Quad ESL 63 Problem - Please Help

[BEAR]

First step is to decide if you can handle opening the units and
lowering the grille cloth to get access to the panel.

I'd do a visual inspection with the lights out in a dead dark room.

That way you have a shot at seeing where the problem is - it might just
be a stupid insect that has found its way in, and it could be vacuum-able
out or blow-able out in that case.

It's hard to arc the 63's panels since they have a circuit that is supposed to
shunt the input if the panel arcs...

Beyond that, I have no sources...

_-_-baer

I have a pair of the Quad ESL 63. Great speakers. However, one of them
started making cracking noises when the power is on (even without
input signal).
I was told it is probably one of the panels, which I have to check. If
so, a new panel costs ~$400 from QS&D - is there any reliable cheaper
source, providing good quality panels?
Thanks,
Yuval

[ludovic mirabel]

I have a pair of the Quad ESL 63. Great speakers. However, one of them
started making cracking noises when the power is on (even without
input signal).
I was told it is probably one of the panels, which I have to check. If
so, a new panel costs ~$400 from QS&D - is there any reliable cheaper
source, providing good quality panels?
Thanks,
Yuval

1) Unplug speakers for the night to discharge them. (I'm assuming
that 63s plug in like the old Quads dis
2) In the morning go over the grille with a vacuum cleaner
nozzle in gentle mode. It works sometimes to remove the dust and the
crackling and is good maintenance routine anyway.
,

[Edmund St.G Rigby]

Post by ludovic mirabel

I have a pair of the Quad ESL 63. Great speakers. However, one of them
started making cracking noises when the power is on (even without
input signal).
I was told it is probably one of the panels, which I have to check. If
so, a new panel costs ~$400 from QS&D - is there any reliable cheaper
source, providing good quality panels?
Thanks,
Yuval

1) Unplug speakers for the night to discharge them. (I'm assuming
that 63s plug in like the old Quads dis
2) In the morning go over the grille with a vacuum cleaner
nozzle in gentle mode. It works sometimes to remove the dust and the
crackling and is good maintenance routine anyway.
,

There is more that you can do.
Visit http://user.tninet.se/~vhw129w/mt_audio_design/
They have repair information on Quad ESL 63s which include how to
undress the Quads and inspect them for injury.
Depending on the character of the noise, your problem can in addition
to mere dust on the panel also be a separation of the stator from the
frame. The stator is the metalic (sic) looking perforated grid that is
glued to the hardplastic frame. The glue that holds this arrangement
together often becomes unstuck resulting in the stator moving too
closely to the sound producing diaphram and thus causing a buzzing and
sometimes crackling noise of varying loudness.

If this is the problem, the cure can be tricky. E-mail Mats at the
given site and he will give you instructions.