View Full Version : You'ce got to have some old Quad in the mix !
Finally posting photos as I made the effort to look into how to do so yesterday !
I intend to smarten the inside of the cabinet up but it does do the job, it's braced and stands very solid. The latest addition is the Project Classic added late Summer.
http://i64.tinypic.com/2qbhutk.jpg
http://i66.tinypic.com/21e0mme.jpg
http://i66.tinypic.com/2nv8lg9.jpg
spendorman
12-12-2017, 10:17
Identical amplifier running at the moment, sounds great into Rogers LS3/6 speakers, listening to Radio 4 Extra at the moment, voices sound quite real.
Four of them here
Vhttps://farm9.staticflickr.com/8125/29704091785_5b6e030a3f_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/MfReBx)DSCF2277 (https://flic.kr/p/MfReBx) by A60man (https://www.flickr.com/photos/41679262@N02/), on Flickr
walpurgis
12-12-2017, 10:23
Nice old cabinet. A bit of thoughtful restoration can have it looking excellent. I might be tempted to cut the top down, so the lid is flat. That would make using the TT easier.
Identical amplifier running at the moment, sounds great into Rogers LS3/6 speakers, listening to Radio 4 Extra at the moment, voices sound quite real.
Four of them here
Four ! Now that's just showing off ! :). Actually you've just made be feel a bit less guilty, I've just bough an Amplabs fettled one which will arrive this week.
Nice old cabinet. A bit of thoughtful restoration can have it looking excellent. I might be tempted to cut the top down, so the lid is flat. That would make using the TT easier.
That has indeed crossed my mind though would be well beyond my abilities. I like it so much I might be prepared to pass it to someone with the required skills.
spendorman
12-12-2017, 10:48
Four ! Now that's just showing off ! :). Actually you've just made be feel a bit less guilty, I've just bough an Amplabs fettled one which will arrive this week.
Very important to at least to have a look at the four big can type capacitors near the mains transformer. If they leak they dump nasty stuff over the circuit boards, in later 303's like the bottom right one in my pic, Quad inverted the capacitors, this reduced the chance of electrolyte on the boards in the event of a capacitor leaking.
Be interested in seeing pics of your Amplab one.
walpurgis
12-12-2017, 10:49
Only one Quad here. A 306, which has surprised me with its decent sound quality. More than enough power for my speakers too.
Very important to at least to have a look at the four big can type capacitors near the mains transformer. If they leak they dump nasty stuff over the circuit boards, in later 303's like the bottom right one in my pic, Quad inverted the capacitors, this reduced the chance of electrolyte on the boards in the event of a capacitor leaking.
Be interested in seeing pics of your Amplab one.
It was Quad serviced last November and the big caps were replaced. I'll post photos of the Amplabs one for sure.
spendorman
12-12-2017, 10:52
Only one Quad here. A 306, which has surprised me with its decent sound quality. More than enough power for my speakers too.
That may be the best all rounder from Quad, unfortunately, I do not have one. The 303 is fine with most speakers, but on a few, bass can be a little less controlled than with other amps.
Only one Quad here. A 306, which has surprised me with its decent sound quality. More than enough power for my speakers too.
The 306 is just lovely, as is the 405-2. They all are !
spendorman
12-12-2017, 10:54
It was Quad serviced last November and the big caps were replaced. I'll post photos of the Amplabs one for sure.
That's good, I wonder if they (probably Ken) turned them round so that connections point upwards.
spendorman
12-12-2017, 10:59
The 306 is just lovely, as is the 405-2. They all are !
I have a 405-2, a 405 that I bought new in 1976, about 1987 I converted to the -2 using the Quad kit. Somehow, a 303 stays connected longer than the 405-2.
Identical amplifier running at the moment, sounds great into Rogers LS3/6 speakers, listening to Radio 4 Extra at the moment, voices sound quite real.
