Quad 303 With Monitor Golds?

[DSJR]

Not sure the MG generation were designed specifically for valve amps. I remember now how the sensitivity of MG's was decreased (and the impedance too?) so that more powerful ss amps could be used with them, mainly the aforementioned 303, which at 45WPC was deemed incredibly powerful back in the late 60's I remember. One possible benefit of the reduced sensitivity was slightly increased bass extension of the driver even before it went into the enclosure. Not very much, but a good step in the right direction. The HPD took this very much further I recall.

[spendorman]

I seem to remember that the 303 performed better into a 15 Ohm load than an 8 Ohm load.

[Marco]

Not sure the MG generation were designed specifically for valve amps. I remember now how the sensitivity of MG's was decreased (and the impedance too?) so that more powerful ss amps could be used with them, mainly the aforementioned 303, which at 45WPC was deemed incredibly powerful back in the late 60's I remember. One possible benefit of the reduced sensitivity was slightly increased bass extension of the driver even before it went into the enclosure. Not very much, but a good step in the right direction. The HPD took this very much further I recall.

Yup, all that's true, Dave. However, experience seems to show that valve amps work best with MGs, and bring out the best in them, but not necessarily so with HPDs. Monitor Reds and Blacks were most certainly designed to be used with valve amps, but like you say, were different beasts, electrically, from MGs.

Marco.

[southall-1998]

I have another Quad 303 lying around.

This particular one has one of Dada's revision parts inside. Why is there only 3 caps instead of 4?

S.

[spendorman]

Probably because they replaced the two paralleled smoothing capacitors with a single capacitor.

[Wakefield Turntables]

I tried driving my 15" MG's with my full modded Net Audio 405-2 and did not like the sound.

[southall-1998]

Probably because they replaced the two paralleled smoothing capacitors with a single capacitor.

2 pics from the sale.

In the 2nd pic, you can just about see the 3 caps.

S.

[spendorman]

Yes, looks like that's what has been done, quite normal to do this.

[DSJR]

Mine's gone further - complete rebuild with Elna, Ansar and Black Gates too, as well as new resistors... Agree about impedance sensitivity, especially in the bass, where the cap coupling works against it.

[Dr Henry Jones]

What preamp did you use? I have a 303 as a stand by amp and a very fine reserve amp it is! my art audio concerto has decided to have a hissy fit and I was very impressed when I put the 303 in its place until I can get the concerto fixed, however although the 303 is a very good solid state amp it's 33 sibling is a product of its time and not the best of partner by today's standards , however connect the 303 to my art audio pre and it is a very big surprise to the "quad gear is for the pipe and slippers " brigade if you really want to hear one sing use a simple passive pre. Now that is a very pleasant eye opener ! Cheers Steve

The Quad 303?? the small(ish) rectangular beige Box?
Tried a borrowed one (two actually) decades ago on MY Golds
Sounds were exactly as if I had draped a towels over the front of my Speakers.
Dull lifeless with v little sparkle and mediocre dynamics to boot.
Confusing / contradictory results, given the popularity, praise even that some were heaping on the 303's
Suspecting a Dud unit, I borrowed Yet another.. Same Sounds. Seemingly an intrinsic failing.
Poor is a charitable descriptor.. memorable even decades on.
Tannoys are Strikingly responsive to upstream gear. Garbage in.. Definitely.. equals Garbage out.
Which is why ole Nelson Pass uses a pair as his reference Speakers to actually hear subtleties in the constant stream of Amplifier Topologies he experiments with.

Caveat Emptor Kids.