QUAD FM4+34+306

 

 

  

FM4+34+306

 

 

 

 

 

The Quad FM4 Tuner is another classic British design from the then Huntington based Acoustical Manufacturing Co. Ltd. The Quad FM4 Tuner was first launched in 1982 at the same time as the Quad 405-2 and was the successor to the very popular . When the Quad FM4 Tuner was first launched, there were many concerns that Quad had developed an all digital tuner. The actual truth was that although the display was digital, the Quad FM4 Tuner was very much analogue under the case.

The Quad FM4 Tuner did use a digital chip but this was only to control the display and store the preset frequencies. one gripe many listeners had the with the Quad FM4 Tuner was the small number of presets options available - seven in all. The Quad FM4 Tuner was very simple in design with just a tuning knob, power button, seven yellow preset buttons and a red tune button. The Quad FM4 Tuner was a very sleek design like all Quad's previous equipment but beautifully made with a sound quality that won may people over as just being totally natural.

The Quad FM4 Tuner was a very easy tuner to live with with AFC and muting done automatically - all the listener had to do was use the dial to tune in a radio station, check the strength signal was adequate and then sit back and enjoy the music. As with any quality tuner like the The Quad FM4 Tuner, it was essential a good quality roof mounted arial was used and plugged into the 75ohm coaxial aerial socket at the back.

The Quad FM4 Tuner was finally discontinued in 1995 although by that time more than 37,000 units had been sold and given the superb build and sound, the Quad FM4 Tuner still command a premium on auction sites like Ebay.

 

Quad FM4 tuner Specification
Frequency Range: 88-108 MHz
Sensitivity: 2.7µV (mono) / 25 µV (stereo)
Output level: 100mV (30% modulation)
Mains Voltage: 220-240
Dimensions (WxDxH): 321 x 207 x 64 (mm)
Weight: 3 kg

 

 

 

 

 

 

Launched by Quad in 1982, the Quad 34 Pre Amplifier built on the solid success and reputation of previous Quad pre amplifiers such as the Quad 33 Pre Amplifier. one of two very similar Quad pre amplifiers, the Quad 34 Pre Amplifier only had four inputs compared to the Quad 44 Pre Amplifier which had five. Like its predecessor, the Quad 34 Pre Amplifier was totally modular meaning modules at the rear could be chopped and changed. Early versions of the Quad 34 Pre Amplifier had four inputs disc, radio, tape and aux ( this was relabelled CD on later models).

The Quad 34 Pre Amplifier's phono module was interchangeable so that moving magnet as well as moving coil could be accommodated. one of the features unique to Quad pre amplifiers were the use of an additional filters on the tone control circuitry to reduce distortion or room environment effects. As well as a standard bass control, the Quad 34 Pre Amplifier had an adjustable tone filter and a tilt filter which was able to compensate for poor recordings by adjusting the frequency response from bass to treble or treble to bass to better suit the listener.

The original Quad 34 Pre Amplifier had 5 pin DIN socket inputs at the back for sources although this was changed to RCA phono sockets on later models. Although a very competent well built and designed pre amplifer, the Quad 34 Pre Amplifier uses some poor electronic components in parts which degrade the sound quality. Fortunately one company, Fidele Audio is able to offer a number of upgrades to these machines to raise the perfomance of the Quad 34 Pre Amplifier even further.

 

Quad 34 Pre Amplifier Specification
Line Source Frequency Response : 20 Hz - 20 kHz (+/- 0.3db)
Disc RIAA Frequency Response : 20 Hz - 20 kHz (+/- 0.5db)
Distortion: < 0.05%
Power consumption: 7 Watts
Mains voltage : 220-240V
Dimensions (WxDxH) : 321 x 64 x 207 (mm)
Weight: 3.2 kg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Quad 306 was a highly underrated solid state amplifier introduced by Quad primarily to power the Quad 10L bookshelf loudspeakers which at the time were Quad's only dymamic loudspeakers on sale and also their first as well, although strictly speaking they were an Spendor OEM design rebadged by Quad.

First launched in 1987, the Quad 306 Power Amplifier was a 50 watts per channel rated amplifier that basically resembled a Quad 405 sliced in half. The Quad 306 was a very solid amplifier that was beautifully built, although minimilist in looks very much followed the design looks of older Quad amplifiers. Unlike the Quad 405 which has a huge power supply under it's bonnet, the Quad 306 Power Amplifier used a large torridial transformer which although very poweful was only a couple of inches in height meaning the designers at Quad could build an amplifier that was much slimmer nad more compact than any of its predecessors.

The Quad 306 Power Amplifier won praise from many camps as being more than a capable perfomer and although primarily designed for the Quad 10L loudspeaker and not any of the Quad electrostatic range, many Quad owners did indeed partner the Quad 306 Power Amplifier with electrostatic loudspeakers and with success although the bigger more powerful Quad 606 Power Amplifier was the ideal and optimised choice for the electrostatic loudspeakers at the time.

The Quad 306 Power Amplifier was in production until 1997 before being withdrawn after nearly 25,000 units being sold. Like all Quad amplifiers, the Quad 306 Power Amplifier was built to last and a large proportion of that 25,000 are still in service today and regularly change hands on ebay.

Not the best Quad amplifier ever made and not as popular with enthusiasts as the Quad 303 or the Quad 405, it is still a very good amplifier.

 

Quad 306 Power Amplifier Specification
Power Output: 50 Watts per channel into 8 ohms
Distortion: < 0.003%
Hum and noise: -105dB
Input connectors: RCA phono sockets
Input Sensitivity: 0.375v
Speaker Terminals: 4mm banana plug sockets
Voltage: 220-240V
Overload Protection : Yes (Resettable via push button at the back of the amplifier)
Additional Mains Output : YES (IEC socket)