Planar Speaker Asylum

Welcome! Need support, you got it. Or share your ideas and experiences.

Return to Planar Speaker Asylum

Planar Speaker Asylum

RE: That would be the Quad 303 of course! (nt)

96.50.87.11

longtimequadowner

In Reply to: RE: That would be the Quad 303 of course! (nt) posted by Mr Blue Sky on September 03, 2014 at 17:54:59

From The Absolute Sound's article - 10 most significant amplifers of all time (I linked it for you) - 2 of their reviewers chose it in their top 10:
Robert E. Greene - Quad 303 - Not the first transistor amplifier, but arguably the first to show that transistor amplifiers could sound as good as, or indeed better than, tube amplifiers. Even today, it is startling how good the 303 sounds, if played within its power limits. Even in the late 60s, a transistor amplifier could, as the 303 showed, sound really wonderful.
Paul Seydor - Quad 303 - Nice as Quad�s tube designs were, Peter Walker�s real breakthrough was the 303. Introduced in 1967, it is nearly the only early solid‑state amplifier that gave and still gives the lie to sweeping assertions about early transistor amps� grain and harshness (thanks to Walker�s innovative use of �output triples,� which made the 303 unconditionally stable). Natural, nonfatiguing yet lifelike, it and it only is allowed to drive my 57s (and it�s also splendid on any number of other speakers, especially LS3/5as and their progeny)
Been listening to one for decades. Just goes to show the utter nonsense that gets posted by "audiophiles". When I got my rebuilt ESL 63's (thanks kentaja) I was less than thrilled - until I put the 303 on them. There was the beauty of my 57's with an extra octave. From that point on I'd never go back to 57's again - but if I did, the 303 it would be. Needs a passive pre to perform it's best - Creek OBH-12 strongly recommended.
For every other speaker in the world aside from 57/63, the Quad 606 is my first only and last choice - a far more powerful and neutral all-rounder with astonishingly vivid sound and instensely accurate imaging, it's my amp for life now - as I'll never be back to 57's.

Religion is the world's oldest profession
10 Most Significant Amps of all Time (Open in New Window)

Edits: 09/03/14 09/03/14 09/03/14

Follow Ups:

RE: That would be the Quad 303 of course! (nt) - Mr Blue Sky 21:57:51 09/03/14 (6)
"Every 303 I've owned or restored (30+ of them) has exhibited a barely perceptible 'ringing' on the upper midrange into the treble on some material - it's only really there at higher volume levels and on modern (digital) recordings on modern speakers (my vintage hybrid ESLs don't show it up but my Celestion A3s do), adjusting bias slightly upwards helps but nothing I've ever done has resolved it completely; I concluded it's just a side effect of a circuit design from the days when component technology was far less perfect than it is today."

http://briarsfield-hifi.co.uk/quad_303_overview.htm
- Congratulations! - longtimequadowner 22:14:12 09/03/14 (5)
  Hilarious - you're not going even consider an "around $500" amp (your condition) who's purported fault is a barely perceptible 'ringing' yes, a barely perceptible ringing of some sort - on some material - at higher volume levels - on modern (digital) recordings - on modern speakers that his vintage hybrid ESLs don't show !
  The 303 is warm, smooth, has tube like silkiness, full and robust, lush, pleasant and non-fatiguing - your exact description, and picked by two professional reviewers in their top ten list who've had access to hundreds of the best of amps for all their professional careers - doing reviews under highly controlled circumstances. And - oh yeah - designed by Peter Walker himself - not only with his ear for sound, but with his unique circuit design specifically made to be unconditionally stable into the crazy-reactive impedence of the 57's.
  Congratulations, you're an audiophile!
  
  Religion is the world's oldest profession
  
  Edits: 09/03/14
  - RE: Congratulations! - Mr Blue Sky 22:17:25 09/03/14 (4)
    The amps on those reviewer's lists are not very impressive to me. I'm more interested to hear the opinions of everyday users who are not in the industry. You have peaked my curiosity, though. Someone I know locally has a restored 303 for sale. I will look into it. What do you have to say about the "ringing" from your experience?
    - RE: Congratulations! - longtimequadowner 22:32:16 09/03/14 (3)
      Dude I can't hear the ringing in my ears because my head is spinning. Audiophiles are fricken insane!
      
