Quad Z Series

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Overview & Features

Z Series

QUAD proudly announce Z Series, our new flagship ribbon loudspeaker range. After taking a new approach to ribbon tweeter design using a unique sandwich formation, an exceptionally robust, high power speaker has been engineered, yet with the delicate sound conventional ribbon speakers are known for. Z Series is housed beautifully curved piano lacquered cabinets, available in black, white and rosewood.

Where It All Started

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. So, the question is, can Quad engineers replicate this performance today, or even surpass it? the answer, not surprisingly, is yes.

Then And Now

The Quad corner ribbon was a speaker incomparable to competitors at it’s time, all with thanks to the Quad ethos, which is still adhered to in all product development and to deliver; “The Closest Approach To The Original Sound”. 

Being our first ever commercially available loudspeaker, the Corner Ribbon was not completely perfect - it generated a relatively low power and the ribbon unit was very fragile. As we know founder Peter Walker moved on to develop the world’s first full range, push-pull Electrostatic speaker, if not the most iconic loudspeaker of our time. 

So, to make a ribbon unit that handled today’s high power amplifiers and to do the original Corner Ribbon justice was no mean task. The Z Series ribbon accomplishes this by utilising a composite ribbon sandwich substrate that is far more robust than earlier designs and immerses this ribbon in an exceptionally strong magnetic field to yield ultra-high sensitivity.

Beautifully Curved Cabinets

Only to look at the Z Series cabinets throughout our website and brochures will say more than enough.

Available in piano lacquered black, white, or rosewood, the skillfully veneered, one-piece curved structures make the focal point of any living room.

The Ribbon Tweeter

Unlike conventional dome treble units where the voice coil ‘motor’ is attached separately to the diaphragm, Z Series ribbon is both the diaphragm and the motor system. The result is a unique combination of delicacy, smoothness and hear-through performance that helps make your music sing.

While taking influence from the unparalleled success of the ESL speaker, the ribbon itself is engineered to be extremely light and thin, which delivers the startling accuracy and wide coverage Quad is famous for.

In our flagship series, the larger 90 x 12mm true ribbon creates an even higher sensitivity and bandwidth which means better dynamics and an even smoother integration with the midrange frequencies.

Woven Kevlar Woofer

In the Z Series floorstanders, this advanced ribbon unit is married to an equally high performance midrange driver with a unique double-roll-surround especially designed to control edge breakup and give equal transparency to the all important vocal range.

Both the midrange and bass drivers feature Quad's woven kevlar cone geometry, now matched by the double-roll-surround for the same smoothness and clarity offered by the ribbon treble unit.

Transparent Technology

The bass section, similar to the original Corner Ribbon utilises an acoustic filter bass reflex system. This section uses a double chamber filter that eliminates “chuffing” found in inferior loudspeakers with conventional ports. 

This also maintains a natural and unforced reproduction right down to the lowest frequencies of a symphony orchestra, producing our signature sound as found in the iconic ESLs.