Just bought a (1970) pair of ESL-57s

[diyapril]

I have just taken delivery of a pair of Quad ESL-57s dating from 1970. Is there anything I ought to do / check before switching them on? I will be using them with a Quad 33/303 combination and Technics SL1210.

 

[SY]

Lucky you!

Visually check the rectifier stack for the HT supply, and gently vacuum away any dust. Look for holes in the dust cover films. Then fire 'em up and see if they make noise!

 

[diyapril]

Forgive my ignorance, but how do I "visually check the rectifier stack for the HT supply"; what am I looking for?

Thanks anyhow for the reply, I should be able to handle the vacuum cleaner bit - just so long as my wife doesn't catch me.

 

[SY]

You want to see if it's burned-looking. You'll probably want to replace it anyway, and the good news is that replacement HT supplies aren't too expensive.

Here's some nice pix, including the holes I was talking about:

Quad ESL-57 repair by Hey You

Source for repairs and replacement parts- I know this guy pretty well, his restorations are terrific. The site is worth poking around.

QUAD ESL 57 repair and refurbishment