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Monday, March 2, 2009. New listings below are added with limited commentary. As offerings expire or are sold their links will be removed. I check e-mail messages regularly so don't hesitate to write (Dr. Quad).
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1. Quad 57s fully restored by Wayne Picquet. Includes grill color choice, protective circuit boards, boxes, etc. Relisting.
2. Pr. bronze grilled Quads. Serial numbers 44,xxx date from 1978. Includes audiophile speaker cables (8' ea.) if speakers are purchased at asking price. No mention of Bulgin or IEC AC cords. Photos show very good cosmetics for grills, wood side pieces, & feet though there aren't any shots of the complete rear grills, audio connections, or AC transformer assembly. No original boxes. Sale pending (2/20).
3. Pr. bronze grilled Quads/Pr. copper grilled Quads/Quad 33 preamp (SS)/Quad 303 amp (SS). Bronze grilled pair (serial numbers 4293 & 4321 date from 1960): Includes Bulgin AC cords & feet but no boxes. One treble panel may need to be rebuilt. Photos (none of rear grills) show side pieces & grills to be in well above average condition. Feet could use some refinishing; Copper grilled pair (serial numbers 36,291 & 36,297 date from 1975): Includes Bulgin AC cords but no boxes. One treble panel needs to be rebuilt (arced). Photos (none of rear grills or feet) show one front grill's condition to be well above average & the other's cosmetics to be slightly average (dents). No cosmetic rating for side pieces (fuzzy shots); Quad 33: Includes small Bulgin AC cord, phono/tape boards, and DIN interconnect(s?) but no mention of DIN to RCA adapter(s), Quad manual, or original box; Quad 303: Includes small Bulgin AC cord but no Quad manual or original box. Photos of the two electronic components are not especially revealing but good enough for an overall well above average cosmetic rating. Pickup only (San Francisco, Calif.).
4. Quad 303 amp (SS). No photos (no cosmetic rating) & no mention of small Bulgin AC cord, DIN interconnect, Quad manual, or original box; Quad 33 preamp (SS). No photos (no cosmetic rating) & no mention of small Bulgin AC cord, DIN interconnect, DIN to RCA adapter(s), Quad manual, or original box.
5. Quad 405 amp (SS). Includes gold phono input jacks, 5 way binding posts, & Quad manual. No mention of power limiters, IEC AC cord, or original box. Photos (none of sides) show very good cosmetics for age. Warranty. Protective circuitry recommended if amp is used with a pair of 57's.
6. Quad QC-twenty four preamp (T). No phono module. Includes Underwood HiFi Level 1 upgrade (installed by Parts Connexion), Quad manual, & original box. Photos (front panel/top shot not at all clear) show good overall cosmetics.
7. Quad QC-twenty four preamp (T). Includes resistor & capacitor upgrade. No phono module or IEC AC cord mentioned, and no Quad manual or original box. Photos (a bit fuzzy) show good cosmetics except for what appears to be a very small scratch on the rear panel near the first right side output jack (red).
8. Quad QC-twenty four preamp (T). Includes all accessories (IEC AC cord?) as well as the original box & packing material but no phono section. Complete set of photos shows excellent cosmetics. Price lowered (2/15); Pr. Quad II-forty amps (T). Seller says, "They come with every single piece of packing, bags, inserts, manual, tube cages, and will ship in their original boxes. No IEC AC cords mentioned. Photos show very good cosmetics except for two nicks on transformer covers (mentioned by seller); Quad QC-24P stand alone tube phono preamp. Seller says, "...it comes with every single piece of packing, bags, inserts and paper work and will ship in the original box surrounded by the brown shipping box." No mention of IEC AC cord. Photos show excellent cosmetics.
9. Pr. Arcici stands for 57's. Includes boxes. Seller says, "There are lots of marks in the black anodizing..."  ESL's sold (3/1).
10. Quad Book by Ken Kessler. Sealed copy. Pricey. Relisting.
11. Atma-Sphere S-30 Mk. II OTL amp (T). No manual or original box & no IEC AC cord mentioned. Photos (none of amp's back panel) show very good cosmetics. Conditional split shipping. Not heard this model.
12. McIntosh MC225 amp (T). Includes power supply mods, new output tubes, resistor & cap updates, cage, speaker connector add-ons, & a copy of manual. No docs or original box mentioned. Photos show good cosmetics though seller notes a small amount of lettering is missing. Trade or sell. High asking price.
13. McIntosh MC225 amp (T). No cage, manual, docs, or original box included. Photos show above average cosmetics (some chrome pitting noted by seller). Also offered on eBay with more photos (auction expires 3/4).
14. McIntosh MC225 amp (T). No mention of cage, manual, or original box. Photos show cosmetics to be somewhat above average (wear on
one chassis edge, transformer scratch, small rust spot on underside, etc.). Relisted more than once.
15. Pr. Quicksilver Mini Mite amps (T). Includes KT77 output tubes (substituted for EL34s), IEC AC cords, manual, & original box. No cages mentioned. Photos show very good cosmetics though screw heads are rusty (noted by seller). Units ship from Honolulu, Hawaii. Sale pending (2/24).
16. Rogue Audio Atlas amp (T). Includes "...original box and all accessories (including tubes)." Photo (none of amp's backside) shows excellent cosmetics. Not heard but in modified form placed 2nd in a shoot-out conducted by audio dealer & Quad enthusiast Robin Wyatt (scroll down in article to find amplifiers used in the comparison). 55 watts per side means protective circuitry is strongly recommended with a pair of 57's. Further price reduction (2/22). Also listed on eBay with a lower "Buy It Now" price (auction ends today, 3/2).
17. Sugden A21A(P) Class A amp (SS). Includes manual & box but IEC AC cord not mentioned. Photos show good cosmetics. Not heard but well respected by Quad 57 enthusiasts in the UK. Full power class A amps get hot.

