I looked at a number outlet reviews online. Just like interconnects and power cords, there are a lot of different opinions about which is the best. (And, of course, there are always those who will say none of them make any difference at all even though they never tried anything themselves.)
In the end, I went with the Cruze Maestro based on both reviews and price. I wanted something I could return if it didn’t work and that was under $100. It replaced a 25 year old $3 outlet. Definite improvement in sound! Didn’t compare with anything else so have no idea if anything else would have been better or worse. Most companies have a trial/return so there is not much to lose. Either way an education!
I had the Audioquest outlets and yes good but then replaced with Furutech GTX NCF outlets and while it took 2-3:weeks to break-in the Furutech are simply superior IMO.
The addition of the Audioquest NGR Edison may be, dollar for dollar, the best bang for the buck I've ever spent on my system. I was expecting "something". Wasn't expecting anywhere near the magnitude of sonic improvement they delivered.
Have gone on to place them everywhere that matters in my music and HT systems
+1 wsrrsw: I'm also using the Furutech GTX (NCF) outlets. I tried the PS Audio, Synergistic Research, as well as the Furutech GTX (R) previously. One word of caution regarding Furutech and Oyaide products however. Buy them only from an authorized dealer that you trust. There are many counterfeit ones sold on ebay or Amazon at a discount price. They look like the real thing on the outside. (packaging, logo etc). Inside. they're of ordinary design.
There must be a course out there to use lingo like dimensionality, air/extension, syrupy, to describe sound. Who really talks like that and expects it to mean anything to anybody? I like moronic and that’s not coming out of my speakers…Lol
It is interesting how certain things affect the sound we perceive. I struggle with the use of copper alloys having less than half the conductivity of copper as connectors when audiophiles make such a big deal about OCC vs. OFC wire, which has a conductivity difference of only about 1% IACS. The Furutech GTX-D receptacles use pure copper blades, as does the Cardas receptacle, which may explain why those have been so well received in the audio community for so long. Below is from the Furutech literature:
Of course everyone would love to make pure-copper receptacles, but its malleability – lack of stiffness – makes pure copper a poor choice. That’s why you’ll find less conductive metals such as beryllium copper, phosphor bronze, or brass in some receptacles. Furutech’s intense engineering scrutiny has resulted in an industry-first, a technique allowing us to use special Furutech 24k gold- or rhodium-plated α (Alpha) pure copper conductors strengthened and sprung by our innovative nonmagnetic Stainless Steel Conductor Spring System that keeps a firm grip yet won’t damage male connector blades or their plated surfaces. Even the screw-down pressure plates are curved to maximize contact area. The GTX receptacle can be summed up in a word; virtuoso!
Glad to see how many speak of Oyaide R1s. I bought 2 for my soon to be dedicated AC line. I also got 2 very thick non ferrous faceplates. The R1s and faceplates were about $600 each. And on the recommendation of Joe at the Lotus Group, 50’ of the very special three conductor copper cable. $3300. Waiting on my electrician who will be about another $1K. Hope that the result will be worth it. Seems that since power chords make so much difference, the Oyaide cable will be significant.
I'm using 2 Furutech GTX-D(G) and 1 GTX-D(R). I got a great deal on the set. Paid $265 delivered for all 3 outlets, plus 3 carbon fiber plates, plus 3 GTX outlet frames.
I use the Furutech GTX-D NCF(R) Ultimate Nano-Crystal Rhodium-Plated AC Duplex Receptacle. However, any thing is better and will do better than typical cheap outlets. In other words any good one.
Why? The whole power “chain” is also equipment. Practically all replace power cords. So…..
My house and street has poor dirty power and after attacking that the system got noticeably quieter/blacker/defined.
Running dedicated lines if possible is great but for many of us it starts at the wall. Getting a whole house surge protector is the first thing I’d advise anyone to get.
As expected, there are as many different opinions as there are people. There are those that view the receptacle as the last piece of the electrical supply to your system. If you consider that alternating current electricity does not flow in the way that water flows through a pipe but, more or less just moves back and forth on the wire (I know this is simplistic and I am not an expert on electricity) then the receptacle and/or power cord perhaps should be considered the first component of the power supply to the system (the cord is the first six feet of the power wiring that your system sees not the last six feet of the circuit and it is a circuit not a dead end). Therefore, in this view, the quality and sound characteristics of the receptacle are important enough to be willing to spend money on, at least to those who figure that every single thing matters in the system and can hear the differences.
Now, to narrow the choices you may want to consider what metal is used for the conductor. Is it basic brass or the higher level of brass known as phosphor bronze or pure copper? Each type has its own sound.
Next, do you want any kind of plating and if so what kind? Maybe, you want it to be un-plated? Again, each type of plating has its own sound.
