Quad 3 with Quad 3-CDT (Integrated Amplifier with CD Transport)

In 2024, QUAD paid tribute to its distinguished heritage by unveiling a thoroughly modernised version of one of its most iconic products: the 33/303 pre/power amplifier – a two-box design that revolutionised home audio in the 1960s. Since the reissue's debut, demand has been remarkable, capturing the imagination of discerning audiophiles both in the UK and internationally. Once again, this timeless combination has found itself in the limelight, achieving best-seller status among music enthusiasts who appreciate both history and high-fidelity performance.

Introducing the QUAD 3

Following on from that success, QUAD now introduces an all-new integrated amplifier styled in a similarly classic vein: the QUAD 3.

Unlike the 33/303 project – which focused on modernising a classic design while preserving its essence – the QUAD 3 is a completely fresh creation. However, it retains unmistakable design hallmarks of its forebears. With industrial design by David McNeill – lauded for his acclaimed update of the 33/303 – the QUAD 3 takes visual cues from the 1967 33 and the 1959 22 preamps. These influences are cleverly reimagined with premium craftsmanship expected in 2025, from the flush-mounted rotary dials to the updated two-tone finish and subtle orange accents. These nods to heritage led QUAD to name the new integrated amplifier simply ‘3’ – a logical continuation of its legacy.

New Circuitry, Classic Intuition

While it may echo the past in form, the QUAD 3 is cutting-edge in function. In contrast to the analogue-only reissued 33, the QUAD 3 integrates digital capabilities, thanks to an internal DAC. It boasts a comprehensive range of inputs – including HDMI, USB, and Bluetooth – along with a built-in phono stage and headphone amplifier. Despite its wealth of features, it remains compact, with a chassis just 30cm wide, making it perfectly suited for the modern living space without compromising on performance or aesthetics.

Innovative Control with Analogue Integrity

One of the QUAD 3’s most intriguing features is its blending of traditional control design with modern functionality. The row of flush-mounted rotary controls, reminiscent of 1960s QUAD models, are now digital encoders managing functions like input selection and tone adjustments.

The standout feature is the ‘tilt’ control, first introduced by QUAD’s founder Peter Walker in 1982. Unlike conventional tone controls, tilt adjusts treble and bass together in 1dB steps around a 650Hz pivot point, allowing subtle sound shaping. These tone controls operate entirely in the analogue domain, eschewing digital signal processing, which preserves audio purity. A larger volume dial, with LED indicators, complements these refined adjustments, while an orange-backlit LCD display subtly references the vintage 33 preamp.

A Central Hub

Designed as the central hub of a high-end audio setup, the QUAD 3 caters to an extensive range of sources. For digital input, a USB Type B connection supports the highest-resolution audio, alongside coaxial and optical S/PDIF options. HDMI ARC (HDMI 2.1/eARC compliant) allows seamless connection with televisions, enabling control via the TV remote and delivering audio quality that far surpasses typical soundbars.

Bluetooth 5.1 with aptX HD ensures excellent wireless performance. Analogue sources are also well-supported, with two line-level RCA inputs and a dedicated turntable input. The phono stage, based on a low-noise FET design, provides superb clarity for vinyl playback.

A separate headphone amplifier, integrated beneath the chassis, delivers high-quality audio via a 6.35mm output – ensuring headphones receive the same attention to fidelity as speakers.

State-of-the-Art Digital and Amplification Technology

At the heart of the QUAD 3’s digital performance lies the ES9038Q2M DAC from the renowned 32-bit Sabre family. Enhanced with ESS Technology’s HyperStream II and Time Domain Jitter Eliminator, this setup ensures low noise and exceptional dynamic range. Proprietary clocking and power systems elevate its capabilities further, along with a Class A post-DAC filter for refined audio reproduction.

Hi-res playback is fully supported up to 32-bit/768kHz PCM and DSD512, and it includes MQA decoding and Roon Tested certification. Users can upsample to 352.8kHz or 384kHz, and select from five DAC filter profiles. Meanwhile, QUAD’s bespoke Class AB output stage features a CFB topology, powered by a 235VA toroidal transformer. This configuration ensures excellent linearity and stability, delivering 65W per channel into 8 ohms (and 100W into 4 ohms). Precision analogue circuitry and discrete low-noise power supplies for each section guarantee the QUAD 3 not only looks the part, but sounds exquisite too – a true union of classic inspiration and modern British engineering.

