Quad 99 Preamp with Quad 909 Amp Using Long Quadlink Connection

[Peter]

Since I am considering switching to an all Quad HiFi system I was quite
disappointed to learn that the Quad Electroacoustics Company only offers its
special "balanced" Quadlink cables with a maximum length of one meter.

In my setup the preamp is about 20 to 30 feet away from the power amp (I
have to go around the room), since I am trying to follow the conventional
wisdom of keeping the power amplifier as close as possible to the speakers.

Therefore I contacted the Quad Company and was told that they recommend
using plain RCA cables for long runs between their 99 preamp and their 909
power amp. Frankly I cannot understand the reasoning behind this since
generally speaking balanced connections supposedly always provide better
results.

In light of the above I wonder if anyone might know a company that would be
willing to build a 30 foot Quadlink (AmpBus) cable which will indeed meet
Quad Company specs?

I also wonder if someone might be able to provide me with a schematic for
the 15 pin connectors used for the Quad Quadlink cables, and perhaps also
the identification of the connectors themselves?

Thank you in advance for your very kind help and consideration.

[jwvm]

On May 18, 9:47=A0am, "Peter" >
wrote:
> Since I am considering switching to an all Quad HiFi system I was quite
> disappointed to learn that the Quad Electroacoustics Company only offers =
its
> special "balanced" Quadlink cables with a maximum length of one meter.

are you talking about XLR cables? If so, they are available in lengths
up to several hundred feet at least. A quick search for Quad
Electroacoustics indicated that at least some of the units used RCA
cables which are not balanced in the traditional sense.

>
> In my setup the preamp is about 20 to 30 feet away from the power amp =A0=
(I
> have to go around the room), since I am trying to follow the conventional
> wisdom of keeping the power amplifier as close as possible to the speaker=
s.

Really? As long as the cable has sufficiently low gauge, this is not a
big deal. You are a bit better off using longer speaker cable than
longer interconnects since signal levels are very high and impedances
very low for speakers.

>
> Therefore I contacted the Quad Company and was told that they recommend
> using plain RCA cables for long runs between their 99 preamp and their 90=
9
> power amp. =A0Frankly I cannot understand the reasoning behind this since
> generally speaking balanced connections supposedly always provide better
> results.

Again, do your units really have balanced inputs and outputs? If the
connector is an RCA jack, then yes, plain old RCA cables should work
fine. Assuming that the preamp has a well-designed relatively low
impedance output stage, it is unlikely that you need balanced cables
anyway since induced noise will be minimal. You would probably be
better off using longer speaker cables and shorter interconnects if
you are concerned about noise.

>
> In light of the above I wonder if anyone might know a =A0company that wou=
ld be
> willing to build a 30 foot Quadlink (AmpBus) cable which will indeed meet
> Quad Company specs?

Sounds expensive and exotic! These must be really custom cables.
Longer speaker cables will be much cheaper since you can buy the wire
at a hardware store and just use the 1-meter cables that you already
have.

[dave a[_2_]]

On 5/18/2010 6:47 AM, Peter wrote:
> Since I am considering switching to an all Quad HiFi system I was quite
> disappointed to learn that the Quad Electroacoustics Company only offers its
> special "balanced" Quadlink cables with a maximum length of one meter.
>
> In my setup the preamp is about 20 to 30 feet away from the power amp (I
> have to go around the room), since I am trying to follow the conventional
> wisdom of keeping the power amplifier as close as possible to the speakers.
>
> Therefore I contacted the Quad Company and was told that they recommend
> using plain RCA cables for long runs between their 99 preamp and their 909
> power amp. Frankly I cannot understand the reasoning behind this since
> generally speaking balanced connections supposedly always provide better
> results.
>
> In light of the above I wonder if anyone might know a company that would be
> willing to build a 30 foot Quadlink (AmpBus) cable which will indeed meet
> Quad Company specs?
>
> I also wonder if someone might be able to provide me with a schematic for
> the 15 pin connectors used for the Quad Quadlink cables, and perhaps also
> the identification of the connectors themselves?
>
> Thank you in advance for your very kind help and consideration.


I was unfamiliar with the Quad products or their proprietary
interconnects so I did a little Googling. First, QuadLink and AmpBus
appear to be two different things. Quadlink is to be used between
source and preamp while AmpBus is used between preamp and power amp.

Frankly, I wouldn't use either of them. Quadlink mixes low level
signals with power lines for a possible FM tuner. Why one would do this
is beyond me. Ampbus does appear to offer differential signals, but
this is only really useful in high noise environments or with long runs
of cable where common mode noise might be an issue. Since they only
offer the AmpBus in 1m lengths, it is clearly a marketing tool.