My personal preference is for un-plated pure copper receptacles. I have used the Cruze First Maestro which is some form of brass alloy. To my ear, they are more neutral than plated receptacles but, bare copper sounds even more neutral to me. However, there are variations in the sound of bare copper from one brand to next also.
The Oyaide R-1 has been mentioned which has similar plating to their 004 cord ends.. Oyaide also has the R-0 which is un-plated copper. I have two of the R-0 in my main system. Interestingly, I prefer the Maestro in my second system.
There are many choices out there. You need to try several to figure out what combination of materials fits your preferences and works well with your system just as you have to do with power cords.
Then there is Cryo treatment, a whole 'nother subject.
Starting with a solid foundation is likely the best thing you can do. I wired a group of dedicated circuits into my listening room. Six dedicated circuits. The lines are all exactly the same length and all on the same leg of the breaker box. That is very important to make sure they are all on the same side no difference in potential to ground. I had three of the circuits with hospital grade Hubbell plugs and the other three I had industrial grade levition plugs. Parts connection had a sale of the second best furutech receptacles. I thought I would buy two for the Levenson monoblocks. I had no base in my system and since the room was new I was getting ready to start messing with placement. I wired those single receptacles in two two of the circuits that the amps plugged into. One of my audiofile buddies was over not sure who was more shocked him or me. More bass like way more. Top to bottom more information was coming though smoother every area was better. That replaced the hospital grade plugs except the one I don't use there. On the side wall I had the industrial plugs which were also about six months old my friend said I guess you are going to have to let the moths out of your wallet! Lol. Anyhow I bought the top of the line furutech receptacle one at a time. The first one I put in was for my DAC and transport I have the Sonic frontier transport and DAC three in that room. also a huge difference same thing more of everything. More detail more bass more top to bottom nothing was worse only better way more resolution. I order two more one at a time. Each time things got better my Ayre k1xe was next then the audio research phono stage and Linn. Each time same thing it was huge. If you are going to have more than one if try them one at a time. That way you will not feel so bad if it doesn't do the same thing for you. I have no trouble putting expensive extras in the drawer it I don't like them. As an example I bought one set of feet of silence so glad I only bought one set at a time and a set of discs of silence. Both items are not used and I have tried them in all but my av system I will eventually get there. Now to continue with furutech I decided I would try a set of there IEC and plug ends on one of my power cords. I talked to Chris Johnson before I bought them asked him if he thought I would be better off taking that money with the money I got selling my power cord and getter a way better cord from him or buying the top of the line IEC and plug ends. His answer was with the new ends I am sure you will get another fifteen years of enjoyment out of them with the new plugs. I did the same thing one at a time. At 425 for each end of the powercord I wasn't going to waste more money than one sets worth of cash. Everytime it was stunning the levels of resolution went up and the dynamics improved. I ended up buying a set of plugs for the Levinson 33 monoblocks and wow one last time. Considering that there is an onboard power regeneration in those amps I wondered if I would notice anything and same thing more of everything. Go at it slowly and listen carefully as you go. That way you will be sure you are not wasting your money. Don't forget receptacles are not showy and nobody will see them so nothing to show your friends nothing like a pair of monoblocks to show off with lol. That is what one of the things that I really like about them it just sounds better nothing for show just for listening to. As a side note I have had a half a dozen people come over to listen to my system in my new room two of them left in tears! That is the best review you can get ever. Emotion is one of the main things that I look for In a system as well as timing and resolution. Emotion and timing is what music is in my opinion. Resolution and soundstage makes you feel like the performer is in the room. When you have everything in your system that is reference grade the plugs are a huge improvement. I have started changing them on my Canary tube monoblock system in the upstairs and once again it gets better and better. Piece by piece I will get them all done. Sorry I have not tried any of the other brands there might be more available with them but I am happy with my first choice and have not gone any further. I have tried many different power conditioners over the years and I don't care for any of them. Seem to be Band-Aids to me some things better some things worse. Start with a solid foundation of dedicated circuits and great receptacles go one at a time and listen as you go.
Oyaide R1 is very nice. I tried a number of receptacles with my power conditioner and wall outlets, combo of R1's and PorterPorts is what I ended up with.
I tried a few different outlets in my old PS Audio P600 and then tried them in the wall as well. My P600 came with the orange hospital grade outlets. Originally, I bought an Oyaide SWO-GX and an R1. The gold plated GX was marginally better than the stock outlet but too warm and syrupy for my taste. The R1, however, was a huge improvement over the stock outlet and the GX offering much more detail top to bottom with greater air/extension above, much better dimensionality, and both a more authoritative bass range and greater dynamics and control. I thought the R1 would be my final outlet choice but I tried both the Porter Ports and the Cruze Audio Maestro and these revealed to me the single shortcoming of the R1, that is a slight loss of transparency. Either of these outlets made the R1 sound a bit veiled. I can see how this might not even be noticed in many systems but it's there, if you listen for it. I sold both Oyaide outlets and bought another Porter and Cruze Maestro outlets. I think the Porter might be ever-so-slightly more transparent but the Maestro has the control of the R1 while the Porter seems to lack a bit of control, at least compared to the R1 and the Maestro. The Furutechs may be better but I've never been tempted to experiment further with outlets as the Porters and Cruze's sound excellent in my system and switching around outlets is a PITA.