Four of them here
Vhttps://farm9.staticflickr.com/8125/29704091785_5b6e030a3f_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/MfReBx)DSCF2277 (https://flic.kr/p/MfReBx) by A60man (https://www.flickr.com/photos/41679262@N02/), on Flickr
I think I'm nearly as bad as you: I have two 303s (one modified and fitted with Cannon XLR connectors, a bit like the 303K), the other is standard. But I also have a pair of Quad 50E monoblocks; so four "303-shaped" lumps of amplification.
Good to see you don't pander to the 'hosepipe school' of philosophy when it come to speaker leads!
southall-1998
12-12-2017, 14:07
Nice pics, Ian. Reminds me of a Dub Sound System ;)
S.
Ammonite Audio
12-12-2017, 14:37
I rather like the rough honesty of that cabinet!
Nice pics, Ian. Reminds me of a Dub Sound System ;) S.
That's the kindest thing anybody'd ever said to me !!
I rather like the rough honesty of that cabinet!
To be fair when I say I've been meaning to smarten it up, I've sort of been thinking that for the last, ahem, 10 years !
Posting photos and now I'm multi quoting !
hi guys
im using a avi lab series amplifier,people say it can be a sterile sounding thing,but i cant say i find that the case,really like the sound in fact...which brings me to my question...
how would something like these quads or the quad 606,909 compare to the avi,im very tempted to try a quad but i always read mixed views and feelings regarding there sound quality and the prices there fetching these days means i cant take a cheap punt just to try and see....but i confess i certainly love the looks of them...more so the 606 series:)
hope you guys dont mind me asking in this thread....i just thought while all you quad lovers where in one place i would ask:lol:
feel free to delete if im hijacking.
regards
paul
Hello Paul,
I've owned most Quad power amps over the years and found them all faultless though I can't offer a view regarding comparison with AVI gear I'm afraid. I've seen your ad for a 306 and hope that works out, always best to try for yourself. I try to avoid describing sonic qualities these days, but maybe I'd describe the 303 as being like a mellow red wine ! I regret letting my 909 go so that says something.
As for the hijacking thing you mention, don't be daft ;). I'll talk to anyone anywhere about Quad amps ! I'm sure others may articulate more than me, but you're doing the right thing in trying one out in your system. Cheers.
nutteronthebus
13-12-2017, 08:26
Hi I have a surplus of Quads at the moment 2 X 303 4 x 405-1 and 2 x405-2 8 x 33 preamps 2 x 44 preamps and 5 x FM4 tuners ( 2 need repairing 2 have the later chip that removes the battery ) most of the 33 preamps have been upgraded to the DADA style 16v power supply and new caps etc . I have yet to get round to 3 of the 33 a these were a trade in for upgraded ones . The 405-1 also need new caps and R7 and R8 feed zener diodes to power the input op-amp. They are underrated for power. They dissipate at least 0.37W and the resistors are 0.25W. So at some point one burns out, puts the op-amp hard to one rail, pegs one dumper at the power rail, the crowbar fires and blows the dumper, the driver and then the crowbar. Then the rail fuse blows. The resistors should be replaced with 1W resistors, spaced away from the board by a few millimetres to allow air to circulate . Electrolytic capacitors associated with the protection circuits are directly above R30 and R31 (560 ohm power resistors). These run hot, and cook the electrolytic. These are ROE epoxy potted caps, and will be badly discoloured and cracked. When replacing, the caps should be soldered to the track side of the board to keep them away from the heat and of course the RIFA caps on the power switch
( the advice on the 405-1 is thanks to Craig Sawyers from the https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/showthread.php?p=986569#post986569 )
Dave
PS I do like the 303 sound it is very mellow
hi ian
many thanks for your input and views,its very helpful to get that from someone who has had plenty of experience with the subject matter being discussed here.
i totally agree with you regarding describing sonic qualities to someone,its so ears and system/room/tastes dependent but i think you had a good stab at it with the red wine analogy,more so as i so love said red wine:D
ive decided the best plan is to try and get hold of a 306 as cheap as possible and try for myself,as you point out,its the only way to really know(plus i just love trying different stuff:D)and hence my wanted ad.
the avi amp i have has pre-outputs which should help me no end,but if a 306 can be run with a passive pot then im sure i can knock one of them up quickly to.
