The Quad 33 Preamplifier + 303 Power Amplifier | A Legacy Reimagined!

[@lau1812]

Just bought them. Very nice, my wife really likes the appearance.

[@markphillips1509]

I have to say that is pretty amazing to hear this guys history with Quad, thank you for including that, most channels wouldn't.

[@hi-ficorner]

We try to get a bit more inside info, thanks for the feedback!

[@DavidRyan-li6fg]

Every Home Should Own a Quad.. I Have Two 33/303/FM3 Set Ups both from The 70s Serviced By Quad And They Still deliver The Most Amazing Sound...They Will Outlive Me No Doubt.

[@hi-ficorner]

They definitely built them to last! One of the most reliable brands out there.

[@Jezza-m5k]

I have three 33 control amps and two 303 power amps. Quad is a legendary company and will still service the original 33/303! The new 33/303 has plenty of Quad DNA... just by looking at it, you know it's true to the original Peter Walker design. The new amps will be on my hi-fi shopping list, very soon. Of course, I won't be parting with my originals...

[@hi-ficorner]

There is always room for both! Let us know when you are ready.

[@carlesjuliavallmajo3812]

Hi , wonderful Technician and person , the quads 33/303 are outstanding products , i had the original ones and i ll buy the new ones right away , thanks and Congrats Rob !!!❤

[@hi-ficorner]

Hi, we are shipping units out every week. Give us a call if we have not supplied you one already

[@MichaelBeeny]

My first job after leaving collage was with Quad working in the lab with John Collinson. At the time we were still working on the original 303. I spent many an hour replacing output transistors that John managed to destroy in early production. Personally, I found the 303/33 went best with the electrostatics. Peter Walker could never understand why anyone would ever buy a coil loudspeaker over his electrostatic. This combo worked very well and truly sounded clean and accurate on speech and some kinds of music. However, the 303/33 combo did not sound that great on coils. Lacking deep clean bass and overall detail. After leaving Quad I opened up in retail. The Quad amplifiers with the electrostatic sold quite well but I NEVER sold a Quad 33/303 amplifier with standard speakers. This was not my opinion this was what my customers would say after a comparative demonstration. Personally, I loved to sell Quad in my shop. Almost 100% reliable and one of the best built of the day. In later years I used the 405s in a number of cinemas. Later still I used hundreds of the commercial versions of the Quad amplifiers in the first 10 multiplex cinemas AMC/UCI built in the UK I was chief engineer at that time. Regarding the new versions, I look forward to hearing them. I do hope they are more dynamic than the original. I'm surprised the power is so low. Going from 45 to 50 watts is less than 0.25dB in level. I doubt ANYONE could tell any difference. These days 100 watts into 8 ohms would be more useful, with power doubling into 4 ohms, not just a small increase! One of the reasons the original Quad lacked dynamics was current limiting in order to protect the electrostatics. Low frequency limiting was another factor.

[@hi-ficorner]

Thanks for your input, the new amp is very high current and drives difficult speakers very well, somewthing to do with the over specced power supply.

[@lau1812]

You should have retired

[@martynsmith9625]

Rob Flain a National Treasure...

[@hi-ficorner]

agreed

[@graemeguthrie2054]

Thanks for this excellent interesting interview especially as I came from an electronics background starting just before this gent. I cannot wait to be in a position to have a demo of this latest version. It is very pleasing to the eye and I'm sure it will be the same to the ears also. I currently use Cyrus equipment and also still have my old Audiolab 7000 so a big fan of UK designed kit. I'm looking to change next year so I will audition these two.

[@hi-ficorner]

Hi there, we would be happy to setup a demo for you when you are ready.

[@andy.underwater.videos]

I still use my quad 44/303, bought the 33/303 back in 1978

[@hi-ficorner]

Nice! I've sent many for service over the years and they come back like a brand new amp sounding outstanding.