And don't listen to the naysayers here. An opinion doesn't mean much without direct experience.
I will tell you the $50, or $100 Pangea receptacles are all Copper ,and Gold plated
much heavier built then most even at much more monies and they grip the connectors very good , That be said , fits Equally important to have similar quality
pieces, and make connectors ,for many lesser cables use Brass ,not that great a conductor just loook under metals conductivity chart, Silver if roughly a 67, Copper a 64, Brass maybe a 24. You can spend $300 if you want ,also in your line conditioners many use cheaper Hubble receptacles ,fine for industrial but not Audiophile this creates a resistive Bottleneck Copper+ rhodium ,or Gold , ,look on your interconnects, and speaker cables as well , what’s the point of all quality wire then cheap connectors at the end, it’s like putting cheap tires on a Ferrari.
Just get a standard one and save your $$$s. It will make no difference to the sound. Juice is juice.
And ask the hospitals why they spend money on upgrades - here in UK that's taxpayers' money.
In 70+ years of living I have never had a 'wall receptacle' fail in UK, although the design and construction in US and France leave something do be desired because of their 110 volt systems (France went to 220v a long time ago, but kept the same Mickey Mouse kit).
Hospital grade is as good as it get’s. But wait audio market crap has to be better than outlets supplying electrical to life-support systems etc. ya think ?? It’s the same thinking that puts paste’s, pads, Magic stones, in our MRI machines. Whatever the market will bear, wake up folks !
I have dedicated lines with PS Audio and Furutech wall receptacles. My advice to you is just buy hospital grade. But some hospital grade are better than others. Do a little research. Solid brass contacts etc.. Price will also indicate the good stuff from the great stuff.
If you have some fancy (read: expensive) power conditioner, spending even more money on outlets is pretty silly. If you don't or have an inexpensive power conditioner, it's still silly to think an outlet will change the sound of your system.
I throw audiophile outlets in the same bin as ethernet switches and cable lifters 🙄 I use Hubble hospital grade for a solid connection and that’s as far as I’ll go into that rabbit hole.
OYAIDE SWO-XXX ULTIMO B/P or Oyaide R 1 for less money and less performance. I’ve run both and kept the SWO-XXX. They really do sound different, both markedly improved the sound. I’ve no experience with others mentioned.
The Furutech outlets are nice and Cardas outlets are also supposed to use a copper base For copper on a budget, might also take a look at this one and this one.
But the whole electrical system behind your wall and to the street and to the power company is made of non-audiophile grade equipment. Putting a special outlet at the wall just before your components doesn’t improve anything. It’ll just pass through the noisy electricity that is already there. Fortunately, the engineers that designed your equipment account for this in your devices’ power supplies… where that AC gets converted to DC to power your electronics.
"Hospital grade" is not the equivalent of the higher quality Furutech and Oyaide AC outlets suggested by @ebm and others in this thread. Material choice and level of construction matter.
I also endorse the top of the line Furutech receptacles. I have tried hospital grade and Synergistic Research and although they they were better than the standard home receptacles the Furutech was an immediate and obvious improvement over anything I had tried before.
Hospital grade and hospital grade isn't significantly better than a screw time regular grade (avoid push in type, even if you aren't upgrading). The regular outlets will loosen up with use and hospital grade won't.
there are many audiophiles that feel much better about components with an audiophile brand name on it, thus the rebranded outlets at high prices.
I installed two PS Audio "AV Grade" receptacles when I built my dedicated audio room. I have no idea if they do anything special for the sound as I've never listened to anything else in that room. To be sure, they do grab the plugs tightly. It doesn't hurt that they are finished in a masculine no-nonsense gray.
The Furutech is the best built with the biggest and best contact area there for giving the best sound.Its not cheap put its ell worth it in a high resolution system as I have.
I use the Audioquest NRG Edison receptacle made of beryllium copper. It grips a ton and comes with the cover plate. It is used in conjunction with Audioquest Niagara 1200 and the NRG Z3 power cable. A NRG Thunder power cable is used to connect my class A Amplifier. I stayed with all Audioquest for the synergy. Been using all the above for 2 or 3 years now. Power provided by a dedicated 20 Amp 12 gauge circuit.
Oyaide R1 is what I have. It made a big improvement over the Arrow-Hart hospital grade. That was 15-18 yrs ago though. not sure what is the best. Different strokes for different folks when it comes to electric
@fiesta75Acme Audio is a name I haven't heard in years. I forgot about them.
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