Looking for a smooth, simple amplifier...

[FootHealer]

PS. The phono pre-amp on the Quad 34 is actually really nice. A bit quiet, but even those recently pressed, badly pressed records sound better on the Quad than the Rotel or Denon. I also engage the F1 sloped filter and it takes the edge of the crappy pressings. need to turn it up to 9/22. For CDs its 6/22.

 

[musicphil]

Great result ! Now lock those credit cards away

Seriously though, had never heard of this amp, seems they still fetch a fair price so guessing they were a high end pricy set in their day ?

You have never heard if the amps, they are ledgiongy amps.
Quad were decent units back in the day, high end no. But very good ....good enough for their elecro'stats speakers.
I used have a pair of their 909 power amps, again wonderful gear

 

[FootHealer]

Great result ! Now lock those credit cards away

Seriously though, had never heard of this amp, seems they still fetch a fair price so guessing they were a high end pricy set in their day ?

@Ascotbilly ... Just in case you're wondering what they look like Proper old skool... Not pretty by any stretch of the imagination, but i don't look at my equipment, I listen to the music they make.

 

[robdmarsh]

@Ascotbilly ... Just in case you're wondering what they look like Proper old skool... Not pretty by any stretch of the imagination, but i don't look at my equipment, I listen to the music they make.

I think that Quad gear looks pretty cool in a kind of utilitarian anti-80s glitz way. Much prefer this kind of look to something like Bluesound which is just oh so boring, trying to look like minimalist chic but just dull, dull...

 

[robdmarsh]

Still loving my pma 800ne btw. I think it's something to do with the synergy with the Triangle Titus speakers. I'm trying out Dynaudio Emit 20, which simply do not gel with the Denon at all, making the Titus sound like the superior speaker in 9 out of 10 categories. The thing that surprises me is that I don't think it's just a case of the Dynaudios needing more grunt to drive them. The Triangles drop down to 3.9 ohm impedance (nominal impedance 8 ohms), the Dynaudios have a nominal impedance of 6 ohm with no quoted minimum drop. I will post my review of the Emit 20 soon, albeit a qualified one with only my amp to drive them.

 

[FootHealer]

Still loving my pma 800ne btw. I think it's something to do with the synergy with the Triangle Titus speakers. I'm trying out Dynaudio Emit 20, which simply do not gel with the Denon at all, making the Titus sound like the superior speaker in 9 out of 10 categories. The thing that surprises me is that I don't think it's just a case of the Dynaudios needing more grunt to drive them. The Triangles drop down to 3.9 ohm impedance (nominal impedance 8 ohms), the Dynaudios have a nominal impedance of 6 ohm with no quoted minimum drop. I will post my review of the Emit 20 soon, albeit a qualified one with only my amp to drive them.

From what I heard, the Denon would definitely like a speaker that is on the bright side of neutral and a little forward but lacking a little bass. Component matching is ever so important, and ever so tricky. Sounds like you found your goldilocks combo. Just right.

 

[FootHealer]

I think that Quad gear looks pretty cool in a kind of utilitarian anti-80s glitz way. Much prefer this kind of look to something like Bluesound which is just oh so boring, trying to look like minimalist chic but just dull, dull...

I agree. It is definitely a talking point. Looks like something out of Mad Max A lot of newer equipment has a very samey, albeit it, modern look. Give me a VU meter over a LCD display, any day of the week.

 

[Kapkirk]

@Ascotbilly ... Just in case you're wondering what they look like Proper old skool... Not pretty by any stretch of the imagination, but i don't look at my equipment, I listen to the music they make.

Cool, always loved the old Quad gear, proper build quality inside and out. It's not always about spec's and low distortion, coloured sound can also sound great.
You know it sounds right when you stop listening to the hifi and just enjoy the music, hopefully you can do that now.
Out of interest how much did the Quad combo plus the work cost you in total?

 

[FootHealer]

Cool, always loved the old Quad gear, proper build quality inside and out. It's not always about spec's and low distortion, coloured sound can also sound great.
You know it sounds right when you stop listening to the hifi and just enjoy the music, hopefully you can do that now.
Out of interest how much did the Quad combo plus the work cost you in total?

