These 3 power amplifiers all have very input sensitivities. The Quad 306 has the highest at 375mV for full power output. The Heed input sensitivity is 700mV and the Naim NAP100 approximately 1V. The Linn pre-amp provides 700mV form 200 Ohms, at full output. The sensitivity matching between the pre-amplifier and power amplifier can influence the perception of scale and dynamics.
Yes it can. I remember the later NAD 3020e. It had ludicrous gain and sounded like 100 watts on number 2. By the time you got to number 3 it clipped and blew your speakers up! 🙂
Kelvin, just discovered your channel and you have reignited a passion for hi-fi that has been dormant for far too long. Having been around in the golden years of Hi-fi News and familiar with classics units of this era I find your channel completely addictive. I was a real hi fi enthusiast during this period and was proud of constructing a pair of R. Fris Daline transmission line speakers 50 years ago. Glad you mentioned the bass line on Lou Reed’s “Walk on the wild side”, having been a fan of Herbie Flowers who died this year it was interesting to hear he played this double tracked riff in unison at different octaves on an upright bass and a Fender Jazz bass.
The Quad 306 is a lovely sounding power amp. Rich, warm and detailed. It can also be part of an entire Quad system comprising the 34 preamp, FM4 tuner and 66 cd player. The 34 preamp iscalso a lovely piece of kit, based on the legendary 44 preamp but with less tuning facilities and also omitting the modular design. The 306 sounds amazing with high efficiency speakers like Tannoy and JBL, where it can play louder el.with less effort. Another banging review, Kelvin. All the very best to you and the channel, mate.
@@analoglooneyI have 405/2 driving mine sometimes I love it sometimes I think it struggles with too many instruments. Maybe all my kit needs recapping?.
@@andrewfitzsimons8509 It would be a good idea, and it does improve it, but be careful in the choice of capacitors as some are bi-polar electrolytics. The 405/2 is a nice amplifier but a little 2 dimensional. In the 306 and 606 Quad changed the input circuit to a proper differential pair and only used the opamp in the feedback, on the 405 the signal runs through the opamp which limits it's overall sound. The 306 is a better sounding amp by far and if you don't need Wembley levels of power, I would try one.
I bought a 34 pre and a 306 in 1987 and owned it for 6 years, before that I had a 33 with a 405 for 12 years. After that, until three years ago, only tubes, MC275, Leak Stereo 20, Quad II and others. Very nice. During the Covid 19 time I had the idea to listen to what I had almost 40 years ago. I bought used 34 and 306 and carefully restored them. The 34 got 17 new electrolytic capacitors, Panasonic FM with the lowest voltage of 10V, the 306 got a new electrolytic capacitor on the circuit board and all four for the power supply. Beware, electrolytic capacitors have become much smaller in 40 years. Don't make the mistake of using too high a capacitance. It doesn't make the sound better, it stresses the rectifier etc. I used about 10% larger than the original and not 100% larger. The sound is very good, I am very enthusiastic. It should only be a trial, but I always hear the 34 and 306 much more often than Mcintosh C22CE and MC275. The 306 is fantastic with Stirling Broadcast LS3/5a and LS3/6, as well as with my 1977 Klipsch LaScala. What are the limitations of the 306? Not the power in my case, but the speaker impedance. I also have a self-restored Klipsch horn from 1973 with a new original Eminence K33E bass woofer and everything else original with new capacitors. They are all the same drivers and xovers as in the LaScala. nevertheless, it doesn't work at all with the 306. the impedance in the corner horn sometimes drops to 2 ohms. The LaScala has a good-natured impedance curve. Two years ago, I bought a 606 for the Klipschorn, very cheap and also equipped with new electrolytic capacitors. I also re-soldered the cable leads from the RCA to the circuit boards but kept the old cables, only shortened them by about 4 mm and reconnected them. The 606 does it and it masters the Klipschorn. All other speakers run on the 306. A timeless sound and a timeless design.
Hi Kelvin. I agree with 100% on this little amp. I have all the Quad power amps and pre-amps in my hoard (Peter Walker era) and the 306 is by far my favorite, even bettering the 606mk2 in sound quality terms. It has a very open and textured sound that sort of floats out the speakers. Very close in sound to the old Quad ii valve amps. The 303 is the next best sound to me. The matching 34 preamp is no slouch either, regardless of what you read but it must be re-capped and a late grey one is the best bet. Quad do a good service on it. The old 33 can sound amazing if, like me, you re-build it with metal film resistors and good quality capacitors. It ain't dull when you do. The 33 gets a lot of grief because people expect it to sound good with 50 year old components, well it won't, and come to that, neither will anything else.🙂
@@olanzipMK2 Yes, it's true. Current dumpers don't need bias adjustment. It's not class a/b. The output transistors 'dump' current onto the class A amplifier using a form of Wheatstone bridge in a feedforward circuit. The output only switches on when the current is needed. All you actually hear is the class A amplifier so it eliminates crossover distortion and transistor matching is not critical. A work of genius.
