Planar Speaker Asylum

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Planar Speaker Asylum

Ping QUAD FRED/63 owners, help with DIY stand height / height of centre?

124.171.97.255

Once I know that we can measure my listening ear height on the sofa, and I can calculate the stand height.

Near-field listening.

I note that the Celestion system 6000 subs, used by Polygram / Philips with FREDs for recording, had a direct connection.

IF I find that my two DIY sealed subs (boxes built) can 'match' the needed height is there any reason NOT to use them? Add an isolation layer? A bicycle inner-tube sandwiched between some laminated MDF plates?

TIA

Warmest

Tim Bailey

Skeptical Measurer & Audio Scrounger

Follow Ups:

I don't know if you need to decouple the quads from the subs... - Jonesy 07:11:41 09/05/16 (0)
The '63 plinth is such that you can likely just use or replace the existing feet with feet that can be level adjusted. No need for special bicycle tube medite sandwhiches. The way the Quad is built I can't really see any resonances travelling between the speaked and sub. At least to any noticeable effect.

I believe Quads just "sat" on the Gradient Subs.

Cheers!

Jonesy

"I know just enough to get into trouble. But not enough to get out of it."
Should work ok - Jonesy 06:53:22 09/05/16 (0)
Remember to play with tilt as well. I believe the original 63's prtective grill had a slightly down louvre alignment, whereas the US were straighter. The Stand and Deliver stands (which I use), we're made with a tilt. They serve me well based on the height of my listening chair.

Cheers!

Jonesy

"I know just enough to get into trouble. But not enough to get out of it."
RE: Ping QUAD FRED/63 owners, help with DIY stand height / height of centre? - George S. Roland 09:23:36 09/03/16 (0)
Quad ESL-63s ideal height.

The 63s acoustical center is the exact center of the grilles. That is where the center of the concentric circles, fed by delay lines, is located. That point , ideally, ought to be at ear level. You can achieve that either by tilting the speakers, so that a line at right angles from the center to your seated ear location is achieved OR by lifting the speaker so that its acoustical center is at seated ear height (assuming the speaker is upright not tilted.)

Quad's "stand and deliver" stands, which I always used and believe to be most attractive, are too low to achieve this unless the speakers are tilted slightly upward in front.

I once had a set of Gradient's SW-63 bass units (these are not, strictly speaking, "subwoofers"). They lifted the Quads to the perfect height for my listening position--center of Quad at ear height, and brought good focus to the sound images.

Another alternative are the Arcici stands. These two metal contraptions go on either side of the Quads and clamp to their frames. These get the height correct, but I would never use them because they could potentially damage the speakers. How? Well, these stands are not attached to each other. If one stand is stable and someone fell into, kicked or moved the other one, they could twist in such a way as to torque the Quad's fragile frame and damage or break it. I also object to bolting frames to the front of the speakers, damaging the grilles.

I'd suggest just putting the Quads on a stack of suitable material to allow you to experiment with what height works best for you, so you can assess the sonic benefits of various locations, then go for a more permanent solution.

Great speakers!

Enjoy your music,

George Rolannd
RE: Ping QUAD FRED/63 owners, help with DIY stand height / height of centre? - louie3 09:22:27 09/03/16 (0)
Center of the panel at seated ear height is the conventional wisdom, and the way I am set up.

You will find this leans things out a good bit, so your subs may be fine, but your ears will tell you pretty quick.

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