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Review: Porter Port AC Outlet Customized Hubbell 8300 Tweak

Category: Accessories

I continue to be an independent audiophile and have no association with any manufacturer or individuals whatsoever.

I believe all types of stereo equipment, including tweaks of all types, can be system-dependent. In addition, I also think audiophiles are capable of liking different products. Just because I prefer item A and you like item B does not mean one of us is wrong. We can agree to disagree over personal choices. My review is based upon listening results from my tube system and my solid state system.

Over the past several years, I’ve done an extensive amount of listening to my systems using the following outlets:
Wattgate 381 non-cryo’d / cryo’d, FIM non-cryo’d / cryo’d, PS Audio non-cryo’d, Furutech FP-2G non-cryo’d,
Acme Silver plated cryo’d, Leviton 8300 non-cryo’d / cryo’d, Hubbell 8300 non-cryo’d / cryo’d, Hubbell 5362 cryo’d, and the Porter Ports, a special order Hubbell 8300 that has no multi-layered bright nickel plating on the contacts and has the same higher impact resistance thermoplastic polyester face as the Hubbell 8300’s do.

I do very much like the Wattgate 381 and the Furutech FP-2G (both of them are gold plated). In my systems I prefer to save them for special occasions when I desire that special smooth sound for a specific component that requires it. By the way, I don’t recommending cryogenically treating anything that is gold or gold plated. I never heard an improvement. If anything, I’d say it degraded the sound a bit.

While I do hear vast amounts of improvement using all the other cryo’d outlets that I mentioned, I believe the Porter Port edged out all my other outlets. I believe it has something to do with the fact that the contacts are not nickel plated and the outlet is treated by a long computer-controlled cryo immersion as opposed to a long computer-controlled cryo vapor.

Here’s what I heard: All of the well-recorded CD’s I listened to (that I use for demo comparison purposes) sounded as if the volume had been turned up one or two clicks. There was more detail in the lows, mids and highs. I heard a sweeter timbre and background accompaniment. The sound was not harsh, and there is a wider and more dimensional soundstage with a deep, fast bass. There is a very black background that reveals the detail in a very positive manner, even when listening at very quiet levels.

When I received the Porter Ports, I was doubtful that I would hear any change compared to my other cryogenically treated outlets because of the AC power filtration systems that I am currently using. However, I was shocked and surprised by the performance of these outlets. I highly recommend the Porter Ports.

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Showing 4 responses by hdm

hdm
1,056 posts
 
I recently had 3 power cords and some Kimber 8TC cryoed (at a very minimal cost) and the results were truly outstanding and consistent with what is heard with the Porter Ports or a cryoed Hubbell 5262 or 5362. That being said, a properly cryoed non-plated Hubbell is probably the biggest bang for buck in audio today. (The DIY JPS power cord I've been touting might come a close second). If you are not using outlets like this, you simply are not hearing what your system is capable of. If that sounds hyperbolic, so be it. Congratulations WDI!
hdm
1,056 posts
 
Hi Larry: Actually, I got a bit lucky; I ended up phoning a few places locally (London, Ontario) that do metal heat treating, and Bayson Heat Treating had just recently acquired a cryo unit. As I was somewhat familiar with the process, I made sure that it was what I wanted (a vapour cryo as opposed to actual immersion in liquid nitrogen).

The guy that did it for me was extremely careful as 1) they had initially had a problem with the unit with some liquid nitrogen (a few inches) appearing in the unit and 2) I told him that the wiring he was cryoing was fairly expensive.

They had replaced a part on the unit and had no further problems with LN being in the drum at the end of the process, but just to be on the safe side, they now raise everything off the floor of the drum by about 4-5 inches just in case, and he actually only takes things down to around -300F (He showed me the chart on my particular cryo, which was done with some other stuff-non audio-that was being cryoed at the same time, thus keeping the cost very reasonable).

In any event, I probably would not have done it if I had to ship my stuff out to the U.S. and wait 3-4 weeks to get it back; I'd have too much audio/video withdrawl! This worked out tremendously. I simply took the stuff in and picked it up two days later-whole process was about 30-35 hours and the stuff was still a bit cool when I picked it up.

