Quad S Series S1 Bookshelf Speakers (Pair), Black Oak - Secondhand

Full Description

It was way back in the mono days of 1949 that Quad launched its first loudspeaker, the Corner Ribbon. This was, indeed, a prestige product, but it offered something special, a particularly clear and detailed upper mid-range to treble performance from a large and delicate ribbon driver. The naturalness and fidelity of sound reproduction of the original corner ribbon was championed by the hi-fi press. Both the new S Series and flagship Z Series both have bought influence from this classic speaker, in two new modern speaker ranges taking the delicate and beautiful sound in a more powerful and modern loudspeaker.

ABR Driver Design

The ribbon tweeter is aligned with Quad’s Kevlar-coned bass and midrange drivers through sophisticated crossover networks. While the stand mount models use carefully tuned, rear-firing reflex ports to augment the bass, the floor standers are unusual in incorporating three ABRs (Auxiliary Bass Radiators) in place of a port. These passive, rear-firing bass units support the main drivers to extend bass response down to 35Hz whilst maintaining an accurate and articulate rendition of instrument fundamentals.

Delicate Sound, Powerful Delivery

While many ribbon drivers are delicate, easily prone to burning out if overpowered, the new ribbon unit developed for the S Series is a thoroughly modern affair, utilising the latest techniques and materials. The ribbon itself is a sandwich construction, making it robust enough to handle high-powered amplifiers, and is fully immersed in a powerful magnetic field so that it accomplishes its dual role of being both the voice coil and sound radiator.

Furniture Quality Woodwork

Beautifully presented with rounded top edges at the front and rear, each speaker cabinet uses a sandwich construction of alternate layers of MDF and high-density particleboard to reduce panel resonance to below the level of audibility. Aesthetically, the look is classically Quad, yet subtly updated, available initially in black or sapele mahogany wood veneers. These will be joined in the autumn by premium, hand-laquered piano white and piano black finish options.