Hi @Kapkirk ....

Yeah, the look is an acquired taste, but I actually like it. My wife is indifferent, which is a win in my books. I showed her a picture of some Quad electrostatic speakers and she drew the line there She is happy with the Q Acoustics Concepts.

As for the cost, the price of the power amp and pre-amp was £500. The upgrade kit and cost of the engineer was £200. So, £700 all in.

 

[Ascotbilly]

You have never heard if the amps, they are ledgiongy amps.
Quad were decent units back in the day, high end no. But very good ....good enough for their elecro'stats speakers.
I used have a pair of their 909 power amps, again wonderful gear

Heard of the early Quad Amps, guy at work has apparently a set in his loft ! Wasn’t familiar with these two as at the time they came out I would’ve had a market stall “Walkman” and clock radio

 

[FootHealer]

Heard of the early Quad Amps, guy at work has apparently a set in his loft ! Wasn’t familiar with these two as at the time they came out I would’ve had a market stall “Walkman” and clock radio

I totally get you...at the time these came out, my grandmother bought me a Sony Walkman and a box of BASF cassettes to record music off the radio. Ah, the good ol' days...

 

[Ugg10]

Congratulation in finding your sweet spot.

One of my biggest regrets was selling my Quad 44/405-2 combo and Kef 104/2’s, that was a very sweet combination.

 

[Ascotbilly]

I think that Quad gear looks pretty cool in a kind of utilitarian anti-80s glitz way. Much prefer this kind of look to something like Bluesound which is just oh so boring, trying to look like minimalist chic but just dull, dull...

Agreed smart looking kit and goes well with the modern designs above it

 

[Helix Hifi]

Looks cool, smooth sound. The look don’t bother me. You also have very tidy setup.

 

[Kapkirk]

Hi @Kapkirk ....

Yeah, the look is an acquired taste, but I actually like it. My wife is indifferent, which is a win in my books. I showed her a picture of some Quad electrostatic speakers and she drew the line there She is happy with the Q Acoustics Concepts.

As for the cost, the price of the power amp and pre-amp was £500. The upgrade kit and cost of the engineer was £200. So, £700 all in.

That's pretty reasonable. You could always tell the Missus those Electrostatics are a pair of really efficient room heaters that don't use much electric.

 

[Ascotbilly]

Evening Lads. Spotted a great price reduction on Marantz PM8006, down to £799. Anyone have experience of this amp?

 

[robdmarsh]

Evening Lads. Spotted a great price reduction on Marantz PM8006, down to £799. Anyone have experience of this amp?

Which version of the Rega Brio do you have? If you have the latest iteration I think many on here would consider that a sideways move. As for me, I've always loved Marantz and I think that amplifier should sound the business. I much prefer their aesthetic over Rega.

 

[Ascotbilly]

@robdmarsh - It’s a 2020 model, happy with the sound and next upgrade is speakers. I recently bought a CD6006 on here and it’s a great looking piece of kit.

 

[Helix Hifi]

@robdmarsh - It’s a 2020 model, happy with the sound and next upgrade is speakers. I recently bought a CD6006 on here and it’s a great looking piece of kit.

Did you buy the PM8006?

 

[Ascotbilly]

No just saw it greatly reduced and was curious, I’ve more restraint than you boys

 

[amebix1]

Nice to see a thread about the Denon pma 800, I've had the matching stack for 15 months now paired with Dali Oberon 5's & belden RCA's and still totally love how they sound together, no fatigue with this combo, just meaty, smooth, detailed joy, recently picked up a used Cambridge audio axa35 for a change of sound now and again, it does drag out a bit more bass detail on some recordings but apart from that, it just sounds very thin & bright, the tone controls are bizarre, I've had them set to bass +2, treble -4 on some CDs and still had to grit my teeth lol, so not an amp for lovers of metal, rock, punk. The Cambridge can go, not the replacement for my PMA 720 which I keep as a backup amp.