Hi kelvin would the 306 be a good upgrade for my nad 3020i which you recommended & still live one year later,so thank so much for that,I really love your style.
i've owned many 306's. fantastic power amplifier. combine two of these vertically bi amped and it's an astonishingly capable combination. I own 4 of these now. The bigger 606 is supposed to be the same amp with nearly three times the power ! I also own two of these, but they just aren't as expressive. great review and very well deserved winner.
Thanks Kelvin, it was enlightening and more or less in line with what I experience with my old Musical Fidelity A-1000 against newer amps. One important bit of information I missed though, please let me know which speakers you used for the comparisons. Thanks.
Based on your comments, it seems the Quad has the most natural compression. That would make it sound fuller and bring up the volume of the decay so you can hear it better. Never heard the 306, but I've heard an early 909 and have also heard Heed and Naim. Three fantastic amplifiers in my book. Cheers and thanks for the video.
I started with a 34/306 - kept with Quad power amps and upgraded to a 707, then 909 monos, now QMPs. Same recipe but better each time. Quad 34 was competant and better than a lot of stuff but not the last word - so now using a Music First Audio pre-amp, which is a transformer volume control, so passive but with no loss of dynamics/drive. Quad power amps are excellent and a lot better than their pre-amps, particulary the older ones, allow.
The decay that 2nd harmonic distortion adds gives a sense of realism…which is a bit ironic since it’s an addition…modern sound amps are higher feedback and lose that character…especially Class D…musical Class D amps add that distortion back in the input stage…but yeah why not buy a vintage quad amp and save some sterling or quid or whatever your money is called 😉
Happy Sunday Kelvin, and your show i always look forward too. Sorry i can't say much about those combinations, but as always you say it pure and clear..which i guess is what we like to hear...thnxs as usual buddy.
Hi Kelvin. This is video really reflects my experiences with amplification. I couldn’t agree with you more. Back in the day Quad and Naim were the two different flavours of Hifi. I was firmly in the Quad camp for exactly the reasons you mentioned. The Naim sound was just so dry and lacked the dimensional(front to back/ in the room) aspect of Hifi which some people craved. Naim fans suggested it held the rhythm and pace better. It wasn’t the sound for me. I went to a demonstration held by Naim. They were showcasing their top of the range amplification and digital front end. Me and my mates ears were bleeding! It was horrible. The Naim top boy when grilled even admitted it wasn’t the sound for everyone. On the other hand the Quad power amps did indeed require a more transparent detailed pre amp. The 33 and 34 pre amps were beautifully built but just plain dull. At the time(90s) I partnered a 606 with a Michell Argo pre (Tome Evans) and it was a wonderful combination. There’s elements of that sound I still yearn for. There are some fantastic modern pre amps and dacs with pre amps in them. I’d imagine one of these partnered with a 303 or 606 would be a formidable combination. Good one. Cheers
Another entertaining review. I completely agree with your comments regarding older stuff, which generally sounds better. But there again, i use a tube amp, so what do i know.😂
Hi Kelvin i have a Quad 306 and love the sound quality of this underestimated Power amplifier, my pre amp is a passive pre with a source selector (3 channels) and an Alps 27 10K volume controller. The passive pre is not a powered device, you should honestly try the Quad with a passive pre, keep the interconnect from pre to power short and enjoy an unmolested sound from your source. Great to see you back again.
Watching from the US. I enjoyed hearing about these British brands we don’t often see here. We se Naim, but not much of the others. I have to amend. We see Linn TT.
I think that cramping it all in a midi sized box and using SMD components is some of the problem, you can see the quad is quality probably using TO packaged output transistors and through-hole components especially the resistors.
Yes ilove the quad pro 520....have 2 kef K300 who are quad pro 520 with a tilt correction in bass and highs to linearise the kef P60 speakers which are designed with crossovers that dont flatten the curve with excessif components that loses efficiency and insertion loss....but gives the opposite curve from the amp.....lower bass and highs ...more mid efficiency ....so at the endresult i listen to compact 2 way monitors bbc style , harbeth style , but with anechoic dynamic capacity of 113 db....so the grand piano can obtain dynamics xithout compression❤
Put them on a meter and check them, listening is okay but components age bias voltage drifts etc. and will effect the sound. Regardless the 306 would be my choice mated with a 34 Preamp.
Firstly I’m new to the Record player scene so be gentle but I love your enthusiasm it’s great to hear especially when your talking about the quality of sound through different amps and what you prefer . Secondly I’ve got a Ministry of sound record player belt driven a few years back I connected it up to a technic’s amp from a stereo I had and I want to hook it up again. The one thing I noticed was the sound was there and it sounded ok but it wasn’t blow your socks off loud, I’m not one for offending the neighbours but the sound was rather on the quiet side. Am I doing anything wrong or is it just because I was using a stereo amp?
