Quad are one of the hi-fi world’s most iconic brands, with a heritage that stretches back decades and a reputation built on doing things properly rather than following trends. That legacy of thoughtful engineering and understated design is exactly why new Quad releases still carry a bit of weight.

Things are getting particularly interesting right now with the recent release of the 3 CDT to partner the 3 Amp, which has already been turning heads since it landed a few months ago. There’s something quite appealing about a brand doubling down on a proper, no-nonsense CD-based system in a world that’s gone almost entirely streaming-focused.

Here in Cheltenham, we have just taken delivery of one of each, and it feels like the final piece of the puzzle has arrived. Naturally, we’re keen to get them fired up and see whether this compact pairing can live up to Quad’s reputation — and more importantly, whether it delivers where it really counts: the music.

We have been huge fans of the Quad 3 amp since it was released. Now we are really looking forward to hearing what the brand new 3 CDT can bring to the party.

Quad’s Philosophy

The build quality is just lovely and, in a strange way, I feel that it has both a dual retro and futuristic quality that sets it apart from any of the competition at the moment. The Quad 3 CDT is a dedicated CD transport designed to deliver uncompromising digital performance in its purest form. Crafted as the natural companion to the 3 Amp, this new model embodies QUAD’s philosophy of “the closest approach to the original sound.” By focusing solely on the mechanics of disc retrieval and data integrity, the 3 CDT strips away unnecessary circuitry to achieve class-leading accuracy, ensuring that every note is reproduced with absolute precision.

At the heart of the 3 CDT lies a high-precision CD mechanism and custom-designed CD servo control system, delivering exceptional disc reading accuracy and stability. Every detail of the laser assembly and servo control system has been optimised to minimise read errors, jitter, and distortion, preserving the integrity of the original CD signal. It has a drawer too… not one of those slot-loading mechs. Its sole task is to deliver a pristine signal — exceptionally clean, with minimal interference or unwanted processing. This singular focus ensures the highest fidelity connection to the 3 Amp’s state-of-the-art DAC, unlocking the full musical potential encoded on every disc.

Critically Acclaimed

Just like its critically acclaimed sibling, the new QUAD 33 – the 3 Amp’s industrial design is a subtle nod to the past. It features the same signature orange-lit LCD strip as the QUAD 33, for intuitive function feedback, with settings, parameters, options and source selections all visually represented. Users can customise the backlight brightness — or turn it off entirely — to suit their environment or preference. Classic orange accents echo the aesthetics of the legendary QUAD 33. At the same time, the tactile row of digital encoders provides precise control over volume, source selection, balance, bass, and the renowned QUAD ‘Tilt’ control, allowing for fine-tuning of the audio spectrum without adding artificial colouration.

Lets Play Some Music

Now we’ve got all that technical bumf out of the way, we can get down to my favourite bit, which is finding out what it sounds like. And I can tell you that I have been very pleasantly surprised. I will freely admit that I was not expecting this level of detail retrieval. First on the playlist was the totally awesome prog rock epic that is “Natural Selection” by US band Lands End. This album has amazing production qualities and quite possibly the best recording of a drum kit you are ever going to hear. The Quad combination held the combined drum and bass guitar rhythm section rock solid, while all around guitars and mellotron are swirling in free space. I know that I have recommended this CD in some of my previous blogs but seriously, if you like/love prog rock and like things a tad spaced out with a stunning bottom end (ooer), then you owe this album a listen… it is a bona fide classic of the genre!

one of the all time great prog albums imo

The Quad pair made such a great sound with the Lands End CD that I decided to play another one of my all-time prog rock favourites… Rockpommel’s Land by German band Grobschnitt. An album that boasts on the back cover that it was recorded with the help of Krautrock legend Conny Plank using a fully dBx-ed MCI 24-track recorder running at 30ips on four AGFA PEM468 Professional type 2 tapes, and that therefore it deserves to be played LOUD. Boy are they right! The Quad combo delivers speed, timing, dynamics, detail, bass slam and total three-dimensionality, making the music a joy to listen to.

Summing Up

Summing up my experience with the 3 Amp and 3 CDT, I have to say how wonderfully they work together and that they punch way above their weight. I can understand now how they have been the recipients of so many great reviews already. I was knocked out by the ability of the Quads to sound equally adept whether they were being played loud or quiet. They also score huge amounts of bonus credibility points because they look so darned cute too! If you are in the market for a sub £2k CD and amp system, look no more… your perfect system may well have arrived.

Oh!… before I forget… the amp has Bluetooth 5.1 connectivity which enables seamless streaming from smart devices too. It boasts support for the aptX HD codec, so you can enjoy 24-bit hi-res audio over Bluetooth without compromise. Truly a retro heritage delivering a modern solution.

Many thanks for reading

Andy - Audio T Cheltenham

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