advertisement


What's a good pre-amp for Quad QSP?

F

Forsty

Member
Hello everyone,
I recently bought a new and unused QSP for around 700€, sounded like a good deal considering the retail price above 1000€. Now I do not have a pre-amp yet, I'm just starting my first audio system with my B&W CM9 S2. I wondered which pre-amp might be a good fit? Right now the Artera Play is my favorite since it combines CD, Dac and pre-amp in one unit. Remember it is my first setup and I have none of the three. That's why I dont consider the matching Elite Pre as a good buy for me, because I still need a good Dac and CD player. And the Elite Pre retails close to the Artera Play. Now I have no idea if the QSP and Artera will even sound great together, anyone here who has experience in this setup? Do you know any other solid combination with the QSP? The least it should have included is a Dac, I can buy a CD player later seperately.

Thanks!
 
New Quad kit tend to be developments from older models. I am not familiar with anything later than the 99 series but the Artera seems to be the obvious choice as it is a development of the 99 CDP & Elite CD/pre-amp but has 2 analogue inputs as well as digital - the 99CDP & Elite CD only had digital inputs as there were seperate 99 & Elite pre-amps with analogue including phono (MM & MC). The Elite is an updated version of the 99 series except that there was no FM radio in the Elite range. The QSP power amp is a development of the 909.
 
Yep can highly recommend the Play. It replaced four boxes for me, and having all that performance and functionality in one neat unit makes it really nice to live with. Good relative value too.
 
Fretbuzz said:
Yep can highly recommend the Play. It replaced four boxes for me, and having all that performance and functionality in one neat unit makes it really nice to live with. Good relative value too.
Click to expand...
Nice to hear that it is a nice unit. Could you share the rest of your system? Would be interesting to hear how you power up your Play :)
 
hifi_dave said:
The Artera Play is a lovely unit and, naturally, goes well with the QSP.
Click to expand...
I've read on some reviews that with Quad it's always hard to find a good/perfect match, and it's advised to always use the suggested pre/power amp combi (e.g. Elite stack, Play+Stereo stack). But if you have experience with this combination this gives me peace of mind, I'm getting closer to just buy the Play and see for myself :)

Also what I've just discovered: there is also another device from IAD group, the audiolab 8300CDQ. This one can also handle MQA files, might come in handy when using Tidal. I didn't find anything about MQA for the Artera Play, although there is this https://mqa-production.s3.amazonaws.com/default/0001/01/be276c7b78832199eb32984f858429dd8e7060e9.pdf press release from Munich, where it's stated that older 8300s and Artera will be able to upgrade to MQA.
 
Forsty said:
Nice to hear that it is a nice unit. Could you share the rest of your system? Would be interesting to hear how you power up your Play :)
Click to expand...
I now also have the Artera Stereo, but prior to that had a NCore Class D power amp. Speakers are Audio AN/E-Ds.

The Play operates really nicely as a pre too (turntable in, and other sources tried) and the CDP aspect is really nice in it has a fairly organic, open sound - my target for digital.
 
I have a Quad elite pre which matches perfectly with QSP (I also owned one before)
This is the most natural sound I have ever heard from a preamp. My friend has the artera but I would still prefer the elite pre over it.

I will sell my elite pre as it does not get much of a use. I also have a matching QMP monos which I will also sell.
 
Komarfamily said:
I have a Quad elite pre which matches perfectly with QSP (I also owned one before)
This is the most natural sound I have ever heard from a preamp. My friend has the artera but I would still prefer the elite pre over it.

I will sell my elite pre as it does not get much of a use. I also have a matching QMP monos which I will also sell.
Click to expand...
Hey Komarfamily,

I wonder why you would still prefer the Elite Pre, just purely for the "better" (in your opinion) sound or were there any other details which make the Pre a better unit than the Artera?
If I would go for the Pre I'd still need a DAC and CD Player. Do you think going for 2 separate devices (Elite Pre & Elite CDX for example to have preamp, dac and cd player) would give me a real benefit with my Elite QSP for the money I would spend more, compared to the Artera?

Why did you decide to sell all of the Quad gear, just want to upgrade in general or was there a particular reason?
 
Hi

I just like the sound of the elite pre better. It is more analog to me then the artera. Don`t get me wrong the artera is not too bad at all it is just different. I have an oppo 105 bluray player which has a built in dac and I am very satisfied with it. The simple answer is I don`t listen to music at all these days and I prefer to keep a home cinema setup and not two separate ones.

Believe me I would wanna keep the QMPs as they are brilliant I just don`t make any use of them at all. I probably watch a movie every week and that`s it.

If you want to have only one unit then the artera is the way to go.
 
Forsty said:
If I would go for the Pre I'd still need a DAC and CD Player. Do you think going for 2 separate devices (Elite Pre & Elite CDX for example to have preamp, dac and cd player) would give me a real benefit with my Elite QSP for the money
Click to expand...