The results on the wire were exactly like those experienced with the cryoed outlets; blacker background combined with much more extension at the frequency extremes, and a much more fleshed out, more detailed and transparent midband with more info. The wires needed to break-in a bit after the cryo as there was a bit of birghtness or edge to them, but they seemed to smooth out fairly quickly (within about 2-3 weeks) and it has been a great success.

I will probably do a few other things in the next few months-want to reterminate my phono cables with Eichmann's and I held off on cryoing the OTA interconnects and power cord I use because I was a bit nervous about them-will probably do all these and a bit more in the coming months when I can get around to it.

Regards

Blake
hdm
1,056 posts
 
Zaikesman: Although I make use of fairly extensive power conditioning in my system, I have done no electrical upgrades or dedicated lines in my house. With respect to placebo, if you are running your entire system off one receptacle, it may (just may) be possible to argue that the placebo effect comes into play with receptacles. As the effects are cumulative, however, I will guarantee that you will hear a substantial improvement in the sound quality of your system by doing the following and incurring a very modest outlay.

I'm assuming you are running your system off between 2 and 5 standard duplexes. Purchase 2-5 stock Hubbell 5262's from an electrical supply house; your cost on this will be between $20 and $50. The 5262 is not a sub-standard outlet; in fact I would argue that, for reasons I won't go into here, it is the best outlet to cryo (along with the 15 amp version of Albert Porter's non-plated 8300) for any audiophile not having equipment with 20 amp male plugs. I'm assuming you have no equipment with 20 amp male plugs.

Replace all of the receptacles at once and you will hear an improvement akin to a major component upgrade. Even without dedicated lines, placebo will not be entering your mind. Your system will sound substantially better. This is with the receptacles fresh out of the box. They will fully break-in over a 4-5 week period and sound even better. You could then go back to your stock receptacles if you wanted. On the other hand, if you like what you then have, you could either 1) pop for cryoed units or 2) cryo the ones you have. I seem to recall you are in the northeastern States and my guess is that you could probably track down relatively easily a company to do the cryo for you at a modest expense (I recently had 3 power cords and two 15 foot runs of Kimber 8TC done for $30). The improvements you will get following the cryo and re-burn-in will approximate further the improvements you got going from the stock house receptacles to the standard Hubbells. They get substantially better with a proper cryo.

I simply offer this up as someone who messed around with about 5 different receptacles over the course of about 18 months. It was a time consuming, pain in the ass kind of experience, but it brought me much better sound. Cryoed Hubbell 5262/5362 or non plated 8200/8300 receptacles are, in my mind, the biggest bang for the buck in audio and absolutely necessary to realize the full potential of your system.

And if I'm wrong, you're out $20-$50 and can replace some worn out receptacles at your house. Good luck.
hdm
1,056 posts
 
Hi Zaikesman: I believe it was me that offered to send you an Arrow Hart 8200 I had kicking around. In any event, what I was getting at in my post with respect to the cumulative effect, and specifically now that I know how your system is configured is that to realize the true potential of a receptacle upgrade you are going to have to change out the receptacles in your API. My system is configured very much like yours with everything drawing off one receptacle at the wall. I use two Innouye line conditioners, one as a dedicated unit for my integrated amplifier, and the other feeding source components, both of these being plugged into the main outlet at the wall. I have, however, replaced all the receptacles in both line conditioners with cryoed Hubbell 5262's or 5362's (I actually have a vacant cryoed 8300 in the amp's conditioner which is not in use). So my advice above still stands and the recommendation is that you change the wall outlet, as well as any in use in the API; changing only the receptacle at the wall will give you only 40-50% of the improvement that changing them all will. I have stated here before that a) you cannot really evaluate any receptacle unless every component in your system is drawing from exactly the same receptacle and b) you will never realize the true potential of your system unless you are running top quality receptacles everywhere in your system, including line conditioners, power filters and power strips.
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