QUAD 33 Pre-Amplifier

A genuine British hi-fi icon, rebuilt for the modern listener — and better than the original by every measurable standard.

The original QUAD 33 launched in 1967 and remained in production until the early 1980s. Units from that era are still in daily use today, which says everything about the quality of the original engineering. This new version isn't a cosmetic update. QUAD assembled a team with nearly 200 years of combined engineering experience and tasked them with building a 33 that could genuinely bear that name. The result keeps the iconic silhouette and grouped control layout while improving on the original's performance in every measurable respect.

Reviewers who have spent time with the 33/303 combination have been unusually generous. One described it as good enough to become his mid-priced reference. It won a Pursuit Perfect System Standout Award for 2024. At £1,195, it's one of the more persuasive arguments for a traditional pre-amplifier in a market dominated by all-in-one streaming solutions.

Build and Controls

The front panel is machined and anodised aluminium; the chassis is all-metal throughout. A backlit LCD displays input and settings clearly. The master volume is a precision motorised ALPS potentiometer — the knob physically rotates when you use the remote, which is both practical and satisfying. Three endless rotary encoders handle the QUAD-specific tuning parameters beneath.

The Tilt control — developed by QUAD founder Peter Walker — is the most distinctive feature here. Rather than boosting bass and treble independently, it shifts the entire frequency spectrum gently up or down in one continuous movement. The effect is subtle and musically coherent in a way that conventional tone controls rarely manage. Bass (±3dB) and balance controls are also included for further fine-tuning.

Phono Stage

The 33 includes a proper MM/MC phono stage, switchable without any modification required. MM gain is 46dB, MC gain is 63.5dB. The RIAA circuit uses a dual Bipolar/JFET op-amp with high slew rates and ultra-low noise — it will handle everything from a budget turntable cartridge to a serious moving coil without an external phono stage.

Connectivity

Inputs are three RCA line-level, one balanced XLR pair, and the MM/MC phono. Outputs include RCA and balanced XLR pre-outs, an AUX RCA, a headphone output (20–600Ω), and two 12V trigger outputs. The addition of fully balanced XLR inputs and outputs is a meaningful step up from anything the original offered, and makes the 33 compatible with a much wider range of sources and power amplifiers.

Natural Pairing: The QUAD 303

The QUAD 303 Power Amplifier is the natural partner — designed by the same team, at the same time. It delivers 50W per channel into 8Ω, rising to 70W into 4Ω, with distortion figures that leave the original well behind. The two are designed to be used together and are both available for demonstration at our Norwich showroom.

Specifications

Awards

Pursuit Perfect System Standout Award 2024

Why Buy from Martins Hi-Fi?

We've been selling hi-fi in Norwich since 1968. The QUAD 33 is available for demonstration at our showroom alongside the QUAD 303, and we can pair it with floorstanding or standmount speakers so you can hear exactly what the combination does. We also offer home demonstration across Norfolk, Suffolk, and East Anglia.

Arrange a Demonstration

85–91 Ber Street, Norwich, NR1 3EY

Phone: 01603 627010 Email: info@martinshifi.co.uk WhatsApp: 07554 687137 Contact us online