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Wondered if anyone out there has done this bit of surgery on a Quad 909, or any other Quad amplifier that has the Quadlink connection?
Removing the board seems simple enough, but I would love to hear an opinion about whether or not removing the board actually improves the sound of the amp, which already sounds pretty good in my system.
Thanks
Louis
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Yep, saw this...nice folks. They sent me a how-to-do-it sheet on removing the board.
But I still wish somebody would at least talk about what removing the board does, I mean it makes sense that removing a whole step in the process would do something.
The folks at Amplifier Surgery say better transparency, tighter bass, which sounds reasonable.
I use a Quad 909 in one of my systems on occasion. The amp sounds terrible via the Quadlink cable (it is edgy and harsh). I use the RCA input jacks instead and the improvement is dramatic (no more edge or harshness). The 909 is a very nice amp via the RCA inputs--a bit weak in the bass but an almost tube-like liquidity in the mids and treble.
During a discussion with a Quad representative, even he was willing to admit the sound through the Quadlink connection was sonically compromised.
I do not see a need to perform surgery when it sounds so nice if you skip the Quadlink connection.
Thanks for your thoughts Alex.
Unfortunately, the incoming signal passes through the Quadlink board on its way to the amp input board, so even if you use the RCA inputs, the components on the board are still in play, and playing with the signal.
I don't doubt the RCA inputs sound better than the Quadlink, although the cabling could have been some of the difference.
I just wonder, and will continue to wonder, I guess, if having the input go directly to the inputs of the amp boards would sound even better.
Folks on other boards seem to think it does.
I understand what you're saying. I have no idea whether or not the RCA input signal goes through any Quadlink-related board components that might audibly degrade the sonics.
I did a bit of online searching--as you apparently did as well--and found that there is little worthwhile info that adequately describes what sonic difference a bypass mod makes. I certainly did not help answer your query either!
I am happy enough with the 909, though, to enjoy it as is and leave it in stock form.
I'll mention, in closing, that I tried several different interconnect cables between my Quad 99 preamp and 909 power amp, and all provided a major improvement versus the Quadlink cable. My favorite cable in this usage is an inexpensive Bluejeans-made Belden 1694A solid-core cable. It provides a very smooth, grain-free sound. I also prefer to use the same cable between the 909 and my Audible Illusions tube preamp.
I found one "restoraton" shop that simply bypasses the Quadlink board, but still, even on the European boards, no comment on what the mod does.
As to your Blue Jeans Cable experience, I use a nine-meter interconnect between amp ( or amps) and preamp. For years I had been using Vampire SC2, which was "affordable" at the time.
I had been wondering what something else would sound like when I discovered Canare GS6...bought a nine-meter pair for about the price of a decent lunch and guess what?
I have friends who use Blue Jeans products and love them. I now have a tonearm cable and two shorter sets of interconnects in my system and everything sounds better to me.
I have a rather large collection of interconnect (and video) cables. For many years my favorite brands were Audioquest and Straightwire. But the Blue Jeans 1694A has become my top choice over the past three years or so. It often provides better sonics with my gear than other brands, yet it is inexpensive.
The Blue Jeans 1694A matches the detail of the higher-priced cables I have used. But the sound is smoother via the Blue Jeans interconnect, as if a bit of grunge has been wiped away.
I like them so much that I have about three 7 ft. and seven 10 ft. Blue Jeans 1694A stereo cables in use in the music and theater rooms. Since they can be ordered in multiple colors (and custom lengths), one can choose different colors for various uses (e.g., red for a redbook CD player), which can be convenient when changing components.
Heavens, this post is starting to sound like a Blue Jeans advertisement.
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