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Angeboten wird „ESL-57 for sale, completely original“ von Quad als Gebrauchtgerät aus der Kategorie „Standlautsprecher“ bei audio-markt.de - dem Online-Marktplatz für High-End. Das Inserat mit der Nummer 3540903902 endet am 30.07.2026 um 18:59 Uhr.
At €999, this sits right on the median of your recent comparable used market, so it reads as fairly priced rather than discounted. Against the €916 to €1,638 spread, it is comfortably in the normal band and not an ambitious ask.
That makes it interesting because this is a historically important speaker with a strong cult following for its open, electrostatic midrange and “disappearing” presentation when properly set up. If the panels are healthy, the frames are straight, and the listing is genuinely clean, this is the kind of buy that rewards a patient enthusiast more than a spec-sheet shopper; just verify panel condition, transformer health, and whether any restoration has already been done.
Independent perspective — not a price guarantee. Always verify condition, accessories and provenance before purchase.
Quad, the venerable British hi-fi brand, traces its origins to 1936 in London, when engineer Peter J. Walker founded S.P. Fidelity Sound Systems, soon renamed the Acoustical Manufacturing Company. Relocating to Huntingdon in 1941 after wartime bombing, the firm shifted from public address gear to domestic audio amid post-war demand for superior sound reproduction. Walker's pioneering ethos—prioritizing "the closest approach to the original sound"—defined Quad from its early QA12 amplifiers, adopted by the BBC, to the iconic Quad I of 1953.
The brand excels in amplifiers and electrostatic loudspeakers, revolutionizing both categories. The Quad II power amplifier of 1953 introduced cathode coupling for vanishingly low distortion, while the 1956 ESL 57 delivered the world's first full-range electrostatic speaker, employing a massless film diaphragm for unparalleled transparency and transient speed. Quad advanced into solid-state with the 1967 303 and transistor designs featuring innovative "Triples" output stages, later expanding to integrated amps like the 99 series, moving-coil speakers, and modern electrostatic models such as the ESL 988 and 989.
Today, under the International Audio Group since 1997, Quad holds a prestigious position in the high-end market, revered by audiophiles for its unyielding pursuit of accuracy over trends. Its heritage components command vintage collector status, yet contemporary offerings maintain a niche boutique appeal among discerning buyers seeking refined, distortion-free reproduction that honors Walker's legacy.
See all Quad listings on RADAR.
