Quad 3 Integrated Amp Blends 1960s Cool With 2025 Firepower

ducurguz
Jun 27
2 min read

Turntable and black amplifier on a wooden table with a laptop displaying a teal swirling pattern. Modern, sleek setup with calm mood.

Vintage looks, modern muscle. That’s the story behind the newly unveiled Quad 3 integrated amplifier, a mid-century styled hi-fi centerpiece with all the digital trimmings you’d expect in 2025—including Class A/B power, an ESS Sabre DAC, MQA support, HDMI ARC, Bluetooth 5.1, and retro-tuned tone controls.

Retro Meets Hi-Tech

The Quad 3 arrives dressed for a time capsule, styled to evoke the company’s legendary 33/303 stack. But make no mistake: under the hood, it’s every bit a modern integrated amplifier.

65W per channel into 8Ω (100W into 4Ω)
Class AB topology with Quad’s “Complementary Feedback” for improved linearity and thermal control
Separate power supplies for each functional block to reduce noise and expand soundstage
Built-in current-feedback headphone amp

DAC Power & Digital Versatility

Hidden behind its glowing orange LCD strip is some serious digital architecture:

ES9038Q2M 32-bit Sabre DAC from ESS Labs
PCM up to 768kHz, DSD512, and full MQA decoding
5 user-selectable digital filter modes
USB-B, optical, coaxial, and even HDMI ARC for easy TV integration
Bluetooth 5.1 with aptX and aptX HD

Silver audio amplifier with large volume, source, bass, tilt, and balance dials. Orange display, power button. Text: QUAD. Black antenna.

Analogue Lives On

Analogue audio lovers aren’t left behind:

Moving magnet (MM) phono stage
Two RCA line-level inputs
6.3mm headphone jack
Speaker terminals, pre-out, and 12V trigger

This means the Quad 3 handles everything from vinyl to Spotify, whether you're spinning records or streaming wirelessly.

Signature Controls: Tilt, Bass, Balance

One standout feature is Quad’s iconic “Tilt” control, carried forward from its classic designs:

Adjust tonal balance around a central pivot at 700Hz
Warm up thin recordings or dial down brightness without full EQ hassle
±3dB bass adjustment also included, plus dedicated knobs for balance and source selection

Tactile rotary encoders replace old-school pots, offering smooth, precise control—backed by a fully modern digital brain.

Audio amplifier with open casing displays green circuit board and black heatsink. "QUAD" text visible. Sleek, modern design on black surface.

Designed With Purpose

Quad didn’t just dress up an amp in nostalgia—this was a full internal design project by Quad’s team in Huntingdon, UK. Engineers and designers behind both Quad and Audiolab worked to ensure the look honored the original while upgrading every key component.

And yes—the orange glow is back, now LED-lit and paired with an LCD display that blends perfectly with the aesthetic. It’s what the original 33 would have looked like if LCDs and remotes existed in 1967.

Final Word: Retro Soul, Digital Heart

The Quad 3 is not a gimmick. It’s a serious integrated amplifier that just happens to look like it belongs in Don Draper’s office. With a reference-level DAC, wide-ranging connectivity, smart tone controls, and Class AB muscle, it’s built for today’s audiophile who doesn’t want to stare at a black rectangle.

Whether you're streaming DSD, watching TV through HDMI ARC, or cueing up your favorite LP—this amp does it all, and looks damn good doing it.