Anyone know Don Sachs amps? Looking for Quad ESL's.

After ten years of "trading up" until I ultimately had a system worth more than my wife could ever guess, I took a chance on some restored Quad ESL 57's. They've forced me to reevaluate everything I know about audio. Hands down my favorite speakers I've ever heard.

The revelation of 60 year old speakers not only still sounding good, but easily competing with modern five figure speakers got me thinking about vintage amps. The idea of a simplified and classic system is very appealing to me. Of course the old Marantz, McIntosh, Harman Kardon stuff is beautiful to boot.

Long story short, looking into Harman Kardon Citation amps lead me to Don Sachs website. He's an expert restorer but also makes his own pre and amp. With the claim that his own work is similar but easily as good as the stuff he restores for less money, I'm quite curious.

SO, anyone familiar with or hear these amps? Anyone use 57's as their main speakers? If so, what amps do you use?

Thanks!

custom line stage
custom kt88 tube amp

 

I've had the same revelation the last few months, but with other brands. I can't comment on ESL 57s, but I concur that many modern $5k speakers are nothing special, Golden Ear being a prime example IMO.

I'm also curious about vintage amps. I haven't heard any in many years. Though, many modern tube amps do not differ much in technology from those of 40 years ago, yet they get rave reviews.

 

A restored set of 1959 Quad 57's are my main speakers, they make sweet music paired with a Marantz 8b from 1962.

 

Did you try any modern amps with the Quads? These Radford Revival amps look pretty awesome, I know they're supposedly a great match. STA15/25 Reissue | Radford Revival

 

I've heard excellent things about Don Sachs. I can't afford his stuff, but that he comes highly recommended from Jim McShane is good enough for me.

 

I heard excellent things about Don Sachs and purchased both. Listening to them as I type. No regrets at all. Give him a call he'll gladly answer any questions you might have.

Pm coming.

 

Haven't tried anything made after 1970

I've tried a Quad 303, an MC225 and the 8b. Man those Radfords look very sweet, I didn't know they were reissued. I'd love to give an STA15 a try some day.

 

One day, when I have enough room for those ESLs...

I was just looking at Sachs' work today and stumbled across your thread. I'm watching with interest here because I respect your taste, @Jtycho

 

We do seem to like the same gear! Took me 20 years to finally have a proper room for them. They lived up to the hype!

 

Wow, I did not know about this. Very cool. Thanks!

 

Very cool indeed! I'm ordering one!

 

Please make sure and post your listening impressions here after you're up and running - very curious about these!

 

I will!

 

I was curious so I looked at his site. These use toroidal output and power transformers.

This approach has pluses and minuses. Personally, I like a good conventional transformer designed to tolerate certain and known levels of DC offset.

With toroids, usually you are dependent on active circuitry to keep tube balance to a high order. These circuits can be tough to troubleshoot if you don't have a good all around electronic bench background.

Not trying to be a detractor-toroids do have some big upsides too-but if you have problems and can't fix them you are in trouble. And most of the "professional tube audio techs" out there may have problems too-most of these people come from guitar amp backgrounds, and you don't see toroids there at all.

 

I too have a pair of PK restored Quad ESL 57s. I am wondering if I could make them my main speakers -- well, I'm wondering if I could make them my only speakers. I am wondering if anyone has successfully addressed the loss of the lowest bass octave.

A lot of guys talk a big story about adding some kind of sub to them and other guys talk a big story about how that will never work, that the coherent magic would be lost. One step forward, one and a half steps back. Has anyone successfully addressed this in his system with the ESL 57s, please?

 

I’ve done a lot of experimentation with trying to integrate a sub. I even purchased a sub (a Velodyne servo something or other) from PK as he said it was the one he’d had best results with over the years. I tried to integrate it but was unsuccessful. He walked me through the setup, setting the crossover point, room positioning, volume, phase etc, no matter what I did it never sounded right to me. I ended up moving it to my home theater and it sounds great there.

I then picked up an old Janis subwoofer to try. Immediately I got way better results, even with minimal effort. After a lot of critical listening I noticed that it seemed like the Quads lost a bit of their magic with the sub in the mix. Even with the sub turned all the way down, it seemed to suck a bit of the life out of the sound. I attribute this to my preamp having to work a bit harder to send signal to two sources. Maybe with a different pre this wouldn’t be an issue - I plan on trying that one day.

I ended up ditching the sub and beefing up my room treatments. That got me 90% of the way there with cleaner tighter bass (although not lower).

 

The best amp I've heard on my 57's is the Benchmark AHB2.

 

My Radford Revival STA-25 for my Quads will be here next week. Can’t wait!

 

Fantastic. Just curious, per this review, re: "Another change Radford Revival eventually plan is the inclusion of a new IEC socket to allow use of your own mains leads (the review sample and first production models having a captive lead)." Did that happen yet?

Radford STA15 Series 3 Re-Issue Amplifier | Hifi Pig

 

Sure did, that’s what I went with.

 

That's about how I thought the sub woofer endeavor might play out. I appreciate your candor.

Just last week I sold all of my room treatments. I was tired of looking at all that stuff. I'm not sure if I'm going to re-travel the room treatments road but if I do, the Stillpoints Apertures might be something I could live with. I don't sense that I have bass issues in the traditional sense. The more I consider this, the more I think the about Marshall McLuhan's adage, "The Medium is Message." In other words, I think the Quads might be the room treatments. Ha.

 

Just curious, have you guys dusted your panels? I never have. I have read some owenrs recommend doing it every month. I mean, you unscrew the metal covers and all that? Boy, that sounds like a lot of trouble -- but maybe worth it -- and half dangerous. Anyone done this, please?

 

I have not, and I don't plan on it.

 

Received, biased and hooked up my Radford Revival STA-25 today. Man does this thing grip Quads! Now time to listen.

 

Keep us posted, please. I was just looking at your profile. Is the new Radford Rivival replacing your Crimson amp(s)? I'm not familiar with Crimson so I looked at their website a moment ago. Anyhow, I'm curious about what kind of differences you are hearing. The new amp might take some time to bed in, of course, but it is most intriguing.