Electrostatic Loudspeakers any experience?

[bikerhifinut]

Hi folks.

Our building improvements are on track and I have put a small amount aside to purchase a pair of Electrostatic speakers for the new listening room which will be approx 20 feet x 14 feet (6m x 4.2m for our metricated friends).
The speaker end of the room acroos the 4.2m face will be against a vertical wall of approx 1.5m which then slopes back to ceiling height, being part of the roof structure, the rest of the room opening out into a large dormer where the sofa will run across the outside wall behind the window, this will have vertical blinds and an option of curtains if it improves sound reflection/damping. As a feature of the room layout, it will be necesarry in any case to have the speakers away from the back wall so in theory the dipole feature will be accommodated. (sorry bad english but hope you get the drift).
I'll be driving the speakers with mostly valve amplification, either the WD KT88 or my homebrew EL34 35Watt amp. Both will very happily drive ESL57 and the WD KT88 has done at a friends place to very great effect.

Anyway, I have a few options. A collector pal has offered to sort me out at a fair price a pair of 57's which I imagine although probably working will still need some fettling at OTA or similar experts, these speakers seem to require an amount of maintenance and at least a pro check.
I could buy a pair off eBay or a dealer with some sort of evidence of condition/maintenance.

Or I can look to a pair of ESL63, they seem to command similar prices and certainly have a better WAF than the 57 "radiator" style. And it seems they may have better performance due to the different panel construction.

Finally, the later stuff like 989 etc come into the price frame once refurb costs etc are taken into account.

All the above seem to end up costing around the same amount in the end.

So I am sure theres a few here who can offer CONSTRUCTIVE advice on the choice of ESL, I know why i want a pair having heard them on the sort of music that I mainly listen to they offer a quality to the sound that box speakers just can't get near. I figure if I need to rockout occasionally or when watching a movie, I can investigate a subwoofer if i feel the need although I never thought the 57 really sounded bass shy in the real world of living rooms.

I have read various opinions and some say that the originals can't be beaten, some say the 63 are better and some again would recommend the newer stuff as being a better bet.

Ok Chaps over to you.

Andy.