Quad ESL-2805 Owners manual

ESL Series

ESL 2805

ESL 2905

USER MANUAL

Quad Electroacoustics Ltd.

IAG House, Sovereign Court,

Ermine Business Park,

Huntingdon PE29 6XU. England.

Tel : [phone]

Fax : [phone]

www.quad-hifi.co.uk

User Cautions

CAUTION!

RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK

DO NOT OPEN

TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK

DO NOT REMOVE COVER (OR BACK)

NO USER-REMOVEABLE PARTS INSIDE

REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL

ADVERTISSEMENT: RISQUE DE CHOC ELECTRIQUE-

NE PAS OUVRIR

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

Read these instructions.

Keep these instructions.

Heed all warnings.

Follow all instructions.

Do not use this apparatus near water.

Clean only with dry cloth.

Do not block any ventilation openings.

Install in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.

Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat

registers, stoves, or other apparatus (including amplifiers) that

produce heat.

Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized or grounding

type plug. A polarized plug has two blades with one wider than

the other. A grounding type plug has two blades and a third

grounding prong. The wider blade or the third prong are

provided for your safety. If the provided plug does not fit into

your outlet, consult an electrician for replacement of the

obsolete outlet.

Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched,

particularly at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the point

where they exit from the apparatus.

Use only attach ments/acc essorie s spec if ied by the

manufacturer.

Use only with a cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or

table specified by the manufacturer, or sold

with the apparatus. When a cart is used, use

caution when moving the cart/apparatus

combination to avoid injury from tip-over.

Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or when unused

for long periods of time.

Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel. Servicing is

required when the apparatus has been damaged in any way,

such as power-supply cord or plug is damaged, liquid has been

spilled or objects have fallen into the apparatus, the

apparatus has been exposed to rain or moisture, does not

operate normally, or has been dropped.
Warning: To reduce the risk of fire or electrical shock, do not

expose this product to rain or moisture. The product must not

be exposed to dripping and splashing and no object filled with

liquids - such as a vase of flowers - should be placed on the

product.

No naked flame sources such as candles should be placed on

This symbol indicates that there are
important operating and maintenance
instructions in the literature
accompanying this unit.

This symbol indicates that dangerous
voltage constituting a risk of electric
shock is present within this unit.

the product.

Changes or modifications not expressly approved by

Caution:

the manufacturer could void the user's authority to operate this

device.

Warning: The mains power switch for this appliance is located on

the rear panel. To permit free access to this switch, the

apparatus must be located in an open area without any

obstructions.

NOTE: This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio

frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance

with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio

communications. However, there is no guarantee that

interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this

equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television

reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off

and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference

by one or more of the following measures:

! Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.

! Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.

! Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different

from that to which the receiver is connected.

! Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for

help.

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO UK USERS

The appliance cord is terminated with a UK approved mains plug

fitted with a A fuse. If

BSI approved BS1362 fuse rated at 3A must be used. If you need

to change the mains plug, remove the fuse and dispose of this

plug safely immediately after cutting it from the cord.

Connecting a Mains Plug

The wires in the mains lead are coloured in accordance with the

code: Blue: NEUTRAL, Brown: LIVE:

As these colours may not correspond to the coloured markings

identifying the terminals in your plug, proceed as follows:

The B L U E w i r e m u s t b e

connected to the terminal

marked with the letter N or

coloured BLUE or BLACK.

The BROWN wire must be

connected to the terminal

marked with the letter L or

coloured BROWN or RED.

3 the fuse needs to be replaced, an ASTA or

GREEN

&

YELLOW
(EARTH)

BLUE

(NEUTRAL)

FUSE
(3 A)

BROWN

(LIVE)

Warnings

The base stabiliser is a safety feature and must be securely attached to the product in accordance with the installation

instructions. Alternatively the speaker may be securely attached to the floor. No other form of operation is permissible.

Quad ESL loudspeakers have very high internal voltages. No attempt should be made to remove the protective grilles or the

baseplate. Amplifiers which are not short circuit protected may be damaged by the protection circuits in this loudspeaker and

should not be used.

ESL SeriesESL Series

The Closest Approach

Quad - The Closest Approach by Ken Kessler

A 240 page hard-back, authoritative history with

commentaries and contributions from every corner

of the hi-fi industry. Technical chapters from Tim

De Paravicini and Gordon Hill and interviews with

Peter Walker, Ross Walker, Stan Curtis and Mike

Albinson. Along with a series of stunning new

photographs, fascinating historic documents and

reproductions of AES and other technical papers,

this is the definitive guide to the history and

achievements of Quad.

Available through all good book retailers or any of

our Dealers, from the Hi-Fi News Accessory Club,

the Hi-Fi Collective, or the Quad Service

Department

ISBN number 0-9545742-0-6

Introduction

Congratulations, you have become the owner of a pair of QUAD ESL

loudspeakers.

For 50 years Quad Electroacoustics has produced the world’s finest

loudspeakers, considered by many to be the most accurate and

neutral of all loudspeakers.

