Described as Britain’s original high-end audio brand, QUAD has unveiled the two-model Elegan loudspeaker family.
Designed to deliver high-end performance at accessible prices, QUAD says the Elegan loudspeakers combine simplicity of design with purity of vision, implemented with uncompromising precision. The range comprises two models: the stand-mount Elegan 1 and the floor-standing Elegan 2, each engineered specifically to maximise performance from its respective form factor.
QUAD believes true excellence in loudspeaker design lies not in attempting to reinvent established principles, but in refining proven technologies through meticulous engineering. According to the company, both Elegan models embody this philosophy, with their clean, understated appearance reflecting the simplicity of their acoustic architecture.
Although entirely new designs, the Elegan speakers can be seen as spiritual successors to QUAD’s acclaimed L Series from the early 2000s. In particular, the Elegan 1 recalls the much-loved 11L and 12L models, while introducing completely redesigned components to deliver an even higher level of performance.
The minimalist approach extends to the available finishes, with just two options offered. An all-black version echoes the deep, non-reflective finish of QUAD’s ESL X electrostatic speakers, while a walnut finish pairs real wood veneer with a matt black front baffle for a more traditional aesthetic.
The Elegan speakers have been designed to partner perfectly with QUAD’s 3, 33 and 303 electronics, creating complete ‘affordable high-end’ systems. They are equally suited to partnering equipment from other manufacturers. The Elegan 1 is priced at £749 per pair, while the Elegan 2 retails for £1,499 per pair.
Acoustic architecture
Designed under the direction of QUAD’s Director of Acoustic Design, Peter Comeau, the Elegan range is built around woven Kevlar driver technology.
Five times stronger than steel by weight, Kevlar is widely used in demanding industrial applications including ballistic protection and aerospace structures. Its exceptionally high strength-to-weight ratio also makes it an ideal loudspeaker cone material, combining stiffness with controlled response to reduce unwanted resonance and improve midrange clarity.
QUAD has employed Kevlar cones since the launch of the pioneering 11L and 12L speakers in 2002. Drawing on more than two decades of experience, the company says it has refined both the cone construction and drive unit assemblies to create its most advanced Kevlar-based drivers to date. The lattice-woven Kevlar cones are impregnated with a self-damping resin to further reduce distortion.
The Elegan 1 is a classic two-way design featuring a 165mm Kevlar mid/bass driver partnered with a 25mm fabric-dome tweeter.
The Elegan 2 adopts a three-way architecture to extend frequency response and increase output capability. Dual 165mm Kevlar bass drivers deliver extension down to 32Hz (-6dB), while a dedicated 125mm Kevlar midrange driver, housed within its own sealed internal chamber, ensures clarity throughout the critical vocal region. The same 25mm fabric-dome tweeter used in the Elegan 1 completes the design, allowing the speaker to deliver room-filling high-fidelity sound.
Both models incorporate a carefully profiled high-frequency waveguide that optimises dispersion and provides a smooth transition into the midrange. QUAD says this controlled directivity delivers consistent off-axis performance, an important consideration in real-world listening environments.
Crossover design
Each Elegan model features a bespoke crossover developed through extensive computer modelling and hundreds of hours of listening tests to optimise phase coherence and ensure seamless driver integration.
A Linkwitz-Riley acoustic topology is employed throughout. The Elegan 2’s more complex three-way design uses fourth-order slopes between the midrange and treble drivers and second-order slopes between the bass and midrange sections, providing controlled driver integration while maintaining tonal consistency and spatial stability.
Polypropylene capacitors are used throughout, alongside air-core inductors for the midrange and treble circuits and high-power laminated-core inductors for the bass section. PCB layouts have been optimised with short signal paths and controlled grounding to preserve signal integrity. According to QUAD, the result is a loudspeaker that performs as a unified acoustic source rather than a collection of individual drive units.
Cabinet engineering
Although sharing the same design philosophy, the Elegan 1 and Elegan 2 have each been engineered as complete systems rather than scaled versions of one another.
Cabinet dimensions have been carefully optimised for both acoustic performance and practical room integration. The Elegan 1 provides an internal volume of 15.5 litres, while the Elegan 2 features separate 14.5-litre midrange and 31-litre bass enclosures. These carefully calculated volumes work in harmony with the drivers and crossover networks to achieve the intended tonal balance.
High-density cabinet construction is combined with strategically positioned internal bracing and damping materials to minimise panel resonance and reduce energy storage. The resulting structural rigidity is reflected in the speakers’ substantial weight, with each Elegan 1 weighing 8.9kg and each Elegan 2 weighing 27.8kg.
Bass performance is enhanced by QUAD’s Airflow port system, which uses carefully profiled geometries to reduce turbulence and promote smoother airflow, delivering cleaner, more controlled low-frequency reproduction with reduced distortion.
Peter Comeau’s thoughts
Speaking about the development of the Elegan Series, Peter Comeau, QUAD’s Director of Acoustic Design, says, “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 and 303 to the flagship Platina Series.
“At the same time, a new range of QUAD speakers at more accessible price points was also in development, designed to complement the new electronics both acoustically and aesthetically. The Elegan Series is the result.”
Peter continues, “The Elegan 1 and Elegan 2 are a ground-up re-evaluation of what entry-level 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, such as the use of Kevlar cones, but they have been engineered to an elevated level. The result is a loudspeaker that integrates naturally into contemporary spaces without drawing unnecessary attention to itself. 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 loudspeakers are available now.