Audio Asylum Classifieds

1. Quad 306 amp (SS). Includes Quad manual but no mention of IEC AC cord or original box. Input sensitivity reduced (reversible). Photos show good cosmetics but seller mentions scratches on top of cover. Protective circuitry recommended if used with a pair of 57's. Also listed on Audiogon (2/23) at what appears to be twice the price!

Canuck Audio Mart

1. Quad 33 preamp (SS)/Quad 303 amp (SS). No photos & no details except seller says, "A very nice pair...working perfect 100% original;" Quad 33 preamp (SS)/Quad 405 amp (SS). No photos (on request) so no cosmetic rating. Seller says, "...close to mint...caps are still doing ok...very good cosmetics." Both listings are from the same seller.
2. Quad 405 amp (SS). Includes replacement of electrolytic capacitors. No mention of power limiters, IEC AC cord, DIN interconnect, Quad manual, or original box. Photos show above average cosmetics (corners show a bit of wear). Protective circuitry recommended if amp is used with a pair of 57's.
3. Quad FM3 tuner (SS). Case, front panel, & tuning knob have been sprayed black. Includes power switch, small Bulgin AC cord, DIN to RCA interconnect, 300 ohm antenna connector with wire, and Quad manual. No original box mentioned. Photos show good cosmetics even if black color is not your 1st choice. Sale pending (2/17).
4. Single Quad II amp (T). Includes KT66 output tubes & 2 pin Bulgin AC cord but no mention of Quad manual (schematic). Photos show very good cosmetics for age, with the underneath shot revealing especially clean innards; Quad QC-II mono preamp (T). No info (other than "...needs plug") or photo but unit requires a Quad II amp for power.
5. Pr. Heathkit UA-1 amps (T). Mods (?) by Mapleshade. Includes 6 tube dampers but no mention of whether units are kit or factory wired or of an assembly manual (schematic). Photos show good cosmetics for one UA-1 & well above average for the other (replaced electrolytic can looks a little different from the one on the other amp & chassis has a light spot near rear edge). Not heard this model but one of Sheldon Stokes' faves with Quad 57's. For sale (pricey) or trade.

eBay (all items must ship from U.S. or Canada)

