NWR:Hi-Fi advice

Tom et al
I've taken a blurry picture of the lead with my mobile phone. How do I upload it onto the forum? Sorry for asking but I've never done this before!

David, when you reply to this message you will note a button 'upload file' at the bottom of the area where you type. As long as the photo is on the same device, just browse to the photo and upload it. It will then ask if you want to display it as a thumbnail image or full size image. Choose full size.
 
David, when you reply to this message you will note a button 'upload file' at the bottom of the area where you type. As long as the photo is on the same device, just browse to the photo and upload it. It will then ask if you want to display it as a thumbnail image or full size image. Choose full size.

Right, let's see if this works.audio plug.jpg
 
OK, I managed to do that. I hope the photo is clear enough. To recap, you can see that plastic tongue or whatever it's called that prevents the plug from attaching to the extension block. Is there an extension block available that would permit this? I've not found one.
 
Great David, but sorry to same I'm no further forward in being able to offer a solution. Maybe try to sign up for a hifi or electronics forum and see if anyone can advise? I know it would be shut because of Covid at the moment anyway, but we will miss Maplin - it would have been the place for advice.
 
Alex The cables are attached internally to the CD player and other components, so I cannot replace them. Obviously, replacing the plugs would be an option but I am not capable of doing this; I have no expertise in these matters and would probably electrocute myself.

If anyone is willing to come round my home and do this for me, I will treat them to a good bottle of wine and a blast of Wagner. Failing that, I'll follow Tom's advice and see if anyone on a hi-fi forum can help.
Thanks for your suggestions, everyone.
 
So are you saying that the old power block had sockets with notches to match your kettle leads? You've had to replace the power block, but can't find one with the notched sockets? If I were in London...

Yes, that's it. Your hot connectors would be a solution. I might ask on a hi-fi forum if anyone knows of a suitable power block.
 
Alex

I'd need 5 sockets, plus the one for the mains cable. The previous power block was supplied or purchased when I bought my hi-fi back in 1993! Perhaps this style was more common then.

I might ask a hi-fi shop or forum if they know where I can get one.
 
Further to the above, I've asked a hi-hi retailer and a hi-fi users' website and the consensus is that I should replace these plugs with standard 3-pin plugs, or the plugs that
I suspect the reason that it’s hard to find the kettle lead power block is that the socket is designed for high power appliances that shouldn’t be split in such a way. Mike’s advice to attach 13A mains plugs (or notchless C14 plugs) is probably the easiest option, if the cables are captive.

for example https://cpc.farnell.com/bulgin/px0686/free-plug-rewireable-straight/dp/CN09937?mckv=sjAtkfCaW_dm|pcrid|224645161149|kword||match||plid||slid||product|CN09937|pgrid|45968746254|ptaid|pla-891004623282|&CMP=KNC-GUK-CPC-SHOPPING&gclid=CjwKCAjwtqj2BRBYEiwAqfzur-QMbcjdrTBrZS6NMEya4AhiXm_BxOSA9hFhcDNV04GJjF4esYJazhoC43cQAvD_BwE

I've asked a hi-fi retailer and a hi-fi website. They've both advised that I should replace my plugs either with 13A mains plugs, or with notchless C14 plugs such as the ones shown by your link.

Would either solution be better than the other? Why fit 13A plugs when there are only two wires in the cable?
 
I think the normal reason for having kettle lead type connectors (C14) is that they're more compact. If there's space, I'd definitely go for normal 13A plugs - they're just easier to deal with!

I'm surprised that ALL the leads are captive - particularly on the CD player.
 
I think David has had these for a while.
Thinking back to my early hi fi system it was much more common to have captive leads - even on things like tape recorders (remember those?) which got moved a lot.
 
I remember that some of my tape recorders which had captive cables also had a compartment into which you could put the cable while transporting them (which I did quite a lot at one time). Unfortunately some of these were sized to suit the smaller European style mains plugs and didn’t work so well when you had put a 13A plug on...
 
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