@@stereoreviewx ok I’ve looked and the more modern technics stereo amp I have doesn’t have the phono input but I have another slightly older technic stereo amp and that does have those inputs with earth clamp screw. So would it be just a case in the record connected to that amp along with speakers (obviously) would the sound be much greater then or do I need something else to go with that setup? Many thanks for your advice.
I love my Quad amps. I've got a 303, 405-2 and a 306. The 306 is slightly better than the other 2 in my humble opinion. Whether that's because it's a newer design or the electrolytic capacitors in the older ones need replacing, I don't know, but they are all wonderful amps, and I love the look of them too.
Likewise..I have a thing for them. I have the 405 in the 8/16- 2x monoblock- paired with Rogers LS5/8- and they're keepers. Also have a Quad 510(mono), and 520f.
Nice little power amp l have one two 34 preamps and two 303 power amps l ove quad amps l recently bought a large american Adcom power amp which did,nt reign long to mechanical soundingand yes you are correct in your observations all news hi-fi sounds artifical taking colouration out of sound is a bit like taking fat out meat both a bad idea l sometimes run my 303s bi--wired \ bi-amped gteat video regards David
Have you tried the newer Class D power amps (Hypex, Purify, Icepower ?) I think modern power amps could use a bit more excitement from the pre-amp, Class A, or Valve.
Hardly a surprising result as Quad had more or less perfected their amps decades ago. The only thing that the others can do is to tweak their delivery in some ear catching unnatural way.
Hi Kelvin. I read somewhere that the 306 sounds a bit like a Sudden A21 with more punch and bass. That sounds slightly improbable, but as you've reviewed them both, I wonder what your thoughts on the similarities/differences in sound between those 2 amps are ?
Truly I did review the sudden quite a few years ago wasn’t mine only had it for a few weeks. I would say as far as I remember they’re both really nice and probably a bit similar if you want a bargain I would get the quad . Thinking about it, the Quad impressed me more though exactly how I can’t articulate.
Kelvin, have you noticed how "Fool's Gold" by The Stone Roses doesn't sound good on so many stereos? There's just something about the production on that track that really illuminates any weakness in the system. Give it a try as a testing track, you'll see what I mean.
@@stereoreviewx Would be interested in your thoughts, thank you. I'm wondering if it's because there's some sound refection in the studio when it was recorded?
Damping factor is about 160 on a 306 so very high. The sound is mainly down to the excellent quality class A amplifier which is only supplimented by the current dumpers if needed. All you hear is the class A amplifier.
Would people rather have serviced quad II or serviced 306…i was about to start looking for a set of II’s so its important too me! I have els 57’s and old tannoys
Care should be taken when using original Quad solid state power amps with common or garden pre-amps from other makers due to the 0.5 or so volt input sensitivity, they only really play well with Quad pre-amps especially on line digital inputs. The output may sound exciting for number 2 on the volume control, but can soon get towards clipping and blown tweeters. The special 4 pin DIN connectors were a deterrent! The 34 and 303 was my favourite combo. Never did like the current dumpers.
Yep - IME there are better pre's than the Quads for Quad solid state power amps, but you do have to be aware of the input sensitivity. I had a couple (Croft and Linn I think) modified to match and they were outstanding, much better than the Quads, but I think a couple of high quality inline attenuators would do it for less hassle.
Ref' 'New' Pre-Amps .... Check out the Stunning Quad Artera .... An absolute Steal at 1K Notes. With a Fantastic MM Phono Stage. No 'Actual' Knobs on the front panel but, it does have all the Classic Tilt / Boost Controls via the Remote / Display .... So, Get one before they .... 'Replace It'. Oh, and the 'Glass' Top - Ideal place for your Streamer / DAC ... ATB.
Love my 306 and would definitely recommend them - one thing to be aware of if you do decide to buy one is they need some care when shipping. The transformer is bolted directly to the main PCB and should have some foams above and below to brace it against the inside of the casing, but these can perish and without them the weight can flex and crack the PCB if the amp gets a jolt. Ask your seller to check and if necessary replace the foams before shipping - don't have to be heat safe as you can remove them easily once you get the amp home, just need something to support the transformer above and below against shocks. Also if you buy one that still has the original stubby blue power capacitors, it's worth having them replaced now given the age, unless you have e.g. a service receipt showing they've been changed at least once since sale.
I was going to buy a Sony TA 1150,that is described as a Macintosh equivalent for £200,but after watching this,iam wondering if I should spend a bit more and get one of these,together with a Quad 34 preamplifier (£350)? Any recommendations?
I have a TA1150, well two actually, and it's a very sweet sounding amp and has plenty of welly for it's 40 watt rating. But a 34/306 is better, I have that too! The TA1150 is no Mcintosh regardless of their statements, but it is a very well made rich sounding amp and can hold it's own against some very expensive kit.
