QUAD announce Elegan loudspeakers

Good News today from Cambridgeshire’s QUAD, makers of the stunning, recently reviewed, 33/303 pre and power amplifiers and the ESL X Electrostatic loudspeakers, seen at Bristol last year (2025).

Architecture & Design Philosophy

The QUAD Elegan lineup introduces two distinct loudspeaker designs engineered to suit different room sizes and acoustic requirements: the compact Elegan 1 standmount and the larger Elegan 2 floorstander. Both models share a bass reflex enclosure design, reflecting a consistent approach to cabinet tuning, acoustic efficiency, and structural rigidity. At the top end of the frequency spectrum, both speakers utilise an identical 25mm fabric dome treble driver, ensuring a unified tonal balance, low distortion, and smooth high-frequency dispersion up to 24kHz.

Despite sharing high-frequency architecture and driver material choices, the two models differ substantially in cabinet volume and physical footprint. The Elegan 1 houses its drive units in a single 15.5-litre enclosure, whereas the Elegan 2 scales up to a dual-chamber cabinet layout featuring a 14.5-litre dedicated enclosure for the midrange section and a generous 31-litre chamber to support low-frequency air displacement. Across both designs, the cabinets are engineered to control internal resonances and standing waves, providing an inert foundation for precise driver piston movement.

Driver Configurations & Acoustic Performance

The core acoustic distinction between the two models lies in their drive unit deployment and crossover implementation. The Elegan 1 operates as a two-way system using a single 165mm woven Kevlar cone for combined midrange and bass duties, crossing over to the tweeter at 2.9kHz. This yields a frequency response of 56Hz–24kHz (±3dB) with a low-end extension down to 44Hz (-6dB) and a sensitivity rating of 86dB (2.83V @ 1m). In contrast, the Elegan 2 employs a dedicated three-way configuration, pairing a 125mm woven Kevlar midrange driver with twin 165mm woven Kevlar bass drivers.

Utilising dual crossover points at 480Hz and 2.7kHz, the floorstander splits acoustic tasks more granularly, extending frequency response down to 44Hz–24kHz (±3dB) with a deeper bass extension of 32Hz (-6dB). The additional cone area and increased enclosure volume also bump the Elegan 2’s sensitivity up to 90dB, giving it greater dynamic headroom and allowing it to handle higher peak amplifier power.

Electrical Load & Physical Footprint – Comparison 

In terms of room integration and amplifier matching, the two models present distinct physical and electrical profiles. Measuring 365 x 220 x 300mm and weighing 8.9kg per speaker, the Elegan 1 is tailored for stand-mounting in small-to-medium spaces and requires a recommended power output between 30W and 150W. The Elegan 2 measures 942 x 220 x 340mm and weighs 27.8kg per unit, commanding a larger footprint and an increased power-handling recommendation of 30W to 200W. While both models are officially rated as 8Ω nominal impedance compatible for broad amplifier compatibility, their minimum impedance curves dictate careful system pairing.

The Elegan 1 remains relatively benign with a minimum impedance dip of 4.3Ω, whereas the Elegan 2’s twin bass drivers drop the minimum impedance down to 3.0Ω, benefiting from an amplifier with a solid power supply capable of delivering sustained current into lower impedance loads.

Peter Comeau QUAD’s Director of Acoustic Design, said;

Across the last three years, we have revised the entire QUAD range, introducing the upmarket Revela loudspeakers and new versions of the iconic ESL electrostatics, alongside an all-new lineup of audio electronics stretching from the QUAD 3 and re-imagined QUAD 33/303 to the remarkable flagship Platina Series. All the while, a new range of QUAD speakers at more accessible price points was also in development, designed to complement the new electronics acoustically and aesthetically. The Elegan Series is the result.

The Elegan 1 and Elegan 2 are a ground-up re-evaluation of what entry-point QUAD loudspeakers should be, in a thoroughly modern context. Today’s listeners expect performance that integrates seamlessly into both the system and the living environment – acoustically, visually and practically.

The industrial design is controlled, understated and purposeful. Proportions are carefully considered, surfaces are clean, and visual complexity is deliberately minimised. Key elements are familiar – the use of Kevlar cones, for example – but here they are engineered to an elevated level. The result is loudspeakers that integrate naturally into contemporary spaces without drawing unnecessary attention to themselves. Minimalism does not imply compromise, quite the opposite.

In true QUAD style, the Elegan speakers’ performance is defined not by exaggeration but by balance. Vocals are conveyed with realistic body and clarity. Instruments occupy clearly defined spaces, supported by consistent tonal balance and natural dynamics. Low frequencies are extended yet proportionate, avoiding artificial emphasis while maintaining presence and authority. The presentation is open, linear and fatigue-free, encouraging extended listening across a wide range of music – from dense electronic productions and guitar-based tracks to orchestral recordings and vocal performances.

This is a loudspeaker series built on conceptual clarity and engineering discipline, prioritising fidelity to the recorded performance – ‘the closest approach to the original sound’ – and long-term listening satisfaction. Comprising simple ingredients of exceptional quality, expertly engineered in unison using state-of-the-art techniques, the Elegan speakers establish a new foundation for QUAD in the accessibly priced high-performance audio category.

The QUAD Elegan 1 and Elegan 2 speakers are available from 24th July in a choice of deep matt black or walnut wood veneer. RRPs are £749 per pair for the Elegan 1 and £1499 per pair for the Elegan 2.

Specification

About QUAD

Of all the British high-end hi-fi brands, QUAD (an acronym for Quality Unit Amplifier Domestic) boasts the longest and most distinguished history. The company has been at the cutting edge of audio since 1936, pushing back the boundaries of performance with continuous innovation. In 1953, the QUAD II valve amplifier set new standards for audio amplification and three years later QUAD invented the first full-range electrostatic speaker – later known as the legendary ESL 57.

Throughout the ensuing years, QUAD products have continued to win worldwide acclaim, building a reputation for excellence that bears comparison with the most distinguished brands in any field. QUAD has been part of the International Audio Group (IAG) since 1998, following its acquisition from the Verity Group (alongside Wharfedale). The company’s design and technical support teams and much-admired servicing department continue to be based in Cambridgeshire, England, supported by key personnel who have worked with QUAD for decades.

IAG’s exceptional resources and unrivalled audio manufacturing facilities ensure that QUAD’s current range boasts many award-winning products, including the latest generation of ESL electrostatic speakers, class-leading valve amplifiers, dynamic ‘box’ speakers, planar magnetic headphones and a range of solid-state audio electronics that fuse exceptional sound with iconic design. 90 years after its formation, QUAD continues to be driven by the philosophy of its founder, Peter Walker, to produce ‘the closest approach to the original sound’.

quad-hifi.co.uk