I'm trying to sell my Quad 909 which i paid $700 for. got some lowballers, but one guy is offering to trade me his Threshold 400a. it's been factory upgraded to whatever the early 80's STASIS was (stasis-3?). he says it was NOT stasis-3. so, maybe he means it was upgraded to the full cascode 400a. nice guy though.
he also had it fully serviced 2 years ago when a transistor crapped out. they fixed some other stuff too (new front panel LEDS and some resistors). the shop said they tested it and it runs like a top.
very clean, a few scratches on the top panel. but nice otherwise. mind front panel and glass.
so, which would you rather have? $700 cash (if i'm lucky) for the 909 or a threshold 400a to play with? is it worth $700?
my speakers are KEF Calinda and KEF 104/2. i was thinking the 104/2 would be a nice match with the 400a. i originally bought the 909 for them, but i didn't dig the resultant sound.
thanks,
Robby
he also had it fully serviced 2 years ago when a transistor crapped out. they fixed some other stuff too (new front panel LEDS and some resistors). the shop said they tested it and it runs like a top.
very clean, a few scratches on the top panel. but nice otherwise. mind front panel and glass.
so, which would you rather have? $700 cash (if i'm lucky) for the 909 or a threshold 400a to play with? is it worth $700?
my speakers are KEF Calinda and KEF 104/2. i was thinking the 104/2 would be a nice match with the 400a. i originally bought the 909 for them, but i didn't dig the resultant sound.
thanks,
Robby
Hi Robby
I'm sorry I'm not familiar with either amp but I'm sure somebody can give you a metaphorical example/analogy such as:
'you're talking about trading a ford pickup for a Bentley'.....
I am familiar with the speakers though......whatever you choose ampwise the kefs amount to running it on dirty parrafin IMO
Regards
Ed
I'm sorry I'm not familiar with either amp but I'm sure somebody can give you a metaphorical example/analogy such as:
'you're talking about trading a ford pickup for a Bentley'.....
I am familiar with the speakers though......whatever you choose ampwise the kefs amount to running it on dirty parrafin IMO
Regards
Ed
Hi
I have used both amplifiers. I currently own a Threshold Stasis 2 updated in 1990 by Threshold to class a operation and recently rebuilt by me. It sound suberb.
As with previous post the choice is between an older high quality amp and a newer mid range amplifier. The Threshold is much larger and probably 4 times heavier. The Threshold will need the capacitors changed out due to its age. That is the power supply capacitors and those on the circuit board although there are not too many to change. I do not know if you feel up to changing the capacitors. However if you do change them or can get the capacitors changed you then have a top rate amplifier.
Don
I have used both amplifiers. I currently own a Threshold Stasis 2 updated in 1990 by Threshold to class a operation and recently rebuilt by me. It sound suberb.
As with previous post the choice is between an older high quality amp and a newer mid range amplifier. The Threshold is much larger and probably 4 times heavier. The Threshold will need the capacitors changed out due to its age. That is the power supply capacitors and those on the circuit board although there are not too many to change. I do not know if you feel up to changing the capacitors. However if you do change them or can get the capacitors changed you then have a top rate amplifier.
Don
stock 400a amps generally don't bring $700. People ask for even more on Audiogon thinking they're super special if they've been worked on but I don't think they sell too well at the inflated prices. But times do change and I suppose it can depend on who is looking and what they are willing to pay.
wow, Ed,
you're British and don't like KEF? be careful or you'll be thrown out of England ;-)
ha ha! well, i do love my KEF Calinda and 1958 janszen Z-200 ESL hybrids (what i run the McIntosh MC60's on).
the 104/2 have VIfa MG27 tweeters as the T33 suffers from hardened ferro-fluid. the vifas sound great, but that's another story.
the latest from Jon soderberg, is that if the 400a was factory updated in the early 1980's, it's probably a S-300. which should be cool. the owner said that he can put his hands on the heat sinks, so it's probably running too cool.
yeah, $700 is probably what the amp is worth, at best, but so far I haven't gotten any takers on the 909. and i don't want to fart around with packing and paypal and then having people bitch about some inane thing, then leave negative feedback, yada yada yada...
