Graaf GM200 GM20 Modena OTL Quad ESL 63

Click pic to enlarge. Quad ESL-63 on stands; Graaf GM200 on stool, connected with Nordost Speaker Cables; above, pair of GM20 Modena Monoblocks with black coverings, next to which Marantz 10B Tuner; beneath Marantz is Luminous Audio Passive Control.

Virtual Home Visits (9): Quad ESL, Graaf OTL

The Perfect Gentleman
This photo came by accident. When Jules (Visit 8) sent his photo to me, he included this one, which briefly threw me off. It turned out to be a more recent picture of the home of dkyyu, which I had visited a few times before. dkyyu is a perfect gentleman and a generous man (come to think of it, don't you think the majority of audiophiles, of any nationality, are really nice people?). I took the liberty of using this photo, just to say hello to him! dkyyu is also a precious tea collector and an LP collector.

Researching this blog, I was surprised that I had actually recorded a visit to dkyyu more than 10 years ago!!! I forgot about it! It is still a good read, and relevant to this article! :-) That makes me happy. I have visited him after that, but did not write about it, so please say hello to LeeHC and big Lau for me too! I miss you all!

dkyyu's living room can be considered reasonably sized in HK. He is a die-hard vintage Quad ESL fan, owner of the iconic ESL-57 and ESL-63. There is a crazy gang of vintage ESL users in HK; some members even do DIY repairs (HK is very humid, and almost all ESL's go bad). Some of their exploits can be seen here (pics galore).

ESL users naturally gravitate to OTL (the theoretical high impedance matching thing). That is one of the reasons (but no the only one) why I have heard many Graaf's in HK. This Modena (home of the 3 i's of race cars) manufacturer is not well known in the US. This is understandable, as North American homes on the average are much larger and OTL, being a low-powered and impedance matching oddball, is a niche; and the US also has its own Atmasphere and Transcendent Sound. On the other hand, in places like the UK, Europe and Hong Kong, listening quarters are small and Graaf would be more suitable. In the HK market, any Graaf that shows up is lapped up quickly; in NA, I think it'd be like hunting for hen's teeth. Graaf's official websites have not been updated for a few years but can still be read (old one has more info, "new one" less so). If readers know if they are defunct or not, please let me know. Where are you, "Giacomo Bello" (come to think of it, can you email me?)?

OTL in General My own experience with OTL is summarized here in an Overview.

Graaf GM 20
Graaf's most commonly seen OTL amp is the GM20 (this review is probably by Ken Kessler of HiFi News). Employing 4 x 6C33, it puts out 20 watts. It is a great amp, and not just with ESL. Yes, I have heard it with vintage Quad ESL, like at dkyyu's place, to good effect. But, keep in mind, I understand what's good about ESL, but am not an exact fan of vintage ESL, as they image low and have no power envelope to speak of for this classical symphonic listener. In my opinion, for vintage ESL, elevation and addition of subwoofer is a must. I'd actually prefer my lowly low-level Martin Logan Source (here, and there are many after that pilot, just search; second-hand price is probably a few hundred dollars). But I notice that dkyyu now has a subwoofer! If my memory serves me, my previous visits were without, and that is a big step forward by my thinking! In terms of average,based on what I heard in HK, I actually prefer the sound of my friend relax173's Graaf + B and W Nautilus 804. So, OTL can work well with other lower impedance loudspeakers as well.

Graaf Modena Monoblocks 
These are special monoblock editions of the GM20, and highly coveted. The sound is excellent, just like the GM20, with a little more power. Should you be interested, this past sales ad has a lot of great pics.

Graaf GM 200
Judging by the looks and the "magic eye" tubes, dkyyu's ' "newest" acquisition, which I have not heard, is the GM 200, 10x the power of the GM20! This was reviewed by Ken Kessler in HiFi News and Stereophile. A whopping 42 tubes, and in ultra-hot sub-tropical (misnomer; I think the difference between sub- and tropical is disappearing) HK! While I admire the fanaticism, I cannot really take this to heart. I am sure it sounds great, but the energy cost! I'll take the GM20 myself, thank you. What I am saying is, no matter what the power, vintage ESL is highly limited in dynamics - there is a reason why SME's Alistair Richardosn employed stacked pairs! For me, the current Quad offerings (28' and 29' series) are more dynamic and suitable (though I shall still opt for Martin Logan).

Thank you Jules, and dkyyu! You both have enhanced my audio experience so much. I am grateful that I have you as friends.