Description
The QUAD Artera Pre is a pure analogue preamplifier, combining innovative modern British design with the QUAD sound signature traditions, characterized by the pure analogue signal.
The Artera Pre mixes minimalist design with high-quality components to ensure short, direct signal paths that preserve sonic purity.
While conventional tone controls adjust bass or treble individually, the Tilt control adjusts both ends of the frequency spectrum together – either attenuating the bass and lifting the treble, or lifting the bass and attenuating the treble, in steps of 1dB. In effect, it rotates – or tilts – the audible frequency range on a 700Hz axis, adjusting the overall balance of the sound to make it ‘warmer’ or ‘cooler’ without affecting the apparent volume or ‘colouring’ the sound.
The Tilt control is unique to QUAD and is a subtle, precise and consistent way to adjust sound to compensate for different recordings and the acoustic anomalies of different rooms. Though much acclaimed when it was introduced and still admired to this day, it hasn’t featured on a new QUAD product for a decade – the Artera Pre is the perfect opportunity for its return.
The new Artera preamp adds further analogue bass filters to the Tilt function for additional sound tailoring, which may be useful for a variety of reasons. For example, optional bass lift (of +4.5dB around 60Hz) may be used to give smaller speakers a little more extension, while bass cut (-4.5dB shelf response) can help to deal with unwanted room resonances. These filters are engineered for precise and refined adjustment, and their effect is much more sophisticated than typical bass controls.
SPECIFICATIONS:
| Analogue Inputs | 3 x RCA (AUX1, 2 & 3), XLR, Phono MM/MC |
| Analogue Outputs | 1 x RCA (PRE OUT), 1 x RCA(AUX), 1 x XLR,1 x 6.35mm Headphone Jack |
| Gain (max.) , Volume = 100 | +8dB (Line/XLR) |
| +53.5dB (Phono MM) | |
| +73.5dB (Phono MC) | |
| Input Sensitivity (Vol = 84, Vout = 0dBu) | 775mV (Line/XLR) |
| 4.1mV (Phono MM) | |
| 410uV (Phono MC) | |
| Input Impedance | 10K (Line/XLR) |
| 47K//100pF (Phono MM) | |
| 100R//1.7nF (Phono MC) | |
| Max. Output Level (THD < 0.1%) | 2.3Vrms (RCA) |
| 4.6Vrms (XLR) | |
| Input Headroom (THD < 0.1% , Vol = 50) | 4.1Vrms (RCA) |
| 8.2Vrms (XLR) | |
| 62mV (Phono MM) / 6.2mV (Phono MC) @ 1kHz | |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz-20kHz (± 0.2dB) |
| Total Harmonic Distortion | <0.002% (20Hz-20kHz) |
| S/N Ratio (Vout = 0dBu) | >110dB(A) (Line/XLR) |
| >80dB(A) (Phono MM) | |
| >76dB(A) (Phono MC) | |
| Channel Separation | >100dB (10kHz) |
| Output Impedance | 120 Ohms (RCA) 100 Ohms (XLR) |
| Standby Consumption | <0.5W |
| AC Mains Supply Requirement(Factory set) | 230V ~ 50-60Hz |
| 115V ~ 50-60Hz | |
| 100V ~ 50-60Hz | |
| Dimensions (W×D×H) | 320 x 320 x 105mm |
| Net Weight | 7.8kg |
