a bit of old fashioned fun :)

rob, i still have a quad 405 from the 70's and 303, love looking at them , would go super with the chev's

 

Rob, what internal work has been done to your Quad Amps?

 

Mostly just self serviced with little in the way of modification, but specifically:

Fresh elctrolytics on the amp boards and PSU. Good quality panasonic high temperature and long life parts on the boards (gets hot in that unventilated box) and BHC reservoir caps for the PSU.
Replacement speaker connectors with simple RS 4mm sockets.

The only modification is the application of two 22uf caps across the zeners supplying the input IC.

Ditto my 306 though in that case I've used 6.8Kuf PSU caps in the PSU in place of the original 4.7k parts. The case is tiny and I suspect that back in the 80s they were forced to use physically small cap (4 of them). Electrolytic caps have got better and smaller over the years.

 

The MkI A48 is much nicer looking IMO, just like a 1960s wood case A21 but with a few more push buttons.

Tony.

 

I've thought about this thread but still cannot come up with my top ten. I think it's because I just don't believe in the concept of top ten. I have no idea why LP12 is so revered. As far as I know it wasn't an original design and there are plenty of TTs that sound "better". So, no idea why HFC made it their #1. IMO it's all a matter of what sound we prefer or the hype we listen to.

Having said all that I do like Tannoy Westminster, Canterbury, DMT, JBL K2, Klipsch La Scala, Quad Electrostatics etc. Which do no feature in HFC's list.

 

I don't think I've been exposed to enough hifi to be able to put together a top 10 of important components, all I could do is a top 10 of stuff I've owned! Funnily enough I've owned lots of stuff mentioned on this thread already but that's because I usually go for gear that has received general aclaim - no guarantees I'll really like that component in my setup but cuts down the risk of complete duffers (though I've still had one or two ).

 

I think my top ten would need to include the house itself, with speakers built into the wall, infinite baffle Paul Messenger style.

 

I have not owned a turntable for over 20 years, and it was a Technics direct drive deck with integrated arm.

The LP12? I thought the Townsend Rock beat it by a significant margin.

 

The LP12 is a fine TT, whichever version you chose along the way.

There were many other very fine TTs on the marker during the first decade of LP12 production but I think the Linn assumed supreme dominance on the back of superb and determined marketing from Ivor T.
A network of dealers were brought onside and the press followed.
Not everyone was convinced of the LP12's superiority over all others but I think that many of those who were (me included) now realise with hindsight that we were mistaken and got sucked into the spin.
The moment of truth came for me when I bought a Gyro with SME 309, sat down to listen and thought 'ah...hang on a minute....'

The power of the dealers in the 80s and early 90s should not be underestimated. Many used pretty high pressure tactics to 'steer' a dem and therefore disadvantage a lot of extremely good competing kit.

It does get an unfair kicking though by many today but it remains an excellent, well engineered and well supported deck.

 

Mentioned in dispatches - the original Exposure VII preamp. Naim beater in a biscuit tin and light as a feather.

Agree with all re Quad 405, got 405-2s biamping in my second rig at the moment. My wife thinks they look like fan heaters...

Pete

 

Feel like fan heaters after a good thrashing

Bomb proof though.

 

i love the looks of the 405 quad ,, not like a fan heater my wife thinks is more like a radiator,