Thanks for posting Kel, always appreciate your vids. Cheers from a locked up Canberra. These are trying times for us previously lucky Australians but you lighten it a bit with your vids. Good man.
Thank you for getting into the recordings, and associating the sensation as well as the detail! You really bring home what vintage equipment can do on a visceral plane 🙏🏼
Great review, btw the quad pro is also part of the bbc studiomonitor kef p60 speakers with k300 amp, its the quad 520pro with bass high tilt to flatten actively the kefs, they sound terrific ,its a steal second hand around 300 euros here, nobody knows them, they deliver holografic top sound even to 113 db levels ,so no compression, since the kefs are 4 ohm resistif they receive 150 watts from the quad, and the passif crossover is simplified without insertion loose to flatten the curve ,this is done actively by the quad....i have 2 sets and much more top speakers ,but i allways listen to the kef p60 k 300 combo, the best kef ever imho
I use a late Wakonda in my system, it’s an all Linn setup with tri-amped active Ninkas and a Sizmik subwoofer, it sounds big, spacious, dynamic and detailed. If ever you were in my area, you’d be welcome to come listen!
Nice to see another Linnie out there. No idea why so many (audiophiles & reviewers) have sadly forgotten these great electronics, especially in the US. Its great stuff as you know. Enjoy!!
Michael I think it’s always been popular in the UK, although like any popular high end brands, they have their share of very vocal haters, many of whom I suspect have never actually heard a Linn system. It’s fantastic stuff. I’ve had a LOT of other high end kit, the Linn has stayed, the rest (Rega and Royd excepted) hasn’t. I’ve had Meridian (reliable but pretty unexciting), Cyrus (pretty exciting but unreliable), Naim (excellent but Linn edges it for me), Roksan (see my thoughts on Naim)... and a load more.
@@Si1983h No question, Linn electronics are far more popular in the UK than here in the US. They are basically ignored. The US Linn dealers, who are few and far between these days, appear to do ok with the LP 12 (I owned 3 before going 100% digital 5 years ago) and streamer offerings. Nonetheless, the brand is a shadow of its former self in decades past. It’s so sad. I have 2 LK 140’s, 1LK 85 and 4 Linn Kolecktor’s (all from around 2004-5) and could not be happier with their sound, build quality, worry free reliability and small chassis size. I never owned Linn speakers....never even saw any other than on the internet. I too am a Naim fan for all the same reasons as Linn, despite their larger chassis size. I have recommended it to several friends given its better availability than Linn in our local, small market area where the Linn dealers have vanished. I know you will continue to enjoy your Linn kit as I will mine. Cheers!!
@@Michael-xz1nk they’re still a very strong brand, but the price of entry is very high now, even more so in the US thanks to all the added layers of cost such as shipping, import duties, distributors cut, and local sales taxes. I bought a Majik I amplifier at the age of 16 with my own wages, it cost me £800 which seemed a lot of money (it was), now their entry level amplifier is £3000, granted it also includes a superb streamer, but it’s a big chunk in one go and is beyond the means of most young budding audiophiles.
You are certainly correct about current Linn pricing for both young and older folks. The comparable to my LK140 amp ( $1,500 new) is the Akurate 2200....now $5,600 for just a little more power. Its nuts and just too much .money IMO. What Linn electronics do you own? I could not tell from your video’s. Also, any issues with heat.. being stacked in cabinets with little room to breathe? Looks like another great Linn system!!!
I love vintage hifi btw, I repair a lot of it as a hobby. I remember a linn wakonda -lk85 I think vs a naim 90/92 combo naim won hands down. a linn naim combo would never work I don't think. Linn stuff from that era was too analytical. naim pre amps link the 102 or 82 are sublime, even the 72 is lovely. quads of that er are lovely too & if that quad hadn't had a recap then it will suffer with control (ploppy bottom end)
I regret i sold my Quad 306/34 full system for $970 Canadian in 2006. I want another one one day! The best speakers I've ever heard is B&O Bang & Olufsen 1978 floor speakes mahogany. Has 4 speakers on each box! 2 are blown on one side.
Cool video. Must be fun swapping all that equipment to see what produces the best sound. Keep up the good work, I'm really enjoying watching your videos.
