How important is it to replace your generic receptacles with audio grade receptacles . I already replaced my stock power cords to high end Shunyatas. Would it still be necessary to still change my generic receptacles to audio grade?
“I recently replaced my old $5 hospital grade outlets with $100 Oyaide R1's and replaced my old dedicated line comprised of 13 ga Romex with cryo'ed 10. The improvement; minimal. “
Uggghhhh!!!! THIS is testament to the ridiculousness of the pursuit of hifi from power cables. First, there is no such thing as “13 ga Romex”. Second, we are talking about alternating current at 60Hz, which is filtered for high frequency transients, then stepped down on the order of 5:1 then rectified and filtered again, then regulated and filtered once yet again.
As long as you are not experiencing a significant I*R voltage drop across a puny 18 AWG power cord and 59 cent duplex receptacle with backstab connections to your amplifiers, you have more than sufficient energy transfer at your amplifiers(‘) disposal to maximize their design potential.
Please people, don’t buy into the mythical notions that a rhodium plated silver power cord (or some other cockamamie bulls@$&t) is going to revolutionize your listening experience with “blacker blacks” or other nonsense. It is simply and purely a function of the amplifier, not the power cord.
sleepwalker, I couldn't disagree more. I suspect your system or hearing isn't up to the task. Because of that, nobody else's is either. To use your words... What "cockamamie bulls@$&t".
People, if you were Electronics Engineers, you would understand what I’m telling you. Granted that not everyone has a degree in Electronics Engineering, but that doesn’t mean that they have license to shove down everyone’s throats their own made up theories taking some kind of superior position over the likes of Georg Ohm, James Watt, Heinrich Hertz, Nikola Tesla, Alessandro Volta, Michael Faraday, Albert Einstein et al.
The improvements in sound quality that you are experiencing are simply the result of maximizing the potential energy transfer to your amplifiers. That plateau is easily achieved with spec grade or hospital grade receptacles that are property wired to your (14 AWG or 12 AWG) romex branch circuit, and making sure your amplifiers have no lighter than 14AWG power cords.
By the way, I own a pair of NAD integrated amplifiers (3020i and 3225PE) in a bi-amp setup to my Energy Reference Connoisseur speakers. Speaker cables are 8ft Monster Standard 12AWG with Monster QL-GMT banana plugs. My source is a Technics SL-1700mk2 that I restored myself with an Audio Technica VM540ML Line contact moving magnet cartridge and fully balanced connection to the turntable with Belden Brilliance 1696A AES/EBU cable with Neutrik XLR connectors. My phono stage is a NAD PP2 with my own 2 Amp regulated 24Vdc power supply and Burson V6 Classic discrete op-amps.
The insults from some members are probably a reflection of insecurity that stems from lack of understanding how power supplies and amplifiers really work. The laws of physics cannot be subverted by anything, let alone magic pixie dust sprinkled to obtain imaginary improvements in sound quality.
I’m not here to belittle anyone. Insults and behaviour such as some members have demonstrated is the downfall of social media, and only makes a mockery of this forum. To those people I say - go ahead and keep it up if you want. That is your prerogative. Not mine.
Your insults are probably a reflection of insecurity that stems from lack of understanding how power supplies and amplifiers really work. People, the laws of physics cannot be subverted by anything, let alone magic pixie dust sprinkled to obtain imaginary improvements in sound quality.
I’m not here to belittle anyone. Insults and behaviour such as some members have demonstrated is the downfall of social media, and only makes a mockery of this forum. To those people I say - go ahead and keep it up if you want. That is your prerogative. Not mine.
>>>>>Thanks for showing some restraint by not belittling or mocking anyone. 😬 And we applaud your defense of social media.
To answer your question - yes you will hear a significant improvement in the music your system plays when you upgrade the wall outlet. It is simply that simple. Since this will be your first experience with this part of the audio reproduction chain, buy an outlet that you can return if you do not think the change is significant, or watch the used listings here at Audiogon and buy a used outlet that you can resell if you choose to do so. Elizabeth has done a lot of critical listening with the Furutch outlets and I have done the same with Furutech and Synergistic Research outlets. These outlets impart a significant improvement to a system.
I do hope you you will give audio grade outlets a try.
sleepy, A couple things: "
The laws of physics haven’t changed since the 80’s" Agreed, however power cord, interconnect, speaker wire, & audiophile outlets have. "
The insults from some members are probably a reflection of insecurity that stems from lack of understanding how power supplies and amplifiers really work" Or (try to think outside of yourself for a minute)... They are probably just tired of being told what they are actually hearing is not reality because another professor or engineer has been taught this by like minded professors or engineers that read all the facts required for audiophiles to understand from books that are really really old written by men who never heard recorded music at a level that even approaches the lower fringes of high fidelity.
