Quad 44 exploded!

[FennerMachine]

My Quad 44 pre amp has died!

The internal power supply exploded (well, something went bang!) and smoke pored out.

I obviously turned it off and unplugged it.

I can use my Cyrus pre amp instead for now but I really like the Quad sound.

The only issue is the bass is a bit loose but I have kind of decided to put up with that as I think its more a characteristic of my room and will be difficult to fix and balance properly.

Is it worth getting it serviced?

The overall cost of servicing by Quad should be less than what I paid for it but it will then be like new (kind of) perhaps even helping with the bass problem.

I can't spend anything on new equipment at the moment.

 

[shafesk]

I think if you already love your amp and don't have the budget to get something better at the moment then you should repair it. A good service will ensure that the amp runs smooth for a long time.

Sincerely,

Shafin

 

[FennerMachine]

I should be getting my Quad 44 back this week.

I have been using my Cyrus aCA7.5 for about 3 weeks.

Initially when starting to use it I thought my bass 'problem' was sorted and overall the sound was good. But I soon realised that all other aspects of music where inferior. It is lacking something that is hard to describe without hearing it for yourself and is probably different for everyone.

Really looking forward to getting my Quad 44 back!

Cheaper than I thought it was going to cost as well!

 

[CnoEvil]

Glad to hear it....could now be better than ever!

 

[shafesk]

thanks for the update, its good to hear your troubles have been sorted.

All the best,

Shafin

 

[FennerMachine]

Got my Quad 44 back today.

Thought I had a disaster at first as when I plugged it in and switched on my Cyrus Smart Power's. They had some sort of feedback and turned themselves on making an awful loud noise without the Quad even turned on!

I used standard phono cables to connect the 1.6v output to the Smart Power's and all is well.

Most likely the 4-pin DIN cable I use for the 500mv output is broken and shorting out.

Likely caused by the Smart Power inputs being too far apart for the 4-pin DIN cable as the phono ends can only go a few inches apart and they are under strain.

First impressions of the serviced Quad are good.

Haven't had a chance to have a proper listening session yet but the weekend is ahead!

I will test the 4-pin DIN cable tomorrow and order a replacement if faulty as the 500mv output sounded better before the service and it has a better volume control range.

 

[FennerMachine]

Had the 4-pin DIN cable re-soldered today by a friend as one of the cables at the 4-pin end had broken. He re-soldered all 3 cables at this end (left, right, common ground/shield) and he did a tidy job.

I still get a buzz or hum sound but much quieter so have gone back to using the phono cables and 1.6v output for now.

Hopefully just the cable is broken and a new cable will fix it!

 

[FennerMachine]

Thought I would try changing the main cable in case its an earth/ground problem causing the hum. Bit of a long shot but doesn't take long to change a cable.

I tested the 4-pin DIN and 5-pin DIN's using a multimeter and they all seem to be OK.

Got a slight hum using the 4-pin DIN so went back to using the RCA connections.

I'm getting a hum from them also so have gone back to using the Cyrus for now until I can get in contact with Quad next week.

The Cyrus works fine using either mains cable and the phono cables that I used with the Quad.

Any ideas what could be wrong?