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Katch
24-03-2013, 14:52
Hello,

I've been a long time browser of this forum but have decided to join in the discussion and see what I can learn.

I'm a member of DIY Audio as well and I dabble in building amplifiers.

I'm an 80s child so I grew up with the nasty cheap integrated, mulitiway junk that filled the market through the late 80s and 90s but I've always been an audiophile at heart due in part to having a good set or ears.

I used to work as a sound engineer on a massive dance rig (60k of Loonybins Psykobins and Stasys 3s & 8s - boy that rig could shift some air!) and I've DJ'd around the UK and French Alps a few years back.

I guess I'm in retirement from all that these days living back in Cornwall and the music isn't so loud anymore.

My latest projects have been dug up at my elderly great uncle's house. He's a 'Britain's greatest horders' type and I've been helping him sort it out. Every now any then I turn up some absolute gems and he is usually more than happy for me to have them to play with.

On the list so far;

Quad 22 & Pair of Quad IIs in need of restoration but looking sound
Quad 33 & Quad 303 - also in need of a recap but in great condition (original boxes etc)
Quad FM3 + Quad Multiplex thingy

Pair of Wharfedale ID2 Isodynamic headphones in mint boxed condition - not really my taste in sound or looks (HD25s for me) so they are currently on a well known auction site if anyone is looking for a pair.

Pair of QED speakers that I know nothing about;
Freq response 40 - 20,000 c/s
Power handling 12 watts RMS
Impedence - 7-15 ohms
Drive Unit - Modified Jordan Watts
THD - 1kc/s under 1%, 40kc/s under 7% (even in anechoic conditions)

(hoping they might be a nice match for the Quad IIs when I get them running.

Anyway - hope that lot hasn't got anyone too green with envy - I'll not tell you about the turntables and BNIB carts I've found...

I have quite particular tastes in sound and equipment - so I'll probably be looking to sell/trade bits and pieces along the way.

My current daily system is an Arjen Helder Class D TA2020 MKIV paired with some Eltax Monitor IIIs - its a little clinical at times and the bass reflex has a tendancy to get a little boomy sometimes but over all not a bad sound at all. It will be retired to a spare room once I get some of my treasure back up and running.

Right - is that enough of an introduction?

David

Puffin
24-03-2013, 15:39
Hi David, nice introduction. You should have fun here. You should add your location to your details despite it saying in the text that you are from Cornwall :)

Rare Bird
24-03-2013, 15:46
Welcome David

Plenty of Quad fans on AOS to keep you happy. I personally hate Quad '11' toobe amps but love the '33'/'303' Aesthetics, i have a set in mint condition boxed away as ive moved away from vintage British gear for vintage Japanees gear these days..

Katch
24-03-2013, 15:49
Welcome David

Plenty of Quad fans on AOS to keep you happy. I personally hate Quad '11' toobe amps but love the '33'/'303' Aesthetics, i have a set in mint condition boxed away as ive moved away from vintage British gear for vintage Japanees gear these days..

Yeah I'm really in 2 minds about the Quad IIs and 22 - I'll be doing the 303/33 recap and modernisation first so I'll get to hear that soon. The Quad valve gear is in good condition with all original valves and manuals etc so they're worth the best part of a £1000 - a tempting amount of money to cash in and invest in speakers and other things...

Barry
28-03-2013, 01:10
Yeah I'm really in 2 minds about the Quad IIs and 22 - I'll be doing the 303/33 recap and modernisation first so I'll get to hear that soon. The Quad valve gear is in good condition with all original valves and manuals etc so they're worth the best part of a £1000 - a tempting amount of money to cash in and invest in speakers and other things...

Hi Katch, welcome to AoS.

Forget about the Quad 22 preamp/control unit. It was good in its day (along with its contemporaries, such as the Radford SC22), but nowadays leaves much to be desired.

Suggest you sell off the Quad valve gear and concentrate on getting the Quad 33/303 fully fettled: recapped and incorporating the mods as provided by Dada (in Belgium ), or NET (in the UK).

Welcome again and enjoy the forum.

Alex_UK
02-04-2013, 09:31
Hi Katch, welcome to AoS from me too, hope you enjoy the forum! :)

MartinT
05-04-2013, 06:49
Hello David and welcome to AoS. There's nothing like tinkering and once upon a time I built my entire system from kits and self-design. It's amazing what a T-Amp and small speakers can achieve these days, sound I would have killed for as a student.