New web-site for Quad equipment

[Barry]

For Quad afficionados, a new web-site has appeared:

http://www.meridian-audio.info/showman.php?manid=2

Still under construction, it is a comprehensive and interesting source of images, scanned literature and reviews of Quad equipment, from Quad's early days up to the present.

There are many gaps waiting to be filled, but is well worth a visit.

Regards

[Rare Bird]

Great stuuf

[spendorman]

Looks just like a list of what I've got! lol!

No, I've only got some of the stuff on that site. I notice the original multiplex decoder is there, mine never worked well.

I reckon that the stereo decoder may be Quad's worst ever product.

Great to have new Quad information, will study the site in more detail.

[Barry]

Looks just like a list of what I've got! lol!

No, I've only got some of the stuff on that site. I notice the original multiplex decoder is there, mine never worked well.

I reckon that the stereo decoder may be Quad's worst ever product.

Great to have new Quad information, will study the site in more detail.

Quite likely: it was Quad's first solid state design and used germanium transistors (!).

Regards

[spendorman]

Quite likely: it was Quad's first solid state design and used germanium transistors (!).

Regards

Yes, I think it may have done, but germanium does not mean bad product. In the 60's I built an amp using germanium transistors, sounded fine and later used it in my car for some years.

I have several Leak Stereo 30's, have all their original germanium transistors and still sound fine.

[Barry]

Yes, I think it may have done, but germanium does not mean bad product. In the 60's I built an amp using germanium transistors, sounded fine and later used it in my car for some years.

I have several Leak Stereo 30's, have all their original germanium transistors and still sound fine.

Yes, Leak pinched the circuit design for their Leak Stereo 30, from Jack Dinsdale (and never credited or acknowledged him!). In those days germanium transistors were all there was.

Cannot comment on the sonic attributes of germanium vs. silicon, but silicon transistors rapidly surplanted germanium transistors. There must have been good technical reasons for this.

Regards

[spendorman]

Yes, Leak pinched the circuit design for their Leak Stereo 30, from Jack Dinsdale (and never credited or acknowledged him!). In those days germanium transistors were all there was.

Cannot comment on the sonic attributes of germanium vs. silicon, but silicon transistors rapidly surplanted germanium transistors. There must have been good technical reasons for this.

Regards

Stability and thermal runaway are much better with silicon. But if design is good, germanium is OK. Also germanium are much more leaky (leakage current)

One advantage of Germanium transistors is the lower volt drop across a junction, about 0.2 V compared with about 0.7 for silicon.

So apart from leakage, I suppose a more efficient (talking about power) amplifier can be made using germanium transistors.

[Sahib]

Germanium was the early solid state technology. Also the circuit topologies were at their early stage at that time. Even with early silicon devices the sound quality was pretty low in comparison to valve which was at its height. However, the circuit integrity hence the sound quality increased as a result of incorporating circut topologies that were used by IC designers into discrete design.

In terms of solid state we are here as a result of germanium's sacrifice.

So, respect.

[spendorman]

Germanium was the early solid state technology. Also the circuit topologies were at their early stage at that time. Even with early silicon devices the sound quality was pretty low in comparison to valve which was at its height. However, the circuit integrity hence the sound quality increased as a result of incorporating circut topologies that were used by IC designers into discrete design.

In terms of solid state we are here as a result of germanium's sacrifice.

So, respect.

Well, a Leak stereo 30 (all germanium transistors) in good condition, still sounds very good today and it dates from around 1964.

The Stereo 30 circuit is similar to the original Toby Dinsdale circuit that set the standard for nearly all modern transistor amplifiers .

[quadsugdenman]

Great stuff Barry. Interesting catalogue of kit!! Wish I had kept more of it .:(