QUAD ESL 2812X Electrostatic Loudspeakers [Ships Fall 2025]

Discover The New ESL X

The QUAD ESL X Series marks a significant evolution of one of
audio’s most revered loudspeaker designs. Drawing on over six
decades of electrostatic innovation, the ESL X refines the classic ESL
formula with obsessive attention to detail and engineering integrity.
Under the guidance of Paul McConville and Peter Comeau, the ESL X
emerged from a six-year re-evaluation of the entire ESL production
process. The result is a loudspeaker that is unmistakably QUAD yet
remarkably advanced.
At the heart of the ESL X is a re-engineered electrostatic panel
system. It employs ultra-light Mylar diaphragms driven by concentric
ring electrodes to create a true point-source effect. The result is
audio reproduction of astonishing purity, spatial precision, and
transient speed. These are attributes that have defined every QUAD
ESL, now further enhanced through modern manufacturing
techniques and upgraded componentry.
New UK-built transformers, custom-designed to Peter Walker’s
original specifications, deliver extended bandwidth and greater
control across the mid and high frequencies. A redesigned internal
architecture separates the high-voltage supply, audio circuitry, and
protection modules. This improves signal integrity and reduces
distortion. A matte black finish and optional LED halo lighting bring a
subtle visual refinement that allows the speaker to blend into its
surroundings and keep the focus on the music.
True to Peter Walker’s vision of sonic transparency, the ESL X Series
pushes the ESL legacy forward without abandoning its core
philosophy. It delivers honest, immersive reproduction without
adding character of its own. In every sense, the ESL X stands as the
most natural, dynamic, and faithful QUAD electrostatic loudspeaker to
date.

ESL 2812X Shipping Fall 2025

General Description: Floor standing dipole with 3° fixed tilt

Type: Multiple electrostatic drive membranes

Point Source Time Delay: Progressive concentric rings

Chassis Structure: Heavy duty composite aluminum & steel

Panel Elements: 4

Maximum Output: 2 N/ m2 at 2 m on axis

Sensitivity: 1.5 mbar per volt referred to 1m

(86 dB/2.83 V rms equivalent)

Nominal Impedance: 8 Ω

Impedance Variation: 4 – 15 Ω

Maximum Input:

• Continuous input voltage (rms)

• 10 V Programme Peak for undistorted

output: 40 V

• Permitted peak input: 55 V

Frequency Response: • 37 Hz – 21 kHz (–6 dB)

• 33 Hz – 23 kHz (useable)

Distortion (100 dB @ 1 m)

• Above 1 kHz: <0.15%

• Above 100 Hz: <0.5%

• Above 50 Hz: <1.0%

AC Input: 220 – 240 V, 100 – 120 V

Power Consumption: 8W

Dimensions (HxWxD): 42.1 “ × 27.2 “ × 15.0 “

Weight: 77.2 lbs