Quad 303 power amp with NAC 152 XS?

not sure i would use a 303 with kans. I love both, and still have them. But thats a bit like mixing oil and water. By that i mean that the 303 is supremely *nice* and polite and terribly BBC. The kans are like caged pitbull terriers. 

I love driving my Kans with my Nait 1 (see pics posted recently). But I cant help thinking a 303 would just cower in the corner. Give a 303 some LS3/5A bbc-style monitors and it will be much happier

You would need to check that the signal level coming out of the NAC 152XS is what the Quad 303 requires, give or take a few dB.

Whether this will sound good is another matter but as you have already ordered it, you will be able to tell us! My memory of the 303, one of which I had in the early 1970s, is that it was a bit flabby.  But it's a long time ago.

best

David

Thanks for the tip! I tried a friends serviced and modded 303 with my cans and it sounded great! However that was a modded/upgraded 303 so the one I have ordered probably sounds different. Will check the LS3/5A as well :-) If I understand you correctly Jon, I can connect the Quad without problems just as I would a Naim power amp to my flatcap or 152 XS?

I shall echo Jon's post above; I'm a fan of the 303 and also a fan of Kans, but I'd never mix the two. The 303 is basically like a solid state valve amp of the old-school style.  I'm not sure how well it will mix with the Naim pre-amp but either way I would probably "unorder" the 303 ASAP and be on the look out for a Naim NAP110, 140, or 150/150x/155xs.  All of these will play nicely with your Kans.  

What's the source?

David Hendon posted:

You would need to check that the signal level coming out of the NAC 152XS is what the Quad 303 requires, give or take a few dB.

Whether this will sound good is another matter but as you have already ordered it, you will be able to tell us! My memory of the 303, one of which I had in the early 1970s, is that it was a bit flabby.  But it's a long time ago.

best

David

So I shouldn't worry about blowing anything up by trying it out? :-)

As for the pins on the 303 DIN I'll have to try and dig one out one of my 303s from storage to check the layout. 

OK, just checked - it's different, so be VERY careful otherwise you may well damage one or both items.

Richard Dane posted:

I shall echo Jon's post above; I'm a fan of the 303 and also a fan of Kans, but I'd never mix the two. The 303 is basically like a solid state valve amp of the old-school style.  I'm not sure how well it will mix with the Naim pre-amp but either way I would probably "unorder" the 303 ASAP and be on the look out for a Naim NAP110, 140, or 150/150x/155xs.  All of these will play nicely with your Kans.  

What's the source?

Too late to pull back on the 303 I am afraid. It has been fully serviced by dada electronics so hope then that the sound is somewhat changed to the better to fit my cans. I also have a pair of PMC twenty 21 so maybe they will be a better match then. I haven't gotten to the scource yet but plan to get a dac with internal head phone amplifier connected to a computer so if anyone has any tips on a dac that could be a good fit to my Kans?

Richard Dane posted:

As for the pins on the 303 DIN I'll have to try and dig one out one of my 303s from storage to check the layout. 

OK, just checked - it's different, so be VERY careful otherwise you may well damage one or both items.

How many do you have?

Richard Dane posted:

As for the pins on the 303 DIN I'll have to try and dig one out one of my 303s from storage to check the layout. 

OK, just checked - it's different, so be VERY careful otherwise you may well damage one or both items.

That's too bad :-( I guess that going from RCA from my 152 to 4pin to my quad will solve the problem. Actually checked with the store "sounds heavenly" and asked them about a cable between these and got this ansr "yes it would work, if the Naim pre-amp has a 4 pin DIN output socket fitted, then this is the cable you need to connect it to the Quad 303.

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Electrically there will be no problems *provided* you have the correct wiring in place. Assumption is the source of many loud bangs.

Whether it is a harmonious or optimally zen matching, only you can decide :-) As I said, I love them both, but for me that combination is a bit like putting vodka in a camomile tea :-)

Solid Air posted:

Richard Dane posted:

As for the pins on the 303 DIN I'll have to try and dig one out one of my 303s from storage to check the layout. 

OK, just checked - it's different, so be VERY careful otherwise you may well damage one or both items.

How many do you have?

I'm almost ashamed to say...  three.  Two I inherited, and one came to me locally as part of a full Quad system that supposedly once belonged to Peter Sellers.  How could I resist? 

Slightly off topic, but I did use my 272 with a Quad 909 power amp for a few months while getting the cash together for a 250DR and then waiting for Naim to build it. It sounded excellent and the improvement when I got the 250DR was there, but not night and day by any means.

best

David