QUAD verses NAIM POWER AMP 50 WATTS EACH

Here I compare quad 306 from 1988 50 watts
with Naim nap 100 50 watts 2013
and Heed obelisk 60 watts
through linn wakonda pre amp
streaming qobuz with blue sound node 2.0 streamer

[heinzr]

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.

[andygee]

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.

[budgetaudiophilelife-long]

🙋‍♂️THANKS KELVIN for helping the community💚💚💚

[mikesaunders]

The 33 sounds really nice if it’s been refreshed and the input sensitivity adjusted for modern sources and benefits from avoiding opamp’s.

[terrywebb]

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.

[SteveD-mz]

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.

[terrywho]

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.

[markharris]

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.

[amcluesent]

Love my FM4/34 pre-amp/306 power amp with Sonus Faber Concertino speakers.

[MarkMiller-iq]

I've had my Quad 405 amp since 1978. In 2018 I had it recapped, rewired and updated the wire connectors.

[owenpugh]

I have the 306 and use the nad 3020 as a pre amp sounds wonderful to my ears👍

[jim]

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

[seanb]

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 😉

[gyulahunyor]

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.

[iancatchpole]

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.

[Ricky-clbu]

I love quad equipment, your right it has a very musical bass y sound

[stevezeidman]

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.

[jewbitesdog]

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.

[philwalker]

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.😂

[msgillingham]

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.