Vintage Quad ads

Some lovely old Quad ads from a nice batch of old 70s magazines I picked up recently:

...and some wise words!

 

Rob,

Hat's off to a company that's willing to put their money where their mouth is! That first one about daisy-chaining fifty 303s is the ballsiest advert I've ever read.

Have you read about or known anyone who's heard of the company demonstrating the daisy-chain claim?

Quad is not easily found here in the states for a dem so I'm not familiar with their range. Do you feel their current range of amps lives up to Mr. Walker's standards?

regards,

dave

 

i wish i still had my 405 pwr amp, i miss it so much, good nostalgia,

 

Hi Dave,

Quad the family owned British company effectively ended with the 6 series in the 90s.
Last of the line were the 66 pre, tuner and CD, plus the 606 power amp.

Those are all closely related to the earlier 4 series in terms of circuit though with refinements and things such as remote control.

Later kit veers off in two directions. The big power amplifiers such as the 707 and 909 retain current dumping and are very similar internally to a 606.
The slimline stuff has no real connection to earlier Quad circuits and IIRC the new owners used well known industry designers to produce that kit.
Modern valve Quad is of course designed by TdP.

For me, real Quad ends with the 6 series electronics and the ESL63 loudspeaker.
True PJW period ended with the 4 series as he effectively retired shortly after and left the company to be run by his son Ross.

To answer your question, the modern current dumpers are excellent and technically better than the 405. Better drive into low impedance and lower noise floor.

One often overlooked amp is the small 306.
This takes the current dumping circuit from the 405, dispenses with the op amp input stage, moves to near dual mono design running from twin secondaries and moves the current limiting from the amplifier circuit and reverts to a simple current/thermal trip in the mains line. If 50wpc is enough and your speakers don't dwell below 4 ohms it is a very fine little amp.

Nice with Tannoys

I have 303, 306 and 405 here (all serviced) so if you ever want try the 405 you are most welcome to borrow it.

 

Great adverts from when Quad was a british brand.

 

quote

i'll take you up on the 405 , thanks rob.

 

My 33, 405, 34, 405-2 period was only ended after a brush with John Farlowe's Exposures took me to another dimension. I still have a couple of the old Quads in a wardrobe.

I'm just up to 1981's pile of Hi-Fi Answers for my bedtime reading and these ads are rubbing shoulders with Linn's "hear no evil", Fisher (whatever happened to them ?) and Glanz cartridges.

Pete

 

Rob- thanks for the concise history lesson sir. I wonder at times if my evil twin in a parallel universe doesn't run quad IIs with a tilt control preamp into 57s all fueled by an SME 30/2 with an early Koetsu.

<strokes chin>...I've always fancied a beard.

regards,

dave

 

I've just blown one of Quad 57s..... again

I like Reggae and tend to get carried away, so I now how a fizzing bass panel.
Might have a go at a DIY refurb as all of the info is out there. Long term, I suspect it would have to be a stacked pair.

 

Oh man...sorry to hear that Rob! A stacked pair sounds like a good idea for Reggae-proofing. I've yet to hear a moving coil driver mesh with an electrostat.

 

Robert,

Have you not heard of Cerwin-Vega!

http://www.freebase.com/view/wikipedia/images/en_id/25075300

I don't know, playing reggae through quad 57s, how could you? Peter Walker must be spinning in his grave!

 

Thing is, they sound so at ease playing you sort of get carried away with the volume.
Well I do

Rogers Export Monitors make a good substitute though so no real hardship.