Thanks for so detailed reviews of those golden era gears... I thinks most of the amps needed a recap or check up, in order to resume to their full performance, at least 90 % what they are. This will give more accuracy reviews, and light up our knowledge as well. Thanks.
WE NEED A VIDEO THAT EXPLAINS THE TYPE OF CONNECTIONS THAT ARE USED IS THAT QUAD, SOMETIMES PEOPLE DO NOT LEAVE THE RCA AND WHEN THEY SEE THOSE CONNECTIONS THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO, THANK YOU
A great, well articulated review of these amps in the context of the system they ar connected to. I am familiar with both brands and feel that the source here is not really typical of the kind of equipment that they would normally be partnered with. The ARCAM alpha CD player is excellent for what it cost but always was a little laid back in its presentation, as is reflected by the naim amp. I can also add that, as a Naim owner, the power of the delivery of all their power amps belies the specified output, which seems almost limitless when combined with a top quality source, such as the Linn LP12 turntable.
With all respect, the Naim amp shoul allways be tested with a Naim Pre amp, wich is the Naim sound and gives value to the power. Then the power transfigurates. My modest opinion, not the "truth"... Thank you !
I'm not familiar with the Quad 520f but I do know some Quad amps sound great with just a passive preamp (my 306 does)..... With fewer components in the signal path it should sound even more transparent.
I really like your reviews thanks, good insight into the different products. Was really interested to hear your thoughts on Naim vs Quad, as I have a bit of experience with the Quads, but not so much with Naim. The only Naim system I heard was fronted by a really warm CD player that over shadowed the amps. Although more recently I heard a Naim system at a show and I was quite impressed, but wondered if it would become tiresome. I have had both the 606 and 520f in the past. In the end, I found even the 520f didn't really do it for me driving some ATC SCM 20SL speakers. Perhaps the speakers were showing too much of the amps sound, which I think it certainly had, it was a little coloured. It wasn't a hard or analytical sound though, so they are good. It's just the amp did get in the way. I changed them for some Michell Alecto mono blocks (a very cool looking pair of amps with a nice easy 125W). I really enjoyed these and they can be had for around £800 max.
I moved from a Quad 606 to a pair Michell Alectos. That was a big jump in fidelity and three dimensional sound. They looked fabulous too. I moved them on last year after 20 years. I’ve moved onto an Integrated Belles amp. Super sound. Cheers
I wish you could try some french speakers, like Jean Marie Reynaud. They are all good. Very good with Naim. I have the Studio3 Version2. Never agressive, very nive treble, very nice crossover, very good drivers integration, big scale and finesse. Fluid. Not massive bass but enough bass. Good with Olive Naim, even the litle ones. Bi amp accepted.
What was your impression of the Quad after having it for a while (did you get to keep it for some time?). Such a common experience to be initially enamoured by a piece of equipment and then start to notice things after a while that either feel like they are missing or bother us (like you mentioned happened with the Naim).
Thanks for the review But the Naim nap100 would really benefit and sound better with a suitable Naim pre amp for results Also is very sensitive on were you place it also very important is the cables used especially the speaker cables I see you often use the Naim nap100 in your reviews maybe also get yourself a Naim pre amp and correct cables Thanks again for great reviews
Why is it Naim always has an excuse for not sounding proper...are Naimies in denial? I'm not Naim bashing as I currently own a Naim integrated (my 3rd) but it kind of makes me wonder. In any case Naim has always been about speed and timing, for a more visceral sound you're probably better off looking elsewhere which is what I'm currently thinking about.
@@mikecees2230 Agreed! There always an excuse. It buzzes...they all do that. You need to buy special speaker cable...Why? Get this upgrade form such and such, it will sound much better....I have a Naim, basic model, sounds good. But...........
