Old Quad serial nos.

[robbyd]

Why is it that almost every pair of 57s and Quad ii valve amps never have consecutive serial numbers? Sometimes/mostly, they differ by thousands.

Is that how it was from the factory, or are folks selling mix & match stuff?

If the above, it would be strange that so many halves were separated or lost....

thoughts please?!

 

[canonman]

The first one was bought as a mono unit, the second years later to make a stereo pair

 

[Tony L]

This is mono era stuff, so many people added an extra ESL and Quad II to go stereo along with the new stereo 22 preamp.

PS Tannoys are the same, even with speakers known to be sold as pairs.

 

[robbyd]

Ok thanks - sounds very plausible.

So it detracts nothing from purchase or resale value then?

 

[robbyd]

Having said that, though, there are lots of 57s sold mismatched with numbers well into the 1970s...

were some people slow to catch up on stereo that late??

 

[Tony L]

So it detracts nothing from purchase or resale value then?

I’d expect consecutive or even close serial numbers to add a premium, possibly quite a substantive one.

 

[Zombie]

In those days audiophilia nervosa was not pandemic among owners of audio equipment. Now some would freak out because serial numbers are a handful of units apart.