Is the Quickie an Upgrade from my Foreplay II?

[williaty]

For years now, I've had a stereo system that was built around a Foreplay II with Sweet Whispers,  Auricaps, and the C4S mod. It was my first, and therefore best, audio system. Then I ran out of space in my living area at that time and had to pack it all way. A few years into that silent wasteland, I bought a Crack with Speedball, some HD-600s, and threw some really nice tubes at it. I had a feeling that the Crack setup was much better than the stereo setup, but there was a couple year gap in there so I wasn't sure. Well, new house and I set my stereo back up. Sure enough, it's massively lacking compared to the Crack. I'm trying to figure out how to fix it on the budget I have (or don't have, really).

My specific thoughts on listening to the stereo system as it is right now are:
1) Too much buzz and hum from the FPII (I've always thought this but the hum/buzz measurement was always considered just fine by those in the know back in the day)
2) The stereo imaging is really much better than I remember and in fact much better than the headphone setup
3) The resolution of detail is ok, probably on par with or slightly behind the Crack
4) The music is incredibly hollow and lifeless.

It's really #4 that's driving me nuts.

The Quickie is doable, cost wise. The question is whether it's an upgrade from the FP II. I have the Sweet Whispers built in the "quiet" configuration (-20 to -50dB? It's been more than a decade so I'm not sure), I have the output of the FP II padded down -10dB, and I have the input of my power amp (solid state) padded down I think -15dB. So, as you can see, the reduced gain of the Quickie is completely fine and, in fact, I'd love to get rid of the hum and buzz of the FP II. Heck, for that matter, I could go with the Submissive without running out of gain if you guys think I might like that better than the Quickie.

I dunno, enough rambling. What do you guys think I should do?

[galyons]

In MY system, my modified FP2 is noticeably more dynamic and detailed than my Quickie.  I have PIO's in both, the FP2 has SW's, PS choke, C4S.  My FP2 is not noisy with Paramours into 102dB/W horns.  But , again, that is in my system

Cheers,
Geary

[Paul Birkeland]

What's in the rest of the system?

Generally, yes, the Quickie is going to have more body to it than a FP-II.  If you can find one, a used FP-III is also a nice item to look for, but they are pretty difficult to find.

[williaty]

Apple Laptop w/BitPerfect>High Resolution Technologies MusicStreamer II+ DAC>FPII>Cambridge Audio P500 power amp>Axiom Audio M22Ti speakers.

[Paul Birkeland]

Topologically, the Crack and the Foreplay look very similar on paper.  For your own references, you can use a 1/4" to RCA adapter cable and run the Crack as a preamp.  That might help you make some conclusions about what's going on in your system.

[williaty]

The Crack will swing enough voltage into a 40kOhm input impedance and not have frequency response changes?

[Paul Birkeland]

Yeah, the Crack will barely know anything is even plugged into the outputs with a 40K load.

[williaty]

I'll try that tomorrow. My wife's asleep upstairs and this house transmits sound like an SOB. One of the many things we have to fix over the next few decades.

[Natural Sound]

Quick question. Did you try putting a fresh set of 12AU7's in the FPII? They could just be worn out.

[FS]

This is a very good question, and I would like to know what Foreplay III preamp users have to say. I may be the only one here that has somewhat of an aversion to a batteries-only setup, because I just hate to have to buy them and change them. Don't get me wrong, I do love the Quickie sound...and I do actually need it because I think that both my Crack and my Stereomour benefit from the preamp, because with the Beyer 880 600 Ohm version, the Crack alone does not get up to the volume needed, and the Stereomour comes a bit short, too. Everything else is hooked up to power, so I would very much like to get my hands on a preamp that does, too. I don't know why Bottlehead don't have anything in between the Quickie and the BeePree. I wish the Foreplay III were still around. Has the Foreplay been sacrificed  just so the BeePree would sell? I am somewhat reluctant to go for such an expensive preamp, which in addition to the original cost of the kit will set me back another $200 to 300 to get a set of replacement tubes. Will there be a Foreplay IV? I am sorry for steering your thread slightly off topic...
Falko

[Doc B.]

We have a prototype that is between the Quickie and the BeePre. It is more like Quickie and BeePre than Foreplay. As soon as we release it we will be asked why we don't have an amp to go with it, since it will be in line with Reduction as a mid line product and there is not a midline power amp at this point to go with that phono amp and preamp. I think that is a valid question, so we are holding on to the preamp circuit until we have the whole system worked out.

[FS]

Hey Doc,

I thought the Stereomour was your midline power amp? I am glad to hear that there is light at the end of the tunnel...:-)
Thanks,
Falko

[corndog71]

I lived with a modded Foreplay II for years and really loved it.  I got the quickie for fun.  My expectations were low due to the price but also sort of high since Bottlehead doesn't make crap.  The quickie blew me away and had lower noise than my Foreplay II!  Get it and the PJCCS and you won't be sorry.  Really, for the money, it's a steal.

[Doc B.]

Stereomour is an integrated amp. The questions were about separate power amps and preamps.

[aragorn723]

We have a prototype that is between the Quickie and the BeePre. It is more like Quickie and BeePre than Foreplay. As soon as we release it we will be asked why we don't have an amp to go with it, since it will be in line with Reduction as a mid line product and there is not a midline power amp at this point to go with that phono amp and preamp. I think that is a valid question, so we are holding on to the preamp circuit until we have the whole system worked out.

Any rough ideas of what price point the midline power amp would be?  I think there would be a lot of interest for something like that.  Personally my amp is a solid-state, been curious about hearing what a tube amp could do for my system   (and the paramounts are just a little too much lol).