@@alanrobinson2229 LOL. Get both, good idea! You'll never lose money on either so it's a safe way to spend your dosh and not end up with a Turkey. The QUAD has the benefit that they will still service it. The Sony's weakness is the two preamp integrated circuits that are unobtanium and not replaceable with any modern op-amp. I've never had one fail though, but it's worth keeping in mind. Have fun.🙂👍
I'd say not to bother with the baby 306 QUAD. Get a 405-2 or a 520f. You'll get 150w/4 Ohms and the same signature sound... I never understood the purpose of the 306 anyway... Unless you drive tiny speakers.
@@analoglooney I understand about the argument of not needing power for some speakers, but if mated to speakers such as a KEF 107/2 or 104/2, or any of the KEF speakers using a KUBE equaliser, considering that it allows a correction of up to plus 15db at 20Hz, this requires a lot of current. Otherwise clipping quickly happens and drivers get fried by DC, the result of clipping...
@@leevuong8843 I agree. In that sort of set up a 306 would be pointless. It's all about system synergy as you know. I used a cube once on my 104.2's years ago and I needed a Harman Kardon Citation 16 to deal with it.😆 Good though.
Quad 306 is not a "vintage" (= mass produced garbage) by any means. It will never be. Quad 306 is a timeless piece of HiFi. In my opinion it's the best sounding Quad amplifier of all.
In that period when the 34/306 was made Quad was as big as the rest of the British hi-fi industry put together. It’s an incredible decline to be the company it is today.
"The Linn Wakonda is not a problem child -it doesn't have some funny orientation or any kind of problem like that" Translation - It's not an LGBTQ+ preamp 😊
Just get yourself Wharfedale pro CPD 1600 300£ or you can get them cheaper new!! be better than any of those amps and majority of high-end audio file Gear. It's a beast at 1600 Watts bridged it's worth buying two I could get them for 240£ each for you. it's ab amplification, massive transformer
@@analoglooney The most defining trait of live music is volume - sound pressure. Combine this with dynamics and relative absence of distortion and you have high fidelity.
@@jhuc2869 I disagree but there you are. We are not trying to generate Queen at Wembley or a crude PA rig in our living rooms, we are trying to hear subtle dynamics and detail which is often missed in live music as the spl's are so high your ears shut down. Being a drummer for 40 years I know.
@@analoglooney We’re all entitled to our own opinions, but I’ve never heard a quiet musical instrument and by definition high fidelity means faithful reproduction which means volume!! Detached house and JBL for the win!
Agree on preamp opinion. 33 is not a quality gear. Even 34 is so so. I have the same set by the way, which is Wakonda + 306. I also have a LK 140 and marvelous Meridian 205 monoblocks. Wakonda is better than Kairn by the way. And LK140 is better than Klout. Have had them all. Naim Olive is yummy yummy. Cyrus II + PSX is yummy yummy. Ion Obelisk + XPak is yummy yummy.
These 3 power amplifiers all have very input sensitivities. The Quad 306 has the highest at 375mV for full power output. The Heed input sensitivity is 700mV and the Naim NAP100 approximately 1V. The Linn pre-amp provides 700mV form 200 Ohms, at full output. The sensitivity matching between the pre-amplifier and power amplifier can influence the perception of scale and dynamics.
Yes it can. I remember the later NAD 3020e. It had ludicrous gain and sounded like 100 watts on number 2. By the time you got to number 3 it clipped and blew your speakers up! 🙂
@@analoglooneywhat?? 100 on 2?
Kelvin, just discovered your channel and you have reignited a passion for hi-fi that has been dormant for far too long.
Having been around in the golden years of Hi-fi News and familiar with classics units of this era I find your channel completely addictive. I was a real hi fi enthusiast during this period and was proud of constructing a pair of R. Fris Daline transmission line speakers 50 years ago. Glad you mentioned the bass line on Lou Reed’s “Walk on the wild side”, having been a fan of Herbie Flowers who died this year it was interesting to hear he played this double tracked riff in unison at different octaves on an upright bass and a Fender Jazz bass.
The Quad 306 is a lovely sounding power amp. Rich, warm and detailed. It can also be part of an entire Quad system comprising the 34 preamp, FM4 tuner and 66 cd player. The 34 preamp iscalso a lovely piece of kit, based on the legendary 44 preamp but with less tuning facilities and also omitting the modular design.
The 306 sounds amazing with high efficiency speakers like Tannoy and JBL, where it can play louder el.with less effort.
Another banging review, Kelvin. All the very best to you and the channel, mate.
I preffer 303
I use mine with Tannoy 12" reds /Lancasters and it sounds sublime. Nice combo.
@@analoglooneyI have 405/2 driving mine sometimes I love it sometimes I think it struggles with too many instruments. Maybe all my kit needs recapping?.
