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Quad 34 Mains out socket blocked

L

Lydia

New Member
Hi

I just bought a Quad 34 preamp that i know little about. When i tried to connect a standard IEC c13 to C14 power cord to the Mains out socket (to interconnect with a Quad 306) i noticed that there was a piece of plastic blocking the top and bottom pin in the socket (see attached picture, not easy to take a picture of). I assume this has been done to block the use of the Mains out socket - my question is why? The amp has been sold to the scandinavian market, and is marked accordingly, if that has something to do with it (regulations etc). Is it possible to use this socket, or should i just use two separate mains cables for the power and pre? The power amp is also for the scandinavian and does not have the same blocking - but I am correct in assuming that i should use the mains out on the pre to interconnect with the power? Hope someone is able to answer these questions, I dont know much about these things.


Edit: I seem to trigger some kind of spam filter when i try to link the image. Will try another solution
 
Mains out only legal in some countries, and not in UK currently. It was a useful feature in the '60s but you can work out the dangers for yourself!
 
Thank you for the reply. Then I’ll just use two main leads. Seems anyway difficult to remove the plastic pin blocking the outlet without dismantling it.
 
TBH Provided the socket contacts are suitably guarded in some way I'm not sure why this is thought to be worse than simple mains distribution boards. They are handy on a preamp which will be used with a power amp. FWIW I put three of them on the 700 preamp!
 
I can't understand why an IEC socket would be a problem-the old 2 pin sockets yes I understand given the pins are unguarded.
 
I also had the same problem. I took a socket from an old computer PSU which was the same exactly.
The plastic pin is present on my two 34 preamps, one from the UK and one from France.
 
I recall that after I had purchased new Quad 34/306/FM4 units one Saturday in '92, I had a problem with the 'outlet' sockets on the 34 which resolved itself by the 'shutters' on the sockets disintegrating after a couple of attempts to insert one of the supplied IEC leads.
I contacted Quad via 'phone the following week and was told that it was due to a batch of 'incompatable' IEC leads, most of which had been subsequently 'withdrawn'. Quad offered to replace both the sockets and leads for me F.O.C..
As the outlet sockets were 'female' IEC sockets, I decided not to replace them as they were working minus the 'bits' of plastic which I had removed following their 'disintegration.
The 3 units plus the dedicated Quad stand remained in use for several years both here and in Holland until I later sold them (mistakenly) in 2010.

Regards
Mike Kelshaw
 
OOPs - With regard to my post above - there may have been a 'momentary lapse of reason' - I may have been incorrect in stating that the sockets were actually 'female' - the intervening years have definitely not improved my memory.
Given my regret in selling the originals, since 2015 I have been replacing / collecting other refurbished Quad units to use in a 2nd 'vintage' system.

Regards
Mike Kelshaw
 
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