Does this cable plug exist?

[Audioaddict]

Hi All,
I was advised by another forum member to ask for your help in this forum & I am so delighted that such a forum as this exists!
I acquired a vintage Ortofon KS601 stereo amplifier which doesn't have the mains cable female plug. I've tried everywhere I could think of without any results!

The specs of the original socket are as follows;

Flange diameter - 40 mm
Mounting hole cut-out Diameter - 30 mm
Mounting hole distance - 27mm
Socket: length - 27 mm
width - 17 mm
Pin outer edge gap distance -12 mm
Pin height - 4 mm

It is definitely neither an IEC nor American as neither of them fit! This looks more akin to the sockets fitted in old European electric kettles!

Does anyone know of or have any idea as to what type plug this is or can you suggest another "male" panel socket & a cable plug for this in the same dimensions?

For Panel/chassis mounting
Flange diameter - 40 mm
Mounting hole cut-out Diameter - 30 mm
Mounting screw hole distance - 27mm

It doesn't matter if it's 2 or 3 pins, but should fit the above measurements.
I'd be very grateful if anyone of you can give me any leads as to where I can get/buy this or a suitable replacement.

Thank you.

[turretslug]

There is a version of the standard IEC C14 male panel inlet that has it's fixing flanges at right angles to the "usual" type but not sure off the top of my head if it has 27mm mounting screw spacing. It also looks as if the 2-pole connector used on some older Studer/Revox kit is suitable for the existing inlet but this is a scarce and sought-after item.

[Michael Maurice]

Try this

[Tractorfan]

Hi,
It looks vaguely like the connector on an old French sewing machine I'm repairing. I might have a spare, which I'll measure up when I get ten minutes to myself.
Cheers, Pete.

[Audioaddict]

Thank you all for your super quick response to my plight! Michael maurice, your link looked very promising, however, I remeasured the "male chassis socket & the pins are unfortunately much smaller! However, I'm not sure if this would fit the plug or not! I've redrawn the picture from the link you've given & would be grateful if you'd just have a look & tell me if this would be ok or not.

Thanks

[Audioaddict]

Yes, this may well be the correct plug after all! Thank you indeed Michael Maurice for this vital tip! The cable male plug actually looks like this.

Thanks & greetings

[Michael Maurice]

I've measured the Revox connector.

The distance between the pins is 12mm as per your first diagram.

The width is 11mm as per both diagrams

The length is just over 20mm as per your second diagram

[Nicklyons2]

I believe that what you need is the almost obsolete IEC C9/C10 connector. As said above they were used on some sewing machines, Revoxs and a range of 'midis' amongst other things. Have a look at this link

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEC_60320

They can be found in the UK but often at ridiculous cost (for what they are), around £15 usually from music shops due to the midi use.

Nick

[Audioaddict]

Yes, I think you guys are right! I am quite certain it's a C9 plug! I've combed the web, but couldn't find anything else that comes even remotely close to this C9/C10 plug/socket combo!

Here is what is written in "Wikipedia" about C9/C10 socket-plug & I quote;

"Not polarized. This kind of coupler is used by Roland Corporation for a couple of synthesizer and drum computer models (for example: TR-909) and by Revox for many older models of their HiFi equipment (for example, A76, A77, A78, B77, B225). Was also used heavily on Marantz Hifi equipment in the 1980s and 1990s" end quote.

I found a few on e-Bay...but the prices do vary from £9,95 to £15,00! Well, nothing ventured nothing gained. So, I will order one & let you know whether it fits or not.

Just one more thing that's nagging me; there's only an earth/ground wire screwed to the bottom cover/chassis & no GROUND through the mains cable!. Is this safe & adequate? It's been a very long time since I had done any work on "tube" gear, hence quite rusty!

Thank you everyone for your help! Great forum too!

[Tractorfan]

Hi,
I've got an unearthed transistorised Pioneer amp with a screw terminal on the back. It was used to connect the chassis ground from the turntable, while the signal ground was through the phono plugs.
Cheers, Pete.

[Nickthedentist]

This is a grey area!

Your Ortofon was designed not to require a safety ground, hence the 2-core connector.

Modern gear with 2-core mains leads is "double insulated" which means it's very unlikely indeed to fail in such a way that the metal casing becomes live.

Your amp may have had top-notch insulation when it was new, but it's about 50 years old now, so this may no longer be the case.

