Quad 33 + 303 Pre + Power Amp (2024 Edition)

Design and Features

The QUAD 33 preserves the brand’s signature simplicity while incorporating modern upgrades like a backlit display, LED illumination, and remote control functionality. Its premium anodised front panel and all-metal chassis give it a modern yet unmistakably QUAD appearance. Despite the advanced digital control system, the QUAD 33 maintains its analogue heritage, embodying a balance between traditional craftsmanship and contemporary technology. The inclusion of fully balanced XLR inputs and outputs enhances connectivity, with a phono stage compatible with both Moving Magnet and Moving Coil cartridges, ensuring ultra-low noise and high-quality sound through advanced audio op-amps and a high-performance RIAA processing circuit.

Control and Performance

The control system of the QUAD 33 remains user-friendly, featuring logically arranged functions, a backlit LCD screen for clear settings, and motorised volume controls that allow remote adjustments. It includes bass, tilt, and balance controls for precise sound customisation, with the unique Tilt control developed by QUAD’s founder enabling tonal adjustments. Built for both performance and longevity, the QUAD 33 boasts superior components such as a custom toroidal transformer and multiple capacitors, ensuring signal purity and high-fidelity audio reproduction. This updated model reflects over 50 years of QUAD’s dedication to sound quality, staying true to its mission of offering 'the closest approach to the original sound.’

Evolution of the QUAD 303

The QUAD 303 Power Amplifier has been thoroughly re-engineered, surpassing the original model in design and functionality while maintaining its core ethos. Initially crafted for domestic use, it became popular in broadcasting and recording studios for its reliability, a quality that remains in the updated version. The amplifier's blend of modern features and timeless appeal has earned it a spot in the Museum of Modern Art, reflecting its enduring design excellence.

Technological Advancements and Performance

Staying true to its origins, the QUAD 303 employs QUAD's ‘symmetrical triples’ for low distortion and stable performance under dynamic conditions, with distortion levels now almost undetectable by the human ear. The new model features a fully complementary output stage for superior linearity and stability, enhancing sound quality even under challenging conditions. With a custom low-noise toroidal transformer, advanced feedback topology, and a power rating of 50W @ 8 ohms, the new QUAD 303 meets modern audiophile demands while maintaining its iconic design and robust construction.

QUAD's Legacy and Modern Excellence

By revisiting the QUAD 33 and 303 components, QUAD reaffirms its longstanding legacy in the British hi-fi industry, blending authenticity, pedigree, and innovation. This new iteration pays homage to QUAD’s past while showcasing its excellence in modern audio engineering. The QUAD team involved in this project possesses nearly 200 years of combined engineering experience and over 100 years dedicated to QUAD’s unique designs and service, further reinforcing the brand's enduring commitment to quality.

The Team Behind the Innovation

The development of the new QUAD 33 and 303 was overseen by a team of experts, including Rob Flain and Paul McConville, two of the most experienced QUAD service engineers. Jan Ertner, with three decades of QUAD design expertise, Peter Comeau, the mastermind behind some of QUAD’s most successful loudspeakers, and David McNeill, who has been at the forefront of QUAD’s innovations for two decades, all played key roles. Together, they ensured that products could uphold the legacy of the iconic 33 and 303.

33 Pre-Amplifier Specifications

303 Power Amplifier Specifications