Quad 405/44 &FM3 Review // A TWEAKERS DREAM! 

I don’t know if I have seen other hifi channels that can talk about old hifi like this. You guys really are the “real deal”. Well done!!

Nicely done as always guys 👌. This gear seems to be coming up on my radar a lot in recent months . That's another like from me. Jim 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🙂

I got from youtube your video as a suggestion today. It's very funny because three days ago I bought a used Quad 606 MK1. Everything is absolutely original and untouched as I like it but that also means that the PSU caps and three small electrolytic capacitors per channel need to be changed. I had a 405 in the early 80s with preamp 33 and FM3 like in your video. Then preamp 34 with 306 power amp for another 6 years. Then came with me the tube time until today, different manufacturers, also old Quad 2 tube amps but mainly MC275 with C22CE.... In the Corona time I thought of my youth and bought again a 306 (50 watt and only good for 8 ohm) with 34, purely out of curiosity and I was totally positively overwhelmed. All my 8 ohm speakers sounded so damn good with this system (recap was also required here, with the 34 pre there are 17 small electrolytic capacitors to compensate for the offset of the op-amps. My vintage 1977 Klipsch Lascala, 1993 Tannoy canterbury, Stirling Broadcast LS3/5a and LS3/6 sound so good with the Quad 34/306. A very important point that you didn't mention in the video in the short time: the power amps from Quad from the 1970 to 1990 years, so 406, 405/2, 306, 606 MK1/MK2 work with a circuit called current dumping. It is a circuit that unfortunately has been forgotten and Peter Walker from Quad invented it. The reason is that normal Class AB transistor amps always have a problem with the very quiet parts of the music. The Quad current dumping amp principle has incorporated a small Class A amp which makes ca. 400 milli watts which controls the power transistors. The power transistors (current dumpers) just „add“ power but not „sound“ to the little class A amp. Therefore you have no crossover distortion even at the lowest volume where normally Transistor amps have their weakest point if they are not Class A like Nelson Pass designs. In simple words, the Quad amps are Class AB but they sound more like class A designs. I bought the 606 to drive some 4 ohm speakers because all the other mentioned Quad amps not really like 4 ohm loads. (may be also 405/2 can cope 4 ohm loads like one post here in the comments says I do not know). Impedance requirements have nothing to do with the efficiency of a speaker as most here will know. Again, thanks for your good work and for the Quad video which brings the best gear of the 1970 era to the younger people from today!

Quad gear is very solid and reliable. Been using mine for decades as the backbone of a vinyl system (however replaced the 405 with the 405-2) The input cards on the pre amp are easily swapped. I replaced the tuner card with a moving coil input card so that I had both moving magnet and moving coil cartridge inputs available.

Love the Quad designs and after owning Cyrus, Rega, Creek integrated amps with now, Quad 22ls speakers I am seriously thinking of going very old school just because I’m intrigued by how they sound and love the way they look against the modern “ cool” aesthetics of amps now. The much older Quads look as if they are serious about what they’re doing instead of trying to fit in with the furniture , which isn’t a criticism as I love many modern designs and the minimalist ‘ stand back ‘ designer aesthetics . I’ve owned the smaller quad 11ls as well and loved the sound and high material quality . The floor stander 22ls although detailed a seem to be rather boo like in the bass on actions wherever I move them and perhaps would respond better to partnering with Quad amps ? Although I have allied with em with a trichord Dino phono stage into a Cyrus 8 amp now and they work well together and the Dino is so beautifully clean and precise with a great placeable soundstage , I’d love to know how they sound with the Quad 44 or 33 . A good partnership or out of step with current engineering ? ( something I am a total novice about , I admit ) .

Very cool! I had the 405 II / 34 / FM4 stack. I enjoyed it until I went to a Linn stack, which I still enjoy. Quad is nice stuff..I just was not crazy about the build quality to be honest, compared to the Linn (1998 - 2004 time frame).

Hi, I love your video. I have watched lots of your videos and I like what you are doing. I like your music recommendations too. I wonder, what are your reference tracks you use to test all equipment as it comes through? Do you have a set of tracks that get played on every piece? I’d love to know what they are? Thanks Mike

I’ll take issue with your description of the tilt control. It doesn’t do different things to the left and right channels. It affects the overall sound curve. You can roll off the highs while simultaneously boosting the lows and vice versa either subtly or more emphatically.

Hey there, nice video. I have a boxed quad 405 and 44 that my father received. I have no idea how to wire it up though! Any idea where I can find out?? thanks and keep up the great reviews!

If U2 can find a Phase Linier(spelling) digital time delay You would be impressed. A friend of mine back about 77 had one and to say that I was impressed would be huge understatement. Been thinking of finding one lately

The sound seems to keep cutting out on the post when you’re speaking ?

The closest approach to the original sound Peter Walker ,founder of Quad .

The less the controls the pure the circuit

Art deco