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Quad preamps - is there any hope?

kasperhauser

kasperhauser

pfm Member
I admit to yearning for a Quad 33, 34, or 44 preamp based solely on the aesthetics. However, I'm not so enamored that I can ignore every review I've read of them - they apparently suck, uniformly and with great force.

Can they be saved? Seems people have successfully modded the amps (particularly the 405); are there mods out there to make the preamps listenable? I'm thinking second system here. Appreciate your thoughts.

(Moderators: If you think this is more suited to the DIY room, I'll thank you for moving it there.)

jay
 
Jay, I used to run a 34/306/FM4 for quite a time. I got on quite well with it actualy, but not paticularly becouse of its sound quality.
It was boringly reliable, no nasty clicks and pops when the fridge came on, errr......errrm, thats about it realy.
Used on there own, the FM4 is the star, the 306 fair if unspectacular, its the pre-amp thats the big letdown.
Only other bit of Quad gear i've had was a 520 power amp. Again OK without being anything special.

Paul.
 
Yeah, but it's the preamp that has the retro cachet! Honestly, I like them pretty much just for looks. If one could be made to sound passable, that would be even better. Ulterior motive: there's a 33/303/FM3 set currently on offer for a mere pittance on ebayUSA. Clean looking, and probably worth the buy-it-now price for the tuner alone (I don't have one at present). It's tough accessorizing a mid-century modern lifestyle... then again, there's always the JuicyMusic Peach preamp - retro aesthetic, presumably without the Quad-ness...

JuicyMusic
 
You can always look at net-audio.co.uk they can supply new boards and suggest other mods to bring the 33/303 in line with modern amps (and good ones at that) I am about to do it myself for a second system to my own 33/303/fm3. I have heard a modded 33/303 and it sounded great
Clive Smith
 
"then again, there's always the JuicyMusic Peach preamp - retro aesthetic, presumably without the Quad-ness..."
================
It's always interesting to us to see how people describe the Peach and BlueBerry preamplifiers in aesthetic terms. "Retro" comes up very frequently, or more specific "Retro '70s". I am not entirely sure why. Is it the wooden case?

BTW, the colorful polycarbonate laminated panel was conceived as a way to avoid the inevitable "fingernail" scratches that end up on anodized aluminum panels. The poly carb is near bulletproof and wipes off to a "like new" condition with mild soap.

As for "Quad'ness" - - the Peach sounds nothing like a Quad - nor anything like a 1970's product either!

JuicyMusic
P.S. Thanks for the mention and the pic.
 
Honestly, I think it's the color palette more than anything. The wood case helps too, though, and the fonts and icons used on the faceplate as well. Not a retro rip-off by any means; there are just a lot of visual cues that draw me in that direction.

To borrow a thread from the hi-fi room: "I have seen my future, and it is Peach."

Looking forward to it.
 
Hello!
I have modded 34 and 44 a lot. Give me a PM and I will give a write-up on what I have done. If you don't want to mod, there's a lot of good but ugly preamps out there...:cool:
 
Originally posted by JuicyMusic
"I have seen my future, and it is Peach."
===============
So? What are you waiting for? You're going to miss the big sale.
www.juicymusicaudio.com
Click to expand...

Well...

Buying a house in March, going to Italy in May, getting married in June... suppose I'm waiting for the dust to settle. Will have to see if there's any funds left after all that for new toys.
 
Having recently been encouraged to revisit HiFi World I bought the recent issue with lots of quads in. They talk in there about mods to bring it from the "woolly" to a more acceptable status.

They also confirmed that the prices are going up as you are not the only one to be taken by the looks.

You may be interested.

Have fun and enjoy the visuals.

Cheers,
 
Originally posted by clive7164
You can always look at net-audio.co.uk they can supply new boards and suggest other mods to bring the 33/303 in line with modern amps (and good ones at that) I am about to do it myself for a second system to my own 33/303/fm3. I have heard a modded 33/303 and it sounded great
Clive Smith
Click to expand...

I have done this - the 303 was improved, the 33 not at all. I have the 33 boards and power supply sitting doing nothing. If you're interested in buying them, PM me.
 
Originally posted by kasperhauser
I admit to yearning for a Quad 33, 34, or 44 preamp based solely on the aesthetics. However, I'm not so enamored that I can ignore every review I've read of them - they apparently suck, uniformly and with great force.
Click to expand...

Don't believe a word of it. I happen to have all three and they all sound just fine. I'm currently running an EAR 834L and a 44, and I have to look at the switches to see which one is playing. I personally think that there's an awful lot of humbug talked about Quads - it's currently fashionable in hi-fi circles to knock them.
 
The Quad34 is actually a very nice, and adaptable, little preamp and can be picked up for a ridiculously small amount of money. Or so I think, anyway. I have one downstairs in the kitchen.

But get the later one with DIN sockets.

G
 
Originally posted by tones
I personally think that there's an awful lot of humbug talked about Quads - it's currently fashionable in hi-fi circles to knock them.
Click to expand...

You know, that has crossed my mind. Same thing happens with Tannoys (vintage and/or humongous ones occasionally excluded), but I had some small Tannoy monitors that I enjoyed a lot. I suppose the only thing to do is seek out a clean one and hear for myself, especially at the prices they're trading for.

Besides, I don't have a vinyl front-end, so quality downstream components are wasted on me anyway. ;)

jay
 
And if the Quad 34 is good enough for Alan Shaw, who designs Harbeth speakers, then it should be good enough for anyone.
 
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