The ESL 2805 and 2905 represent the latest evolution of the

unique Quad electrostatic concept. Radically redesigned using the

most up to date materials and processes, these new evocations of

our design philosophy achieve levels of detail, clarity and

perspective that will be a revelation and source of continuing

delight to all music lovers.

The ESL loudspeaker is a doublet or dipole, which produces a

spherical sound field from a point source. All naturally created

sounds emanate from a point source and the ESL speaker concept

more nearly recreates this point source effect than any other

speaker currently available. Another key feature of our unique linear

motion design is very low distortion - your Quad ESLs are probably

the lowest distortion loudspeakers ever made - and this includes

the bass region where conventional speakers suffer from time

related delays and associated distortions.

The result is a loudspeaker of unsurpassed accuracy and one which has stood the test of time. Major

recording studios have ESLs amongst their reference monitoring loudspeakers and our loudspeakers

are consistently in demand by audiophiles who value the clear natural sound that is uniquely the

hallmark of all QUAD products.

Contents

CAUTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IFC

INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

WHAT’S IN THE BOX. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

UNPACKING THE EQUIPMENT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

POSITIONING THE LOUDSPEAKERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

CONNECTING THE LOUDSPEAKERS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

OPERATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

FINAL ADJUSTMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

SPECIFICATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

MAINTENANCE AND SERVICE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

QUALITY ASSURANCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

ABOUT YOUR LOUDSPEAKER. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

MAKING AN ELECTROSTATIC LOUDSPEAKER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

THE CLOSEST APPROACH. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

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ESL SeriesESL Series

The Making of a Quad Electrostatic Loudspeaker

At Quad we pride ourselves on our long tradition of impeccable craftsmanship.

Here are just some of the stages an ESL goes through on its long journey into your home. At every

stage the most rigid standards of construction and inspection are applied, in clinically dust free

conditions, to ensure that every loudspeaker maintains its performance over time.

This rigorous attention to minutiae is what makes Quad unique. In a world of near-instant

obsolescence there is no junk-pile of Quad products - anywhere. Almost every product we have ever

made is still in daily use - somewhere; some are now well over fifty years old, and still giving

pleasure to their proud owners.

Stage 1

Steel Chassis

Stage 2

Piano Lacquered

Front Trim

Lower

Fixing Plate

Vertical Rails

Extruded

Aluminium

Unpacking and Assembly

These loudspeakers are heavy! It needs two people to lift and manoeuvre the loudspeakers into position.

DO NOT USE THE TENSIONING BRACE TO LIFT OR MANOEUVRE THE ESL OR YOU WILL DAMAGE THE LOUDSPEAKER!

WHEN MOVING THE LOUDSPEAKER HOLD IT BY THE SIDES OR THE SIDES AND BASE.

Always use the supplied cotton gloves when handling exposed surfaces.

Before you unpack the loudspeakers, ensure that you have a large and completely clear area of floor on which to work.

Remove or protect any fragile carpets, etc to avoid any damage.

Each ESL loudspeaker is packed in a cardboard outer carton and then packed on a pallet for safe transportation. The carton

has a lidded top and a tabbed seam down one long edge which is taped over.

Place the speaker upright, standing on its wooden pallet. Open the top first, and then open the tabbed seam all the way

down. Remove the top packing insert, and then remove the box containing the accessories. Remove the side packing pieces.

The loudspeaker may now be lifted out of the base packing.

The stabiliser block is strapped to one of the side packing pieces. Cut the

ties and remove the block.

Caution The block is heavy - exercise care.

The ESLs are provided with both spiked and standard feet which screw

into the threaded holes in the baseplate. The heights of individual feet can

be adjusted to ensure that the loudspeaker sits secure and level on the

floor. Determine whether you will be using the spiked or the standard feet.

Remember that spiked feet are only suitable for use with carpets as they

will damage wood and stone floors. When using spikes take care to avoid

the tips which are quite sharp.

Spikes and feet

Piano Lacquered

Side Trim

Stage 3

Aluminium Extruded

Side Rails

Base with

Electronics

Moulded

Grille Top

Steel Perforated
Fabricated Grille

Moulded

Lower Plate

Gently lay the loudspeaker down on its front. If the floor surface is hard place a soft cloth such as a towel under the speaker

first. Spin one collar onto each foot all the way down but do not tighten.

Attaching the front feet: Insert the two front feet in the threaded inserts on the base and thread them fully in but only hand-

tighten them at this stage. Refer to Illustration A below

Attaching the stabiliser and rear feet: It is essential that you attach the stabiliser as this is both a safety and operational

feature. (As an alternative the speaker may be attached to the floor - see Page 7)

First, attach the two clamps to the block using the provided screws and shakeproof washers. Line up the assembly with the

mounting holes in the base. Insert the feet through the support brackets and thread them into the base. Ensure that the feet

protrude below the clamps by an equal distance. When the speaker is operational the weight/clamp assembly should be

clear of the floor surface. Tighten both rear feet. Insert the collar locking bar into a hole in the clamping ring and tighten.

Progressively move the bar from hole to hole until the feet are fully locked in place. Refer to Illustration B below

Attaching the stabiliser and rear feet

B

Insert bar
and tighten
clamping ring
clockwise

A

14

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