I have lived with Quad electrostatics for 20 years. Firstly the 989s which was not a happy experience since they failed every other time they were switched on and had to be shipped across the country for repair. Eventually the dealer gave me a good price on some 2905s to make me go away. It worked - for 15 years!
But earlier this year, one speaker started to arc, despite never being played loud and with only 40W amps. I was lucky to find a guy who could repair it just three hours away, and he replaced the failed panel and at the same time upgraded all the caps in my tube amps. Now, a different panel in the same speaker is going the same way. He tells me the glue gets brittle with age and leads to the Mylar film flapping in the breeze until it touches the stator and a new hole is born. So I'm looking at having another panel replaced, but what about the other ten panels that are left? Probably about 6kCDN to do them, and I see used 2905s for sale for less than that. I do love them, but I'm making do while they are out of service with an old set of DCM TimeFrame TF-700s, which are not bad (and to be honest, liked a lot better by my wife who keeps making comments about the monoliths from 2001).
Are there any long term Quad owners who can speak to this - is all the glue likely to be failing with age and brittleness by now?
Chris
But earlier this year, one speaker started to arc, despite never being played loud and with only 40W amps. I was lucky to find a guy who could repair it just three hours away, and he replaced the failed panel and at the same time upgraded all the caps in my tube amps. Now, a different panel in the same speaker is going the same way. He tells me the glue gets brittle with age and leads to the Mylar film flapping in the breeze until it touches the stator and a new hole is born. So I'm looking at having another panel replaced, but what about the other ten panels that are left? Probably about 6kCDN to do them, and I see used 2905s for sale for less than that. I do love them, but I'm making do while they are out of service with an old set of DCM TimeFrame TF-700s, which are not bad (and to be honest, liked a lot better by my wife who keeps making comments about the monoliths from 2001).
Are there any long term Quad owners who can speak to this - is all the glue likely to be failing with age and brittleness by now?
Chris