[@nasdkhan254]

I once had 2nd hand 33/303 and enjoyed using it. It perhaps needed a service but because of its din controls I decided to sell on. In 2020 I bought a Leak Wharfedale Linton Package and last year purchased a Yamaha as1200 amplifier. If I didnt already own what I got , I would have given these some serious consideration . Im still interested in Wharfedale Super Linton but I await reviews & hearing it & if it is much much better than Linton I might go for it. I like the IAG group because they do great sound at realistic prices 👍

[@hi-ficorner]

Let us know when you are ready, we offer part exchange and can setup the demo

[@deantaylor1512]

Price of good originals will go up … once had a them .. too young to appreciate them and wish I kept em …

[@hi-ficorner]

There is still time

[@GiancarloBenzina]

Love Putiometer, time to set it reight. ;-)

[@hi-ficorner]

You and me both!

[@grayfool]

I loved the original models. I really hope these are in the same ballpark

[@fonkenful]

Had a complete 33/303/FM3 ESL57 rig back in the early ‘70s - the start of my journey down the deep and musty rabbit hole of what we now call FOMO😂 - and even in the first few minutes these units look to be larger and less softly rounded on the edges of the amp’s finned heat sink.

[@ralex3697]

Made In China I had the original. It changed my life.

[@hi-ficorner]

They have been considerably improved in my opinion, a fair bit more powerful

[@p.e.g.heijdanusmeershoek5487]

I thought the current dumping amplifier is the beter one. What’s the difference in sound between the Artera stereo vs two 303 ( both than 140 watts per channel)?

[@hi-ficorner]

So far without direct comparison I'd say the 303 is faster and cleaner sounding. Happy to set them up for you to compare when yuo are ready..

[@joebuhl7003]

Is the phono stage configurable to match the cartridge load requirements?

[@hi-ficorner]

Hi there, it's just a simple MM stage. Get in touch to discuss your cartridge and requirements.

[@robertwang7825]

Well I have been reading and watching a lot of reviews of the Topping B200 class AB mono blocks that sell for less than US900/pr in China outputting 200W in 4&8 Ohms having incredible specs and positive reviews. How does it compare to?

[@TomTschritter]

Hopefully someone will send a set to Audio Science Review so Amir can measure and chart them. I'd love to see ESL measurements as well.

[@hi-ficorner]

They do not compare

[@TomTschritter]

Please start manufacturing Quad ESLs. ESLs need to be affordable once again.

[@dannyjackson9351]

Quad ESL's are still available - Quad do the ESL 2812 and ESL2912 with a new model, the 2912X releasing next year

[@hi-ficorner]

We are hoping to see some new ESL speakers from Quad soon, cant promise they will be cheap tho!

[@JohnDawson-u6x]

Quad 33 sounds like Vena MM phono stage ;-0

[@hi-ficorner]

I'm not sure what you mean but the 33/303 combo is outstanding, I'm certain you will agree

[@donwest5387]

I bought my original Quads before he was with them

[@hi-ficorner]

Nice! I bet they still sing beautifully

[@hifi.david.]

I still prefer the original design, try repairing that new one in 50 years good luck, I do like the headphone input, however i am not a fan of the screen

[@hi-ficorner]

the blocky design has its charm but time to move on, let's discuss in 50 years to see where we are.

[@SgtMjr]

My OG 33 had a horrible issue with those removeable circuit boards. It would emit a horrible loud SNAP thru the spkrs intermittently, never ever when I sent it to a service tech of course, that would scare the hell out of you. Never found the cause and I sold mine in the '80s.

[@hi-ficorner]

Let me know if I can help

[@raynerstuelgalid]

The orange strip is garish.

[@fonkenful]

These look to very much pay tribute to the OG models, certainly including the colour scheme . Eliminating the slots for removable PC boards for the phono and tape stages certainly freed up space on the back panel for a ton more intos and outta’s, including XLRs, and ditching the DINs will be a blessing to us greybeard boomers considering revisiting the nostalgia of our first QUAD systems from the late ‘60s to mid ‘70s who’ve collected a few bushel loads of audiophile I reconnects in the interim.

