Quad
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Had some further issues with the amps, but through a combination of coincidence, luck and continued assistance from Henry who really is a @toprepairman , all is now fixed and understood.
The issues, apart from the above power switching, were a horrible sound in the background - in hindsight there were two sounds (a) a kind of rustling/whooshing sound and (b) a really regular clicking type sound that was the most audible. The volume didn't affect either, except when set very low or very high. The sound seemed fine apart from that. Disconnected all inputs but no change. Henry recommended I stop fiddling and bring them back to him.
Took them over, well the first power amp had a capacitor short circuited (C4 I think, one of the caps in the big enclosure). Can't have been like that when I was using them as it would have mullered the amps, and wasn't like that as it left Henry - so likely that it was failing at mine (hence the rustling sound) and gave up the ghost just then. Henry soldered a new cap in situ and disconnected & taped the original wire from the cap, new owner can decide how to make a permanent repair.
Other amp was fine. Pre amp was fine too, but showed Henry the power switching problem and it is intermittent. Not a lot can be done about it, so will leave as is. Generally works OK with power going in, or can bridge across the switched mains at the amp ends, or power the amps directly bypassing the 22. Its the S4A/blue channel power switch at the back of the volume enclosure, may improve with use. Think the S1A switch, which is in series, is OK (the stereo/dual mono switch behind the left hand white button.
Brought the amps back home, powered on and there is that horrible clicking sound still there, only louder - I'd just about had it by now. What can it be, they were working fine just an hour earlier. Only difference is the environment, mains going in and the speakers.
Thought I would try turning everything off in the log cabin except the Quad amps and CD player, even the lights that are on a dimmer.
It went silent, no more clicking
Powered stuff back on, it was the Devolo powerline adaptor with its wifi access point inducing the noise, even though its 5 feet away!!! Kinda obvious really, clicking was the network switching.
So that's it, amps are ready to be paired with the ESL57s in a few weeks and see how they sound. ESL57s have been powered up for a day, no noises which is good. Fingers crossed. Will check loudspeaker input impendence before hooking up the amps, should be around 8 ohms or so I guess, just to make sure its not short or open circuit. And will keep an eye on the remaining original caps.
The issues, apart from the above power switching, were a horrible sound in the background - in hindsight there were two sounds (a) a kind of rustling/whooshing sound and (b) a really regular clicking type sound that was the most audible. The volume didn't affect either, except when set very low or very high. The sound seemed fine apart from that. Disconnected all inputs but no change. Henry recommended I stop fiddling and bring them back to him.
Took them over, well the first power amp had a capacitor short circuited (C4 I think, one of the caps in the big enclosure). Can't have been like that when I was using them as it would have mullered the amps, and wasn't like that as it left Henry - so likely that it was failing at mine (hence the rustling sound) and gave up the ghost just then. Henry soldered a new cap in situ and disconnected & taped the original wire from the cap, new owner can decide how to make a permanent repair.
Other amp was fine. Pre amp was fine too, but showed Henry the power switching problem and it is intermittent. Not a lot can be done about it, so will leave as is. Generally works OK with power going in, or can bridge across the switched mains at the amp ends, or power the amps directly bypassing the 22. Its the S4A/blue channel power switch at the back of the volume enclosure, may improve with use. Think the S1A switch, which is in series, is OK (the stereo/dual mono switch behind the left hand white button.
Brought the amps back home, powered on and there is that horrible clicking sound still there, only louder - I'd just about had it by now. What can it be, they were working fine just an hour earlier. Only difference is the environment, mains going in and the speakers.
Thought I would try turning everything off in the log cabin except the Quad amps and CD player, even the lights that are on a dimmer.
It went silent, no more clicking
Powered stuff back on, it was the Devolo powerline adaptor with its wifi access point inducing the noise, even though its 5 feet away!!! Kinda obvious really, clicking was the network switching.
So that's it, amps are ready to be paired with the ESL57s in a few weeks and see how they sound. ESL57s have been powered up for a day, no noises which is good. Fingers crossed. Will check loudspeaker input impendence before hooking up the amps, should be around 8 ohms or so I guess, just to make sure its not short or open circuit. And will keep an eye on the remaining original caps.
