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With the condition unknown, £550 is still a fair price rather than an obvious bargain: it matches the supplied median exactly, while comparable listings run from £538 at the 25th percentile to £783 at the 75th. The lack of condition detail means the price really depends on whether it is tested, clean, and complete.
The QC24 P remains a desirable valve phono stage, designed by Tim de Paravicini, with switchable MM/MC operation, useful sensitivity settings, and both fixed and variable outputs. It is known for a spacious, musically involving presentation without giving up practical cartridge matching. At £550, a fully working example with its original power supply, sound valves, and no hum is worth serious consideration; ask for confirmation of channel balance, noise, and output operation before committing.
Independent perspective — not a price guarantee. Always verify condition, accessories and provenance before purchase.
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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