Well boxer, you laid out quite a stereotype at the same time as attempting to depreciate the works of many brilliant scientists who individually forgot more than a thousand average people combined will ever know. Believe what you want, and I will believe in the science that explains how every modern convenience we enjoy today actually works.
So...on the one hand we have an audiophile with an engineering degree in the science that is critical in the creation of the equipment we all love; who understands why and how electrical energy helps turn recorded media into beautiful music and is able to articulate his point clearly.
On the other hand...we have an audiophile whose apartment is filled with ultra-expensive AC plugs (many still "burning-in" via the refrigerator) whose credentials are merely the pair of ears we all possess.
You cannot eclipse reality by throwing a bunch of money at a receptical...no matter how badly you want it to work.
Well said dynaquest4. The joy of listening and experimenting can be a wonderful pursuit. I just think that too often people are being taken advantage of.
"
I just think that too often people are being taken advantage of."
Do you think it is your mission to denounce cable upgrades, outlets and the like to save us from ourselves? You do know it is a tired argument at best.
Dill asked: “Do you think it is your mission to denounce cable upgrades, outlets and the like to save us from ourselves? You do know it is a tired argument at best.”
Well since you are asking, it is my mission to educate people so they can be more informed consumers. No apology if that makes you feel inadequate. And please, if you are going to be critical, be accurate. I have promoted optimization, but not to excess. Somewhere in discussing this topic, fact must be separated from fiction. For instance, there was somebody going on about his 13AWG Romex - and anybody that’s even remotely aware of household wiring will tell you that there is no such thing as 13AWG Romex - people who make things up sometimes fool others who are less informed. So if that happens, I will gladly be the voice of reason to set things straight. You can choose to be part of the problem or part of the solution. Why you insist on not being part of the solution mystifies me.
The problem is optimization beyond the point of excess, where some consumers are brainwashed into spending hundreds of dollars on power cables with unsubtantiable qualities. If you don’t see anything wrong with that, fine. But I do, and I will speak up.
This thread reads like a comedy gone bad. Anyone with an inkling of how this stuff works would spend a half an hour rolling around laughing on the floor.
It is very unfortunate that some members of this forum insist on being disrespectful and unreasonable when presented with facts. It is to everyone’s disadvantage when a few people spoil what is otherwise a good opportunity to learn and support each other. If common sense and decency does not characterize the administration of this forum, I suspect that I’ll be removed. If that happens, I will not be disappointed in myself, as I have been welcoming to those who have been polite and courteous. I will however miss the lost opportunity to openly discuss topics here about one of my favourite hobbies.
You have been very polite, sleepwalker. And, in reply, you have today been called washed out, a clown, sad, pathetic and disgusting. A reply that includes personal attacks and sophomoric name calling immediately loses all credibility. Not sure why anyone on this forum needs to resort to that.
And, I agree with you. Readers of this forum have a right to be freely exposed to both sides of an issue without having to tolerate useless, demeaning banter.
sleepy says"it is very unfortunate that some members of this forum insist on being disrespectful and unreasonable when presented with facts" What facts have you presented? Have you ever tried an audiophile outlet? If not, I'm really not seeing anything remotely scientific about your facts to disprove they can improve ones system. Perhaps you should get together with your peer review board
(dyna & logluvr) & discuss what you hear after performing this experiment. Until then, you're really just going off of a theory, or worse (gasp)... an opinion.
i'm not sure what the regs are in the USA but in Canada the 15 and 20 amp outlets are different and you can not plug a 20 amp plug into a 15 amp receptacle as the prongs are different. 15 amp both prongs are vertical with the round ground prong bottom center. 20 amp have one prong vertical and the other horizontal and the ground bottom center. you can also get locking receptacles and plugs that rotate to lock in place they are different again but maybe an interesting upgrade as they don't come loose unless you rotate them.
to be honest just pulling your plugs and re-plugging them from time to time makes a difference. It cleans the contact area. I'm sure a lot of what people think they hear as a difference is in actual fact just a reseat of the plug making better contact when they pull them out to re install new upgraded plugs sockets etc.
How do you people deal with vibrating wires in the wall ? You think it's nothing ? There is an external vibration and vibration created by the current. Just don't respond to pseudo-scientists and they'll give up. Everything makes a difference, only questions are to what degree, what exactly and if you can hear it. I once polished the blades with Flitz, didn't hear a difference. Clean all connectors with Kontak once a year - hear a difference. I must get that Furutech, gold I think. But then I will want to upgrade the power cord from the wall. Damn. The cord is quite good, by the way.
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