Right this has been a long time coming and delayed due to issues with the power amp and the trials of getting my active system working and set up for the Wam Show which it coped with well and was heard by quite a few.
Right after trying for many months and working with Glenn Croft the OTL 3 has proved not to be the ideal amplifier I thought it would be . The Croft is a wonderful amplifier and sounds fantastic driving speakers that it is capable of . For reasons that I do not understand the Croft was never able to go quite loud enough with the ESL 57 . It sounded lovely but just did not have enough headroom . So sadly it is now sold and hopefully the new owner will enjoy it for many years .
Now I had used an NVA 30P power amp and was both surprised and delighted to find that it not only drives the ESL 57 well but to sound levels that were really excellent . I had bought an NVA 60P which was an obvious candidate to replace the Croft and be the amplifier in my ESL 57 system . However it developed a fault before I ever got to hear in place and went back to NVA for repair . Through no fault of NVA and there being a really excellent company to deal with things became complicated and in the end they pretty much rebuilt and upgraded the origianl unit to the level of their latest 150 P power amp with the old case . I can not stress enough how good the service given to me by NVA and now the item is back and in place.
I have now had the NVA 60P in place for about three weeks and I have to say while the 30P was good this is just even better it drives the ESL 57 to silly levels far louder than I would be comfortable listening to . Then the sheer naturalness of the NVA matches the same naturalness of the ESL 57 . Instruments , vocals , everything just sounds right and lets you hear what was recorded warts and all . It hides nothing and you can realise that often a recording was not that great to start with but it does not make it unlistenable like some I have used and which only suited very high quality recordings . I listen to quite a bit of Northern Soul and production qualities and recordings can be a little way ward . However the music is wonderful and stills make me want to dance and sing along . The NVA lets this happen . I have tried lots of amplifiers from Quad II through Krell KSA 50 and beyond . I accept and know they are a difficult speaker to drives and make sound as they should the NVA 60P does that and more and in a wonderful calm and unfussy way . It does not high light any part of the sound or even draw attention to itself it just lets the music out and lets you connect with that . If you can get the chance I would say hear a pair of ESL 57 on the end of an NVA power amp any of them will work but I suspect that the higher up the range you go the better things will be . As it is I am now very content and will be avoiding any changes as if they were covid . I like were I have reached and want now to just buy more music and listen .
Right after trying for many months and working with Glenn Croft the OTL 3 has proved not to be the ideal amplifier I thought it would be . The Croft is a wonderful amplifier and sounds fantastic driving speakers that it is capable of . For reasons that I do not understand the Croft was never able to go quite loud enough with the ESL 57 . It sounded lovely but just did not have enough headroom . So sadly it is now sold and hopefully the new owner will enjoy it for many years .
Now I had used an NVA 30P power amp and was both surprised and delighted to find that it not only drives the ESL 57 well but to sound levels that were really excellent . I had bought an NVA 60P which was an obvious candidate to replace the Croft and be the amplifier in my ESL 57 system . However it developed a fault before I ever got to hear in place and went back to NVA for repair . Through no fault of NVA and there being a really excellent company to deal with things became complicated and in the end they pretty much rebuilt and upgraded the origianl unit to the level of their latest 150 P power amp with the old case . I can not stress enough how good the service given to me by NVA and now the item is back and in place.
I have now had the NVA 60P in place for about three weeks and I have to say while the 30P was good this is just even better it drives the ESL 57 to silly levels far louder than I would be comfortable listening to . Then the sheer naturalness of the NVA matches the same naturalness of the ESL 57 . Instruments , vocals , everything just sounds right and lets you hear what was recorded warts and all . It hides nothing and you can realise that often a recording was not that great to start with but it does not make it unlistenable like some I have used and which only suited very high quality recordings . I listen to quite a bit of Northern Soul and production qualities and recordings can be a little way ward . However the music is wonderful and stills make me want to dance and sing along . The NVA lets this happen . I have tried lots of amplifiers from Quad II through Krell KSA 50 and beyond . I accept and know they are a difficult speaker to drives and make sound as they should the NVA 60P does that and more and in a wonderful calm and unfussy way . It does not high light any part of the sound or even draw attention to itself it just lets the music out and lets you connect with that . If you can get the chance I would say hear a pair of ESL 57 on the end of an NVA power amp any of them will work but I suspect that the higher up the range you go the better things will be . As it is I am now very content and will be avoiding any changes as if they were covid . I like were I have reached and want now to just buy more music and listen .
