It has been a long time since I listened to Quad ESLs (model 63 back in their day that my father had) but I do remember they seemed to manage to remove the speaker from the sound perhaps more than any other conventional speaker I have since heard. That alone could make for a more convincing sound, but it still doesn’t change that the sound is subject to the mic/mixing choices made and specially you are in your own room.
It seems whatever the speaker at whatever the price (for conventional speakers at least), there always remains a sense that the sound source is still a speaker and I can still hear some artifact of the speaker even if the resulting sound is still very good and enjoyable.
The ESLs come into their own with single instruments. Try harpsichord
They don’t do bass well put they are simply MAGIC
Unfortunately they don’t like dry , high altitude like Johannesburg, within 2 weeks here one had burned a pin hole in the membrane and started ticking as they discharged . They were fine at sea level
I suppose Huntingdon isn’t the highest place on Earth
I have got to the point that I spend my money on the music and don’t even think about the equipment it is played on, it sounds good to me and I want to listen to it ,so if it is cheaper or more expensive than someone else’s system who cares.
I can certainly hear tiny differences in my system but I have noticed that my mood can make a bigger difference to my enjoyment than any small change ever made.
Same as listening in the dark with no distractions seems to up my enjoyment.