1. Pr. black grilled Quads. Serial numbers 46,xxx (later series) date from 1978. Includes IEC AC cords, Quad factory service manual & speaker manual, but no original boxes. Photos show well above average to good grills & woodwork (only one rear grill shot) though a rear leg is twisted on one ESL. Sold as is with no returns. Auction ends tomorrow (3/3).
2. Quad 405 amp (SS). Includes IEC AC cord & styrofoam inserts with original box (beat up). No mention of power limiters, DIN interconnect,
or Quad manual. Photos show very good to excellent cosmetics for age. Protective circuitry recommended if amp is used with a pair of 57's.
Auction ends 3/4. Relisting.
3. (CA) Quad QC-II mono preamp (T)/Quad FM mono tuner (T). Preamp includes phono adapter but no mention of Quad manual (schematic). Both units require a Quad II amp for power. Photos show the items have well above average cosmetics (for age) though the preamplifier's front panel has some dark spots; (CA) single Quad II amp (T). Power transformer has been replaced. No mention of Bulgin 2 pin AC cord or Quad manual (schematic). Photos (one side only) show good cosmetics for age. The three pieces are untested, sold as is, and are from the same seller. Both auctions end 3/7.
4. (CA) Quad 34 moving coil input module (SS). Includes trim components & original box. No instructions mentioned. Auction ends 3/4. Relisting.
5. (CA) Single Bulgin 2 pin AC power plug for Quad 22 preamp or Quad II amp. Seller says 10 available "Buy It Now" offering expires 3/19. Relisted many times.
6. Belling Lee banana plugs. 4mm: 2 red; 2 black. "Buy It Now" offering has no expiration date at this time.
7. Quad Book by Ken Kessler. New sealed copy. "Buy It Now" offering ends 3/22. Relisting.
8. Quad 33/303 (SS) upgrade & repair service. RCA input jacks can be added to the amp. Not seen or heard. Free shipping (both ways?). "Buy It Now/Make Offer" ends 3/19. Relisted more than once.
9. McIntosh MC225 amp (T). Includes cage, recent service invoice, copy of owner's manual, maintenance manual, & 4 upscale speaker connectors. No mention of original box. Photos (not all that revealing) appear to show very good cosmetics. Free shipping. Auction ends 3/6.


1. Quad speakers user reports: audioreview.com
2. The July '06 issue of Stereophile includes Sam Tellig's report on the 2805.
3. The February '07 issue of The Absolute Sound has a review of the Quad ESL-2805 & a reference to the original ESL.
4. A comparison between the original Quad & the 2805 (Yahoo bulletin board).
5. Quad 989. January 2001 issue of HI-FI WORLD. E-mail for scan
6. Quad 989. July 2000 issue of HFN&RR. E-mail
7. Quad 989. The Oct./Nov. 2000 issue of TAS. E-mail for pdf file
8. Quad 989. TNT Audio Magazine (Italian on line publication but review is in English)
9. Quad 989. Audio Ideas Guide magazine
10. Quad 989. Stereophile magazine
11. Quad 989. Stereophile magazine followup on the Quad ESL-989 (Atkinson link at end)
12. Quad 989. Stereo Times review of Quad ESL-989
13. Quad 988. Review from issue 130 of TAS. E-mail for a PDF file
14. A Quad 57 story and an article on updating the Quad 33/303 from Gary Krakow, tech columnist for MSNBC.
15. Quad 57. Six Moons Road Tour Revisited report on rebuilt 57's
16. The Sept. '06 issue of TAS mag has a one page retrospective on the Quad 57. OK except for an incorrect high freq. statement: The original Quad extends to at least 18 kHz, not 12 kHz.
17. Quad 57. Stereophile magazine's two part article on rebuilding the originial Quad: |1|2|.
18. Original Quad II updated. Stereophile magazine
19. Quad II Classic. Stereophile magazine
23. Quad QC-twenty-four tube preamplifier & II-forty monoblock tube amplifier. TAS review
24. Quad 99 series electronics. A passable scan of TAS' Feb/March '01 article. E-mail
25. Quad 63. Stereophile magazine
26. Comparison between the original Quad & the 63
27. E-mail for an historical essay on the Braun LE-1/Quad ESL-57 (C. Steingruber). Word or equivalent needed.

Australian Quad enthusiast Gary Jacobson's ESL-57 treble panel survey is the most comprehensive assessment to date. The original Quad remains as great as it ever was providing we can get matched, reliable panels. While the original panel is the standard to which all others must be compared, the high quality rebuilds from Stewart Penketh (CA), Wayne Picquet (US), & Sheldon Stokes (US) are cause for N. American Quad owners to rejoice.

Counterpoint from ESL Labs (Netherlands):

"IMO that survey is pretty much outdated by now (Jan., 2008). The panels from Quad Germany have evolved over time and I found their speakers to sound good last summer, not the same as the original but good nevertheless. Note that Quad Germany does not refurbish old panels, they make new panels. The original coating was CALATON, but modern substitutes like ELVAMIDE (nylon) should work just as well...IMO, the coating is the least of the problems although there are some tricks involved in applying it correctly. I doubt the original coating is required."


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