Pre amp for Quad 306

Printable View

08-12-2014, 13:22
gary_j

Pre amp for Quad 306

Hi,

I'm currently using a Beresford 7520 as a pre into a Quad 306, I'm happy with the sound, buy I imagine there should be an improvement with a proper pre, I could also do with a couple of analogue inputs, but no need for a turntable input.

The obvious pre to look at is the Quad 34, I haven't heard one but reviews are mostly positive. I have a budget up to £200, is there anything out there that will beat the Quad at that price range? I'm more than happy to buy 2nd hand kit.

Anyone used a 306 with various pre amps?

My current set up:

Sony xb930 CD player
Beresford 7520 DAC
Quad 306
B&W 602S3 speakers

Thanks

Gareth
08-12-2014, 13:30
r100

Quote:

Originally Posted by gary_j

Anyone used a 306 with various pre amps?

I'm using mine with a passive LDR pre. Before that I used it with a BTE passive pre. Both where clearly better than the 34. I must also add that I updated my 306 with modern components from Dadaelectronics (see sig.). I love this little amp it has never ever caused any problems since I have had it (oh, about 15 years).
08-12-2014, 13:38
337alant

I like the look of the quad 34/306 combo. Try and get a late 34 with the grey buttons and orange writing
I agree they are not the most transparent pre amp but suit the 306 very nicely and has a decent phono stage
Here is mine in my second system

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7278/...3df27a82_b.jpg Quad 3 by 337alant, on Flickr

Alan
08-12-2014, 14:06
struth

Croft pre amps go well with the 306 .
08-12-2014, 14:07
r100

Pre amp for Quad 306

@337alant
beautiful industrial design and bulletproof build [emoji7]
08-12-2014, 14:29
orbscure

You may have to go slightly over budget, but a Croft Micro 25 Basic and a Quad 306 is a match made in heaven...
08-12-2014, 14:44
Gordon Steadman

I've used the 306 with a Creek passive and liked the result. Only three inputs including the tape though.

I'm using the Creek with a 303 which I'm soak testing at the mo and it sounds fine. Leak Stereo20 too and a 405 when I had one. Takes up almost no room on the rack which is useful.
08-12-2014, 16:15
The Barbarian

Im against having no Tone Controls so passives would be a no no for me.. i would personally opt for the '44' over the '34' You can configure the input choice on the '44' too.
08-12-2014, 16:26
Gordon Steadman

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Barbarian

Im against having no Tone Controls so passives would be a no no for me.. i would personally opt for the '44' over the '34' You can configure the input choice on the '44' too.

We have two amps with tone controls but as the 'direct' button is always pressed they are a bit redundant. I do like the slope controls on the Quads though.
08-12-2014, 16:29
Desmo

Quote:

Originally Posted by r100

I'm using mine with a passive LDR pre. Before that I used it with a BTE passive pre. Both where clearly better than the 34. I must also add that I updated my 306 with modern components from Dadaelectronics (see sig.). I love this little amp it has never ever caused any problems since I have had it (oh, about 15 years).

+1 for the LDR pre. I'm using the Stereo Coffee LDR with a pair of Quad 303's bi-amped, and it works very well. I know that Chris Daly uses Quad's including 306's when he develops his LDR kits.

Another option would be the Beresford Caiman II as long as you only have digital sources. I found that to be quite an effective pre amp.
08-12-2014, 21:57
twotone

I bought this bad boy below to partner Pete's 306 which I bought last night

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8588/...9eb78735_c.jpg

http://www.pinkfishmedia.net/forum/s...d.php?t=165992
09-12-2014, 13:05
gary_j

Quote:

Originally Posted by r100

I'm using mine with a passive LDR pre. Before that I used it with a BTE passive pre. Both where clearly better than the 34. I must also add that I updated my 306 with modern components from Dadaelectronics (see sig.).

I love this little amp it has never ever caused any problems since I have had it (oh, about 15 years).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Desmo

+1 for the LDR pre. I'm using the Stereo Coffee LDR with a pair of Quad 303's bi-amped, and it works very well. I know that Chris Daly uses Quad's including 306's when he develops his LDR kits.

Another option would be the Beresford Caiman II as long as you only have digital sources. I found that to be quite an effective pre amp.

Quite interested in the LDR passive pre. Can they be bought pre built? I guess they can be built with more than one input?
Will get the caps etc in the 306 upgraded at some point, been on the to do list for a couple of years...

Quote:

Originally Posted by 337alant

I like the look of the quad 34/306 combo. Try and get a late 34 with the grey buttons and orange writing
I agree they are not the most transparent pre amp but suit the 306 very nicely and has a decent phono stage
Here is mine in my second system

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7278/...3df27a82_b.jpg Quad 3 by 337alant, on Flickr

Alan

Thats the version of the 34 i was looking at, looking good :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by struth

Croft pre amps go well with the 306 .

Quote:

Originally Posted by orbscure

You may have to go slightly over budget, but a Croft Micro 25 Basic and a Quad 306 is a match made in heaven...

Ive only heard good things about the croft gear, ive been keeping my eye out for a micro 25 basic, but they don't hang around long when they come up for sale!
Would the croft need modifying as I know the 306 has quite a sensitive input?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gordon Steadman

I've used the 306 with a Creek passive and liked the result. Only three inputs including the tape though.

I'm using the Creek with a 303 which I'm soak testing at the mo and it sounds fine. Leak Stereo20 too and a 405 when I had one. Takes up almost no room on the rack which is useful.

Will take a look at the creek passive's, which model did you have?

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Barbarian

Im against having no Tone Controls so passives would be a no no for me.. i would personally opt for the '44' over the '34' You can configure the input choice on the '44' too.

Does the 44 "sound" better than the 34, or is there just more choice of inputs?