Reacquainted amps with speakers and they work, in fact was amazed at the sound quality after 30 odd years of being inactive. Its all pretty much original, 60 years old. Lovely!
Delighted to say that after much to-ing and fro-ing, mixed in with a bit of umming and aahing (all down to my indecision), I’m soon to become a member of the Quad 303 club. Rob (Amplabs) has found a spare 303 in his store-room and has kindly agreed to do a full service/rebuild/new rear panel. I know it’ll be a while before it’s ready but I can’t wait to see how it performs with my Ditton 44s.
It’s a sign of getting old that you end up with too much hifi for the rooms available. The other thing I’ve noticed is that as one gets older ones hifi gets too heavy to swap about easily.
True.
Another approach is that the gear I buy gets lighter and lighter!
I'm grateful that I bought my 100lb MBL speakers before I started to wear out.
Well, it’s good job your speakers are so damn good that they don’t to be changed!
I’ve just been in touch with Rob at Amplabs and my ‘new’ rebuilt/upgraded (Rob’s full SUFI upgrade) 303 will be ready later this week. It’s being soak tested as we speak. Can’t wait.
Also arriving will be the last remaining C6 pre-amp of Rob’s own design.
I’m going to ask Rob if he minds me sharing/posting photos of the C6.
Quite honestly, I didn’t know it existed until Rob mentioned it when we first spoke about a 303 and I subsequently found details and photos on the Amplabs website.
My plan is for the C6 to be the first/last and only pre-amp I ever buy unless i simply can’t get on with a pre/power amp arrangement in which case, I’ll go back to an integrated.
Also arriving will be the last remaining C6 pre-amp of Rob’s own design.
I’m going to ask Rob if he minds me sharing/posting photos of the C6.
Quite honestly, I didn’t know it existed until Rob mentioned it when we first spoke about a 303 and I subsequently found details and photos on the Amplabs website.
My plan is for the C6 to be the first/last and only pre-amp I ever buy unless i simply can’t get on with a pre/power amp arrangement in which case, I’ll go back to an integrated.
I hope the 303 is to your taste
I wouldn't part with mine, although I am aware it might be an acquired taste. I hope you enjoy it.After using integrated amps for years, the move to seperate pre- and power-amps is a step I am not sure I will ever reverse. Many people think poorly of the Quad pre-amps (the world "veiled" tends to come up a lot), but I actually like them. I had mine upgraded using the DADA kits and it made a bit change, although some of that could have been replacing old capacitors. Either way, I don't care. The only one I didn't like was the 33. It looks lovely, but everything just sounded a bit off.
If Rob's reputation holds, I am sure his pre-amp will be pretty awesome and presumably a good fit with a Quad 303. I'd be interested to hear about how you get on with it...oh, wait...it's the last one. Maybe not then, just in case I develop a burning urge to buy something that cannot be bought
Beautiful. What else can I say? If I had the money, I'd buy them and have them refurbished without a second thought.Reacquainted amps with speakers and they work, in fact was amazed at the sound quality after 30 odd years of being inactive. Its all pretty much original, 60 years old. Lovely!
Thanks for your good wishes.I hope the 303 is to your taste
In some ways, I suppose the full upgrade which Rob has carried will potentially have changed the 303 to the point where it no longer has some of its original characteristics.
But that won’t really matter to me because i’ve never had a 303 before so I have no idea what I’d be missing!!
Ideally, I suppose I should have made the effort to track down a fellow kind Wammer and ask for a listen. But that didn’t happen and I’m OK with that.
Hi.
I certainly hope it retains its old sound. Before I bought mine, I had read a lot online about the 303 have been intentionally created to have a "valve like" sound. Having never owned valves, I don't know what this means, but I did find some measurements online and the Quad 303 appears, at least in that article, to create harmonics similar to a valve amp. Anyway, in practice, it sounds smooth and warm to me. I'd be so disappointed if someone "improved it" by making it more like modern amps. I'm sure Rob knows what he is doing
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