Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
Kenwood KT-768L won on eBlag to go with the amp.
Vintage HI Fi. Anyone else in to it?
- Thread starter Hilldodger
- Start date
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raleighnut
Legendary Member
- Location
- One of the 'Elite'
Sugden made some lovely Amplifiers, not so keen on the Naim 'hair shirt' approach to music though, maybe that's why I've stuck with the 1957 design QUAD 303 Poweramps and I would have stayed with the 33 control unit (pre-amp) but the input switch array is problematic and cannot be replaced (that's why my 33 which is electronically perfect now simply acts as a phono stage) plus I had £250 'spare' a few years back and got hold of a 44 and not just any old 44 but a very rare Mk3 version. You'll see on t'internet people talk about the Mk1 (Khaki/beige) version and the later Mk11 (Grey) version but very few people know about the Mk111.
What happened was British/EU electrical regulations changed and the 'Double Insulated/Isolated' Quad 44 no longer complied so Quad were forced to change the earthing arrangements internally in that the signal leads had also to be earthed, this was good in some ways because most source components have only 2 wire mains leads so they earth through the signal leads but caused a problem for the connection between the Control Unit (Pre-amp) and the Poweramp/s. Because the signal leads are connected to earth and the powerlead is connected to earth a hum loop occurs between the Pre-Power amps and hardly anyone knows why but QUAD do though and the answer/cure is simple, disconnect the powerlead earth or simply run a 2 lead mains supply from the back of the control unit to the Poweramp/s. Note this quirk only applies to 44s beyond the Serial No 36,000 and something out of the 40.000 made.
BTW the HiFi dealer I bought mine from tried connecting it up to 'demo' it for me and it 'hummed' but as it was a mint boxed version with manual I just told him "That's fine, I'd planned on posting it back to QUAD in Huntingdon for a service anyway" but when I'd first rang him I'd asked if he had one for sale (which he had) and if it was a Mk1 (which I wanted because the colour matched my 303s) and he thought it was so I'd said "How much, £250" to which he'd said "Yep" so I told him I'd pop round on Friday to collect it. When I got there it turned out to be a grey one but after it was found out that it 'hummed' he let me have it for the £250 as he'd promised me that price and we both thought it needed work (grey ones fetch @£325-£350 on e-bay) but after a phone call to QUAD about the hum problem they told me about the earth quirk and how to solve it. I later Rang Paul and told him this but about a year later he rang me and said that one the same as mine had just fetched in excess of £500 on e-bay, I told him "Well you hadn't paid £250 for the one I bought had you" and he just laughed and said "no" so 'Caveat Emptor' may apply but sellers should beware too and we're still friends.
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
Does a 32 year old JVC hifi separates count as vintage - still using mine - 2nd big purchase after I got a job at 16. 1st one was a 531C Raleigh Road Ace with Shimano 600.
raleighnut
Legendary Member
- Location
- One of the 'Elite'
This is a link to the dealer I got my 44 from
http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rc....uk/main.htm&usg=AOvVaw2H9D9UmEoJfnGLlieK8Cnu
http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rc....uk/main.htm&usg=AOvVaw2H9D9UmEoJfnGLlieK8Cnu
raleighnut
Legendary Member
- Location
- One of the 'Elite'
This is a link to the dealer I got my 44 from
http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rc....uk/main.htm&usg=AOvVaw2H9D9UmEoJfnGLlieK8Cnu
http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rc....uk/main.htm&usg=AOvVaw2H9D9UmEoJfnGLlieK8Cnu
raleighnut
Legendary Member
- Location
- One of the 'Elite'
Of course.
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
Good job I was at home. Well minted I was then. That was just the first two months at work.Of course.
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
raleighnut
Legendary Member
- Location
- One of the 'Elite'
- Location
- Somewhere wet & hilly in NW England.
Can anyone help with a name? My brain cells have dipped out on me.