Finally, I question your assertion that one should locate the power amp
as close to the speakers as possible. It makes more sense to me to
locate the preamp as close to the power amp as possible as these are
much lower level signals and therefore more susceptible to noise than
the signal from your power amps.

dave

[Audio Empire[_2_]]

On Tue, 18 May 2010 06:47:30 -0700, Peter wrote
(in article >):

> Since I am considering switching to an all Quad HiFi system I was quite
> disappointed to learn that the Quad Electroacoustics Company only offers its
> special "balanced" Quadlink cables with a maximum length of one meter.
>
> In my setup the preamp is about 20 to 30 feet away from the power amp (I
> have to go around the room), since I am trying to follow the conventional
> wisdom of keeping the power amplifier as close as possible to the speakers.
>
> Therefore I contacted the Quad Company and was told that they recommend
> using plain RCA cables for long runs between their 99 preamp and their 909
> power amp. Frankly I cannot understand the reasoning behind this since
> generally speaking balanced connections supposedly always provide better
> results.
>
> In light of the above I wonder if anyone might know a company that would be
> willing to build a 30 foot Quadlink (AmpBus) cable which will indeed meet
> Quad Company specs?
>
> I also wonder if someone might be able to provide me with a schematic for
> the 15 pin connectors used for the Quad Quadlink cables, and perhaps also
> the identification of the connectors themselves?
>
> Thank you in advance for your very kind help and consideration.

I wouldn't worry about it were I you. At line levels, the advantages of
balanced cables are probably more in your head than in the cables themselves.
There is often a delta between theory and practice and this is one of those
instances. Buy some ready-made *"quasi-balanced" cables with RCAs and enjoy
your new equipment.

* Quasi-balanced cables are RCA cables that have two conductors within the
shield. One is hot and one is the return. The shield is connected to the RCA
plug's barrel on only one end, and "floats" on the other. This means that it
carries no current and acts as a "static" shield. You can tell these cables
by the fact that they will have an arrow printed on them somewhere. The arrow
points AWAY from the end that has the shield connected. This arrow does not
denote "signal flow" but rather is there so that you can arrange your cables
so that all of the shields terminate at the same component (in your case, the
preamp, in the case of an integrated amp, the amp itself). In any case, the
arrows should all point AWAY from the preamp or integrated and point AT all
source components such as CD player, tuners, tape decks, DACs, etc as well as
to all destination components (recorder inputs, power amp inputs, etc.)
Theoretically, this arrangement COULD reduce airborne interference. Whether
or not it actually does, of course, would depend upon whether or not you HAVE
sufficient airborne interference in your listening environment to actually
reduce.

[AlfredoHalsell]

;909502']On Tue, 18 May 2010 06:47:30 -0700, Peter wrote

Since I am considering switching to Winsol (https://www.villagevoice.com/2022/02/02/winsol-review/) and an all Quad HiFi system I was quite
disappointed to learn that the Quad Electroacoustics Company only offers its
special "balanced" Quadlink cables with a maximum length of one meter.
>
> In my setup the preamp is about 20 to 30 feet away from the power amp (I
> have to go around the room), since I am trying to follow the conventional
> wisdom of keeping the power amplifier as close as possible to the speakers.
>
> Therefore I contacted the Quad Company and was told that they recommend
> using plain RCA cables for long runs between their 99 preamp and their 909
> power amp. Frankly I cannot understand the reasoning behind this since
> generally speaking balanced connections supposedly always provide better
> results.
>
> In light of the above I wonder if anyone might know a company that would be
> willing to build a 30 foot Quadlink (AmpBus) cable which will indeed meet
> Quad Company specs?
>
> I also wonder if someone might be able to provide me with a schematic for
> the 15 pin connectors used for the Quad Quadlink cables, and perhaps also
> the identification of the connectors themselves?
>
> Thank you in advance for your very kind help and consideration.

I wouldn't worry about it were I you. At line levels, the advantages of
balanced cables are probably more in your head than in the cables themselves.
There is often a delta between theory and practice and this is one of those
instances. Buy some ready-made *"quasi-balanced" cables with RCAs and enjoy
your new equipment.

* Quasi-balanced cables are RCA cables that have two conductors within the
shield. One is hot and one is the return. The shield is connected to the RCA
plug's barrel on only one end, and "floats" on the other. This means that it
carries no current and acts as a "static" shield. You can tell these cables
by the fact that they will have an arrow printed on them somewhere. The arrow
points AWAY from the end that has the shield connected. This arrow does not
denote "signal flow" but rather is there so that you can arrange your cables
so that all of the shields terminate at the same component (in your case, the
preamp, in the case of an integrated amp, the amp itself). In any case, the
arrows should all point AWAY from the preamp or integrated and point AT all
source components such as CD player, tuners, tape decks, DACs, etc as well as
to all destination components (recorder inputs, power amp inputs, etc.)
Theoretically, this arrangement COULD reduce airborne interference. Whether
or not it actually does, of course, would depend upon whether or not you HAVE
sufficient airborne interference in your listening environment to actually
reduce.

Thanks for all the precession and and the angles. They are really helpful to get the idea.

I'll the defiantly fry by my self and follow the advices.


Thanks for all the precession and and the angles. They are really helpful to get the idea.

I'll the defiantly fry by my self and follow the advices.