WATTGATE audio grade receptacle

Or you can use the larger mount boxes, and pig-tail down to the size that will fit in your receptacle. This is what my contractor did for me, reducing my 6 gauge to 10 gauge, which should fit in any higher quality receptacle (FIM in my case). Oh, and it does meet NEC code. This is done everyday, in every home that has 3 way light switches.

Hope this helps!
Brian

Mechanical stresses of 8 gauge copper may be more than the recepticle is capable of withstanding during installation. Please verify with Wattgate whether the recepticle screw mounts and the recepticle body can safely support 8 gauge. If they ok it, then I would use a deep double size wall box with a plaster ring. The larger box will allow for more gradual and safer bends of such large diameter wire.

All strands of 8 gauge will not fit around one Wattgate screw terminal, however the strands can be split into two groups and connected to the two screw terminals on one side, or you can use a crimp-on screw terminal for all strands which will fit around a screw terminal (neither method however may meet code). Eight gauge may be overkill (although that's what I used), but I would not go smaller than 10.

I'm guessing, but I don't think there'll be much difference between the 12, 10, and 8 gauge wiring. Especially between the 10 and 8 guage. It's my guess that the quality of the wire would make the bigger difference than the guage's of wire at this point.

I recently purchased 25 meters of high purity oxygen-free 10 gauge copper house wiring from a friend. One of these days I'm going to install it to see if it makes a difference. Currently I am using romex 12 gauge for the dedicated 20 amp circuit and the original 40 year old house wiring for my 15 amp non-dedicated circuit.

It certainly would not hurt to purchase either PS Audio power port or FIM's audio grade wall outlets. At the very least these outlets will force a real firm contact grip with the plugs.

If it were me, I would focus on 10 gauge max quality wiring and then investigate in a good in-line conditioner. That way you don't need an expensive power cord.

-John