Quad 33 / 303 Quandry

[Bigandbouncy]

I have been given some quad kit, namely an FM3, 33 preamp and 303 Power amp. I took it to a friend to get checked out and everything is working fine, with the exception of the 303, which he said is wandering a bit and can't be set up properly - which he said is due to the paper output boards which are leaking and will need replacing.

I have always liked Quad equipment and would like to own something nice, however the missus doesn't really like the look of the quad gear and would prefer me to stick to my Arcam amp / B&W 1600 speakers as they are 'blackish':rolleyes:

Do I:

1) Get the 303 fixed and keep it all hooking it up to my Squeezebox (main source)
2) Get the 303 fixed and sell it and buy something upgraded more my cup of tea
3) Sell the lot for spares or repair and buy something else (possibly a 'starter' tube amp?)
4) see if anyone wants to swap on here?


Thanks in advance
Dave


http://i1127.photobucket.com/albums/l629/Bigandbouncy/IMG_1275.jpg

[Reid Malenfant]

Hmm, I'm not sure about this before you start making decisions...

which he said is wandering a bit and can't be set up properly - which he said is due to the paper output boards which are leaking and will need replacing.
The paxolin or whatever the PCBs are made of will not be the problem, they do not start conducting on there own. What will have likely happened is some/one of the electrolytic capacitors has leaked some electrolyte due to ageing & it's this electrolyte that is electrically conductive that is causing the problem.

It may well not be too late to save them, but they'll need a re-cap & the PCBs cleaning with something like Isopropanol (Isopropyl Alcohol) to hopefully remove the electrolyte.

You'll need to check the PCBs carefully though, if it has eaten into them then they are as good as scrap, it's pretty corrosive stuff & if it soaked in then you'll never get rid of it :rolleyes:

[Wakefield Turntables]

I suppose it also depends on how much money you'll think you can get for your kit. I'd keep it personally as I love quad kit. I must admit I sold my Quad 77 gear but this will be to fund some Quad II monoblocks later next year :eyebrows:

[Bigandbouncy]

Hmmm, was just saying to Dan that it may end up an endless money pit. I could get some nice kit for what they sold for even broken, then work up from there and possibly get some Quad kit when I have saved up?

I see Tubehunter on ebay sells 303 replacement boards without the components for £12 - then the caps could be replaced and everything transported over, or would this completely change the Quad?

Net audio seem to do the upgrade cards for £160

[Reid Malenfant]

It's the circuit itself, more than the components that will make it sound the way it does. Though admittedly you could upgrade certain bits like the resistors for very little at all, quite a few of the smaller capacitors as well.

It'd still sound very similar to what it does now, but a little less wooly :eyebrows:

In other words it'd be better in the upper midrange & treble ;)

If it was me & the boards were naff, that would probably be the route I'd take.

But then I was a kid listening to the very same Quad 303 & 33 that I now own, so they have some sentimental value if you like..

:cool:

[DSJR]

There is a huge amount of detailed examinations and refurbishment info on the dada website and related Quad Blogspot. NO 303 is totally beyond repair, but bear in mind that this amp was NOT designed by numpties and certain things were done for good reason - and not just because the bits used were all that was available either.. New boards should be available from Quad Serivice as well as Dada and Net-Audio.

Caps are the main thing to look for, but the presets go off as well, especially if "adjusted" after decades of being set in one position. Downward facing caps can leak all over the boards underneath as well (Quad changed this in late examples).

Hope yours isn't knackered and in need of a good few hundred quids worth of repair and refurbishment. It's a charming little amp if sensitively restored.

[Barry]

There is a huge amount of detailed examinations and refurbishment info on the dada website and related Quad Blogspot. NO 303 is totally beyond repair, but bear in mind that this amp was NOT designed by numpties and certain things were done for good reason - and not just because the bits used were all that was available either.. New boards should be available from Quad Serivice as well as Dada and Net-Audio.

Caps are the main thing to look for, but the presets go off as well, especially if "adjusted" after decades of being set in one position. Downward facing caps can leak all over the boards underneath as well (Quad changed this in late examples).

Hope yours isn't knackered and in need of a good few hundred quids worth of repair and refurbishment. It's a charming little amp if sensitively restored.

+1

[Bigandbouncy]

There is a huge amount of detailed examinations and refurbishment info on the dada website and related Quad Blogspot.

Cheers David, I think i've made my mind up - sell the radio (It's an FM2 when I look, not an FM3) and use the money to buy and install two of the DADA reconditioned boards. Then I can listen to it for a while and see if I like it!

[DSJR]

If you can stretch to it, I'd probably replace the little supply board as well. I THINK that dada follow the Quad design, just with modern up to date components, whereas net-Audio have their simpler? version (Quad [Peter Baxendall?] designed the little supply board this way for genuine reasons above my expertise to explain apparently). My 303 had had all passive components replaced on the original boards by a previous owner (Ansar poly and Black Gate electrolytics too and all resistors replaced) and it sounded delightful - hoping to get it back at some point..