From the Vault

Quad forgot to tell me the QC-twentyfour is a line-level-only device, the input marked 'phono' awaiting an optional plug-in module or a standalone stage. The owner's manual was 'still at the printers' at the time of review, and the rough press release I was given did say that a moving-magnet stage was fitted. It turns out that discussions are underway for a possible 2001 release of a dedicated phono section, with all sorts of configurations being short-listed at the time of writing.

I'm hoping for an all-tube unit housed in the same case as the 'twentyfour that's been mooted as a 'no compromise' unit with MM and MC capability, and a variety of user-applicable loadings.

I would entreat those with an interest in the new gear to let the company know their intentions immediately: if there's little indication that a full-blown phono section would have any real sales potential we could get stuck with a solid-state stop-gap. The new unit could have a life of its own, for there's a dearth of good, all-tube phono stages between the affordable EAR 834P and the rhino-bucks Audio Research Reference Phono.