I inherited my Quad 34/305 per/power amps. As they held sentimental value I kept them. Having to have part of my expensive modern equipment serviced I needed a back up and dusted off the Quads: they never left. Chord interconnects and Russ Andrews’ power supply further improved the Quads to the extent that they far out-perform my earlier (modern) and expensive equipment (into Spendor speakers). The main strength of the Quads is their uncompromising musicality,

None other than the need to use good cables and preferably up-graded power supply (both made a huge difference).

This stuff is very easy to listen to. I can listen to my old record. The fancy CD player and high end amp really put the music in your face. This is really relaxed and makes the music more beautiful.

None.

The review here is for the 33 Control Unit connected to the 405 Current Dumping amplifier and a pair of nice bass reflex speakers made in Scotland... Oh yeah, the input or source is an Oracle turntable with a very ordinary moving magnet cartridge - Audio Technica. This is a great change from my digital stuff that I acquired when I was working overseas in the Middle East -- I'm I packed up the Quad stuff almost eight years ago, so it's been a while. Here's the strengths: It

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Cyrus integrated amp. Audio Research preamp with the lowest powered monoblock Mark L. amp no 29. (with massive transformer and capaciters)

compact, perfect to cheap audoi, but not only.

dizain

not bad, especialy for this funny price. like soft, live sound. very good regulation of tembr. connect to quad 303( payd 15eur) but one minus sound is not enought strong, when conect to cd inputs. interesting inside. sounds like others mosfet preamps. year 1986

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akai 200, quad 33,44. radiotech 7001 YP

Musical, easy to use, solid, looks and consistent market value

None

I bought a second hand Nakamichi LX-3 for its reputation and it truly delivers. As with e.g. QUAD it just does what any audio/video component should do; reproducing music you appreciate without any 'intervention'.

True, when playing music cassettes back on other systems, it tends to be some sharp. Anyway, I had not used the Denon for years and I was really surprised by the musical capabilities of (such) a cassette deck.

Note: I own 100's of CD's,mostly classical productions by Decca, Philips, DG. My system consists of Magneplanar loudspeakers, Kef Coda 8 loudspeakers, QUAD FM3 Tuner, Rotel BX965CD LE cd-player, Grundig GV540 6-head VCR, Nakamichi LX-3 tapedeck and QUAD 606 power amp. All linked to a Philips satellite dish receiver and an IBM Aptiva PC.

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Sony TC-FX5, Denon DR-M1 and Grundig GV540 (6-head VCR)

The 34 is a just-discontinued, $800 preamp from Quad. The unitis small, midi-sized, and has one phono input (MM and MC cards
available), two line and one tape input. There is an extensive
tone control circuit, comprising bass lift (tailored to mini
speakers), bass cut (tailored for compensating speaker-too-close-
to-the-wall anomalies), tilt (for influencing recording or
room balance) and HF-filter (for overbright CDs or mistracking
LPs).

Build quality is excellent, backed-up by Quad's stellar service
(even after the take-over by Verity).

Sound quality is neutral, which is fine. But also a bit cool,
and lacking in detail, bass depth and dynamics. All in all
a useable, musical preamp, but it does the other Quad products,
notably their CDs, speakers and power amps, no favours.
This last holds for all the other Quad preamps too!

Clarity, No grain, smoothness, 3D reproduction.

Output impedance is too high with a CD Player on many records.

This is a very nice sounding unit. It will reveal any flaws in the rest of your system. Best sounds with jazz, electronic and classical. It doesn't like very much hard rock and will tell you how cheap and flat are a lot of these recordings...

More transparent and clearer (not bright) that the oldest 33 and the Nad.
To bring all of its potential, don't use cheap cables that
usually comes with a used unit...

I don't see the utility upgrating this unit for a new preamp. with my actual set-up...

A pure Quad!

My set up:

Rega Planet (CD player)
Quad Fm II 1960(tubes Tuner)
Quad 606 (amplifier)
B&W N-804
Panamax 1000
LAT Power cord for the preamp.(more clarity)
+ A lot of good cables...

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Quad 33, Nad 701 etc.

Build quality, sound

Number of inputs

I own the Quad 34 and Quad 606 now for 10 years, and still I can be suprised about the sound quality, especially voices. Together with the superb build quality (the set still looks like new from the box) it was a relative bargain....

Very good sound,easy to use,very very musical.

For the price,none

This product is a cracker for the price.The support is
perfect for all the Quad products.I have one 405-2 too for
the 34 preamplifier and a pair of ESL-63.The sound is very
very musical.

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Quad 33,Quad 44

Ease of use, musical tone controls, high market value.

Can't hear or see any.

I bought QUAD 34 as it did not seem to add anything to the original source when compared with a Mission and Nakamichi among others. It just does what any audio/video component should do; reproduce the music you appreciate in a neutral manner.

It's also a very easy to use amplifier. Only when listening - to music - over the small Kef's, I am using the interesting tone controls.

Lastly, any QUAD will maintain its high market value.

Yet, to put this review and the quality of QUAD 34 and the total system in perspective - have you ever moved your system from a house with wooden floor to one with carpets all over the place?

Note: I own 100's of CD's,mostly classical productions by Decca, Philips, DG. My system consists of Magneplanar loudspeakers, Kef Coda 8 loudspeakers, QUAD FM3 Tuner, Rotel BX965CD LE cd-player, Grundig GV540 6-head VCR, Nakamichi LX-3 tapedeck and QUAD 606 power amp. All linked to a Philips satellite dish receiver and an IBM Aptiva PC.

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N/A

Build, design, adaptiveness to MD, MC-elements, no gadgets

4 inputs.

I owe my Quad 34 now for more than 6 years. And I'm still happy with it. It doesn't look great compared to many newer PreAmps, but there is nothing compared to it. With any Quad End (303,405(II),306 or 606) it is the best investment in Quality that last. Is the Quad FM3 and the Quad 33 combination always to loud (compared to Disc(=Phono), Aux or Tape) the Quad 34 has no mistakes.
Maybe it does sound dull, but connected to good speakers (ESLs!) it shows its strengths. With the 606 it takes all speakers.

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Quad 33, Quad 44, Sony TA-5ES, Revox, Nakamichi