New to ML

Hey guys I’ve come across an opportunity to buy a pair of SL3s and wanted to get caught up to speed on what to look for in terms of condition, how much they are worth, and anything else that might be useful. I’m comparing them against some Mirage M-1si speakers (also for sale) which I also know nothing about.
Can you all bring me up to speed quickly to help me determine if they are a wise purchase?

First order of business is to determine if you can correctly place and power a pair of SL3's. If you read up a bit on this forum, you quickly learn that getting good results with the planar dipole speakers is all about how they are set up in the room, which usually involves the speaker panel being 4' or more away from the wall behind it. In most 'living room' setups, this is a hard sell to the spouse.
Next up is power, electrostats need a good power amp to let them do their thing, most receivers do not qualitfy. You'll need a good power amp capable of doubling its output with every halving of impedance (e.g. 200w @8 Ohms, 400w @4 Ohms, 800w @2 Ohms). It needs to be stable down to 3 Ohms or so.

If you can get past those hurdles, the condition of the SL3 panel is the most critical, as replacing those will likely cost more the the purchase price. You want the panels to be clean, no obvious sign of deposits on the transparent mylar. Older units will sometimes have little dots of darker shading where dust has bonded to the panel. If it's just a bit, not to big a deal, if you can't see through it, then something to worry about.
Panels can be cleaned, but results are mixed.
Check the woofer using a strong flashlight to see the driver, looking for issues with the surround. These are older drivers and may or may not have been abused. If the system they were in had a sub, then better, as they might not have been stressed as much.

Be aware that even if the panels are OK, they probably will need replacing in the next 5 to 10 years. They will still work, but will decline in performance. That said, I have a pair of Sequell IIb (the predecessor to the SL3, with same exact panel as the SL3) whose panels are 25 years old and still performing well enough as my rear speakers. But then, I baby them, and they live in a dark, air-conditioned man-cave.

Hope that helps. Let us know what you decide.

Thanks to Jonathan he summed up the points needed superbly !

all I can add is a hearty ...... Welcome !

Thanks, Jonathan, that is exactly the sort of information I was looking for. I'm single with no kids so I have no spousal concerns. As for the amplification, that is the next step of my journey into Hifi audio. I had planned to get a decent AV receiver then use the line out into a dedicated stereo amplifier. On this topic, i am still doing my research.
I did notice black dots on the film in the holes from the steel mesh. I worried someone had spray painted the grills somehow or that it was some kind of overspray. But for the most part i can still see thru the panel. Is there a way i can tell if the panels are degraded in any way?
I'm very excited to jump into notoriously high quality speakers, but i don't want to be disappointed in a short time when i get familiar with the sound. What would you value a "good condition" set at?

I should mention there is also a Depth i Subwoofer for sale separately that i thought about pairing with these SL3s

From that pic, looks to be in decent condition, but you need to inspect it for any wrinkles in the Mylar. Reject them if any.

The black spots in the middle of the holes is typical, but only if small and translucent. If large and opaque, be careful.
Some of that would go away in a shower wash process.

If you can play something through them, check that both speakers are in balance in terms of frequency response. Actual REW-based measurements would be best, as those will show how much high-frequency roll-off there might be. They will have some, but that's not usually a concern unless it's severe.

As for price, hard to say. Definitely no more than $1500, even for a pristine set. Probably closer to $1K if in good condition and hundreds less if something will need to be done to them right away.

Using a sub would be an excellent idea. As the location that works best for the panels is likely not ideal for bass, so a sub or two (for room mode reduction) is recommended.

Bssplyr4life said:

Thanks, Jonathan, that is exactly the sort of information I was looking for. I'm single with no kids so I have no spousal concerns. As for the amplification, that is the next step of my journey into Hifi audio. I had planned to get a decent AV receiver then use the line out into a dedicated stereo amplifier. On this topic, i am still doing my research.
I did notice black dots on the film in the holes from the steel mesh. I worried someone had spray painted the grills somehow or that it was some kind of overspray. But for the most part i can still see thru the panel. Is there a way i can tell if the panels are degraded in any way?
I'm very excited to jump into notoriously high quality speakers, but i don't want to be disappointed in a short time when i get familiar with the sound. What would you value a "good condition" set at?

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Hi I am new to the form too and have just picked up a pair of the original Sequels from a very nice guy who has introduced me to these fab speakers.. I was using a pair of Spendor A5'S that were a touch small for my man cave... 20 years old or other these Sequel wipe the floor with the above mentioned speaker.. I knew the Krell S300I would love these speakers because it likes something to do and enjoys driving shifting impedances ... I think that spendor were a complete mismatch as they dont drop much below 5ohm.. So to get to the point very good amplification is key in my view along with what has already been said..