Impressive site. Due to family considerations, I could never have a pair of ESLs, but it is fun to live vicariously through your terrific pictures.
Thank you Sir,
The only reason I haven't moved in with my GF is that she won't have my speakers in her living room... with the black grills on they look like the obelisks from 2001 Space Odysee
They also zap flying insects and anything else that makes a conduction path between the stators.
DO NOT repeat DO NOT move in with her - yet. You must absolutely agree on this issue before making any such escalation of the relationship. Our hobby is a lifelong obsession - trying to live with someone that does not recognize that is a really bad move (it will not get better, the love will slowly wither and turn into woofer-argument hell). She may even talk you into getting one of those absurdly expensive Bose systems that sound like Bose. Get her commitment in writing, like a pre-nup, that your partner, "________ agrees to live with your speaker size and aesthetic choices, in sickness and in health, until death do you apart" Have it notarized (the UPS store will do that for 15 bucks, and you will give the notary a laugh) and framed, make one copy for each listening room. Add a word about subwoofers in there, and a clause that permits at least 7 real speakers (not in-walls) in the home theater area if you have one. Then move in with her and get ready to walk with her to the wall where the contract document is on display every time an argument about WAF pops up (of course, have several copies in reserve at a safe location - she will occasionally destroy the copy on display and claim it was stolen by eccentric crooks).
Just some advice from experience.
OBG
I will certainly heed your advice, Mr. OBG. In fact, I had my GF read your post today in the hope that she might realize the gravity of the situation, visa-vi our relationship. And in fact, some weeks ago I initiated a plan bring her around by gifting to her a vintage hi-fi system of her very own--- consisting of a pair of the diminutive yet huge sounding 2015 CarverFest speakers, a Carver CT-7 preamp, Carver TFM-42 power amp, and a powered 12" sub built with my own hands.
However, my plan may have backfired: After hearing how good the tiny CarverFest speakers sound my GF (a.k.a. China Doll) seems no more inclined to allow my big stats in her living room, even though she concedes that they are the finest speakers she's ever heard.
Obviously my attempt to decipher the female non-Boolean logic has failed completely.