I owned a Naim NAIT 2 for years. The dealer emphasized the need for naim speaker cables but I assumed he was exaggerating the differences and I was very frugal with a tight budget so never bought them- it still sounded great. I sold it on a while back and recently picked up NAIT 5i. Did some more research and if what I read is to believed amps generally have some kind of inductance matching network just before output to speaker terminals and Naim forgoes this by using high inductance speaker cable. Apparently some of the models (not the 5i though) can actually self destruct if used with improper inductance speaker cables! (Quite a risk to build it that way in my opinion but they have never shied away from being quirky -lol). I purchased some Linn K20 speaker cable (same spec as it was basically lifted from Naim’s supplier at the time). The sound was more detailed and less grainy without a doubt better to my ears. That said, his complaints about the Naim sound (the emptiness between the sounds) strange as that sounds seems to capture something I notice too (despite the proper cables - which are a must) and you either get used to it or move on I guess. I may be moving on. It has lots of great qualities but up against a quad 33/303 it’s a little less natural and engaging to my ear and doesn’t reach as far into the deep bass regions.
I appreciate the work you are doing! Thank you. Thanks to you I bought a Monitor Audio MA4 Series II and a NAD 3020 - I'm enjoying the music! Have you ever had a chance to listen to the Quad amplifier along with the Quad 33 preamplifier? If so, will you share your experience? Take care! Paul
I’d say that’s a great amp and speaker combination you have there not a bad idea to get a quad 303 and just keep the preamp of the Nad I think I would actually prefer that to quad preamp .
So with 25 year+ older circuit design but more headroom the quad stacks up pretty well against the naim's inky black refinement. I have a collection of old quads 303, 405ii and 306 and they're all really good for their age. I feel like I've never quite heard them at their best though as they undoubtedly would benefit from some recapping (again!) But also I don't have any of the dedicated pre amps to go with them and quads have a much higher sensitivity and will get silly loud at low settings from my conventional pre amp options. My current solution for years now has been a passive attenuator and short HQ interconnects. Would love to hear your thoughts/ experience on a posh volume pot in a box with gold plated everything as a pre amp stage. To me it still sounds very alive but have little else to compare it to other than a late 90's rotel integrated. Enjoying your channel 😎👍
@@jupitermoongauge4055 my 306 really is the best all rounder with enough weight, power and clarity on enough styles of listening to be the go to option for me. The 303 is nice and warm but not as clean. Does well with vinyl but lacks sparkle for other sources. The 405 is a close second and has more power on tap but again lacks something on busier productions. They can all, at times, sound a bit muddled and lose a bit of steam on busy passages of music. Possibly where a recap would help. They excel at clean sparsely produced jazz, acoustic and classical music. The 306 gets the most use from me and possibly as a result of being used regularly sounds the best/most alive even with more modern electronic productions and rock. Does well with TV materials too. Signal path: arcam fmj dv29 playing CDs (internally attenuated) - alps BV passive attenuator - quad 306 (rev1-1986) - mission 792 speakers using vandamme LC shotgun 0.5m interconnects and audioquest long grain bi wire speaker cable. Sounds good to me.
Thanks for your video. I had Nad , nice. Now I have Leak 30 and Rogers amplifiers with Rogers and Harbeth speakers.I like them how they look and sound, I like midrange, what I have to try in your professional opinion , thanks
Good stuff ,what way do you listen to your amps regarding bass and treble setting ,I heard the settings should be 0...to get what the artist is putting out for you....good video on the amps, you might go trough the set up of a Hi-Fi system,I used to have a pioneer late 80s set up and haven’t got that sound sense ,I gave it to a friend and he sold it without saying...Cheers
Yes I have been putting my bass and treble on zero for probably 20 years now it’s true boosting these things just distort things the soundstage et cetera. Cheers from London K
Yes I’m not sure but I think I had one of those I think it was great that was a long time ago if I get my hands on one I’m definitely going to review it K
Nev thought about selling my Quad 606 Power amp and control, a it too long, trouble is do not use it a lot now days as I’ve no real room for it all, shame really, even got a Nakamichi tape decd and CD player not being used lol…
@@dkokalanov well I only know the 520 and the 606 they are so different. I think of the 520 is more for a recording studio to make a really big sound 606 has a unhappy sound in the mid band if you asked me, so I’d probably pick the 520 now you ask
You need to get the separate power supply for the naim then you have more Grant in the bass the vocal should be more forward less thin, Can you adjust the output voltage on the Linn preamp set it to 1 PPV or try a 50 Ohm's coaxial cable to the Poweramp Belden make some good cable