@@andrewfitzsimons8509 It would be a good idea, and it does improve it, but be careful in the choice of capacitors as some are bi-polar electrolytics. The 405/2 is a nice amplifier but a little 2 dimensional. In the 306 and 606 Quad changed the input circuit to a proper differential pair and only used the opamp in the feedback, on the 405 the signal runs through the opamp which limits it's overall sound. The 306 is a better sounding amp by far and if you don't need Wembley levels of power, I would try one.
The 33 sounds really nice if it’s been refreshed and the input sensitivity adjusted for modern sources and benefits from avoiding opamp’s.
🙋♂️THANKS KELVIN for helping the community💚💚💚
I bought a 34 pre and a 306 in 1987 and owned it for 6 years, before that I had a 33 with a 405 for 12 years.
After that, until three years ago, only tubes, MC275, Leak Stereo 20, Quad II and others. Very nice. During the Covid 19 time I had the idea to listen to what I had almost 40 years ago. I bought used 34 and 306 and carefully restored them. The 34 got 17 new electrolytic capacitors, Panasonic FM with the lowest voltage of 10V, the 306 got a new electrolytic capacitor on the circuit board and all four for the power supply. Beware, electrolytic capacitors have become much smaller in 40 years. Don't make the mistake of using too high a capacitance. It doesn't make the sound better, it stresses the rectifier etc. I used about 10% larger than the original and not 100% larger.
The sound is very good, I am very enthusiastic. It should only be a trial, but I always hear the 34 and 306 much more often than Mcintosh C22CE and MC275.
The 306 is fantastic with Stirling Broadcast LS3/5a and LS3/6, as well as with my 1977 Klipsch LaScala. What are the limitations of the 306? Not the power in my case, but the speaker impedance. I also have a self-restored Klipsch horn from 1973 with a new original Eminence K33E bass woofer and everything else original with new capacitors. They are all the same drivers and xovers as in the LaScala. nevertheless, it doesn't work at all with the 306. the impedance in the corner horn sometimes drops to 2 ohms. The LaScala has a good-natured impedance curve. Two years ago, I bought a 606 for the Klipschorn, very cheap and also equipped with new electrolytic capacitors. I also re-soldered the cable leads from the RCA to the circuit boards but kept the old cables, only shortened them by about 4 mm and reconnected them.
The 606 does it and it masters the Klipschorn. All other speakers run on the 306. A timeless sound and a timeless design.
I've had my Quad 405 amp since 1978. In 2018 I had it recapped, rewired and updated the wire connectors.
Hi Kelvin. I agree with 100% on this little amp. I have all the Quad power amps and pre-amps in my hoard (Peter Walker era) and the 306 is by far my favorite, even bettering the 606mk2 in sound quality terms. It has a very open and textured sound that sort of floats out the speakers. Very close in sound to the old Quad ii valve amps. The 303 is the next best sound to me. The matching 34 preamp is no slouch either, regardless of what you read but it must be re-capped and a late grey one is the best bet. Quad do a good service on it. The old 33 can sound amazing if, like me, you re-build it with metal film resistors and good quality capacitors. It ain't dull when you do. The 33 gets a lot of grief because people expect it to sound good with 50 year old components, well it won't, and come to that, neither will anything else.🙂
Years ago, I remember someone saying the 306 doesn't have bias adjustment pots inside. Is this true?
@@olanzipMK2 Yes, it's true. Current dumpers don't need bias adjustment. It's not class a/b. The output transistors 'dump' current onto the class A amplifier using a form of Wheatstone bridge in a feedforward circuit. The output only switches on when the current is needed. All you actually hear is the class A amplifier so it eliminates crossover distortion and transistor matching is not critical. A work of genius.
Hi kelvin would the 306 be a good upgrade for my nad 3020i which you recommended & still live one year later,so thank so much for that,I really love your style.
i've owned many 306's. fantastic power amplifier. combine two of these vertically bi amped and it's an astonishingly capable combination. I own 4 of these now. The bigger 606 is supposed to be the same amp with nearly three times the power ! I also own two of these, but they just aren't as expressive. great review and very well deserved winner.
Thanks for sharing
Thanks Kelvin, it was enlightening and more or less in line with what I experience with my old Musical Fidelity A-1000 against newer amps. One important bit of information I missed though, please let me know which speakers you used for the comparisons. Thanks.
Based on your comments, it seems the Quad has the most natural compression. That would make it sound fuller and bring up the volume of the decay so you can hear it better. Never heard the 306, but I've heard an early 909 and have also heard Heed and Naim. Three fantastic amplifiers in my book. Cheers and thanks for the video.
