Any one try the new Synergistic Research BLUE UEF Duplex receptacle?

First....... I am a believer that an electrical outlet can have an impact on the sound of an audio system.

Take a good look at the two outlets in the two Links below. Not the Blue, but the Black. I would be willing to bet the Blue is also a P&S outlet as well.

https://highend-electronics.com/products/synergistic-research-black-uef-duplex-receptacle

https://www.amazon.com/Seymour-TR5362WCC12-Receptacle-Resistant-125-volt/dp/B0052EDREA?th=1

Are they the same? Sure look the same to me.

For those of you that have the Synergistic Research Black or Blue UEF outlet the mounting back strap of the outlet sure looks like it is made of galvanized steel. That’s not good, is it? Have a magnet? Check it out. Is the magnet attracted to the back strap?

While you are at it check the screw terminals on each side of the outlet with the magnet. Are they also made of steel?


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elizabeth
5,197 posts                                                                   08-24-2018 9:33am

Speaking of duplex screws.. Anyone else notice if using stranded wire to the Duplex wire straight in, not to a lug, it will always loosen up after install. 100% gets looser and needs to be retightened after a month or so. Solid core not so much. Just sayin’.

Best practices for terminating stranded wire to an electrical receptacle outlet is to use a receptacle with a terminal plate to hold the stranded wire in place.

When using solid wire the wire should be curled around the terminal screw in a clockwise motion. This type of wire termination will give the best solid termination of the solid wire to the terminal screw and the receptacle.

Though the receptacle is Listed to use the wire terminal plate to terminate both stranded as well as solid wire it does not hold the solid wire tight in place. Just moving the receptacle around after terminating the solid wire so as to install and push the receptacle into the outlet box will loosen the wire connection. I would suggest if you must use the terminal plate for solid wire work the wire and receptacle into place in the wall electrical box. Then pull the receptacle out of the box just enough to expose the side terminal screws and retighten them again.
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@lak

I believe you when you say the Synergistic Research Blue outlet improves the sound of your audio system.

One problem I have with the outlet it starts out as just a regular nothing special spec grade "Legrand - Pass & Seymour TR5362BKCC12 Receptacle Duplex Tamper Resistant Back and Side Wire 20-Amp/125-volt, Black" outlet that sells for $5.98.
https://www.amazon.com/Seymour-TR5362WCC12-Receptacle-Resistant-125-volt/dp/B0052EDREA?th=1

And of all things the outlet has a ferrous galvanized steel supporting back strap.
That defies everything we have been told about the use of ferrous materials used in an outlet. Just look at all the high end receptacle outlets being sold. Not main stream mass produced outlets rebranded as audio grade outlets, but from companies that design and manufacture their own outlets. You won’t find any ferrous steel supporting back straps in them.
Jim
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elizabeth6,146 posts01-07-2019 10:51am


Furutech uses a wide and thick stainless steel back strap.
No brass inside. Pure copper connectors, with stainless steel spring system. I discovered there is a reason for no brass in the device. Brass creates it’s own distortion.... I got rid of every duplex and replaced them with the Furutech all copper..When I would add a brass plug, I could hear it creating a background buzz/distortion in the upper mids... So no more brass for me if I can help it.I switched to PC with all copper plugs...

@ elizabeth
Yes, Furutech uses a high grade non ferrous stainless steel materials in the outlet.

@ lak,   (OP)

Thanks.

I should have read through your entire thread again before assuming you were using the Synergistic Research Blue outlet.
Jim

@ maplegrovemusic

It’s a Pass & Seymour 5362-BL industrial spec grade outlet.
https://www.amazon.com/Pass-Seymour-5362-BL-Receptacle-Industrial/dp/B01C7R292A
Pass & Seymour 5362-BL Duplex Receptacle Industrial Spec 20A 125V, Blue



Here’s the same duplex outlet in white.
https://www.amazon.com/Pass-Seymour-Specification-Heavy-Duty-Receptacle/dp/B008SBH18M
Pass & Seymour 5362-W Specification Grade Corrosion Resistant Extra Heavy-Duty Straight Blade Duplex Receptacle 20 Amp 125 Volt AC NEMA 5-20R Auto Grounding White
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@ maplegrovemusic

They are identical.


https://highend-electronics.com/products/synergistic-research-blue-uef-duplex-receptacle

https://www.amazon.com/Pass-Seymour-5362-BL-Receptacle-Industrial/dp/B01C7R292A
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lak OP3,458 posts01-09-2019 7:48am

@davidpritchard, why don’t you purchase one and report back to us if it sounds the same as your other Blue outlets?
https://www.gordonelectricsupply.com/index~text~5630064~path~product~part~5630064~ds~dept~process~se...

lak

Just because Synergistic Research uses Pass & Seymour 5362 outlets for their SR Blue and SR Black outlets does not mean their treated outlets will not improve the sound of an audio system over that of the stock OEM outlet.