[@hi-ficorner]

Eye of the beholder

[@fonkenful]

To steal from a couple of industry voices decades apart “if it sounds good, it is”, and “the only person who has to like the sound of your system is you”. I owned a complete QUAD system 33/303/FM3/ESL57 over 50 years ago, and the only complaint my then 20yr old ears had were related to the well known limitations of the speakers. Not currently in the market for new gear, and have long since stopped collecting, but would love to listen to these pieces in a familiar environment.

[@oilyrag525]

Marketing sales pitch basically. What I would give more value to is an unbiased review from a user, once the initial period of 'excitement' has died down.

[@raphaelmeillat8527]

Agreed. But still nice as a teaser as they shared some info and context. And get to be up close with it before touching it ourselves! It's nice to build some excitement in this hobby I find.

[@Jezza-m5k]

Quad don't do "exciting" and the company has a proven track record. Quad users of long-standing can rest easy...

[@DavidDatura]

Totally! The guy’s just trying to sell his product, fair enough I suppose. But no real useful information was given 😒

[@Jezza-m5k]

​@@DavidDaturaDon't worry. There will be more in-depth You Tube reviews following shortly. However, I think it's best to demo the new amps at a local hi-fi shop, if that is possible? Not sure if the retail price was mentioned? Anyway, hope the Quad 33/303 performs to your satisfaction. Needless to say, I'm a Quad fan...

[@dannyjackson9351]

Is the expectation that someone working for the company for 40+ years to come and brand bash their product? There's already a review of the 33/303 released this weekend with more to come, that are unbiased - enjoy :)

[@davidhardy7356]

When is a Quad 33 / 303 pre and power amplifier system not a Quad 33 / 303 system ? Answer .... When it's a reimagined , rebooted and rebranded Quad 33 / 303 made by the I.A.G group in China . No thanks i will stick with my originals . There is nothing wrong with those for my listening preference and musical tastes . 😉😉

[@hi-ficorner]

Great to hear! Thank you for your positive feedback. They really are better than ever.

[@Trebor2024]

Please look at the camera, us, when talking! 👍

[@hi-ficorner]

Engineers are a shy type of creature, we had to pretend the camera was off just to get him talking!

[@markjohnathanappleton8642]

nothing to do with quad,just rebranding iag group,no thanks .

[@rw80]

I think you don’t really know what you’re talking about.

[@karlhinchliffe4920]

Incorrect. The circuit board designs are a direct lift from the Quad originals, with updated & improved components. IAG do the sort of badge engineering you refer to elsewhere, eg the Mission and Leak amps contain electronics based on the Quad Vena II, but are none the worse for that.

[@michaelgarnett1372]

@@karlhinchliffe4920aren’t Modern Leak’s class D chips

[@nasdkhan254]

Did you actually watch this video? The engineer has been with Quad for 40 years but yes Quad was bought by IAG group and products designed in Uk & manufactered in China. If these products were maufactered in the Uk they would be twice the price. The golden era of hifi 60s/70s is over so the Uk consumer has either got his original 33/303 ir is dead. You enjoy your Naim gear

[@michaelgarnett1372]

Guys its ok to disagree

[@TheDarthvader123]

Made in China.

[@fonkenful]

Very likely the mobile devices on which most viewers are watching this are also.

[@WACONimages]

As 95% of all audio and other technical gear nowadays. Also in China and Azia in general the passion for high end audio was always there but is starting to grow quickly. If the design and materials chosen well then 'made in China' is no problem at all.

[@fonkenful]

@@WACONimages Until the threatened / promised new tariff structure is enacted?

[@erwinvangrinsven9345]

So are the brakelines in your car

[@hi-ficorner]

At IAG's state of the art manufacturing facility, yes!