Quad Solus all-in-one system combines Quad Hi-Fi prestige and excellence in a convenient one box audio solution without sonic compromise.
British Hi-Fi legends, Quad, are renowned as one of the pioneers in Hi-Fi, thanks to legendary designs such as the Quad II and 405 power amplifiers, classic preamplifiers such as the 44, and hi-performance source components such as the FM4 tuner and 99 CD Player.
Now, Quad fuse all that Hi-Fi knowledge into a stylish and compact all-in-one system: The Quad Artera Solus…
Quad Artera Series
Quad’s new Artera series is a thoroughly modern approach to Hi-Fi from a company steeped in history with an enviable legacy of creating some of the most famous and legendary HiFi components ever made. The Artera Series comprises of numerous models, which fuse modern digital connectivity with Quad’s famous design technologies and design know-how.
The Artera series features an aesthetic which is simultaneously modern, whilst at the same time timelessly elegant. A textured aluminium front panel (available in either silver or black), a beautiful thick glass top and CNC-routed heat sinks on either side. The enclosure is more than just eye candy though, as it forms a practical design purpose.
The beautifully engineered enclosure provides a rugged structure, resistant to external interference and vibrations. Each player in the Quad Artera range incorporates an intuitive and eye-catching touch-sensitive control. As is the Quad way, form harmoniously follows function.
It’s the very latest addition the Quad Artera series, the Quad Solus, which is the focus of today’s Audio Affair Blog. In Quad’s own words, the Quad Solus is “a multi-tasking hi-fi system” combining a CD transport, DAC, preamplifier and power amplifier in a single compact chassis, along with extensive modern connectivity.
Quad Solus Digital Connectivity
Quad have set their sights high with the Quad Solus, aiming to create an all-in-one solution which meets or exceeds the performance of many stand-alone, component-based systems. In order to achieve this lofty ambition, Quad has employed some of the very best technology available to them.
At the heart of the Quad Solus resides a high performance ES9018 DAC chip, a 32-bit octo channel hybrid Delta Sigma device, employed by Quad’s designers to ensure not only high-quality performance but also true Hi-Res format support. The panoply of digital connections allows for the Hi-Res capabilities of the Quad Solus to be fully exploited.
Around the back of the Quad Solus, one will be greeted by five digital inputs, comprising of two coaxial, two optical and one USB Type B connections, as well as a USB host port for future software updates, ensuring the future life of the unit. Those who may wish to connect traditional analogue sources are accommodated by a pair of RCA inputs, as well as balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA preamp outputs.
Thanks to that superb DAC architecture, sample rates up to 32-bit/384kHz are supported as well as DSD64/128/256. Those with extensive CD collections need not feel sidelined, thanks to the front panel mounted CD slot and transport. In turn, the CD data is handled by the superb DAC processing, for outstanding reproduction.
No modern digital source would be complete without wireless connectivity, and in this respect, the Quad Solus does not disappoint. Qualcomm’s aptX codec is supported allowing for CD Quality streaming over Bluetooth. Enjoy the convenience of high-quality wireless streaming from your mobile device, tablet etc.
Classic Quad Amplification
The real Unique Selling Point of the Quad Solus, of course, is that it incorporates high-quality power amplification designed by Quad. Quad are famed for their power amplifier designs; many of Quad’s famous power amplifiers are still in use by audiophiles and studios, decades after they were designed and manufactured.
Unlike many all-in-one solutions, which utilise a cost-driven design based on switched mode power supplies and Class-D amplification, the Quad Solus uses an amplifier topology worthy of the finest stand-alone power amplifiers. Employing a dual-mono Class-AB power amplifier, the Quad Solus delivers 2x75W into eight ohms, with a top current delivery of 15 Amps into tough loads.
In the real world, this translates to an amplifier capable of driving most speaker loads with ease. Couple that to the superb digital processing and analogue circuit design and you have a truly world-class system. Forget notions of gutless, thin sounding, cheap all-in-one solutions you may have known before.
The Quad Solus all-in-one system represents convenience without compromise.