Quote:

Originally Posted by twotone

I bought this bad boy below to partner Pete's 306 which I bought last night

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8588/...9eb78735_c.jpg

http://www.pinkfishmedia.net/forum/s...d.php?t=165992

Very nice :)
09-12-2014, 13:10
Gordon Steadman

Quote:

Originally Posted by gary_j

Will take a look at the creek passive's, which model did you have?

OBH12 - quite old now.
09-12-2014, 14:03
orbscure

Quote:

Originally Posted by gary_j

Ive only heard good things about the croft gear, ive been keeping my eye out for a micro 25 basic, but they don't hang around long when they come up for sale! Would the croft need modifying as I know the 306 has quite a sensitive input?

I had a pair of Rothwell attenuators between my Croft and the 306 which dealt with the sensitivity and didn't have any adverse effect with the sound. My Croft is currently away with Glenn Croft and I'm using my M-Dac as a pre-amp, so if I decide to move it on, I'll drop you a PM...

Pete
09-12-2014, 15:10
southall-1998

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gordon Steadman

OBH12 - quite old now.

Is it also remote operated?

S.
09-12-2014, 17:48
Firebottle

Quote:

Originally Posted by gary_j

Would the croft need modifying as I know the 306 has quite a sensitive input?

Just changing two resistors in the 306 will lower the sensitivity, a very easy modification.

:cool: Alan
09-12-2014, 20:30
twotone

Quote:

Originally Posted by Firebottle

Just changing two resistors in the 306 will lower the sensitivity, a very easy modification.

:cool: Alan

I could do that, dead easy:eyebrows:
09-12-2014, 20:57
Gordon Steadman

Quote:

Originally Posted by southall-1998

Is it also remote operated?

S.

Yup...I can sit like lazy git in the armchair and press buttons at my leisure whilst the other hand holds the glass:cool:
09-12-2014, 22:37
southall-1998

That's the spirit!!

S.
10-12-2014, 10:38
Light Dependant Resistor

Quote:

Originally Posted by gary_j

Quite interested in the LDR passive pre. Can they be bought pre built? I guess they can be built with more than one input?

The Stereo Coffee Pre is a kit, but the boards are all pre built, all you need to do is connect it up, using our well illustrated instructions. Yes can cater for as many inputs as you need.
Cheers / Chris
25-12-2014, 00:12
Martyn Miles

I used a passive with the 303 I purchased, but I needed a phono input and a Pro-Ject Box was obtained.
It all worked OK, but was a little untidy with cables, power supplies, etc. Back to Quad, I thought...
A early model 34 was found for me by a TAOS Member on another Forum's sales section and I obtained it for £100.
It was OK, but when I purchased a Denon DL110 MC the MM input's sensitivity required adjustment.
I found Keith Snook on the Internet, who specialises in Quad amplifiers.
He altered the sensitivity and serviced the Quad 34.
I have to say that, as far as I am concerned, the 34 matches the passive I used and has very useful tone shaping, which really does work.
25-12-2014, 00:18
walpurgis

I'm not knocking your choices, but have you heard a 306 Martyn? It's a little marvel at the price they can be got for. It's much nicer sounding than the 303 (in my opinion) and it works well with a passive pre-amp.
25-12-2014, 00:28
southall-1998

I actually like the Quad 405.

Gentle little beast :)

S.
25-12-2014, 00:34
struth

I like the 306 myself. Its a very nice sounding amp, although never knew it worked with a passive at a level to get geoff all praisy
25-12-2014, 09:14
DSJR

Echo the gain adjustment change on the 306. As supplied, a passive should be fine if the interconnects aren't very long (couple of metres or less I think), but with gain reduced at the power amp, a proper line buffered preamp would push lots more millivolts down the pre-power interconnects and this is the way I'd go :)

I rate Dada electronics for Quad updates (I prefer saying this to mods/bodges in this case). The 34/44 and 306 benefit hugely from subtle tweaking and as the later grey finished ones were slightly better anyway (even Quad updated internally when they could), you may not need to do much.
25-12-2014, 10:59
synsei

Quote:

Originally Posted by struth

I like the 306 myself. Its a very nice sounding amp, although never knew it worked with a passive at a level to get geoff all praisy

Geoff heard my set up (BTE passive/306) when he delivered the Meridian to me Grant, the combination sounded particularly sweet with his rather special DAC in situ :)
25-12-2014, 11:02
twotone

I've been listening to my Quad's for the past two weeks and love them, the pre-amp is excellent and so too is the on-board phono stage.

I love the way that the amp automatically switches to the Radio input on switch on, volume is a wee bit loud though even at the first click on the volume control.

The Quads are really very vinyl friendly though.

I'll not be moving these two amps on anytime soon.

Tony
25-12-2014, 11:27
DSJR

Cut the power amp gain down (there may be an intermediate setting if the main one is too much :))
25-12-2014, 11:40
twotone

Quote:

Originally Posted by DSJR

Cut the power amp gain down (there may be an intermediate setting if the main one is too much :))

The pre has been set to work with the 306 Dave 500mv I think rather than 1.5MV.

The pre has the full monty upgrades done BTW, I bought it from Rob (the Quad guy) on PFM.

"I'll set the 34 for 500mv output so that it works with the 306 but will also be fine with the larger 405 and 606 should you ever land one"

http://www.pinkfishmedia.net/forum/s...d.php?t=165992

As an aside, Santa has brought me The Beatles Mono Boxset which I'm just about to start playing on the Techie, how do I use the mono switch on the Quad pre, do I just move the balance to one speaker or keep it balanced for the two speakers and turn the volume up?

I noticed when I switched the mono switch while playing a record previously that the volume dropped quite a bit, is the mono switch only used for the radio input?