The L-Series loudspeakers
In true Quad tradition, the L-series dynamic loudspeakers offer levels of detail, neutrality and stereo imaging beyond anything else in their category. Following in the footsteps of their famous ESL brethren, all L-series models set new standards of performance at their prices. A wide frequency response and incredibly accurate drivers produce a sound-stage so vivid and coherent you can visualise each and every sound in three dimensional space.
Build-quality is, as you would expect, superb. Each cabinet is made from reinforced 18 mm MDF, with a choice of four real wood veneers. Each cabinet then has seven coats of piano lacquer applied, with each coat drying for a full 24 hours before being cut and polished ready for the next coat. High quality gold-plated bi-wire terminals and oxygen free internal wiring ensure excellent signal transmission.
The range consists of four stereo loudspeakers, and a centre channel and subwoofer for AV applications – all with the same excellent performance and build.
Inside the L-Series
Each model within the Quad L-series is hand-built from beginning to end. No ‘off the shelf’ components are used anywhere in the design (except the magnet). Every part is not only designed in-house, but tooled in-house, and then manufactured in our own factory.
The bass units diaphragms are formed from ultra-strong, but lightweight KEVLAR fibres. These are then lattice woven to further improve strength and also improves resonance control. The fibres are resin impregnated and baked to produce the appropriate cone stiffness, strength and weight properties. Finally, the cone is mounted onto a specially developed butyl rubber surround. The voice coils are painstakingly hand wound to the aluminium former ensuring the drivers have excellent linearity and consistency. The lightweight but strong aluminium former ‘wicks’ heat away from the central coil region to maintain peak performance and the optimum excursion of the long-throw driver. The coils are vented to reduce the effect of any pressure build-up in the central cone region. An expensive, very fine grain powder magnet gives excellent ‘traction’ to the coil meaning that the cone tracks the music signal very accurately giving a fast and accurate sound. The drivers’ chassis is die-cast aluminium which prevents flexing in the bass units during high excursions. Finally, a profiled phase plug provides additional cone axial rigidity and also improves off-axis performance.
The tweeter unit is derived from a thorough understanding of high frequency acoustics. Although it is now fashionable to use metal dome tweeters, the supposed extra bandwidth (within the inaudible area of the sonic spectrum) these create, often comes at a heavy price – the often unpleasant ‘tizz’ of such drive units significantly hardens the sound and can sound very fatiguing. It is better, we believe, to make the audible frequency as accurate and precise as possible with a very relaxed, yet precise performance. This gives the Quad 22L a laid-back air of authority – never trying too hard, or sounding strained and unpleasant – but with no loss of detail. It is also a misconception that silk domes have a limited frequency response. We test every tweeter beyond 37 kHz, way beyond the threshold of audibility. They have a useful response to around 50 kHz.
Many years of experience have manifested themselves in the high-frequency driver. A compact yet powerful neodymium magnet keeps the tightest control on the diaphragm. Phase coherency is particularly important to ensure the bass integrates perfectly with the treble, and of course, to create a truly holographic stereo image – the hallmark of a classic Quad sound. This tweeter is a very low distortion device; it measures typically less than 1% distortion at 103 DB (equivalent to normally loud playback) output at a distance of 1 metre – quite extraordinary.
The Quad L-series crossover uses air-cored chokes with large gauge, ‘low loss’ wire. The capacitors are audiophile grade polypropylene and low loss metallised polyester. A simple crossover topology is used to preserve phase coherency and integration. Instead, cabinet design is used to ‘tune’ the loudspeaker to a flat frequency response. Four heavy-duty gold-plated terminals allow for connection using substantial speaker cables.
Quad 11L2 Bookshelf or stand mount speakers NZ$ 995 a pair
Quad 12L2 Mid sized Bookshelf or stand mount speakers NZ$ 1,300 a pair
Quad 22L2 Floorstanding speakers NZ$ 2,500
Choice of Cherry, Black or Rosewood gloss lacquer finish
Surround Sound – Quad style
While we don’t yet have a Quad Home Cinema processor you can still enjoy movie sound tracks with Quad sound. In the first instance don’t be afraid of running a DVD player through you Quad stereo system – the CDP2 has digital inputs and the Up-sampling DAC within it does wonderful things to even the most ordinary DVD players performance.
The L series speakers have a matching centre speaker – just NZ$ 850 saves you from having to compromise with other brands.
The Quad L subwoofer, winner of a ‘best buy’ in this year’s What Hi-Fi? awards, is a stunner. Performance is nothing short of spectacular with a new 300wRMS dedicated power amplifier and a microprocessor controlled filter stage. Fully remote controlled with programmable memory settings, the L sub can combine with both stereo and home cinema systems effectively.
Whilst some subwoofers focus on control at the expense of output, the L sub offers both in abundance – perfect to add a little bit more weight to orchestral music with complete control, yet with enough dynamic ability to accurately impart the full scale of movie soundtracks.
Quad L subwoofer NZ$ 2,200
So you can build a complete Quad surround sound speaker system. How good is this?
Then e-mail us or call in to see which combination will work best for you.
The Terrace Houses
217 Stuart Street
Dunedin 9016
New Zealand
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(+64) 03 4790 444
(+64) 021 963 321
quad@totallywired.co.nz
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John Ransley and Sharon Guytonbeck are the principals behind Totally Wired. It’s our own business and we take pride in building something worthwhile.
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