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Quad 909: anything to watch out for?

Discussion in 'audio' started by JTC, Jun 9, 2018.

  1. PerF

    PerF Scandinavian Member

    I wasn't impressed by the Artera and hated the lightbar on front, silly
     
  2. Progmeister

    Progmeister The Progmeister

    Mmm, i was considering a 909 as an alternative to use with my Prima Luna prologue pre-amp. I was going to get a home dem to see if it would work on with my pre but there are a lot of conflicting comments here.
     
  3. Zombie

    Zombie pfm Member

    Just try it at home and make up your own mind. I have an English- built 909, needed to replace elcos after many years of use. Otherwise no problems apart from the ones I caused myself. It has been switched on more or less continously for over 15 years now.
     
    the caretaker likes this.
  4. machapo

    machapo Member

    I have had a 909 (green / red LED) with an Elite Pre connected via Quad link getting on for a decade now.

    Observations
    It draws 40ish watts when idling
    It gets hot, like hand-burning hot, but only if driven hard. Most of the time it's just hotter than any other amp I've ever owned.
    It can drive my speakers (Monitor Audio Silver RX6) effortlessly to their compression limit
    Can be a little bit noisy - there's always a grainy background noise, obviously you need to put your ear to the speaker to hear it, but it's there. I've always suspected dirty mains and nearby computer equipment contributes to that. I read many years ago that it is better to connect your power amp directly to the mains rather than use a filter due to potentially hampering dynamics. All my other gear including the Elite Pre is on a filtered gang, but not an esoteric / audiophile one
    It does pop when you apply mains power, but I've never considered it to be excessive or potentially speaker damaging
    I love it, it does the job, and is the least likely component in my current system to be replaced. I think my speakers are the weakest link right now.
     
    w00fer and Zombie like this.
  5. Man in a van

    Man in a van pfm Member


    I have run 909 monoblocks on the end of a Prima Prologue Three pre-amp.

    It works fine; attenuation on the power amps inputs gave better control of the volume, with no effect on the SQ (imo ;))

    ronnie
     
  6. Ali T

    Ali T pfm Member

    I’ve had hum/noise problems before having amp direct from wall and the rest of the gear on a filter. Try a normal extension and see if there is any difference.
     
  7. crimsondonkey

    crimsondonkey pfm Member

    They're decent amps, just not all that exciting to be honest. I'd be listening to a broad sample before setting my heart on a 909 (apologies if you've already done this).
     
  8. Progmeister

    Progmeister The Progmeister

    I think you have talked me out of this Mr Donkey.
     
  9. the caretaker

    the caretaker pfm Member

    Have you tried your 909 with another pre amp?
     
  10. the caretaker

    the caretaker pfm Member

    Depends on what your after? If you want in your face and every detail reproduced? Perhaps the Quad 909 wouldn't be a good choice..but if you require fatigue free listening and just enjoy the music regardless of the genre..go for the Quad...in my opinion
     
  11. Progmeister

    Progmeister The Progmeister

    There is a used 909 at my local dealers which i have been considering. I don't know if it is UK or Chinese made or what colour LED it has. It has a 3 month warranty with it though. I was also put off by the prospect of buying attenuators to use at the power amp end in order to curb the volume from my Prima luna Pre-amp. I am aware of what over detailed sound can be like as i have owned a fair amount of gear over the years not least Naim. However, i do like many forms of music and i don't need to hear a bluebottle fart from ten yards away whilst wearing a wool hat. I do prefer musicality over detail but not at the price of inaccuracy. Just out if interest, how does one tell a Chinese made 909 from a UK manufactured unit? T h e p l o t t h i c k e n s!!!
     
    the caretaker likes this.
  12. the caretaker

    the caretaker pfm Member

    Think my 909 is a Chinese made one..its fine! I'm using quite good speakers and if there was anything I didn't like I would have heard it..only little thing is on/ off switch is at the back which is annoying..that's the only thing I can criticise lol
     
  13. the caretaker

    the caretaker pfm Member

    I have never used attenuators...I have used my amp with AE reference speakers, dynaudios, leema etc and various different pre amps..passive LFD , passive schiit pre, quad pre ( cdp2 ) musical fidelity pre etc and have never noticed any problem? My friend who has naim amps and a quad valve amp and the 909..he now just uses the 909 and is very happy with it..he has never used attenuators either! If my 909 blew up and it couldn't be fixed by quad ( unlikely ) I would buy another immediately...I wouldnt think oh here is my chance to get a better amp! I'm not sure there is a better amp..
     
  14. Zombie

    Zombie pfm Member

    Yeah, you definitely need an "exciting" amp :D
     
  15. Progmeister

    Progmeister The Progmeister

    Like what?
     
  16. the loaf

    the loaf pfm Member

    I googled 'quad 909 into naim speaker' and the naim community came up - naim pre/power replacing quad 34/909- a member there replaced his 909 with a 250 DR and states 'it was'nt worth the money ', He was happy with replacing the 34 with a naim preamp though.
     
    the caretaker likes this.
  17. the caretaker

    the caretaker pfm Member

    I'm not so convinced with quad pre amps..I use a MF pre amp with my 909 and my mate uses his 909 with a Bryston pre amp to good effect..
     
  18. Fatmarley

    Fatmarley "It appears my intelligence circuits have melted"

    Reading between the lines, it always seemed to me that the lack of excitement came from quad preamps. Compared to my Quad 306 with passive preamp, my old Naim amps (102/180) were strangely harsh but dull at the same time. The first thing that hit me when I plugged in the 306 was the big, deep, tight bass and midrange that was full and projects into the room. The treble is very smooth, and possibly too much for some, but I'd take it over Naim every time.
     
  19. S-Man

    S-Man Kinkless Tetrode Admirer

    Just get the newest one you can. The caps are likely to have more life left in them.
     
    the caretaker likes this.
  20. John_73

    John_73 pfm Member

    I think they’ve got a bit of a bad rap dating back to the Naim or nothing flat-earth press days. I thought my Quad 34 was surprisingly good once it had been recapped, and I did change out all the 4066 cmos switches for something with better specs. The Quad Artera Pre looks interesting though, and got a good review by Noel Keywood in Hi-Fi World (both subjectively and for measurements).
     
    the caretaker likes this.

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