QUAD 33/303: The Future is Now!
“…when I went back to the 303 it was just so much more transparent. I could hear the Acoustics of the church that this session was recorded in, it just sounded more ‘you are there’ with the 303”
Pearl Acoustics
"... it's got a lovely sound, it's a little sweetness in the mid-range, not overly colored, dynamic, a good sound stage...
it does deserve to be there alongside companies like Luxman, MacIntosh and these really top quality brands.. And the beauty is, because QUAD have the production in China, the quality of the finish is like the iPhone quality... it's beautiful you couldn't criticise it at all. You get all of that for a very very realistic price!"
Quad 33 & 303 and Quad Revela 2 – preamplifier / power amplifier combo and floorstanding loudspeaker
The Quad 303 is a Class AB power amplifier that combines its retro aesthetic with modern performance and stability. Thanks to the triples output stage, it delivers a clean, precise and musically warm reproduction that impresses at both low and high volumes. The controlled bass reproduction, clear mids and detailed highs create a balanced sound. With its robust construction and low heat generation, the Quad 303 is highly reliable even during long periods of operation.
Quad 33 & 303 and Quad Revela 2 – preamplifier / power amplifier combo and floorstanding loudspeaker
The Quad 33 proves to be an impressive preamplifier. It is pleasantly easy to use thanks to well thought-out details such as the illuminated control buttons and the intuitive tilt control. In terms of sound, the Quad 33 impresses with its clarity, precision and a warm, musical note that will particularly appeal to vinyl lovers. Despite its analogue construction, the preamplifier remains absolutely noise-free and ensures detailed, finely tuned sound reproduction. Overall, the Quad 33 combines nostalgic design with sophisticated audio quality.
Best of 2024 - STAND OUT HIFI PRODUCT
I really enjoyed having this QUAD setup here in my home; it was a pleasure to live with. The Quad 33 and 303, wins a Pursuit Perfect System Standout Award for 2024, and I think it is very well deserved.
A British Audiophile
The 33 preamp and 303 power amp deliver a warm, rich audio experience, maintaining the classic sound signature and output stage of their predecessors.... Overall, I highly recommend the QUAD 33 preamp and 303 power amp for their admirable blend of modernity and tradition.
Pursuit Perfect System (UK)
I just like having the Quad 33 preamplifier in the system; it’s easy to live with... Most people will likely use the Quad 33 with the 303 power amplifier, creating a setup that’s easy to live with—hardly any heat generated and very enjoyable sound... The real appeal lies in the overall package—its look, feel, and easygoing sound that works fantastically with the Super Linton speakers.
AREA DVD
With the new edition of the legendary Quad components, consisting of the 33 stereo preamplifier and the 303 power amplifier, the British company has achieved a great success...
Acoustically, the Quad 33 and Quad 303 shine with an enormous degree of sonic culture and acoustic harmony. Shrill, harsh sounds are foreign to the duo, even at high volume. Powerful bass and a dense spatiality complete our listening impressions.
Icons of British audio
Upon their launch in 1967, their innovative circuit design elevated transistor-based amplification to new heights. The new 33/303 contain highly evolved versions of the same signature technologies, wrapped in an industrial design that echoes the past and embraces the future.
The sound of the original QUAD 33/303 pre/power amp combination was indeed something special. It is sometimes thought of as ‘warm’, especially in the context of typical solid-state amplifiers of the time, which by comparison sounded rather hard and sometimes harsh. Its richer style of sound made it less fatiguing to listen too, yet there was no shortage of detail and engaging ‘punch’ – some of the attributes of a good valve amplifier combined with the benefits of a compact, efficient, cool-running transistor design, one might say. The fact that 33 and 303 amps made in the 1960s and ’70s are still sought by enthusiasts today pays tribute to their enduring qualities in terms of sound, design and reliability.
The Return
QUAD’s decision to revisit the 33 and 303 was in no small part due to the continuing demand for these amps on the second-hand market some four decades after they were discontinued in the 1980s.
Given QUAD’s retention of talent and unparalleled level of experience, it was inevitable that one day we would take such an iconic design and update it inside and out, creating a new amp pairing that is unmistakably a QUAD 33/303 yet benefitting from the advances in design, engineering and manufacturing in the 57 years since the original was first realised…
To achieve this vision, QUAD assembled a formidable in-house team at its HQ in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, led by four esteemed individuals:
Jan Ertner: lead electronics designer for QUAD
Rob Flain and Paul McConville: QUAD’s most experienced service engineers – nobody knows the innermost workings of QUAD amplifiers past and present better than these two gentlemen.
David McNeill: QUAD’s industrial design chief for the last two decades.
History elevated
Together, the new 33 preamp and 303 power amp offer a compact and cool-running analogue pre/power pairing that is both faithful to the iconic originals yet thoroughly updated inside and out. The fact that vintage 33/303 units made in the 1960s and ’70s are still in use today, and their sound still much admired, is testament to the original design.
The new editions maintain and elevate these core attributes in every respect. They capture the originals’ silky sonic delivery that set them apart from transistor-based amps of the time, adding greater clarity, detail, bandwidth and dynamic impact. This pre/power amp brings back the romance of the original but over 50 years of innovation and improvements, making it a joy to behold regardless of source; track after track, symphony after symphony, the 33 and 303 are thoroughly engaging the listener whether the volume is set low or high!