I’ve got a 306 driving a pair of LS35A’s fantastic , using a NAD 703 as the pre brilliant
I started with a 34/306 - kept with Quad power amps and upgraded to a 707, then 909 monos, now QMPs. Same recipe but better each time. Quad 34 was competant and better than a lot of stuff but not the last word - so now using a Music First Audio pre-amp, which is a transformer volume control, so passive but with no loss of dynamics/drive. Quad power amps are excellent and a lot better than their pre-amps, particulary the older ones, allow.
Love my FM4/34 pre-amp/306 power amp with Sonus Faber Concertino speakers.
The decay that 2nd harmonic distortion adds gives a sense of realism…which is a bit ironic since it’s an addition…modern sound amps are higher feedback and lose that character…especially Class D…musical Class D amps add that distortion back in the input stage…but yeah why not buy a vintage quad amp and save some sterling or quid or whatever your money is called 😉
I have the 306 and use the nad 3020 as a pre amp sounds wonderful to my ears👍
yes I meant to try that combo you just know it would work
Allways a pleasure listening to you
Happy Sunday Kelvin, and your show i always look forward too. Sorry i can't say much about those combinations, but as always you say it pure and clear..which i guess is what we like to hear...thnxs as usual buddy.
Hi Kelvin.
This is video really reflects my experiences with amplification.
I couldn’t agree with you more. Back in the day Quad and Naim were the two different flavours of Hifi. I was firmly in the Quad camp for exactly the reasons you mentioned. The Naim sound was just so dry and lacked the dimensional(front to back/ in the room) aspect of Hifi which some people craved. Naim fans suggested it held the rhythm and pace better. It wasn’t the sound for me. I went to a demonstration held by Naim. They were showcasing their top of the range amplification and digital front end. Me and my mates ears were bleeding! It was horrible. The Naim top boy when grilled even admitted it wasn’t the sound for everyone.
On the other hand the Quad power amps did indeed require a more transparent detailed pre amp. The 33 and 34 pre amps were beautifully built but just plain dull. At the time(90s) I partnered a 606 with a Michell Argo pre (Tome Evans) and it was a wonderful combination. There’s elements of that sound I still yearn for. There are some fantastic modern pre amps and dacs with pre amps in them. I’d imagine one of these partnered with a 303 or 606 would be a formidable combination.
Good one.
Cheers
Another entertaining review.
I completely agree with your comments regarding older stuff, which generally sounds better. But there again, i use a tube amp, so what do i know.😂
Hi Kelvin i have a Quad 306 and love the sound quality of this underestimated Power amplifier, my pre amp is a passive pre with a source selector (3 channels) and an Alps 27 10K volume controller. The passive pre is not a powered device, you should honestly try the Quad with a passive pre, keep the interconnect from pre to power short and enjoy an unmolested sound from your source. Great to see you back again.
sounds good
I love quad equipment, your right it has a very musical bass y sound
Watching from the US. I enjoyed hearing about these British brands we don’t often see here. We se Naim, but not much of the others. I have to amend. We see Linn TT.
Another great video Kelvin, you need to hear my quad 405, fitted with Audio Note Kaisei caps, it's out of this world👍
Sounds great!
I think that cramping it all in a midi sized box and using SMD components is some of the problem, you can see the quad is quality probably using TO packaged output transistors and through-hole components especially the resistors.
I want Diana krall in my living room too great 👍
Yes ilove the quad pro 520....have 2 kef K300 who are quad pro 520 with a tilt correction in bass and highs to linearise the kef P60 speakers which are designed with crossovers that dont flatten the curve with excessif components that loses efficiency and insertion loss....but gives the opposite curve from the amp.....lower bass and highs ...more mid efficiency ....so at the endresult i listen to compact 2 way monitors bbc style , harbeth style , but with anechoic dynamic capacity of 113 db....so the grand piano can obtain dynamics xithout compression❤
thanks for the info
Put them on a meter and check them, listening is okay but components age bias voltage drifts etc. and will effect the sound. Regardless the 306 would be my choice mated with a 34 Preamp.
Firstly I’m new to the Record player scene so be gentle but I love your enthusiasm it’s great to hear especially when your talking about the quality of sound through different amps and what you prefer . Secondly I’ve got a Ministry of sound record player belt driven a few years back I connected it up to a technic’s amp from a stereo I had and I want to hook it up again. The one thing I noticed was the sound was there and it sounded ok but it wasn’t blow your socks off loud, I’m not one for offending the neighbours but the sound was rather on the quiet side. Am I doing anything wrong or is it just because I was using a stereo amp?
you should plug turntable into phono input on amp
not all modern amps have phono input
@@stereoreviewx ok I’ve looked and the more modern technics stereo amp I have doesn’t have the phono input but I have another slightly older technic stereo amp and that does have those inputs with earth clamp screw. So would it be just a case in the record connected to that amp along with speakers (obviously) would the sound be much greater then or do I need something else to go with that setup? Many thanks for your advice.
