Moth Group Series 30


British understatement amplifier design.
Manufactured under license from Stan Curtis Product Designs]

Data[edit]

Moth Group logo.jpg
  • RIAA PhonoPre
  • Passive Control Unit
  • 30 Series Stereo Amp
  • 40 Series Mono Amp
  • 60 Series Mono Amp
  • 100 Series Mono Amp


General[edit]

Manufacturer: Moth Group
Model: 30 Series
years of construction: from 1989
Manufactured in: Bedford, England
Colour:
  • Front: wood or wood black,
  • Cabinet: black
Remote control: no
Power consumption:
Dimensions: (WxHxD)
Weight:
New price approx.:
  • Passive Control Unit:
  • Stereo Amplifier 30W:

175.- £ ( 225.- € )
275.- £ ( 352.- € )

Price (1992) approx:
  • Passive Control Unit:
  • Stereo Amplifier 30W:
  • Phone Pre

480.- DM
760.- DM
650.- DM

Connections[edit]

Passive Control Unit[edit]

Number of inputs: 4
  • High level:
4
    • Input impedance
10 kΩ
Number of outputs: 2
  • Preamplifier output:
1
  • Tape:
1

Power Amplifier[edit]

Number of inputs: 1
  • High level:
1
    • Input impedance
75 kΩ
  • Mains:
220 V
Number of outputs: 1
  • Stereo speaker output
1

Technical data[edit]

continuous power
  • 8 Ohm:
2 x 30 W
Total harmonic distortion: < 0 .. 0.05 % (at 25 W at 8 Ω)
tone control:
  • Balance:
no
  • Bass:
no
  • Treble:
no
Loudness: no
High Filter: no
Low Filter (Subsonic): no
Mute: no
Direct/Line-Straight: yes

Special features[edit]

/Source: Moth 30 Series - Instructions for use

Remarks[edit]

The Moth amplifier series are probably hard to beat for British understatement. Simple black box with 2 cm thick wooden board as front. The only luxury is the red "Power On" LED.

The preamp is passive, i.e. it needs no power supply, but has all necessary inputs. For the phono enthusiast there is another box with an RIAA equalizer (phono preamp) with two different power supplies to choose from. The 12 VA power supply comes as a plug-in power supply (as far as I know), the 100 VA power supply in the same box as the power amp.

The power amplifiers are available as the here described 30 W stereo power amplifier,

  • as 2 x 40 W
  • and 2 x 60 W mono power amplifiers
  • and as a 3-piece 2 x 100 W mono power amplifier, whereby the two power supply units are swapped out into a third cabinet.

Developer is Stan Curtis, known for his developments at Cambridge Audio, Rotel, Quad, Warfedale, IAG and others.

So far, everyone I've shown them to has been thrilled by the sound of these little boxes. Unfortunately hardly to get in Germany.

Pictures[edit]

Moth 30Series 3DView.JPG

Figure 1: Moth 30 Series - Passive control unit and stereo enclosures (c) Author.

File:Moth 30Series RearView.JPG

Figure 2: Moth 30 Series - rear view of passive control unit and stereo power amplifier (c) Author. 
Passive Control Unit' (from left to right):
* Preamplifier output * Tape output * Cd * Tuner * Aux 1 * Aux 2
Stereo power amp:
* Source Input * Loudspeaker connections

Reports[edit]

Sources[edit]

  • All images (c) Author of the article
  • STEREO 01/1992 P. 160-161
Comparison test "High End for beginners: pre-power amplifier combination under 2000 Mark" with 
* Linn Pretek / Linn Powertek and 
* Rotel RC-960 BX / Rotel RB-960 BX 
STEREO recommendation: very good ** (price/performance: favourable) for Moth Passic Control, Phono Pre Amp and Power Amp

=Tips for buying used

Links[edit]