My first ever hi-fi in the early 70's was a Garrard SP25 (who didn't have one?) an Amplifier and a pair of Videotone Minimax speakers.
I've forgotten the make of my Amp!
It was a low sleek design only a few inches high and had a row of switches along the front that stuck out like little tabs.
Poor description but maybe someone can come up with the name.
My first ever hi-fi in the early 70's was a Garrard SP25 (who didn't have one?) an Amplifier and a pair of Videotone Minimax speakers.
I've forgotten the make of my Amp!
It was a low sleek design only a few inches high and had a row of switches along the front that stuck out like little tabs.
Poor description but maybe someone can come up with the name.
- Location
- Somewhere wet & hilly in NW England.
Sugden made some lovely Amplifiers, not so keen on the Naim 'hair shirt' approach to music though, maybe that's why I've stuck with the 1957 design QUAD 303 Poweramps and I would have stayed with the 33 control unit (pre-amp) but the input switch array is problematic and cannot be replaced (that's why my 33 which is electronically perfect now simply acts as a phono stage) plus I had £250 'spare' a few years back and got hold of a 44 and not just any old 44 but a very rare Mk3 version. You'll see on t'internet people talk about the Mk1 (Khaki/beige) version and the later Mk11 (Grey) version but very few people know about the Mk111.
What happened was British/EU electrical regulations changed and the 'Double Insulated/Isolated' Quad 44 no longer complied so Quad were forced to change the earthing arrangements internally in that the signal leads had also to be earthed, this was good in some ways because most source components have only 2 wire mains leads so they earth through the signal leads but caused a problem for the connection between the Control Unit (Pre-amp) and the Poweramp/s. Because the signal leads are connected to earth and the powerlead is connected to earth a hum loop occurs between the Pre-Power amps and hardly anyone knows why but QUAD do though and the answer/cure is simple, disconnect the powerlead earth or simply run a 2 lead mains supply from the back of the control unit to the Poweramp/s. Note this quirk only applies to 44s beyond the Serial No 36,000 and something out of the 40.000 made.
BTW the HiFi dealer I bought mine from tried connecting it up to 'demo' it for me and it 'hummed' but as it was a mint boxed version with manual I just told him "That's fine, I'd planned on posting it back to QUAD in Huntingdon for a service anyway" but when I'd first rang him I'd asked if he had one for sale (which he had) and if it was a Mk1 (which I wanted because the colour matched my 303s) and he thought it was so I'd said "How much, £250" to which he'd said "Yep" so I told him I'd pop round on Friday to collect it. When I got there it turned out to be a grey one but after it was found out that it 'hummed' he let me have it for the £250 as he'd promised me that price and we both thought it needed work (grey ones fetch @£325-£350 on e-bay) but after a phone call to QUAD about the hum problem they told me about the earth quirk and how to solve it. I later Rang Paul and told him this but about a year later he rang me and said that one the same as mine had just fetched in excess of £500 on e-bay, I told him "Well you hadn't paid £250 for the one I bought had you" and he just laughed and said "no" so 'Caveat Emptor' may apply but sellers should beware too and we're still friends.
Lady over the road has a 33/303 combo and they feed some huge B&W (I think) speakers - sounds great. I think she had some sort of overhaul/upgrade to the 33 ages back. Whatever it's a very cool sounding system.
I love the quirky filters etc.
Profpointy
Legendary Member
The amp description sounds like a meridian 101 preamp
Is it this one ?
I have one but having changed over to all-digital with all the music on pc I've done without it and just gone pc to the (meridian) power amps via attenuators (which are resistors I guess)
Attachments
- Location
- Somewhere wet & hilly in NW England.
It was about that height (maybe a little lower) but wider - the tab switches were quite small.
Thanks for the effort from my pitiful description.
slowmotion
Quite dreadful
- Location
- lost somewhere
- Location
- Somewhere wet & hilly in NW England.
Aha - found it! Slightly taller than I remember.
Armstrong 621:
Armstrong 621:
