Quad's flagship Platina Integrated amplifier represents five years of intensive development and the pinnacle of British audio engineering. Delivers 200W per channel through dual-mono Class AB design, features audiophile-grade ES9038PRO DAC, comprehensive digital and analogue connectivity including HDMI ARC and balanced XLR, switchable MM/MC phono stage with adjustable gain, and stunning 4.3" color display. Quad's finest-ever integrated amplifier.
The Quad Platina Integrated amplifier represents the beating heart of Quad's new flagship Platina Series - a line that marks the company's most accomplished audio electronics to date. After five years of exhaustive development, Quad's engineering team has created what the company confidently declares its "finest-ever integrated amplifier" - a component worthy of driving the world's finest loudspeakers with effortless authority, headroom, and poise.
Five Years in the Making:
First glimpsed as a prototype at Munich High End 2023, the Platina Integrated has undergone one of the most rigorous development cycles in Quad's 80-year history. Following founder Peter Walker's ethos that "the closest approach to the original sound" demands meticulous attention to every detail, Quad's engineers re-examined every circuit element, perfecting each nuance of performance.
When off-the-shelf components couldn't meet Quad's exacting standards, the team designed custom solutions. Working with partners like Wurth Elektronik, Quad developed specialized capacitors specifically for the Platina amplifier. The result fuses cutting-edge design with the warmth, control, and musical authority that define the Quad legacy.
Dual-Mono Class AB Power:
At the core of the Platina Integrated lies an exceptionally powerful dual-mono Class AB amplifier design delivering 200 watts per channel into 8 ohms and 300 watts into 4 ohms, with immense current delivery up to 20 amperes. This configuration ensures precise channel separation, remarkable dynamic range, and total composure under load - handling even the most demanding loudspeakers with commanding authority.
The power amplifier is driven by a custom-designed 630VA ultra-low noise toroidal transformer with 44,000µF of filter capacitance per channel, ensuring ample current reserves and rock-solid voltage regulation. Cascaded voltage regulators in both analogue and digital sections maintain pristine power delivery throughout the signal path.
The design minimizes noise and impedance through comprehensive integration of surface-mount components, while optimized component placement reduces circuit loops to limit electromagnetic interference. This precision engineering results in extraordinarily low impedance, exceptional thermal stability, and bulletproof reliability - maintaining musicality under all operating conditions.
Audiophile-Grade Digital Section:
The Platina Integrated's digital stage centers on the ESS Sabre ES9038PRO DAC - a flagship chip from the top 'PRO' tier of ESS Technology's current Sabre range. This 32-bit converter supports PCM audio up to 768kHz via USB and native DSD512, with optical and coaxial S/PDIF inputs accommodating files up to 192kHz.
Dual ultra-precision master clocks eliminate jitter - one clock dedicated to the CD-standard 44.1kHz sample rate family, the other locked to 48kHz-based rates. This ensures sample-accurate timing regardless of source material. The DAC's eight audio channels are fully utilized to deliver a balanced differential stereo signal, eradicating noise and distortion.
Crucially, the post-DAC active filter employs a Class A circuit perfectly tailored to extract the ES9038PRO's exceptional signal-to-noise performance and dynamic range. With THD below 0.001% and SNR exceeding 116dB, the digital section rivals dedicated high-end DACs.
The Platina Integrated is Roon Tested, ensuring seamless operation in Roon-controlled setups. It also features digital upsampling capabilities and multiple filter options, allowing fine-tuning of the digital presentation to personal preference.
Comprehensive Connectivity:
Digital Inputs:
- USB-C port supporting up to 32-bit/768kHz PCM and DSD512
- 2 x S/PDIF Coaxial inputs (up to 192kHz)
- 2 x S/PDIF Optical inputs (up to 192kHz)
- HDMI ARC for TV integration with remote control capability
Analogue Inputs:
- 1 x Balanced XLR pair
- 2 x RCA line-level pairs
- 1 x Phono input (MM/MC switchable with three selectable gain settings)
- 1 x 12V Trigger input
Outputs:
- Gold-plated speaker binding posts
- 1 x RCA Pre Out pair (for external power amp or subwoofer)
- 1 x Balanced XLR Pre Out pair
- 1 x Optical digital output
- 1 x Coaxial digital output
- 1 x 6.35mm (1/4") headphone output
- 1 x 12V Trigger output
State-of-the-Art Phono Stage:
The Platina Integrated features Quad's most advanced phono stage to date, switchable between Moving Magnet and Moving Coil operation with no modifications required. Uniquely, the phono stage offers three selectable gain settings - 46dB, 52dB, and 60dB - allowing precise matching to your cartridge's output level for optimal signal-to-noise ratio.
The phono circuit employs ultra-low-noise JFET input stages with high slew rates and vanishingly low distortion. Input impedances are optimized at 50kΩ/100pF for MM cartridges and 360Ω/200pF for MC types. With signal-to-noise ratios exceeding 78dB for MM and 70dB for MC, even the quietest vinyl passages emerge from a black background with superior definition, depth, and dynamic range.
Precision Volume Control:
The Platina Integrated employs a highly linear analogue volume control system that's microprocessor-controlled for remote operation while maintaining pure analogue signal integrity. This four-channel design keeps analogue signals balanced throughout - from XLR input through the DAC's differential output, the preamp and volume stages, all the way to the XLR preamp output.
This attention to balanced signal topology ensures maximum common-mode noise rejection and the cleanest possible signal path, whether using balanced or single-ended sources.
Dedicated Headphone Amplifier:
A sophisticated current-feedback headphone amplifier circuit provides exceptional drive capability for headphones from 20 to 600 ohms impedance. With an output impedance of just 2.35 ohms and THD below 0.01%, the headphone stage delivers powerful, clean, and controlled sound to even demanding planar magnetic and high-impedance dynamic headphones.
Stunning 4.3" Color Display:
The front panel is graced with a vibrant 4.3" 800 x 480 resolution full-view IPS LCD color display. This crisp screen provides intuitive access to all inputs, settings, volume level, and operational modes. The display offers multiple viewing options including elegant VU meters, input source indication, volume bar graphs, and system settings menus.
Brightness is fully adjustable or can be turned off entirely for dark-room listening. The display's clarity and color accuracy make system operation a pleasure while maintaining the refined aesthetic Quad is known for.
Exceptional Build Quality
The Platina Integrated's chassis combines a substantial steel frame with a thick machined aluminum front panel available in black or silver anodized finishes. Side-mounted heatsinks provide efficient thermal management while adding visual drama. Anti-resonance feet ensure mechanical isolation from supporting surfaces.
Gold-plated connectors throughout ensure optimal signal transfer and long-term reliability. The symmetrical rear panel layout reflects the internal dual-mono architecture. Every detail - from the tactile front-panel controls to the substantial 17.1kg weight - communicates uncompromising build quality befitting a flagship component.
Modern System Integration:
HDMI ARC connectivity allows the Platina Integrated to serve as the heart of a combined music and home theater system. Connect your TV via HDMI ARC and enjoy the amplifier's exceptional sound quality with movies and television while maintaining dedicated music source connectivity.
12V trigger inputs and outputs enable seamless integration with multi-component systems, automatically powering components on and off in sequence. Digital outputs allow recording or feeding additional systems. The comprehensive connectivity makes the Platina Integrated a true command center for sophisticated audio systems.
Designed and Built to Last:
Like all Quad components, the Platina Integrated is designed for decades of reliable service. The robust construction, premium components, efficient thermal management, and conservative operating parameters ensure this amplifier will deliver peak performance for generations. This is audio equipment designed to become a treasured part of your system for years to come.
The Platina Ecosystem:
The Platina Integrated is designed to work seamlessly with the matching Platina Stream network player, creating a complete source-to-speaker solution. The two components share identical dimensions, finishes, and design language, stacking beautifully while delivering a cohesive sonic signature. A matching Platina CD transport will join the series in spring 2026, completing this flagship lineup.
Technical Specifications
General Description: Integrated Amplifier
Design Philosophy & Core Technology:
- Dual-mono Class AB amplifier topology
- 2 x 200W (8Ω) / 2 x 300W (4Ω)
- ES9038PRO 32-bit DAC
- Roon Tested
- Highly linear analogue volume control
- 4.3" 800 x 480 Full View IPS LCD
- Dedicated high-performance low-noise MM/MC phono stage
- Current-feedback headphone amplifier
- USB firmware upgrade support
Power Amplifier Section:
Gain: +30dB
Rated Power Output:
- 2 x 200W (8 ohm, THD<1%)
- 2 x 310W (4 ohm, THD<1%)
Frequency Response: 20Hz - 20kHz (+/-0.3dB)
Total Harmonic Distortion (THD): <0.0008% (1kHz @ 100W/8Ω)
Input Sensitivity: 1.2Vrms
Signal-to-Noise Ratio (S/N): >112dB (A-weighted)
Maximum Output Current: 20A
Preamplifier Section:
Gain:
- 0dB (Line)
- +46dB / +52dB / +60dB (Phono MM/MC, selectable)
Input Sensitivity:
- 1.2Vrms (Line)
- 2.4Vrms (XLR)
- 5mV (MM)
- 1mV (MC)
Input Impedance:
- 50kΩ (Line)
- 50kΩ // 100pF (MM)
- 360Ω // 200pF (MC)
Total Harmonic Distortion (THD): <0.0004% (1kHz @ 2V)
Frequency Response: 20Hz - 20kHz (+/-0.1dB)
Output Impedance: 120Ω
Signal-to-Noise Ratio (S/N):
- 110dB (Line/XLR)
- 78dB (MM)
- 70dB (MC)
DAC Section:
Converter: ES9038PRO (32-bit)
Total Harmonic Distortion (THD): <0.001% (1kHz @ 0dBFS)
Output Level: 2.0Vrms
Maximum Sampling Frequency:
- 192kHz (Optical/Coaxial)
- 768kHz PCM / DSD512 (USB)
Signal-to-Noise Ratio (S/N): >116dB (A-weighted)
Master Clocks: Dual ultra-precision (44.1kHz and 48kHz families)
Headphone Amplifier:
Design: Current-feedback
Total Harmonic Distortion (THD): <0.01% (1kHz, 50mW)
Output Impedance: 2.35Ω
Load Impedance: 20 - 600Ω
Inputs:
- 2 x Analogue (RCA)
- 1 x XLR (balanced)
- 1 x Phono (MM/MC switchable)
- 2 x SPDIF (Coaxial)
- 2 x SPDIF (Optical)
- 1 x PC USB (Type-C)
- 1 x HDMI ARC
- 1 x 12V Trigger
Outputs:
- 1 x RCA Pre Out (pair)
- 1 x XLR Pre Out (pair)
- 1 x Speaker Binding Posts (pair, gold-plated)
- 1 x Optical digital
- 1 x Coaxial digital
- 1 x 12V Trigger
- 1 x Headphone (6.35mm / 1/4")
Sampling Frequency:
- Optical / Coaxial: 44.1kHz - 192kHz
- PC USB: 44.1kHz - 768kHz (PCM) / DSD64 / DSD128 / DSD256 / DSD512
Physical Specifications:
Dimensions (W x H x D): 445mm x 134.5mm x 348mm (17.5" x 5.3" x 13.7")
Net Weight: 17.1kg (37.7 lbs)
Gross Weight (with packaging): 19.3kg (42.5 lbs)
Carton Size: 500mm x 225mm x 450mm (19.7" x 8.9" x 17.7")
Finish Options:
- Black (machined anodized aluminum front panel with steel chassis)
- Silver (machined anodized aluminum front panel with steel chassis)
Standby Power Consumption: <0.5W
Power Requirements: 220-240V ~ 50/60Hz or 100-120V ~ 50/60Hz (region dependent)
Power Supply: Custom 630VA ultra-low noise toroidal transformer with 44,000µF per channel filter capacity
Chassis: Steel with anti-resonance feet and side-mounted heatsinks
Display: 4.3" 800 x 480 Full View IPS LCD (color, adjustable brightness)
What's Included
- Quad Platina Integrated Amplifier
- Power Cord (region appropriate)
- Remote Control
- User Manual
