The New Quad 33/303

 

Very few Hi-Fi components are as instantly recognisable as the QUAD 33 and 303, a classic British preamp and power amp combination from the late 1960s, winner of the Council of Industrail Design award for 1969. This new 33-303 combo from 2024 retains much of the ethos of the original model. QUAD’s decision to revisit the 33 and 303 was in no small part due to the continuing demand for these amps on the second-hand market some four decades after they were discontinued in the 1980s. This pre/power amp brings back the romance of the original but over 50 years of innovation and improvements, making it a joy to behold regardless of source; track after track, symphony after symphony, the 33 and 303 are thoroughly engaging the listener whether the volume is set low or high! The industrial design of the new QUAD 303 is instantly recognisable and is ‘true QUAD’. The anodised chassis CNC-routed heat sinks on either side offer enduring quality which the tank housing also provides a rugged structure that resists interference from external vibrations. Much like the original, the new QUAD 303 maintains its faithfulness to the original by employing the famous QUAD ‘symmetrical triples’. Employed to provide a completely symmetrical output stage, greatly reducing distortion and rendering the resting current independent of output transistor temperature. The QUAD 33 preserves the brand’s signature simplicity while incorporating modern upgrades like a backlit display, LED illumination, and remote control functionality. The control system of the QUAD 33 remains user-friendly, featuring logically arranged functions, a backlit LCD screen for clear settings, and motorised volume controls that allow remote adjustments. It includes bass, tilt, and balance controls for precise sound customisation, with the unique Tilt control developed by QUAD’s founder enabling tonal adjustments. The new 303 model features a fully complementary output stage for superior linearity and stability, enhancing sound quality even under challenging conditions. With a custom low-noise toroidal transformer, advanced feedback topology, and a power rating of 50W @ 8 ohms, the new QUAD 303 meets modern audiophile demands while maintaining its iconic design and robust construction. Price £1199 each.

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Classic Amplifiers

YAMAHA MS-8 (1979) | All in One

All in one? Okay! But it has to be perfect, thought Yamaha, and developed a revolutionary music centre. The Yamaha MS-8 music centre consist of a cassette deck, turntable and tuner/amplifier. All in one. Can be used independently, but also in combination with each other. Let's review the key features of this combination. The Cassette deck: Masterful recording in an easy way. You can record radio programs and your favorite LPs directly. Without complicated tricks. A push of a button is enough. You just have to pay attention to the type of cassette you are using. Because for that you have to push a separate button. Not to make it complicated but to get the best possible recording. The Record player: Fully automatic. A four-pole synchronized motor drives the aluminum platter and ensures a consistently correct speed. The Tuner: The use of advanced electronics provides an amazing reception. There is provision for quick and easy tuning to the usual FM stations by means of a push-button. The Amplifier: The MS-8 delivers 28 watts/ch (40W/ch DIN 4ohm) with a harmonic distortion of only 0.1%. Original sale price was 2398 DM in Germany.

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Classic Music Centre

 

 

Technics RS-1060U (1974) | Hot Pressed Ferrite

 

The RS-1060U is a 2-track, 38cm/s  a high quality reel to reel recorder with direct drive capstan in a luxurious configuration. For the capstan motor (a brushless low-speed motor) a capstan with a diameter of 12 mm is used to further enhance the high performance of D. D. Electronic control system is adopted for all 3 motors. A 6-pole eddy current type inner rotor motor is used for the reel motor, and the tension can be switched according to reel size. Since the operation of the mechanism is performed by an electromagnetic plunger and relay, all operations can be performed by the touch of a micro switch. Speed adjustment of ± 2% is possible at each of 2 speeds of 19cm/s and 38cm/s. The electrical circuit section is designed with an emphasis on linearity with the aim of recording live sound with a wide dynamic range. Carefully selected low-noise type transistors are used. The microphone input and line input are equipped with independent level controllers to enable mixing recording. In addition, the impedance switch for the microphone is provided so that the best matching can be obtained for all types from low impedance type to high impedance type. The head has a structure in which four heads are mounted on a die-cast head mount. These are for 2-track erasing, 2-track recording, 2-track playback, and 4-track playback. Except for the erasing head, all are HPF heads. Features of this head include high gap accuracy, long life, and excellent high-frequency characteristics due to low overcurrent loss.

Specifications:

Type: 38cm/s 2-track Direct Drive 3-Motor

Track system: 2-track 2-ch recording / playback, 4-track 2-ch playback

Tape speed: 38cm/s, 19cm/s, ± 2% variable

Heads: 

Recording : HPFx1

       Playback : HPF (1 each for 4-track and 2-track)

       Erase : 1 ferrite

Motors: 

For Capstan : DC Direct Drive Motor x1

For Reel : 2 x 6 Pole Eddy Current Motors

Frequency response: 

38cm/s : 30 Hz to 27000 Hz, ± 3 dB

19cm/s : 25 Hz to 24000 Hz, ± 3 dB

Wow flutter

38cm/s:0.04%

19cm/s:0.07%

External dimensions

Width 425x Height 568x Depth 270 mm

Weight

Approx. 33 kg

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Reel to Reel Classics