Ampdog
R.I.P. 23 June 2022
I don't think it has hit our shores yet, so I was interested in this latest adaptation of the Quad legacy. A proper report and test set is at:
http://www.meridian-audio.info/public/quad_ii-eighty_amplifier_review_lores%5B2705%5D.pdf
Tim de Paravicini is credited with this latest development, which fetches a good review and excellent test results. (Around 0,1% THD at 80W leaves the rest of the market as I know it standing, although presence of some high-order products is somewhat disconcerting. Distortion spec. at full output is only 0,5%, so cudos for a safe design.) Very little is revealed about the design, which sticks to vintage tubes like 2 x 6SL7, 2 x 6SN7 and 4 x KT88 per channel (it comes as a monobloc).
It is - probably - still in order to stick to the 'Quad' title, centering around the output stage topology. (This was not unique to Quad - at least one other make used that at about the same time - but the results at least justifies its claim to that name.) The rest of the design has obviously changed, thus some concern as to for how long going under the Quad banner for future models will still be justifisble. (The Quad II-forty used the exact original Quad circuit.)
Still; a product that might just be 'worth its price', compared to the rest of the so-called high-end market. One will have to wait for the actual cost when it lands here - if at all. (This version does not come with any controls, thus some form of pre-amp/control unit will be required.)
It would probably sell here at around R80K - R100K a pair. (To be naughty, one can hardly avoid a comparison with the MF AMS-35i at R119K, and no performance figures found for it.)
http://www.meridian-audio.info/public/quad_ii-eighty_amplifier_review_lores%5B2705%5D.pdf
Tim de Paravicini is credited with this latest development, which fetches a good review and excellent test results. (Around 0,1% THD at 80W leaves the rest of the market as I know it standing, although presence of some high-order products is somewhat disconcerting. Distortion spec. at full output is only 0,5%, so cudos for a safe design.) Very little is revealed about the design, which sticks to vintage tubes like 2 x 6SL7, 2 x 6SN7 and 4 x KT88 per channel (it comes as a monobloc).
It is - probably - still in order to stick to the 'Quad' title, centering around the output stage topology. (This was not unique to Quad - at least one other make used that at about the same time - but the results at least justifies its claim to that name.) The rest of the design has obviously changed, thus some concern as to for how long going under the Quad banner for future models will still be justifisble. (The Quad II-forty used the exact original Quad circuit.)
Still; a product that might just be 'worth its price', compared to the rest of the so-called high-end market. One will have to wait for the actual cost when it lands here - if at all. (This version does not come with any controls, thus some form of pre-amp/control unit will be required.)
It would probably sell here at around R80K - R100K a pair. (To be naughty, one can hardly avoid a comparison with the MF AMS-35i at R119K, and no performance figures found for it.)
