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So I went and listened to a recording of a live performance of Diana Krall sing 'A Case Of You'. I never heard her name until 15 minutes ago. Her voice has a very attractive crackling-silky-sizzle. She makes my cheap headphones sound better than ever. Next I will listen with my excellent studio headphones. I moved house and still need to set up my amps and speakers.

I think a lot of reviewers don’t talk about the sound with high feature amps because they are Class D and let’s be honest…pro reviewers don’t like to lie or say bad things…so they will say the amp is transparent or neutral instead of sharing how the amp makes them feel.

I appreciate the video!

That Quad amp needs foot surgery

Rotel A10 (2nd hand) $300 aud + B&W 706s2 $1600aud + Topping streamer /head phone amp $200...It always sounds the business to me and the only time it might not is when i don't feel the business ...so not the systems fault

Thanks for another great review! I hope to see a review of the 33/303 reissue vs the original.

Maybe some of it is nostalgia or the sound I am used to/ grew up with, but I have several vintage receivers, integrated amps, and amps that have the sound I really enjoy. Paid less than 600 pounds for each of them. I have no interest in new when the sound can’t compete and it costs more. Only reason to consider it on my opinion is if you are concerned about maintenance it and have no tech in your area. Modern connectivity can added to vintage gear.

You say you wouldn't buy it for €600 cause it doesnt have the "magic". So what are the modern amps at that price point that DO give you that magic you're talking about. Surely there must be some that do the trick. Thanks for the review

Kelvin has 12 amplifiers and 12 pairs of speakers - that's the potential for 144 different systems (or more if you include sources, which I am sure he has many of)! Wow.

Brilliant kelvin I’m glad I didn’t buy one now 😊

nice video but... these modern soulless, perfunctory black boxes....not for me.

I was wondering what the vena sounded like but there no reviews on it until know great review kelvin 😊

The arcam alpha amps, where always good sounding, I owned the 9 & 9p, then I owned the 10 & 10p, I used both bi-amping & was very pleased with them, they are also very good for upgrading internal parts as well, to take them to another level of performance. Another great video Kelvin 👍

Hi Kelvin! I’m experiencing these differences between modern and vintage gears the same way, good new ones are extremely more detailed, that would be better but really can be not, sometimes a bit “smoother” sounds more enjoyable, my preferred one it’s the Mitsubishi DA-A15DC with his pre/tuner DA-C20, large sound, fast but not hyper detailed, great bass but not exagerated, lovely, a lot! Thanks to be Kelvin! Hello from Italy

Awful with low sensitivity speakers. Good with the opposite

This is the best hifi channel on the platform. Many thanks for your efforts!

No. It's absolutely average.....maybe slightly less.

Great stuff, tks👍

Hi kelvin , would be interested to know what is your favourite set up out of all the hifi you have at home

Hi Kelvin , i say like you , vintage hifi fanatic seeking that real in your face tow tapping involving , sit back and just get washed away with a wall of sound , ive tried far too many amplifiers new / old …all makes …but after 40 years i bought a 4040s2 ..has to be the s2 , i tried all versions ….it still puts the biggest smile on my face …even big floor standers i had Tdl 3 ,s biwired years ago and that sounded the best ….modern low impedance speakers no good ….anyway ramble over love you to pick up a 4040s2 and hear your opinion ….top stuff Kelvin ! Great channel

my modern amp is a a Rega Brio, rather bright but weighty and has a very well controlled bass.

Interesting. These are actually quite cheap and I've been looking at them. I thought it looked reasonable value because it would be unlikely to need maintenance and not only that, because they are maintained by Quad, any maintenance that is needed would be relatively cheap. Presumably, it's identical to the Leak amp under the skin. The problem with vintage is finding people to maintain them. We're running out of people who can do the work.

650 will get you a used Rega Elex r, worthy of a listen and it comes with a better than half decent phono stage

I had one of these a while back. It was ok. It lived in my office. I did run it on some good speakers a few times but it didn’t really deliver. I liked it for its connectivity but not for its sound which ultimately is what its all about

maybe get your hands on a Musical Fidelity A1... or did I miss it, you reviewing that one already?

I think you’re really a vintage guy, Kelvin. No worries, so am I. The receivers that were produced in Japan in the 70s brought a sound you just don’t get today.

Does the Quad always sit so cr@ppy/W0bbly on the table..?

You mentioned that the photo stage in that sansui is nothing special. I believe that amplifier needs to be recapped and it would sound fantastic after that. That is known for having a really good phono stage

Thanks for your always straightforward, honest & humorous reviews. You're absolutely right to point out the level of emotional involvement any hifi unit brings for the listener - not shown in lab test figures. That sense of lacking in engagement will often, sooner or later, doom that buyer to lose money chopping in a 'nearly new' but '100% used' unit - and then back to the 'upgrade' path ...

OMG! The hilarious look in the eyes on your face @the 57th second of this video! I could not stop laughing! You just looked as if you were demanding help from an angel to get tbhe correct text from the heavens...