I love my Quad amps. I've got a 303, 405-2 and a 306. The 306 is slightly better than the other 2 in my humble opinion. Whether that's because it's a newer design or the electrolytic capacitors in the older ones need replacing, I don't know, but they are all wonderful amps, and I love the look of them too.
Likewise..I have a thing for them. I have the 405 in the 8/16- 2x monoblock- paired with Rogers LS5/8- and they're keepers. Also have a Quad 510(mono), and 520f.
Could you give it a shot, what makes "vintage power amps sound better"?
Less output power... less damping factor? Fewer transistors?
Cheers!
Nice little power amp l have one two 34 preamps and two 303 power amps l ove quad amps l recently bought a large american Adcom power amp which did,nt reign long to mechanical soundingand yes you are correct in your observations all news hi-fi sounds artifical taking colouration out of sound is a bit like taking fat out meat both a bad idea l sometimes run my 303s bi--wired \ bi-amped gteat video regards David
Have you tried the newer Class D power amps (Hypex, Purify, Icepower ?) I think modern power amps could use a bit more excitement from the pre-amp, Class A, or Valve.
Quad know what they are doing when it comes to amplifiers.
Hardly a surprising result as Quad had more or less perfected their amps decades ago.
The only thing that the others can do is to tweak their delivery in some ear catching unnatural way.
Hi Kelvin. I read somewhere that the 306 sounds a bit like a Sudden A21 with more punch and bass. That sounds slightly improbable, but as you've reviewed them both, I wonder what your thoughts on the similarities/differences in sound between those 2 amps are ?
Truly I did review the sudden quite a few years ago wasn’t mine only had it for a few weeks. I would say as far as I remember they’re both really nice and probably a bit similar if you want a bargain I would get the quad .
Thinking about it, the Quad impressed me more though exactly how I can’t articulate.
try a vintage Accuphase pre amp if you get the chance , would love to know your thoughts on them
I did review one it was great
Any chance you could get your hands on and review the new 303 & 33 amps?
yes hopefully
Kelvin, have you noticed how "Fool's Gold" by The Stone Roses doesn't sound good on so many stereos? There's just something about the production on that track that really illuminates any weakness in the system. Give it a try as a testing track, you'll see what I mean.
Will do
@@stereoreviewx Would be interested in your thoughts, thank you. I'm wondering if it's because there's some sound refection in the studio when it was recorded?
I wonder if the Quad has a lower value damping factor which might be giving the double bass notes time to dwell a little longer.
Damping factor is about 160 on a 306 so very high. The sound is mainly down to the excellent quality class A amplifier which is only supplimented by the current dumpers if needed. All you hear is the class A amplifier.
sounds like it
Would people rather have serviced quad II or serviced 306…i was about to start looking for a set of II’s so its important too me! I have els 57’s and old tannoys
gonna be very different . also 50 watts is that ok with 57 s ?
Care should be taken when using original Quad solid state power amps with common or garden pre-amps from other makers due to the 0.5 or so volt input sensitivity, they only really play well with Quad pre-amps especially on line digital inputs. The output may sound exciting for number 2 on the volume control, but can soon get towards clipping and blown tweeters. The special 4 pin DIN connectors were a deterrent! The 34 and 303 was my favourite combo. Never did like the current dumpers.
Yep - IME there are better pre's than the Quads for Quad solid state power amps, but you do have to be aware of the input sensitivity. I had a couple (Croft and Linn I think) modified to match and they were outstanding, much better than the Quads, but I think a couple of high quality inline attenuators would do it for less hassle.
Ref' 'New' Pre-Amps .... Check out the Stunning Quad Artera .... An absolute Steal at 1K Notes. With a Fantastic MM Phono Stage. No 'Actual' Knobs on the front panel but, it does have all the Classic Tilt / Boost Controls via the Remote / Display .... So, Get one before they .... 'Replace It'. Oh, and the 'Glass' Top - Ideal place for your Streamer / DAC ... ATB.
Love my 306 and would definitely recommend them - one thing to be aware of if you do decide to buy one is they need some care when shipping. The transformer is bolted directly to the main PCB and should have some foams above and below to brace it against the inside of the casing, but these can perish and without them the weight can flex and crack the PCB if the amp gets a jolt. Ask your seller to check and if necessary replace the foams before shipping - don't have to be heat safe as you can remove them easily once you get the amp home, just need something to support the transformer above and below against shocks. Also if you buy one that still has the original stubby blue power capacitors, it's worth having them replaced now given the age, unless you have e.g. a service receipt showing they've been changed at least once since sale.
thanks very much K
I like the nap 100 👍
What preamp and loudspeakers were used for the comparison ?
ls35a and monitor audio ma 4 s
I was going to buy a Sony TA 1150,that is described as a Macintosh equivalent for £200,but after watching this,iam wondering if I should spend a bit more and get one of these,together with a Quad 34 preamplifier (£350)?