The question you need to consider is "how many analogue inputs do you need?" As you are starting from scratch the answer is probably few as most things are digital these days - but being an older guy with lots of kit I seem to need more than the 2 on the Artera. But the Quad 99, Elite & Artera will no doubt all work well together. Going for a CD only player these days may be a restriction & I no longer use my Quad 99 CDP as I have bought Oppo 105 & 205 universal players as these are much more versatile for my needs as I play a lot of Opera on blu-ray - but the Oppo is no longer made so that is not an option for you. If you have no need for any analogue inputs the Elite CDX player has everything you need but I do not know how its price compares with the Artera - but my feeling is that the Artera is probably the better buy for you.
 
cjyosemite said:
The question you need to consider is "how many analogue inputs do you need?" As you are starting from scratch the answer is probably few as most things are digital these days - but being an older guy with lots of kit I seem to need more than the 2 on the Artera. But the Quad 99, Elite & Artera will no doubt all work well together. Going for a CD only player these days may be a restriction & I no longer use my Quad 99 CDP as I have bought Oppo 105 & 205 universal players as these are much more versatile for my needs as I play a lot of Opera on blu-ray - but the Oppo is no longer made so that is not an option for you. If you have no need for any analogue inputs the Elite CDX player has everything you need but I do not know how its price compares with the Artera - but my feeling is that the Artera is probably the better buy for you.
Click to expand...
I don't think I have much use for more analog inputs. What I want for my system is a CD Player (which the Artera already has) and maybe in some months a turntable (need a phono amp for this anyway).
So is the Elite CDX the same as the Artera Play (preamp + dac + cd player), just the previous generation? I'm still a bit confused sometimes of what each device delivers, so for example if I would need the Elite Pre + Elite CDX or could I just run the Elite CDX same as the Artera Play?
 
I have never used the Elite but it is virtually the same as the 99 series which I have, the main difference being the Elite CDX has a usb input instead of a coaxial, so the Elite has 6 digital inputs, 1 usb, 2 coaxial & 3 optical, also the CD player & built-in pre-amp - but it has no analogue inputs. The Arteria has 2 analogue inputs but you would need a phono amp for turntable if you subsequently went that route.

My 99 series has an FM radio tuner, CD player with 6 digital inputs & pre-amp, pre-amp with phono inputs for turntable (both MM & MC), & 2 mono power amps which are no longer made - sound better than the 909 to me & the Quad sales manager, but they did not sell very well. I used my 99 series with just the CDP (with preamp) & 2 mono power amps for quite a few years, but when I re-added the FM radio tuner I had to buy a pre-amp on e-bay. Since I bought my Oppo 105, I removed the Quad CDP (with pre-amp), & later added a Rega Planar 3 turntable, using the phono input on the pre-amp.

The Artera has 2 analogue inputs as well as 5 digital (1 usb, 2 optical & 2 coaxial), it also has a more modern DAC than the Elite & a more modern pre-amp. It is definitely the one to buy based on your plans. I hope this clarifies things for you.
 
cjyosemite said:
...The Artera has 2 analogue inputs as well as 5 digital (1 usb, 2 optical & 2 coaxial), it also has a more modern DAC than the Elite & a more modern pre-amp. It is definitely the one to buy based on your plans. I hope this clarifies things for you.
Click to expand...

Worth noting the Artera Play + has Bluetooth too, if that's any use. The original (non +) doesn't. I also think the + has a 100 vs 40-step volume control or something like that. I could see what that would be useful if you tend to listen to really quietly and want more gradual control. I've got the original and don't find it a problem though.
 
I use the Elite pre and CDP, can't say it is bigger or more cumbesome than the Artera. The Elite has a tape loop (wish it had two, though) and MM/MC input, the CDP has six digital inputs for my Touch streamer and android tele. Very convenient. If Quad dumps the power amp from the Artera and adds a streamer, tape loop and MM/MC input I would maybe buy it. I would go for the Elite and CDX together with the QSP.
 
Last edited:
Zombie said:
I use the Elite pre and CDP,
Click to expand...

This comment has nothing to do with the OP's question, but do you use the Quadlink connections from the pre-amp to the power amp or do you use the phono analogue outputs & inputs? Using the Quadlinks, with my speakers the volume control is usually at the level with 3dB change which I find a bit too much whereas using the phono analogue I am usually at the 17 volume level from which the change is 2dB.
 
I use the Quadlink between the pre and CDP, a Mogami cable, but black Linn cables to the 909 because I removed the Quadlink card from the power amp.
Matching the components in the quasi-balanced circuits would be beneficial I believe, but has nothing to do wit the question in this thread.

cjyosemite said:
This comment has nothing to do with the OP's question, but do you use the Quadlink connections from the pre-amp to the power amp or do you use the phono analogue outputs & inputs? Using the Quadlinks, with my speakers the volume control is usually at the level with 3dB change which I find a bit too much whereas using the phono analogue I am usually at the 17 volume level from which the change is 2dB.
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.


advertisement


Back
Top