Home
AudioAsylum Trader
Speaker Asylum: REVIEW: ESP Concert Grand Speakers by Bill Galbraith

General speaker questions for audio and home theater.

For Sale Ads

FAQ / News / Events

 

REVIEW: ESP Concert Grand Speakers

216.107.60.88


[ Follow Ups ] Thread:  [ Display   All   Email ] [ Speaker Asylum ]
[ Alert Moderator ]

Model: Concert Grand
Category: Speakers
Suggested Retail Price: $12,000 new
Description: Full Range Floor Standing Speaker
Manufacturer URL: Not Available
Manufacturer URL: Not Available

Review by Bill Galbraith ( A ) on January 07, 2003 at 19:41:46
IP Address: 216.107.60.88
Add Your Review
for the Concert Grand


I purchased, stole, these used in "poor" condition for a "fire-sale" price of $1000.The previous owner apparently trashed them like nothing I have ever seen. Ugly as they looked, they offered wonderful sonic rewards ! Refurbishing included replacing Scanspeak woofers, replacing the grill cloth, replacing missing foam dispersion panels, sanding and refinishing the rosewood trim panels and a crossover capacitor upgrade.
The speakers weight, uncrated, are 250 lbs. each and feature 1 1/2 mdf construction throughout, with separate chambers for all the drivers. Constuction looks triangular but is actually five sided. The speakers are arranged in a Di'Ippolito fashion with 2 Scanspeak 8" kevlar woofers, 2 Dynaudio 4.3 midranges, and front and side firing Seas 1" aluminum dome tweeters. The top and bottom are 1" rosewood panels and 2 of the front sides have "beautiful" Brazilian Rosewood trim pcs running from top to bottom.
These speakers are rated at 96 db. eff. at a 4 ohm load, and 25hz-20khz +-3db. I find these can play much louder than comfortable with 50 w.p.c. Quicksilver tube p.p. monoblocks ! I find these reveal dynamic swings with no compression and reveal micro-dynamics with ease.
The soundstage is very wide and deep and image focus is remarkable. The frequency responce is remarkably flat in my 12 by 21 room. There are no cabinet resonances and they disappear like no other dynamic speaker I have ever owned.
I would highly recommend these speakers to tube amp lovers as they appear a very easy 4 ohm load. My wife and 2 close friends commented these speakers are the nicest they have ever heard, and I whole-heartedly agree !
As ESP is out of business these can be found for a fraction of their original retail price. I think they are an outstanding value for the current $5000 price I have seen used pairs going for. Rumours abound that designer Sean McCaughan will start up again.


Product Weakness: Heavy, large cabinet.
Product Strengths: Full range responce with wide,deep, soundstaging. Beautiful fit and finish. Quality construction and components throughout.


Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier: Quicksilver M60 tube monoblocks
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): Sunfire Classic Vacuum tube w/phono and remote options
Sources (CDP/Turntable): CAL Delta ,Sigma II tube DAC. J.A.Michell Gyro S.E.
Speakers: Magnepan MG3, Newform R645, KEF Q, Tannoy Playback monitors
Cables/Interconnects: AudioMagic Excalibur II ,silver
Music Used (Genre/Selections): Jazz,classical,blues,world,rock,anything sincerely played
Room Size (LxWxH): 21 x 12 x 8
Room Comments/Treatments: fully carpeted cement floor, walls sonexed, acoustical ceiling
Time Period/Length of Audition: 2 months
Other (Power Conditioner etc.): Monster Power HTS5000
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner




This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors:
  Kimber Kable  



Topic - REVIEW: ESP Concert Grand Speakers - Bill Galbraith 19:41:46 01/7/03 ( 1)