Any recommendations?
I have a TA1150, well two actually, and it's a very sweet sounding amp and has plenty of welly for it's 40 watt rating. But a 34/306 is better, I have that too! The TA1150 is no Mcintosh regardless of their statements, but it is a very well made rich sounding amp and can hold it's own against some very expensive kit.
@@analoglooney
Hey thanks for that information.
Iam tempted,therefore,to get both,coming at £550,not bad?
@@alanrobinson2229 LOL. Get both, good idea! You'll never lose money on either so it's a safe way to spend your dosh and not end up with a Turkey. The QUAD has the benefit that they will still service it. The Sony's weakness is the two preamp integrated circuits that are unobtanium and not replaceable with any modern op-amp. I've never had one fail though, but it's worth keeping in mind. Have fun.🙂👍
Kelvin do you review turntables?
I want to
The NAP100 was designed to partner the DAC-V1 for desktop computers! It really wasn't designed for Hi-Fi systems...
I don't think so
Which Diana Krall song was Kelvin referring to?
A case of you. Live
@@stereoreviewx Thanks Kelvin!
I'd say not to bother with the baby 306 QUAD. Get a 405-2 or a 520f. You'll get 150w/4 Ohms and the same signature sound... I never understood the purpose of the 306 anyway... Unless you drive tiny speakers.
I have all of the above and the 306 sounds better. It's not all about power. A 306 on some huge Tannoy's will give you an SPL verging on insane.
@@analoglooney I understand about the argument of not needing power for some speakers, but if mated to speakers such as a KEF 107/2 or 104/2, or any of the KEF speakers using a KUBE equaliser, considering that it allows a correction of up to plus 15db at 20Hz, this requires a lot of current. Otherwise clipping quickly happens and drivers get fried by DC, the result of clipping...
@@leevuong8843 I agree. In that sort of set up a 306 would be pointless. It's all about system synergy as you know. I used a cube once on my 104.2's years ago and I needed a Harman Kardon Citation 16 to deal with it.😆 Good though.
I have 306 and 520 f 306 is the most cohesive sound that you just forget about the amp
520 f good if you have big room big or insensitive spks IMO
Did you mean "Little known winner"?...the 'n' in "known" is missing
Little *known* winner
Quad 306 is not a "vintage" (= mass produced garbage) by any means. It will never be. Quad 306 is a timeless piece of HiFi. In my opinion it's the best sounding Quad amplifier of all.
Yes, funny how little gnome? They’re 306 is compared to the 303
Which I bet the 303 sold many more at that point in time Hi Fi was like taking off
I have a 306 driven by a NAD 7130 as pre driving’s pair of LS35A’s superb
In that period when the 34/306 was made Quad was as big as the rest of the British hi-fi industry put together. It’s an incredible decline to be the company it is today.
Diana Krall: Temptation.
I won't or will I
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Nap100 was rubbish when it first came out. My own thoughts 😮had one at home 🏡 😅
Yeah, me too. Couldn't stand it. Opaque and flat.
"The Linn Wakonda is not a problem child -it doesn't have some funny orientation or any kind of problem like that" Translation - It's not an LGBTQ+ preamp 😊
you said it
I don't think amp tech 🤔 has changed in 30years. Lots of bla bla.do you remember hafler 🎉and in kit form 😅🎉
Just get yourself Wharfedale pro CPD 1600 300£ or you can get them cheaper new!! be better than any of those amps and majority of high-end audio file Gear. It's a beast at 1600 Watts bridged it's worth buying two I could get them for 240£ each for you. it's ab amplification, massive transformer
What does burning Bextrene smell like?… let’s find out!
So what hifi speaker will withstand 1600 watts? What is the point. Hifi is about realism and subtlety not raw power.
@@analoglooney The most defining trait of live music is volume - sound pressure. Combine this with dynamics and relative absence of distortion and you have high fidelity.
@@jhuc2869 I disagree but there you are. We are not trying to generate Queen at Wembley or a crude PA rig in our living rooms, we are trying to hear subtle dynamics and detail which is often missed in live music as the spl's are so high your ears shut down. Being a drummer for 40 years I know.
@@analoglooney We’re all entitled to our own opinions, but I’ve never heard a quiet musical instrument and by definition high fidelity means faithful reproduction which means volume!! Detached house and JBL for the win!
Apologies for the question Kevin, but why are you stacking the gear on each other like that?🤭👎
I need to get it all in the shot
Agree on preamp opinion. 33 is not a quality gear. Even 34 is so so. I have the same set by the way, which is Wakonda + 306. I also have a LK 140 and marvelous Meridian 205 monoblocks. Wakonda is better than Kairn by the way. And LK140 is better than Klout. Have had them all. Naim Olive is yummy yummy. Cyrus II + PSX is yummy yummy. Ion Obelisk + XPak is yummy yummy.
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