Quad 988 / 989 reliability ??

When we first began bringing the new Quad to the U.S.,and yes we picked the first 20 pairs of speakers directly from the U.K.. We had no idea that there was going to be the problems that existed. After selling numerous pairs, and replacing a number at our expence ,we became suspicious of the qc. We started to sell the electronics, particularly the tube pieces, and had further breakdown and this is when we said what is up here. During this time we modified and replaced binding post and tried to make the speaker more appealing to new customers and one's who were owners Quad who might want the new product if it was superior to the original. Not once did I claim it was the superior to the 57 and was only different from the 63. We never carried ProAc ,still recommend Dunlavy and haven't sold Merlin since the middle 80's. We held great hope for the new Quad but it failed to meet our expectations. I would still reccommend a Quad for certain types of listening or for environmental reasons over others we sell but it is a case to case basis. This is why we have 63's on constant display in our showrooms.

Very sadly the old saying "you cant judge a book by it's cover" is true in far too many cases in this business. It may be true we supercede brands as do many other dealers and most of the time there is good reason. In some cases it's reasons that are beyond the control of the dealer and in others it mutual. Sometimes design flaws make it impossible to offer the kind of service necessary to maintain relationships ,sometimes personalities don't jive. Whatever reason the fact remains most relationships begin with good faith. Many of the companies we sell are 20+ year relationships and many more are the longest some manufactures have with a dealer, but some do become short lived. If from our side you could look at the short lived one's service and reliablity are the reason for most that end. Still yet we will always service and maintain every piece we sell to the absolute best of our ability. You don't stay in business 23 years otherwise.

HiFiFarm: Looks like you stirred up a hornet's nest with your first post of 9/7. Then, in the first of your 2 posts of 9/9 (3rd line) you stated that you "replaced a number of pairs at your own expense". Are you implying by this that the manufacturer would not honor the warranty on defective product, and that you, the dealer, had to "eat it" ? I find this hard to believe.

Hififarm:I called qs&d today to find out if they had been seeing a larger than normal return of 988&989 Quads,they told me that the return for repair was no more or less than for any other quad model.I also questioned them about the major differences in the electronics,all of the components are the same as the 63s except that everything was now on the one circuit board,hence the larger base of the new speakers.Granted the new quads sound different than the older models but who is to say that one sounds better than the other,how about different.I have listened to the 57s in many different configurations a great speaker to be sure but also with its own shortcomings.I have owned and listened to many a very fine speaker systems in the thirty years that I have been in this lunatic hobby and I have to say that the new quad models are among the most musical I have heard.You stated that you were once a Dunlavy dealer,I had pair of the SC4 for several years a very accurate and musical speaker indeed,but to my ear the 989 kills them.I dont know what your relationship with IAG is or was but to use this forum to attack the Quad line is unscrupulous at best,considering you are former dealer of Quad ,sounds like a personal problem to me.So as to the original question that began this thread, the reliability of the 988,989. All electrostatic speakers from day one have been problematic to some degree,the Quads are no different.If you are willing to put up with something more than normal setup, equipment and room requirments ,they will reward you with some of the most breathtaking sound you can imagine.

Steveboeck, I've had and have Sound Labs, MLs, Servostatics, StaxF1 and the Stax stacked, Dutch ELS, the name of which I don't recall, as well as the Quads in all configurations. Sound Labs (Pristine) and Staxes have been completely unproblematic, not the Quads though alas, and the 989 is the worst of the bunch in my experience.