Quad has updated its long-running ESL series of electrostatic loudspeakers with two new models: the ESL 2812X and its smaller ESL 2912X sibling.
We've glimpsed a preview of this new generation of ESL speakers at the Bristol Hi-Fi Show earlier this year, but they are now officially launched with full details and pricing.
Continuing a lineage which dates back to the first ESL 57 model from way back in 1957, both pairs of speakers introduce wholesale upgrades alongside what Quad calls a new ‘stealth’ aesthetic.
Both being pairs of electrostatic speakers, the new additions to the Quad family eschew the use of traditional drive units, opting instead for diaphragms which are electrically charged and suspended in an electrostatic field (fluctuated by the music signal) to generate movement.
The 2812X and 2912X continue the ESL line's legacy of using a concentric ring electrode design in pursuit of more precise stereo imaging. That said, core improvements to the ESL X models have been incorporated in a bid to take the new speakers to a new level of performance.
The electrostatic panels, for instance, have been refined to help the speakers "achieve their full performance potential". Further, the speakers' electronics now use three fully independent modules – a high-voltage multiplier module, a control module and a low-voltage signal module – rather than just one, for "optimal performance and reliability".
Not only that, but the audio transformers for both the 2812X and 2912X boast an improved design, engineered for better signal dynamics and greater levels of sonic detail.
What about that 'stealth' design? The all-black speakers use a low-reflection matt finish which, when combined with each unit's borderless design, aims to give the towers a dark, shadowy look which blends seamlessly into their surroundings.
While they incorporate broadly similar improvements, there are distinctions between the two new additions to the ESL line.
The ESL 2912X are the larger of the two (107 x 69 x 38cm against 147 x 69 x 38cm), with a greater number of panel elements (six rather than four) and a slightly higher maximum frequency response.
According to Peter Comeau, Quad’s Director of Acoustic Design, "Both new models maximise the sonic advantages of the time-honoured ESL design whilst successfully eradicating the perceived downsides – these are truly full-range loudspeakers with demonstrably improved transient and dynamic performance".
We reviewed the previous generation – the five-star Quad ESL-2812 – back in 2013, and praised its detail levels, stereo imaging and cohesion.
The Quad ESL 2812X and ESL 2912X electrostatic speakers are available from mid-August, with the 2812X priced at £10,999 / $14,995 / €13,999 / AU$25,000 per pair and the 2912X costing £12,999 / $17,995 / €16,999 / AU$27,500 per pair.
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