 2912X Electrostatic Loudspeakers

These are a very old friend born again in this most recent iteration of Peter Walker’s original transducer technology. We have an original pair of 1973 Quad ESL57's from 1973 on display alongside these newest versions.

Link to the Story of QUAD

Link to the HiFi Pig Review of the QUAD ESL2912X

Hifi Pig Conclusion:

Value For Money: As covered in the Sound Quality section, if you can manage their constraints in your listening space, they’re arguably one of the best value products in the entire HiFi world, given how much you have to spend elsewhere to match what they can do

We Loved: THE SOUND, THE SOUND, THE SOUND

Ahem, please excuse me. Seriously, everyone with an interest in audio reproduction needs to at least hear something like this once in their lifetime. Just extraordinary

We Didn’t Love So Much: The looks aren’t going to work for everyone, and their room positioning requirements are going to be an unfortunate block for some folks to be able to use them in their listening environments

Elevator Pitch Review: One of the finest transducers in existence? Quite possibly. They are not without their challenges, but none of those are about the sound they produce.

Then there is Ken Kessler in his review of the QUAD ESL in Hi Fi news:

“a bargain so honest that it's an indictment of its rivals” — Ken Kessler

The legendary Hi Fi reviewer Ken Kessler of HiFi News really likes the new Quad ESL speakers, describing the experience as a “mix of delight and relief.” He notes that this electrostatic performs “one of the best disappearing acts imaginable,” offering “matchless openness and transparency.” By refining the semi-conducting membrane and EHT section to maintain a stable 5.25kV charge, Quad has realised a speaker that Ken Kessler described as “categorically ‘high-end’ by any measure.”

The performance is truly exceptional, as Hi-Fi News found the ESL 2912X to be “a bargain so honest that it’s an indictment of its rivals.” Whether rendering vocal textures or transient speed, these speakers deliver “sound quality way beyond its price bracket,” says Kessler. Concluding, Quad's ESL 2912X as a “mandatory consideration” that unconditionally deserves recognition for its performance at any price.

The ESL-X concept began in 2019 as part of an intensive review of the QUAD Electrostatic manufacturing facility - a suite dedicated solely to the production of QUAD ESL loudspeakers.

Under the expert leadership of Paul McConville, (a gentleman recognised as the world’s foremost authority in QUAD ESL engineering, with 40 years of experience), every aspect of the original design underwent a comprehensive evaluation and meticulous refinement.

This approach encompassed a thorough analysis of every process, step, technique, material, tool, and jig employed in the construction of a QUAD ESL, with the aim of improving the quality and precision of the electrostatic loudspeaker assembly.

Leveraging techniques such as advanced laser-precision metrology, QUAD undertook an exhaustive review of the foundation of the ESL design. Systematic enhancements were implemented in the processes of spraying, etching, tensioning, and assembly to ensure peak performance. Rigorous upgrades were applied to implement both passive and active components, enhancing the overall system integrity of the then-current ESL2912 and 2812 models.

The team of QUAD engineers considered the results of this lengthy and time-consuming self-appointed audit so significant that they deemed it worthy of a new model in the lineage of the ESL program.

It is widely accepted that enhancing an ESL is fundamentally an exercise in building upon existing frameworks through incremental improvements rather than pursuing radical innovations. Consequently, QUAD did not require a complete overhaul of established methods.

Nonetheless, these incremental advancements have now culminated in a significant transformation of the 2912 and 2812 models into what is now known as ESL X.

Main Features & Specifications

• Format: Floor standing dipole with 3° fixed tilt
• Type: Multiple electrostatic drive membranes
• Point Source Time Delay: Progressive concentric rings
• Chassis Structure: Heavy duty composite aluminium / steel
• Panel Elements: 6
• Maximum Output: 2 N/m2 at 2m on axis
• Sensitivity: 1.5 mbar per volt referred to 1m (86dB / 2.83V RMS equivalent)
• Nominal Impedance: 8 Ohms
• Impedance Variation: 4 – 20 Ohms
• Max Continuous Input Voltage: 10V (RMS)
• Program Peak for Undistorted Output: 40V
• Permitted Peak Input: 55V
• Frequency Response
  • 32Hz – 21kHz (–6dB)
  • 28Hz – 23kHz (useable)
• Directivity Index: See Polar Diagrams
• Distortion (100dB @ 1m)
  • Above 1000Hz: < 0.15%
  • Above 100Hz: < 0.5%
  • Above 50Hz: < 1.0%
• AC Input: 220 – 240V / 100 – 120V
• Power Fuse: 100mA anti-surge (200 – 240V)
• Power Consumption: 8 Watts
• Dimensions (WxHxD): 690 x 1,470 x 380 mm
• Weight: 44 kg
• Manufacturer’s Warranty: 1 Year, plus an additional 2 years if the product is registered within ninety (90) calendar days from the date of purchase