      Mine is a 1963 Plymouth Valiant - I mean, it's a 1969 bulgin power cord dented gold brick that takes 72 hours to even start sounding un-muddy and it is the most beautiful LUSH yet decent imaging / detail / bass (tube midrange, solid state bass but with character and imaging) amp I've ever experienced. Maybe too beautiful - at least according to the Quad 606, but I preferred it by a landslide on the 57's and 63's, so much so I'd never go from 63's to 57's again - extra octave, way better dynamics, one way point source imaging.
      
      Now, let's be real - they're 40 years old now, we're getting into electrical hazard territory - but I recall one Stereophile or TAS artice where the guy was waxing poetic about the 303 - he bought one at a garage sale or something - plugged it in - and said "it worked perfectly" - but that was Quad back in the day. And that article was probably 20 years ago.
      
      I had a net-audio one - did not like it. Went back to my bulgin power cord dented 1969 Valiant. I'm not saying rush out and buy one - take some time, but my bet is a 1970's 303 will work better than a 1990's somethingorother. I had a Nad 3020 once - the 303 danced circles around it and did a little tapdance on it's head. But the 3020 was probably past it's prime. The 303 - after 72 hours - was not. Full disclosure, I did not give the 3020 72 hours - it was off by a country mile.
      
      It's also possible they were voiced more "modern" over the years - perhaps some Quad expert here knows that. Mine, being 1969 - was voiced to the Quad II tube amps by Peter Walker IN NINETEEN SIXTY NINE (or 67 or whatever). Perhaps the older are better - I wouldn't know, I've still got the same 1969 one I bought in university.
      
      Religion is the world's oldest profession
      - RE: Congratulations! - Mr Blue Sky 22:49:27 09/03/14 (2)
        
        In Reply to: RE: Congratulations! posted by longtimequadowner on September 03, 2014 at 22:32:16
        
        Well I hope that if I get the restored amp that it hasn't lost the magic. My experience dictates that bringing amps "up to modern standards" most of the time means the death of the original alluring qualities.
        
        RE: Congratulations! - louie3 06:53:14 09/04/14 (0)
        
        In Reply to: RE: Congratulations! posted by Mr Blue Sky on September 03, 2014 at 22:49:27
        
        I have a "Chinese" 909 which still has all the audiophile unapproved Chinese caps, etc, etc.
        
        I have removed the Quadlink board ( eliminated the power on led, oh dear) which made a dramatic difference in overall transparency.
        
        The 909 makes my US Monitors dance and sing. My tube amps get used about once a month for a while.
        
        The single 909 has plenty of power in my 20X20 room, but I run the Quads from about 100 hz up, subs below.
        
        I would think a 909 would be fine with 57's if you were careful with the go pedal.
        
        I have the audiophile approved "better" reservoir caps, etc, and some day I will get around to swapping them out, but right now I can's spare the amp out of the system that long.
        
        RE: Congratulations! - longtimequadowner 23:04:42 09/03/14 (0)
        
        In Reply to: RE: Congratulations! posted by Mr Blue Sky on September 03, 2014 at 22:49:27
        
        We agree on that, I'm looking for another 606 MkII and want an original. If I'm alive 20 years from now, I'll still be listening to my current 606. If you see an original 303 with a bulgin power cord (the round one) and can hear it working, you might get lucky - but in the $500 range I wouldn't sneeze at a newer 303 either - they didn't change that much I'm sure.
        
        Damn me to hell though I do want to hear the Quad QMP current dumping "briged 909" (260 watts?) type deals in my massive room, it's just a 606 really (with the interference of their Quadlink thing). But it's quite possible Quad is just a roll of the dice on inconsistent chinese built crapola these days, and I've had some experiences with newer stuff that leads me to think that. Not sure if Stereophie/TAS open amps up to peer inside any more - and even if they do, they should buy one off the shelf - take the roll of the dice the rest of us do.
        
        But honestly, I can't really imagine improvement on my 606 in my current room - really can't - at least not at the still quite low volumes I listen at.
        
        Religion is the world's oldest profession

Post a Followup:

FAQ

Post a Message!

Forgot Password?

Moniker (Username):
Password (Optional):
	Remember my Moniker & Password (What's this?) Eat Me
E-Mail (Optional):
Subject:

Message:	(Posts are subject to Content Rules)

Optional Link URL:
Optional Link Title:
Optional Image URL:
Upload Image:
E-mail Replies:	Automagically notify you when someone responds.

To view your new posting or follow-up, click on the RELOAD or REFRESH button on your browser.

This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors: