Outlet shoot out


OK I am doing new outlets this month. What to use?? Standard issue Hubbel hospital grades? PS Audio? FIM? other?? what do you use and why? what else did you try? There have been a few threads on outlets but I don't recall seeing one comparing them, also perhaps a different outlet for amps and sources, anyone try that? This is a relatively cheap tweak(expensive outlets are under $100) and about time I tried it! Thanks for any input.
~Tim
tireguy

Showing 3 responses by bob_bundus

there's also a new cryo treated outlet from Virtual Dynamics which I'm curious about.
Myself I went from stock, to Hubbel, to the Wattagate 381, with improvement in each step-up. Agree that it would be really interesting to compare these to Ultimate Outlet & FIM, etc. May be system dependent; why not - practically everything else is?
I guess it's just my own rig then, but break in of AC components hasn't really been very much of an issue here; most upgrade cords that I've used haven't changed very noticably when broken in, excepting the Virtual Dynamics Signature, which although already cryo'd did improve considerably over the first couple of weeks use.
This Wattagate 381 outlet has only been in use for 2 weeks now, and although it sounds fantastic from day one, it has either improved somewhat more over time or maybe it's me still getting accustomed to the overall sonic improvements. Over the past weekend I sat spellbound & glued to the sofa with remote controls in hand, not being able to stop myself from listening over several hours duration. This hasn't happened in over 4 years, so I know I'm finally getting closer to nirvana. If this gets any better over time I'll be all the happier still. It's as if this outlet has enhanced the effects of all the other tweaks already in place; it's finally all come together.
FYI: I use the Wattagate 381 outlet terminating a single 10awg solid copper spiral twisted dedicated line; at the source is a vintage household fusebox with a ceramic 30A edison base fuse.
Over the holiday I backtracked a bit in order to make a comparison. Without going all the way back to the stock outlet & 20A Hubbel, I did temporarily reinstall the Leviton 20A industrial outlet that I had been using previously to the Wattgate (also made by Leviton). After listening for awhile (I didn't previously recall there being such a huge difference between the two) the difference is even bigger than I had remembered.
Basically the Wattgate is just *so* much quieter: with better definition & separation between musical instruments & without the low level grunge & glare that almost sounded like enhanced HF detail (until I got used to not hearing that). However the most noticable & readily apparent difference is in bass authority: the Wattagate outlet really provides more slam, dynamics, even overall PRaT is much improved.
Yes $150 sounds like a lot for an outlet, but it's a cheap improvement sounding more on the level of a major component upgrade. Get a hold of one of these by all means - very highly recommended.

Now my next question regarding outlets.
What happens if I change the outlets in my Chang Lightspeed line conditioners?
Presently appears that they have Hubbel hospital outlets from the factory; after the Wattagate experience I'd be tempted to find out, but I'd need five @ $149; at list that's $750!

Maybe the Purist's etc would make more sense there, at least economically if not sonically?
Only one way to find out for sure - now where's my screwdriver?