Nice review Kelvin. Have you ever tried a Quad 33 and 303 setup out? Reason I’m asking is I’ve recently bought these that were in excellent cosmetic condition and had them professionally serviced and recapped but not had the chance to use them yet. I’d appreciate your comments on these if you’ve heard them. Really enjoy your uploads keep them coming👍

There's a lot of BS attached to the hi-fi hobby. I've been around almost as long as Kelvin.... my first hi-fi system was a Quad 33/303 coupled with a Garrard 401 and a pair of Spendor BC 1 speakers. I inherited this system in the early Eighties, when I was a teenager. I wanted the new Mission Cyrus amp, but couldn't afford it! Anyway, over forty years later... I now have about 40 amplifiers, 4 turntables, 12 CD players and 15 pairs of speakers, at the last count. And, I'm a collector of vintage Quad amplifiers. I have three 405 MK2, two 303, one 306 and two 606. And I have two 33, two 44 and two 34 pre-amps. Why Quad... because they are built to last and are all serviceable and the company, founded by the late, great Peter Walker, is legendary - the quintissential, British hi-fi company. A company that under Peter Walker's stewardship defined the word "hi-fi" for generstions of enthusiasts. Alas, Peter is no longer with us, but I contacted Quad recently and they are still able to service their Quad amplifiers, no matter how old they are! Pretty amazing. Mostly, I use my Quad 44/606 combination, coupled with vintage Spendor SP2 speakers, which suits my classical music tastes. Sorry to ramble on, but quality counts, and there's a lot of junk out there being promoted by individuals who ought to know better - Kelvin isn't one of them. He is perhaps the most honest and reliable hi-fi reviewer on You Tube...no BS, just like Quad. You are in good company, Kelvin. Keep up the good work.

I think whereas most things have got better over the last 50 years sterio equipment has not and older stuff can sound so much better than todays mass produced rubbish with all their bells and whistles most of which the average Joe will never use. Amps, turntables and speakers of the past offer so much better value even if you have to re cap them on the way.

Capacitor technology has moved on, any of these old speakers with new polypropelene capacitors eg clarity cap esa, and metal oxide non inductive resistors will be a huge upgrade.

Initially a lot of modern amps impress but I find that after a while I start to get bored with the sound & then revert back to my older 70s & 60s amps . Great review

I splashed out on a used Copland CSA 150,think it's brill,thing is,I also got a vintage Trio KA9300,I think it could be better,at a fraction of the price! I think the Copland will be for sale soon 😂

Quad has built some truly ground breaking kit. The iconic ESL57 electrostatic speakers, #22 valve power amps, The 33/303 and 44/405 pre and power amps and the ESL63 electrostatic speakers which sat in many a hifi reviewers listening room, sometimes with the rare, made-to-measure Gradient Subwoofers that sat directly beneath them to give that added weight and scale to them. What is common to all of these products is that each one sounded brilliant in its own way and many a hifi enthusiast owned one or more of these pieces. The newer, more modern Quad kit seems to have been aimed more at the upper end of "lifestyle audio": not the greatest sounding but not unpleasant, which is a shame because their heritage is stunning; stand outs being: the 22,s, the ESL57's and 63's and, of course the 405 power amp which, in its many iterations and with its CURRENT DUMPING technology was used in multiples to power the main monitors in both broadcast and commercial studios. Lovely to see you again, Kelvin. All the best for you and the channel.

Diana Krall is married to Elvis Costello. They don’t need a hi-fi setup as they probably warble to each other constantly. He’s a lucky bleeder, as Ian Dury might say.

Love your videos, do you ever replace the capacitors in older amps as that would affect the sound?

Hello Kevin! I love your talking of hifi gear.. you are interesting, nice, competent and no boring. i got a Pioneer sa606, and i like it, but i’d like to get another ampli from that era. I’ve seen your two videos about the Nad 3020 and this one , about Sansui au317.. which one would you prefer or recommend between these two amps? Thank you.

2:40 Hi-Fi reviewers' bread and butter is to talk in vagaries.

I always see that meridian 101b (?) in the background have you reviewed it?

I used to love Quad my last Quad was a 66 pre amp with 606 power amp .I used it for years until recently when i bought a used Rega Atheos amplifier and matched it with a used Rega Saturn MK3 cd player driving a really old but beautiful pair of Ruark Accolade speakers , for me the sound is incredible

Love the reviews! What reasonably priced vintage Sansui receiver would you recommend to drive a pair Monitor Audio Bronze 100 speakers I'm currently using a Nad c320bee. Thanks

Great video! You are one of the few reviewers I can trust isn't being paid in some way by a manufacturer to give positive glowing reviews. I have nice vintage integrated amps (Creek 4330) NAD 3020 (bought on your recommendation & it sounds great). I also have a Marantz 2275 which is my favorite. I am always wondering if a Modern integrated amp like the NAD C3050 would sound better and it is almost impossible to find reviewers that compare vintage vs. new equipment except your channel. New generally would be more reliable but the costs are prohibitive vs. used Ebay finds. It's a fun hobby regardless!

Plenty of "Wellie" LOL!

Did you know you can get lot's of clones of high end vintage equipment in China nowadays? FM acoustics, Accuphase, Mark Levinson, Musical fidelity. All well under a thousand. They can do that because the patents expired. (Yeah youtube sucks nowadays, I can't even mention other channels to steer interested people towards interesting stuff, my comments will get immediately deleted)

Acid test.. Does the particular amp reproduce 14-16hz 8ft organ pipe fundamentals through the transmission lines you showed us a little while ago? Old and MUCH cheaper 75- 120w Nad Power envelope will.

A case of you is a Joni Mitchell song from the album Blue take a listen to that album its superb !

I had the slightly smaller R2 model (only sold them a couple of years ago actually) and I couldn't agree more with your assessment! I was nodding uncannily with every single thing you said. They actually annoyed me, as I adored the look of them, but they were underwhelming and "meh". Inoffensive is a good word. They played music but they just weren't musical. They didn't sing.