If it were mine, I think I would add a safety earth, but do it in such a way that it's reversible, so that its originality isn't spoiled. Probably the best way of doing that is by mounting a modern 3-way socket (the C6 type you get on laptop power supplies would be ideal) on a piece of Paxolin or sheet aluminium, screwed to the chassis in place of the original connector, the latter being stored safely so that it could be reinstated by a future custodian.

But many people here will find this offensive and would prefer to use the unit as it is. If you choose this route, I'd be tempted to use and RCD plug to give you protection against serious shocks.

Nick.

[Audioaddict]

Excellent suggestion! But as you've wisely pointed out this may well drastically reduce it's "vintage" value! An other alternative could be to fit a modern 3 pin IEC male socket on similar a suitable flanged plate & then incorporate a toggle switch or change between a 2 & 3 core cable! Dum idea no?

[G8UWM-MildMartin]

If it isn't the type already suggested, might it be this type?
http://www.radio-antigua.com/index.p...75A_03_LRG.JPG

[dseymo1]

Originally Posted by Audioaddict

An other alternative could be to fit a modern 3 pin IEC male socket on similar a suitable flanged plate & then incorporate a toggle switch or change between a 2 & 3 core cable! Dum idea no?

I'd do the same, but why fit a switch? Just decide whether to earth or not. Unless you specifically want a socket, a captive cable fed through a gland might be easiest. You could use an existing internal screw as an earthing point, and the modification would then be completely reversible. I'd try to find another internal screw which could be used to hold the old connector for storage within the unit, so it wouldn't be lost.

[Audioaddict]

Originally Posted by G8UWM-MildMartin

If it isn't the type already suggested, might it be this type?
http://www.radio-antigua.com/index.p...75A_03_LRG.JPG

It could just be the same thing, but an older version perhaps? I've already ordered one from e-bay.

Originally Posted by dseymo1

I'd do the same, but why fit a switch? Just decide whether to earth or not. Unless you specifically want a socket, a captive cable fed through a gland might be easiest. You could use an existing internal screw as an earthing point, and the modification would then be completely reversible.

Yes, a switch perhaps is unneccessary? Well, I could ground the mains panel earth socket pin permanently to the chassis & then could use either a 2 or 3 core lead as situation demands?

[Nicklyons2]

Why not just use an earth wire to the screw terminal and wire it to the earth on a mains plug EITHER cut off the 2 pole plug on the C9 IEC lead and wire up the 3 ends to a 3 pole plug OR, use a 2 way adaptor at the mains socket and plug the C9 lead into 1 way and wire up the earth wire only to a 3 pole plug and put it in the other 'way'. Further, if this amp is connected to an earthed turntable then, when you connect up the chassis 'ground' from the turntable this will also earth the amp. Too many 'earths' and you may end up complaining you've got hum loops.

I hate captive mains leads; you trip over them when moving equipment around; they are a nuisance if you have to fit the equipment into a cabinet - having to thread the cable through plug end first. If you must fit a new earthed connector (personally I wouldn't) and given that you have a circular cutout, may I suggest the smaller of the Bulgin round mains connectors - I know these are semi obsolescent themselves, but they are still obtainable and buy one and a spare.

http://www.bulgin.co.uk/Products/Gen...onnectors.html

[Audioaddict]

I think we are both basically saying the same thing aren't we? I didn't mean a permanent or a "captive lead",just the panel socket ground pin permanently screwed on t the chassis & then use either a 2 or 3 core mains plug/cable as required. In this way one would have better flexibility!

I'd test the amp 1st to make sure that it still works after 25+ years before doing mods or making any changes.

[Grundig nut]

Hello everyone,

Audioaddict - so did the plug fit? Right now I am dealing with the same problem, I think - I bought a beaten-up Uher 22 Special, but it has no cord. The socket looks like this.
Thanks

[Grundig nut]

Hi all,

Problem solved! I've found the right connector (pure luck, came across it accidentally while browsing an auction site). Here in Czech Republic it is called the 5815 plug, it seems to be even more obsolete and obscure than the IEC C9.

The C9 connector will probably not fit the socket of the Ortofon above, the same way it didn't fit my UHER (see video link below). I ordered the C9 cable before I got the 5815, unfortunately, but this way I was able to compare them side by side.

Here's the full Flickr album documenting my findings: https://www.***********/photos/132762...h/24745170031/

and here's a video I made comparing the C9 and the 5815: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5ughAcrZEo

Hope this will be of use to someone.