QUAD 3CDT CD Transport

The QUAD 3CDT is a dedicated CD transport: a disc-spinning source with no internal digital-to-analogue converter. Its single job is to read the data off a CD as accurately as possible and pass that signal, untouched, to an external DAC. It is the natural partner to the QUAD 3 Integrated Amplifier, whose built-in DAC it is designed to feed, and it shares that amplifier's compact 300mm-wide footprint along with the design language drawn from the classic QUAD 22 and 33 of the 1960s.

Because it is a transport rather than a full CD player, the 3CDT concentrates all of its engineering on doing one thing well: retrieving the digital bitstream from the disc and delivering it over a proper digital connection to the converter of your choice. There is no compromise of a budget DAC bolted on inside — you decide where the digital-to-analogue conversion happens, whether that is the DAC in the Quad 3 or a separate converter you already own.

Design

The 3CDT wears the same matt fascia, flush-mounted controls and full-view LCD strip as the rest of the Quad 3 range, in a chassis just 300mm wide. Stack it with the Quad 3 integrated amplifier and the two sit together as a matched source-and-amplifier pair. The finish is silver.

A Dedicated Transport

A CD transport does less than a CD player, and that is the point. By leaving digital-to-analogue conversion to an outboard DAC, the 3CDT keeps the noise-sensitive analogue stages out of the box entirely and puts its attention into reading the disc and clocking the data cleanly. Paired with the DAC inside the Quad 3, it turns that amplifier into a complete CD-replay system; paired with a higher-end standalone converter, it becomes the disc source for a more ambitious system.

Connectivity

The 3CDT provides both a coaxial and an optical digital output, so it will connect to effectively any DAC or digital input you are likely to own. Run the coaxial output into the Quad 3's digital input, or feed a separate converter — the choice is yours.

Disc and File Support

Beyond standard CDs, the 3CDT reads CD-R and CD-RW discs, and it will also play data CDs containing FLAC, WAV, WMA, MP3 and APE files — useful for anyone who has burned high-resolution or compressed files to disc.

Display and Control

A large full-view LCD keeps track information clearly legible across the room, and a remote control is supplied for track and transport control from the listening seat.

Technical Specifications

Who Is It For?

The 3CDT is for the listener who still values a physical CD collection and wants a proper transport to play it, rather than a compromised all-in-one player. It is the obvious source to sit alongside the Quad 3 integrated amplifier, but it makes just as much sense feeding any capable DAC. If you have shelves of discs and a system you care about, this is the component that lets you keep playing them at their best. You can see the rest of the range on our Quad collection page.

Buying from Martins Hi-Fi

Quad is one of the great names in British hi-fi, and it is a brand we have known and sold for decades — we can demonstrate the Quad 3 range in our Norwich showroom and help you put together a source, amplifier and loudspeaker combination that works as a whole.

When you get in touch, you'll be speaking with Dave, Chris and Tim at info@martinshifi.co.uk, call 01603 627010, or WhatsApp on 07554 687137. You can read more about how we work on our Why Martins page. We are at 85–91 Ber Street, Norwich, NR1 3EY.