Jea48, what did you expect? Everyone knows door knobs "turn" the sound.
What kind of outlet wall plate do yo use?
I was reading a post over on AA last week. The post was about outlet wall plates, non magnetic stainless steel wall plates.
I had seen these posts in the past on AA but always passed them over never really reading them. This time I took the time to read the post and reponses to it.
To cut to the chase I went out and found some non magnetic stainless steel outlet plates at a lumber yard. I must stop here and tell you I was a bit skeptical that I would hear any difference in sound from my system.
I pulled the plastic plates from my 3 dedicated duplex outlets and installed the ss plates. I plugged the equipment back in and turned on the system. I let it warm up for about a half hour and then sat down for a listen.
The first CD I listened to was Diana Krall, "The Girl in The Other Room." I could hear a difference right off, but not for the better. Sound stage was small, Krall's piano sounded like a blanket had been thrown over it. The air had been let out of the music.
I listened to a few other CDs with the same results.
I then carefully pulled the ss plates from the outlets for the preamp and the power amp. Just sliding them down on the cords out of the way. I sat back down for a listen. Every thing was back as it was before I had installed the ss plates.
I should mention here my preamp is a Sonic Frontiers line-1, and the power amp is an Audio Research VT50.
The three 20 amp branch circuits are installed in EMT conduit. The rough-in boxes are 4"x4" 2 1/8" deep with a single gang raised device cover for the sheetrock wall and electrical outlet mounting. Wire is #10 awg solid THHN copper. Recepts Leviton 20A Hosp Grade. Branch circuit breakers single pole Square D OQ. Branch circuits breakers installed on the same line in the panel. Distance from electrical panel less than 25ft.
I still was puzzled why there was any difference in sound at all. I then, just for the hell of it, installed two leviton stainless steel plates. One for the power amp outlet and the other for the preamp outlet. A magnet will stick to the leviton plates like gorilla glue...
I plugged the gear back in, turned on the system and let it warm up for about a half hour or so. I then sat down for a listen. The sound, not bad. Remember this is the electrical wall outlet plate. First impressions the sound is darker, vocals smoother, more body, fuller.
I will compare the leviton ss plate to the plastic plate later after my ears have had a chance to adjust to this new sound.
Have any of you guys experimented with the wall outlet cover plates?
Why is there a difference in sound? When I first read the post I thought maybe it was due to the rigidity effect the plate was placing on the electrical outlet. Was it working as a damper of sorts. I mean a non magnetic ss cover plate verses a plastic plate.
Why did the non magnetic ss plate degrade the sound of my system?
With the Leviton ss plates are they providing shielding, in effect a Faraday cage.
By the way I asked the person, who posted the thread, why the plate changed the sound on his system. Some of those tweakers can be quite defensive when you question them. Though he was not others were.
I also should mention the member is using solid state gear.
Jim
I had seen these posts in the past on AA but always passed them over never really reading them. This time I took the time to read the post and reponses to it.
To cut to the chase I went out and found some non magnetic stainless steel outlet plates at a lumber yard. I must stop here and tell you I was a bit skeptical that I would hear any difference in sound from my system.
I pulled the plastic plates from my 3 dedicated duplex outlets and installed the ss plates. I plugged the equipment back in and turned on the system. I let it warm up for about a half hour and then sat down for a listen.
The first CD I listened to was Diana Krall, "The Girl in The Other Room." I could hear a difference right off, but not for the better. Sound stage was small, Krall's piano sounded like a blanket had been thrown over it. The air had been let out of the music.
I listened to a few other CDs with the same results.
I then carefully pulled the ss plates from the outlets for the preamp and the power amp. Just sliding them down on the cords out of the way. I sat back down for a listen. Every thing was back as it was before I had installed the ss plates.
I should mention here my preamp is a Sonic Frontiers line-1, and the power amp is an Audio Research VT50.
The three 20 amp branch circuits are installed in EMT conduit. The rough-in boxes are 4"x4" 2 1/8" deep with a single gang raised device cover for the sheetrock wall and electrical outlet mounting. Wire is #10 awg solid THHN copper. Recepts Leviton 20A Hosp Grade. Branch circuit breakers single pole Square D OQ. Branch circuits breakers installed on the same line in the panel. Distance from electrical panel less than 25ft.
I still was puzzled why there was any difference in sound at all. I then, just for the hell of it, installed two leviton stainless steel plates. One for the power amp outlet and the other for the preamp outlet. A magnet will stick to the leviton plates like gorilla glue...
I plugged the gear back in, turned on the system and let it warm up for about a half hour or so. I then sat down for a listen. The sound, not bad. Remember this is the electrical wall outlet plate. First impressions the sound is darker, vocals smoother, more body, fuller.
I will compare the leviton ss plate to the plastic plate later after my ears have had a chance to adjust to this new sound.
Have any of you guys experimented with the wall outlet cover plates?
