Hello Ad10685,
First the disclaimer: I'm a Sound Lab owner and dealer, and former Quad 63 owner. I'm familiar with both the Dynastats and M2's, and frankly the M2's are in a significantly higher league. I'd probably pick the Quad 988 or 989 over the Dynastats, personally. The weak link of the Dynastat is the woofer box itself. If you're willing to do some tweaks to the box the woofer-to-panel blend can be improved, but still won't be ideal. Wish I could tell you otherwise...
Between the Quad 989 and M2, the Quad will be easier to drive (less hidden amplifier cost). I have a customer who owned Quad 988's and 989's for a while, I loaned him a pair of M2's for a few months (they were too big and expensive to be practical in his situation so he ended up with Gradient Revolutions). Anyway, he told me he preferred the Sound Labs across the board (noting their lower efficiency), and he made particular mention of the better dynamic contrast and richer presentation of the Sound Labs. Pardon the hearsay evidence, but this particular customer has better ears than I do so I use him a lot. I can put you in touch with him via e-mail if you'd like.
I've auditioned the 988 and 989, and personally prefer the 988. I think it's extremely competitive in its price range, and more coherent than its bigger brother.
While we're on the subject, the InnerSound Eros is a superbly articulate loudspeaker with a better woofer system than the Dynastat. The Eros does have a narrow sweet spot, but you get world-class soundstaging within that sweet spot. The Eros also has the best dynamics of any electrostat I know of in its price ballpark (including my beloved Sound Labs). I do sell InnerSound amplifiers but I'm not a dealer for their speaker line, as I prefer the wide radiation pattern of the Sound Labs.
On the subject of getting panel speakers to work well in small rooms, I think that if you have the freedom to position them properly and treat the room as needed, you can get excellent sound in small rooms. I have a customer who used full-size Sound Lab M-1's in a 12 by 12 room with great success, and another customer who's using a smaller pair in a 9 by 12 room right now. The rules of placement vary somewhat from with a monopole speaker, but in some ways a dipole is easier to integrate into a small room (once again assuming freedom to place them well).
On the amplifier front, the Dynastats would work well with your Alephs, and I think the Quads and InnerSound Eros would work well also (though with some loudness limitations). The Sound Labs M2's sound wonderful with the Alephs but would be limited in maximum volume level to the mid to upper 80's at the listening position. I had a customer who used the Aleph 5 on his Sound Labs, but personally I'd like a bit more juice.
Anyway, best of luck with your quest! Needless to say, I think you're barking up the right trees!
Duke
First the disclaimer: I'm a Sound Lab owner and dealer, and former Quad 63 owner. I'm familiar with both the Dynastats and M2's, and frankly the M2's are in a significantly higher league. I'd probably pick the Quad 988 or 989 over the Dynastats, personally. The weak link of the Dynastat is the woofer box itself. If you're willing to do some tweaks to the box the woofer-to-panel blend can be improved, but still won't be ideal. Wish I could tell you otherwise...
Between the Quad 989 and M2, the Quad will be easier to drive (less hidden amplifier cost). I have a customer who owned Quad 988's and 989's for a while, I loaned him a pair of M2's for a few months (they were too big and expensive to be practical in his situation so he ended up with Gradient Revolutions). Anyway, he told me he preferred the Sound Labs across the board (noting their lower efficiency), and he made particular mention of the better dynamic contrast and richer presentation of the Sound Labs. Pardon the hearsay evidence, but this particular customer has better ears than I do so I use him a lot. I can put you in touch with him via e-mail if you'd like.
I've auditioned the 988 and 989, and personally prefer the 988. I think it's extremely competitive in its price range, and more coherent than its bigger brother.
While we're on the subject, the InnerSound Eros is a superbly articulate loudspeaker with a better woofer system than the Dynastat. The Eros does have a narrow sweet spot, but you get world-class soundstaging within that sweet spot. The Eros also has the best dynamics of any electrostat I know of in its price ballpark (including my beloved Sound Labs). I do sell InnerSound amplifiers but I'm not a dealer for their speaker line, as I prefer the wide radiation pattern of the Sound Labs.
On the subject of getting panel speakers to work well in small rooms, I think that if you have the freedom to position them properly and treat the room as needed, you can get excellent sound in small rooms. I have a customer who used full-size Sound Lab M-1's in a 12 by 12 room with great success, and another customer who's using a smaller pair in a 9 by 12 room right now. The rules of placement vary somewhat from with a monopole speaker, but in some ways a dipole is easier to integrate into a small room (once again assuming freedom to place them well).
On the amplifier front, the Dynastats would work well with your Alephs, and I think the Quads and InnerSound Eros would work well also (though with some loudness limitations). The Sound Labs M2's sound wonderful with the Alephs but would be limited in maximum volume level to the mid to upper 80's at the listening position. I had a customer who used the Aleph 5 on his Sound Labs, but personally I'd like a bit more juice.
Anyway, best of luck with your quest! Needless to say, I think you're barking up the right trees!
Duke