Quadfusing ....

Noggindoo

Hi been looking at used Quads, can anyone educate me please the 99 preamp has a bus link and i am not sure what this is or enables, do you have to use a 909 power amp or can say a 606 be used with the 99 preamp ?Thank you

Jampot90

The 99 series bus link is unique to the 99 series, so no it won't work with a 606 or 707 (I don't know about the newer series though). In an all 99 (or 77) series setup the bus link carries the audio signal and switching functions so for instance if you use a remote control to put a 99 pre into standby any power amp, tuner or cd player connected by bus link will also go into standby.

On the other hand, the pre has RCA phono connections so can certainly be used with a 606 or any other regular power amp, you just need to be able to power it on / off independently. The audio path in the link is a balanced connection but I found that I preferred the sound with connections made via regular decent quality rca phono cables so that the bus link only provided switching.

Jim

Noggindoo

Thank you. Have you ever compared the likes of say 34 series with 66 and 99 etc does the sound improve with the newer models - assuming all is working and older ones have been serviced etc. I currently saving for either a Vena 2 or Musical fidelity M2 but note there are used quads around so could potentially spread my cost a bit or even save some money if i get lucky.

Jampot90

Yes, while my main system was fronted by a 77 pre I had both a 34 and 44.

A 34 in good nick is a very nice thing - and a 306 doesn't give much away to the 606 unless your speakers are particularly inefficient. If you play vinyl records they all have pretty good phono stages. The 77 and 99 pre's have a choice of MM or MC with a choice of gain selectable from the controller but with the older ones you need to swap the boards (they plug in much like cards in a desktop PC). Try to avoid earlier models with DIN sockets, not that they are sonically inferior but it means buying interconnects you won't use when you move to newer stuff.

What it doesn't have of course is remote control

Jim