Synergistic Research is not the only company that uses already manufactured outlets for their own modified, treated, outlets. Shunyata Research uses Hubbell outlets. Kimber Kable Wattgate branded outlets are made by Leviton. PS audio, I believe, uses Leviton outlets as well. Maestro AC outlet uses Cooper outlets. And there are others that are doing the same thing. That doesn’t mean what you are buying is just the stock OEM outlet.

https://www.musicdirect.com/best-budget-tweaks-under-99/shunyata-sr-z1-ac-outlet

https://www.thecableco.com/wattgate-381-tr-rh-receptacle.html

https://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=PSPP

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Cooper-Wiring-Devices-20-Amp-125-Volt-Brown-Duplex-Electrical-Outlet/100005...

http://blog.cruzefirstaudio.com/maestro_outlet.htm



On a different note.  I would caution anyone buying an audio grade rebranded OEM outlet used unless the rebranded audio grade outlet has the company’s name or model number, or model name, somewhere on the outlet. Otherwise you maybe just buying the original untreated stock OEM outlet.
Jim

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@ lewm              

I am not categorically against tweaks. I do believe that power cords, interconnects, speaker cables and other more surprising elements of an audio system can affect sound,

Where is the scientific proof to your belief? Please produce any Links to any White papers/articles where actual testing, measurements, prove why ICs, speaker cables, and power cords can make a difference.

Maybe you missed this resent running Agon thread.
"Why Power Cables Affect Sound" 

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/why-power-cables-affect-sound   

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uberwaltz4,457 posts01-17-2019 9:12am

Where did Lewm state that he had scientific proof of that?
Just stated he had a belief as do I and MANY others.

@ uberwaltz

lewm6,657 posts01-17-2019 12:36am


What I would want to know, if I was in the market for changing out wall outlets in order to change the tonal balance of my audio system is, what is the science behind ANY of the claims made by SR? From what I can see on the SR website as regards these outlets, bald statements are made describing the "sound" that your system will have, with absolutely no rationale to support any of the claims, no scientifically plausible "mechanism".

This was the reasoning behind my response to what lewm said in his post.

IF lewm believes ICs, speaker cables, and power cords, can make a difference then why does he want scientific proof outlets can make a difference? I assume he has more than likely experimented with ICs, and speaker cables in his audio system and found they do make a difference to his ears. Just a guest maybe after market power cords as well. Has he experiment with wall power receptacle outlets? Just a guess on my part, no. He is not going to find any definitive scientific proof why a wall outlet makes a difference. Just like he will not find any definitive scientific proof ICs, speaker cables, and power cords make a difference. What he will find is credible theory and a whole lot of guys, and gals, that say they hear differences.   

Disclaimer: I do not have any opinions one way or the other with regards to the SR Blue outlet. I do not have any personal listening experiences with the outlet.

I do know that an AC power receptacle can have an impact on the sound of an audio system. How? Because I took the time and experimented for myself. YMMV.
Jim

Off subject.
Has any tried the Audioquest NRG Edison Duplex Wall Outlet?

It is not just a rebranded mass produced outlet.
https://www.audioquest.com/ac-power/ac-power-outlets/nrg-edison-duplex-wall-outlet

Internal contacts

Beryllium-Copper Base Metal Provides superior spring tension and long-lasting, low-impedance AC power connections. Typical materials such as brass, or even high-purity copper aided by spring and wedge devices, simply cannot equal the unparalleled retention strength of high-mass beryllium-copper.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beryllium_copper

Beryllium copper (BeCu), also known as copper beryllium (CuBe), beryllium bronze and spring copper, is a copper alloy with 0.5—3% beryllium and sometimes other elements. Beryllium copper combines high strength with non-magnetic and non-sparking qualities. It has excellent metalworking, forming and machining properties. It has many specialized applications in tools for hazardous environments, musical instruments, precision measurement devices, bullets, and aerospace. Beryllium alloys present a toxic inhalation hazard during manufacture.

My son gave me one recently for my birthday. At present, for about a week now, I have it feeding the refrigerator. No complaints so far from the frig.


Here’s a link of a seller that shows a close up look of the outlet. 
https://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=AQNRGEDWO&variation=20AMP

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c_avila170 posts02-06-2019 6:42pm

@jea48

The Audioquest duplex that you referenced looks to have similar construction to the Cardas 4181US duplex with features like Beryllium Copper contacts, plated with Rhodium over Silver. The Audioquest duplex is only plated with silver but it includes a wall plate.

http://www.soniccraft.com/datasheets/Cardas_4181US_Instructions.pdf

@ c_avila1

Similar but not the same. Supporting back strap is different. The Cardas outlet allows the user to configure the outlet as a standard grounding type outlet or as an IG (Isolated Ground) type outlet.

The outlet face plates are also different. Look closely at the two. The Audioquest has two "D" shaped recesses around the hot and neutral female contact cutouts.

Here’s a link of a seller that shows a close up look of the Audioquest outlet.
https://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=AQNRGEDWO&variation=20AMP

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I am pretty sure the Audioquest outlet is made in China or Taiwan. I would be willing to bet in the same factory as this guy.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Hi-Fi-Rhodium-Plated-US-20A-AC-Duplex-Receptacles-Wall-Outlet-Power-Distrib...
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