so, I'm going to give the threshold a shot. I'm sure it will sounds decent as is. I'll have the bias upped per Jon and nelson. i love the glass LED plate. very HAL-9000 ;-)
also, i think the cat is out of the bag with regards to the Quad 909. it's not a bad amp by any stretch, but certainly not the most incredible thing since sliced bread, as many British audio mags have gushed. so, prices are headed steadily downward.
see ya,
Robby
you're British and don't like KEF? be careful or you'll be thrown out of England ;-)
ha ha! well, i do love my KEF Calinda and 1958 janszen Z-200 ESL hybrids (what i run the McIntosh MC60's on).
the 104/2 have VIfa MG27 tweeters as the T33 suffers from hardened ferro-fluid. the vifas sound great, but that's another story.
the latest from Jon soderberg, is that if the 400a was factory updated in the early 1980's, it's probably a S-300. which should be cool. the owner said that he can put his hands on the heat sinks, so it's probably running too cool.
yeah, $700 is probably what the amp is worth, at best, but so far I haven't gotten any takers on the 909. and i don't want to fart around with packing and paypal and then having people bitch about some inane thing, then leave negative feedback, yada yada yada...
so, I'm going to give the threshold a shot. I'm sure it will sounds decent as is. I'll have the bias upped per Jon and nelson. i love the glass LED plate. very HAL-9000 ;-)
also, i think the cat is out of the bag with regards to the Quad 909. it's not a bad amp by any stretch, but certainly not the most incredible thing since sliced bread, as many British audio mags have gushed. so, prices are headed steadily downward.
see ya,
Robby
vitalstates said:
Hi Robby
good luck with the Threshold, I'm sure it'll work out and if I were in your shoes I'd give it a try.
I ran various Quad amps between 1975 and 1985 and I was never really happy with them.....I fell in love with a Musical Fidelity and it was goodbye Quad. In comparison to MF all the Quads I have heard have been wooly!!!but I've never heard a 909.
As for the 104s...well I ran them for nearly 15 years (10 of which I must have been asleep) but tastes change and the stuff I have now seems much more lively and dynamic.
as always YMMV
Regards
Ed
good luck with the Threshold, I'm sure it'll work out and if I were in your shoes I'd give it a try.
I ran various Quad amps between 1975 and 1985 and I was never really happy with them.....I fell in love with a Musical Fidelity and it was goodbye Quad. In comparison to MF all the Quads I have heard have been wooly!!!but I've never heard a 909.
As for the 104s...well I ran them for nearly 15 years (10 of which I must have been asleep) but tastes change and the stuff I have now seems much more lively and dynamic.
as always YMMV
Regards
Ed
thanks Ed,
the 104/2 are. by no means, keepers for life. i'm still very much on the fence about them. but the 400a/S-300 alows me some leeway in trying different speakers. i've been trying to get my friend's Acoustat model 4's for about a year now. they just sit there at his girlfriend's house. they are HUGE though.
the KEF Calinda are keepers though. i dig the T27 tweeter. they sorta sound like big LS3/5A from what i'm told. they are a little lean in the lower mids, which is why the "thick" sounding modded Quad 405-2 melds so well with them.
we'll see how the threshold sounds with both speakers. i'll have the bias upped per nelson's reco. i'll try it on my friend's thiel CS2.2. and maybe take it down to my friend to try on his acoustats.
see ya,
Robby
the 104/2 are. by no means, keepers for life. i'm still very much on the fence about them. but the 400a/S-300 alows me some leeway in trying different speakers. i've been trying to get my friend's Acoustat model 4's for about a year now. they just sit there at his girlfriend's house. they are HUGE though.
the KEF Calinda are keepers though. i dig the T27 tweeter. they sorta sound like big LS3/5A from what i'm told. they are a little lean in the lower mids, which is why the "thick" sounding modded Quad 405-2 melds so well with them.
we'll see how the threshold sounds with both speakers. i'll have the bias upped per nelson's reco. i'll try it on my friend's thiel CS2.2. and maybe take it down to my friend to try on his acoustats.
see ya,
Robby
vitalstates said:
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