Quad 3-CDT CD Transport

The QUAD 3CDT is a dedicated CD Transport designed to deliver uncompromising digital performance in its purest form. Crafted as the natural companion to the QUAD 3, this new model embodies QUAD’s philosophy of “the closest approach to the original sound.” By focusing solely on the mechanics of disc retrieval and data integrity, the QUAD 3CDT strips away unnecessary circuitry to achieve class-leading accuracy, ensuring that every note is reproduced with absolute precision.

Housed in a sleek, compact chassis, the QUAD 3CDT’s understated styling and classic detailing perfectly echoes the QUAD 3’s timeless aesthetic. More than just seamless in aesthetic terms, when combined with the QUAD 3’s DAC architecture, this CD transport offers a listening experience that is as refined as it is faithful.

Accuracy and Integrity

At the heart of the QUAD 3CDT lies a high-precision CD mechanism and custom-designed CD servo control system, delivering exceptional disc reading accuracy and stability. Every detail of the laser assembly and servo control system has been optimised to minimise read errors, jitter, and distortion, preserving the integrity of the original CD signal.

Unlike conventional CD players, the QUAD 3CDT is designed purely as a transport. By its very design, a CD Transport embodies the QUAD mantra – the closest approach…

Its sole task is to deliver a pristine signal — exceptionally clean with minimal interference or unwanted processing. This singular focus ensures the highest fidelity connection to the QUAD 3’s state-of-the-art DAC, unlocking the full musical potential encoded on every disc.

QUAD engineers have redesigned the internal power architecture to isolate critical digital pathways — separating the motor and laser servo circuits from the decoder stage that retrieves the digital audio signal. By preventing interference at the source, the decoder receives a cleaner, more stable data stream before it is synchronised and formatted.

A temperature-controlled ultra-low-jitter crystal oscillator (TCXO) provides the master clock for the entire servo/decoder section. Powered from its own independent low-noise supply and grounding scheme, it acts as a rock-solid timing reference. This ensures that the extracted SPDIF digital output is stable and free from timing distortion — delivering audibly cleaner transients, tighter imaging and greater musical coherence.

Three independent low-noise voltage regulator circuits are dedicated to the CD servo, ensuring clean and stable operation. In addition, the TCXO clock circuit is powered by an ultra-low noise linear regulator, minimising power supply-induced jitter and improving overall sonic purity.

In support of these advancements, the advanced CD Servo & Control Architecture is engineered with a robust dual-core processing framework, featuring a high-performance 32-bit RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computer) CPU and a dedicated MCU. This configuration ensures precision in servo control, disc access and reliable, robust error correction.

QUAD 3 Synergy

While the QUAD 3CDT will integrate seamlessly into any high-quality digital system, it is purpose-built to complement the QUAD 3’s DAC. Together, they form a complete solution that sets a new benchmark for CD playback.

The synergy between transport and DAC ensures a signal chain of remarkable purity. By offloading digital-to-analogue conversion to the QUAD 3, the 3CDT eliminates potential sources of electrical noise and distortion, ensuring the DAC operates at its full potential. This partnership delivers a soundstage of exceptional depth, clarity, and musicality - not to mention a striking look that only a QUAD system can bring.

Classic Design, Modern Execution

Inspired by QUAD’s rich heritage, the 3CDT mirrors the design ethos of its amplifier sibling. Its front fascia features the same elegant proportions and subtle detailing, while the precision-engineered chassis provides both visual harmony and acoustic stability.

Internally, the transport mechanism is shielded against vibration and electrical interference. From the disc tray to the digital outputs, every element has been engineered for durability, quiet operation, and uncompromised fidelity with meticulous attention to detail, and is therefore ‘QUAD by the book’.

Multi-format playback

Digital music files exist in many formats and the QUAD 3CDT is designed to offer wide-ranging support.

In addition to standard CD playback, the 3CDT also supports CD-R, CD-RW and data CDs, and files in FLAC, WAV, WMA, MP3 and APE formats.

3 Integrated Amplifier Specifications

3-CDT CD Transport Specifications