now i just need to strike lucky and hopefully find and get one:cool:
very much appreciate the response once again,and never said it earlier..great pictures and gear...timeless.
regards
paul
hi ian
many thanks for your input and views,its very helpful to get that from someone who has had plenty of experience with the subject matter being discussed here.
i totally agree with you regarding describing sonic qualities to someone,its so ears and system/room/tastes dependent but i think you had a good stab at it with the red wine analogy,more so as i so love said red wine:D
ive decided the best plan is to try and get hold of a 306 as cheap as possible and try for myself,as you point out,its the only way to really know(plus i just love trying different stuff:D)and hence my wanted ad.
the avi amp i have has pre-outputs which should help me no end,but if a 306 can be run with a passive pot then im sure i can knock one of them up quickly to.
now i just need to strike lucky and hopefully find and get one:cool:
very much appreciate the response once again,and never said it earlier..great pictures and gear...timeless.
regards
paul
Let us know how you get on chap !
Let us know how you get on chap !
will do lan:dance:
jandl100
14-12-2017, 08:19
AVI Lab Series.
Nice - and a bit upfront, taut and 'exciting' compared to the average, imo.
Quad 303 - on the laidback and mellow side, as has been said.
Big difference in presentation, in my view.
As I understand it (from AOS posts!) the 303 was the direct successor to the snoozy but tonally rich (imo) Quad II valve monoblocks. and that lineage is readily audible. With the 303 I think Quad tried (and largely succeeded) in producing a solid state Quad II.
Later Quad amps headed for a more dynamic presentation but lost the tonal magic of the Quad II. Maybe the Quad II overdid the tonal richness, but cor lummy it sounded good!
I had a Quad 405 as my very first 'proper hifi' amp, I then upped to the 405-2 and that was a real eye/ear opener! Much more dynamic and, to me, interesting sounding.
I had a 606 for a short while - a fine amp just missing a layer or so of detail resolution to call it great, imo.
I'd like to try a 306 one day.
snoozy but tonally rich
I have never come across that term in any review article but my word it's on the money !
I enjoyed my time some years ago with a 303 fed direct from a Denon cdp.
A nice sound as I recall if like me you don't like overly bright treble.
The only real problem I had was speaker cables interfering with my tv picture.
Here's the Amplabs one........
http://i66.tinypic.com/34tcrc6.jpg
spendorman
15-12-2017, 09:06
Nice, I always thought that an on-off switch could be useful. I have fitted one to my 405-2. There are already some convenient holes in the rear panel that can be used to mount a miniature switch.
Strange that they quote 40/220 W on the amp as consumption, mine consume around 12-13 Watts at idle.
hi guys
thanks for all the input and views.
i may now have to wait till after christmas where i can dedicate some more funds towards the quad appraisal/buying thing,but i will certainly be giving one of them ago...ive just got to know now:lol:
"jandl100
AVI Lab Series.
Nice - and a bit upfront, taut and 'exciting' compared to the average, imo.
Quad 303 - on the laidback and mellow side, as has been said.
Big difference in presentation, in my view.
As I understand it (from AOS posts!) the 303 was the direct successor to the snoozy but tonally rich (imo) Quad II valve monoblocks. and that lineage is readily audible. With the 303 I think Quad tried (and largely succeeded) in producing a solid state Quad II.
Later Quad amps headed for a more dynamic presentation but lost the tonal magic of the Quad II. Maybe the Quad II overdid the tonal richness, but cor lummy it sounded good!
I had a Quad 405 as my very first 'proper hifi' amp, I then upped to the 405-2 and that was a real eye/ear opener! Much more dynamic and, to me, interesting sounding.
I had a 606 for a short while - a fine amp just missing a layer or so of detail resolution to call it great, imo.
I'd like to try a 306 one day."
great post and thanks for your take on my avi compared to a quad,i think you've described the avi labs amplifier pretty spot on.
great thread by the way guys.
regards
paul
Here's the Amplabs one........
http://i66.tinypic.com/34tcrc6.jpg
Now that looks the business. If it sounds half as good as it looks then it will be stunning
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