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Still playing with Quad gear after all these years !

Mark Packer mentioned he’d been on a journey through Naim and now has two Quad systems.
I tried the well-regarded Nait 2 with my LS3/5As after running them using a 34/303.
It didn’t quite work for me, though it did have some endearing traits.
The 34/306 has proved to be the best match to the speakers.
And it looks ‘right’ somehow, whereas the 34/303 didn’t match visually.
 
I bought a set of broken ESL 2805's off PFM last year and finally got around to having them repaired by Quad-Thing Audio recently. One speaker was playing louder than the other and the diagnosis was that almost all of the original panels were toast. They'd had some One Thing Audio bass panels fitted a few years ago but they turned out to also be knackered. So I've sucked it up and they've had a mint original set of Quad panels fitted. I'm picking them up and Saturday and really looking forward to finally hearing them at their best.

As a side note its worth noting what's happened to One Thing Audio. After the proprietor passed away a couple of years ago, a relative took over the business but has no experience rebuilding the panels as far as I understand the situation, although they were/are the source of some of the circuit boards. Two of the engineers have set up on their own and formed Quad-Thing Audio. Andy is based in Leicester and Alan is based in Banbury. One Thing Audio sort of exists but they'll only pass on your details to Andy or Alan anyway.

I'm now curious about driving them with some Quad electronics. The Artera range appears frequently in my google searches at the moment. I quite like the idea of the Play+ as a CD/streamer/DAC, the proper Pre with its phono stage and the Stereo power amp. All seems quite good value on the used market too.
 
I have a 66/606 which I used to try a few things together, down to temporary convenience. Quads esls actually... I'd say they're competent but no more than that. Someone on here I think described the pre as 'grey' sounding and that's spot-on. Wouldn't go back to them.
 
Tarzan said:
Think lan must be enjoying the 909. 👍
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Sorry ! It is of course delightful. I tried it last night with the QC24 and this morning, albeit briefly, with a Creek OBH-22 passive I also picked up yesterday. Fluidity and liquidity are words that come to mind, and it's so open with the Creek.
More listening to do of course, but initial impressions are very, very positive. Must whack the Leak 20 into the Creek !
 
I’d better try a (creek?) passive pre into the 606. I don’t really use the 66 filters and I was planning an outboard phono stage at some point anyway.
 
Eoin said:
Compared through some Ruarks, Jezmond Tutu’s ZAP250 to my serviced Quad 606.

The only major difference was the top end on the Avondale was a little edgier or shimmery. I quite liked the ZAP, Jezmond’s golden ears thought the Quad was better on the Ruarks. There was more warmth on the 606.

I had it off to Quad and they’d put the 909 PSU complete into it as well as the service.

Mods are possible I'm told, mines stock.

It was better after the service, but it had never been touched.
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Golden ears, I think not!

I liked the 606 especially in the context of your system.

I’d expect my amp to show it a clean pair of heels in another system (i.e. mine) but the 606 felt like it complimented the Crusaders and the rest of your kit.
 
More info here. Looks really nice except he touts the bespoke components including special electrolytic capacitors for the power supply so if something breaks down the road parts for even the PS may be a challenge.
 
ChrisS said:
More info here. Looks really nice except he touts the bespoke components including special electrolytic capacitors for the power supply so if something breaks down the road parts for even the PS may be a challenge.
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Apart from this old video there is no new news that I’ve come across. I guess we have fo be patient..
 
I wonder what the delay is. Seems it was near production ready a year ago and first shown over 18 months ago and they evidently didn't show it again at Bristol this year as far as I know.

200w/channel (not Class D allegedly) is interesting but presumably this isn't a current dumper design. May or may not be a bad thing! The built in DAC and phonostage are good features but there was no mention of streaming on this and the associated transport talked about in that video. Interesting product though.
 
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