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Quad II-Forty Power Amplifier Finally willing to part with my Quad II Forty. 40W (tube) per channel. It has a sweet sound which I can only replicate with my recently purchase Accuphase mono blocks which are much bigger, heavier and more expensive. Even my McIntosh MC275 does not go as sweet as this pair of Quad. Although the Quad II Forty is one of the most beautiful looking amps (IMHO), with the Accuphase I need to create some space. I pair the Quad IIForty with the big Quad ESL, no issue at all with powering those speakers unless you play really loud or rock and roll. With efficient speakers
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Quad, the venerable British hi-fi brand, traces its origins to 1936 in London, when engineer Peter J. Walker founded S.P. Fidelity Sound Systems, soon renamed the Acoustical Manufacturing Company. Relocating to Huntingdon in 1941 after wartime bombing, the firm shifted from public address gear to domestic audio amid post-war demand for superior sound reproduction. Walker's pioneering ethos—prioritizing "the closest approach to the original sound"—defined Quad from its early QA12 amplifiers, adopted by the BBC, to the iconic Quad I of 1953.
The brand excels in amplifiers and electrostatic loudspeakers, revolutionizing both categories. The Quad II power amplifier of 1953 introduced cathode coupling for vanishingly low distortion, while the 1956 ESL 57 delivered the world's first full-range electrostatic speaker, employing a massless film diaphragm for unparalleled transparency and transient speed. Quad advanced into solid-state with the 1967 303 and transistor designs featuring innovative "Triples" output stages, later expanding to integrated amps like the 99 series, moving-coil speakers, and modern electrostatic models such as the ESL 988 and 989.
Today, under the International Audio Group since 1997, Quad holds a prestigious position in the high-end market, revered by audiophiles for its unyielding pursuit of accuracy over trends. Its heritage components command vintage collector status, yet contemporary offerings maintain a niche boutique appeal among discerning buyers seeking refined, distortion-free reproduction that honors Walker's legacy.
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