Looking for a solid state power amplifier project

[colin.hepburn]

Hi All
Yep I am thinking of getting another solid-state power amplifier for the summer months and as a restore/upgrade project shock horror I can hear it nowlet’s not go down the valve versus sand rabbit hole I am just thinking about a used amp from eBay or somewhere

I haven’t looked at what brand to go for just yet except for a Quad 306 at the £250 price range anyone got this amplifier or had experience with it also open to other subjections ‘on any power amps at around this £250/350 mark my Valve stuff is not going anywhere just fancy a change and a project to do it is a hobby after all
Colin

[BUTUZ]

I take it your not looking for a fully working one then lol

Since buying my KAT88 that makes 4 amps in my 1 bed flat.

I need to slim down my kit *sigh*

[colin.hepburn]

Originally Posted by BUTUZ

I take it your not looking for a fully working one then lol

Since buying my KAT88 that makes 4 amps in my 1 bed flat.

I need to slim down my kit *sigh*

Hi Butuz/All
Yep if I am honest I also have too many amps and kit amps as well but
Yes a working amplifier it must be that just needs a recap and a few resistors replaced and a brush up just a summer project the Quad 306 would fit that bill well I think 🤔
Colin

[bob orbell]

How about a Quad 405-2 Colin, I have one but don't use it, it was repaired by Quad in Huntingdon some time ago after sitting idle for many years, one owner from new and that is me, don't' know what they are worth now, if interested PM me. Bob

[BUTUZ]

Understood sounds like mine are too good!!

Those old quad amps are nice and cheap to fiddle around it and many say sound pretty good too! I've personally always wanted to try a 606 or 909 but never got round to it yet.

[John Caswell]

Pass Labs F6

John

[Richard]

Hi Col, yes I've got most of the Peter Walker era Quads 303, 306, 405, 606 and have had 909 etc and the pre's and tuners.

The 306 is very good but I'm not sure it will be much of a "project" (other than to listen to music with ) as it is very good sounding, incredibly reliable and probably the easiest amp out there to work on. Do buy a good working example though even if you intend to recap it. Almost any ss power amp can be a nightmare if it has problems. I know folk who've replaced output stages of a non-working amp, switched on and had all their new work destroyed as the fault was earlier on.

So a working one is easy but a basket case needs everything checking carefully. There are some easier to fix known faults, hums, noisy TXs etc.

Bear in mind too that Quad updated during (long) production runs and the later ones were better though some folk prize a particular year or very early examples for sound or nostalgia

[colin.hepburn]

Hi Richard /All
Thanks for the updates on the Quads Richard when I say "project" I use the term loosely like A Recap and a few resistors new speaker sockets Etc and maybe a case respray if that’s required
So on the list, we have the quad and the first watt the Nelson pass amps are few and costly so options to date are the quad 306 and 405-2 which I think Bob is offering as an option I see no one is suggesting Naim amp’s
Colin

[A Stuart]

Am I imagining you once said you had a Cyrus One. I had mine refurbished, electrolytic caps replaced and sockets and these problematic selector switches removed cleaned and gold plated. Sounds excellent again. The deteriorating selector switches were likely the primary problem it had. Oddly they assured me the power caps were still as good as new.

[bob orbell]

A few months ago I got my Musical Fidelity A100 (the hot one) working again, all electrolytic capacitors replaced except the four large and very expensive power supply capacitors that measured well within specifications, just over 40 years old, the smaller ones were well below. Bob