Why is there a difference in sound? When I first read the post I thought maybe it was due to the rigidity effect the plate was placing on the electrical outlet. Was it working as a damper of sorts. I mean a non magnetic ss cover plate verses a plastic plate.
Why did the non magnetic ss plate degrade the sound of my system?
With the Leviton ss plates are they providing shielding, in effect a Faraday cage.
By the way I asked the person, who posted the thread, why the plate changed the sound on his system. Some of those tweakers can be quite defensive when you question them. Though he was not others were.
I also should mention the member is using solid state gear.
Jim
Showing 7 responses by albertporter
Jea48. Yes, I've experimented with each of those and I agree with your findings, metal wall plates do not perform well in my system either. I tried several brands, including both magnetic and non magnetic, stainless steel types. My favorite is the non-breakable Pass Seymour constructed of Nylon (not plastic). I have provided a link to an image of that product at the bottom of my post. Try these if your willing to experiment, and tell us if they work for you. They're very inexpensive and look like a standard builder grade cover at first glance. For what it's worth, I don't like metal outlet boxes either, I choose the oversize Nylon outlet boxes available at Home Depot ($1.69 each). The great thing about Nylon boxes, regardless of outlet design, you can have isolated or non isolated ground as plugs do not share contact via the ground strap. A great option that sounds better and provides choices. Nylon Outlet Cover |
Well guys, all I can say is if your afraid to spend a couple of dollars to see if it makes a difference, I don't know why you would take the time to type a response here. I clearly remember when arguments raged over interconnect cable, people said it was impossible for cabling to make a difference. Then it was power cables, they could not make a difference. Now, thousands of end users hear and enjoy the improvements wire and connectors make. I have not attended a high end show in the USA or Europe where a system did not sport these aftermarket upgrade parts. AC power connections can be just as important, even to the plugs and covers and in time this will be accepted just as quality speaker posts are accepted today. In response to Honest1: What about the wall studs that the lines pass through? What about the conduit diameter? What about everything that happens to the electrical wiring on the other side of the fuse box? Absolutely you can hear if the electrical is run in open air (under pier and beam home for instance) or through steel conduit. I have experimented with this and just like the wall plates, install boxes and AC runs, the simplest, most direct, and least expensive usually works in these situations. I would have thought this would be good news to readers, guess everyone would be happier if I suggested a $1000 option instead of a two dollar one? |
Wood ?? You yacht to be kidding Phil. Next thing you know theyre gonna be making speakers out of wood. And Philztops, they tried to sell me that there Brooklyn Bridge but I was out of cash. I spent my last $1.29 on a Nylon outlet cover. Frankly ,I don't know how any audiophile can be so reckless as to spend a $1.29 for a cover, unless maybe theirs is cracked, or dirty, or could look a bit nicer or maybe sound better. But who cares? It's SNAKE OIL and damn expensive snake oil at $1.29 ! |
Jim, I knew Bob fairly well, he and I spoke on many occasions and I even negotiated with him for a Blowtorch when I was moving from Counterpoint and searching for the ultimate preamp. A mutual friend of Bob's was Fred Crowder who also lives in Houston (I'm in Dallas), Fred and I are much closer than Crump and I were. I call Fred from time to time just to hear his voice, he's a good guy and really loves this hobby. As for wall plates, I had NO idea in 1988, in fact, I did not install dedicated AC runs for my system until 1991 and the "over the top" 14 run, multiple dedicated lines system I have now, was not until maybe ten years ago and the crazy outlet tests were just a few years ago. I experimented with different outlets and the cover plate deal was purely by accident that I heard it. Granted it was small but I was surprised by the change. Truth is, it was not all that many years ago that I laughed out loud when the first people claimed that power cables could help the sound of a system. I could NOT get past the thought that there were miles and miles of common wire out on the poles (with birds sitting on them :^) and now, past the breaker box and in-wall Romex we add a thick AC cable and get improved sound. Reminded me of the guys with Japanese cars, tiny exhaust system all the way to the bumper and then a huge flare pipe to "improve" flow (yea, sure). Finally Steve McCormack (McCormack Audio) who has been a good friend for more than 30 years said my logic was flawed and I should view it the other way around. The superior AC cable is an EXTENSION of the units power supply. You would not dumb down the power supply because of all the miles of wire before it. Anyway, the best AC cables do more than just pass current and voltage, many of them actually shield while scraping off RF and EMI. We all learn as we evolve our systems, fortunately I am reasonably open minded about such things, perhaps because I'm an artist by profession or perhaps out of wishful thinking and hoping to make the music better :^). Thank goodness there are people like Steve McCormack and others that push the boundaries so we can make things a bit more like the real thing. |
Essentialaudio Jea48. Not sure why Albertporter did not respond. A bit late for this response since my post in 2007 :^). But Jea48 is correct, negotiations aren't always over price. There are issues of availability, cosmetics, features and more. The results of that testing back then was a decision to purchase Aesthetix IO and Callisto. A decision I was happy with for a very long time. Jea, were you the happy customer that got the blowtorch with single two ganged volume control? |