I would suggest that you try the Afterburner 8 receptacle. Not much to lose for $60.00. I have not tried any other aftermarket receptacles, but I love this one, and am not aware of any weaknesses. It seems to impart more "drive" to the music.
Comparing Receptacles
There are lot of posts about different receptacles. I thought I'd post my observations based on the ones I have in my system. Interested in other peoples experiences -
I have 5 direct lines with 10 gauge romex wire that I have different receptacles in. I also have tri-amped speakers with an active x-over and this allows me to isolate amps to a specific driver and hence specific frequency ranges
First let me say that I think all receptacles have a certain signature to their sound. As I have experimented, a mix of receptacles gives my system the best sound.
Oyaide SWO-GX+ -
This is the warmest sounding receptacle of the ones I have tried. In doing so it creates a smear in the sound-stage compared to the rest of the receptacles. I have experimented with this receptacle a lot with different cords and equipment and in all cases this particular Oyaide isn’t as good as any of the other receptacles. I could always tell if something was plugged into this receptacle as the clarity just wasn’t there when I listened to music. If you have a very analytical, precise, hard sounding system, this receptacle might make sense.
Oyaide R1 -
I tried this receptacle next and it is better than the SWO-GX in all aspects. The smear isn’t there. It has a delicate sound. If you have a bright sounding system the R1 will tone it down. It does color the sound a bit which I didn’t realize until I tried the Maestro. For the cost, the R1 is probably the least effective. I think they sound best with front-end components. In reading you need to reduce the vibrations of the R1 to get the most out of it by getting an Oyaide faceplate. These are ridiculously expensive and I refuse to get one...
Teslaplex -
The Teslaplex is certainly the most dynamic of the bunch by far. It gives control to the sound-stage and bass like no other receptacle; however in doing this vocals can seem a bit too restricted and unnatural sounding. The high frequencies are more emphasized than the other receptacles which can be good or bad depending on your system. If you want to listen to the thwack of a drum the Teslaplex rules. For my system I have the woofer amp attached to the Teslaplex as it is amazing. I also have my preamp, the TRL Dude, attached to the Teslaplex as for some reason it is much better than any other receptacle. This could also be due to the cord being pure solid copper. I like the Teslaplex, but using too many of them in the same system may make it sound fatiguing. They are a no-brainer for a sub-woofer.
Maestro -
I recently got the Maestro. It is receptacle that has gotten rave reviews which for some reason makes me suspicious. I mean how much better could it be than the others. Of the bunch it is the most spacious and natural sounding from the midrange up. The Teslaplex beats it in the lower frequencies. The lower frequencies are still better than the R1 and SWO-GX+. Overall this is the best receptacle regardless of price.
In summary, I am using a combination of Maestro and Teslaplex outlets. I still have some R1’s and will continue to experiment to see if the R1 shines anywhere. The only other receptacle which I would like to try is the Furutech.
I have 5 direct lines with 10 gauge romex wire that I have different receptacles in. I also have tri-amped speakers with an active x-over and this allows me to isolate amps to a specific driver and hence specific frequency ranges
First let me say that I think all receptacles have a certain signature to their sound. As I have experimented, a mix of receptacles gives my system the best sound.
Oyaide SWO-GX+ -
This is the warmest sounding receptacle of the ones I have tried. In doing so it creates a smear in the sound-stage compared to the rest of the receptacles. I have experimented with this receptacle a lot with different cords and equipment and in all cases this particular Oyaide isn’t as good as any of the other receptacles. I could always tell if something was plugged into this receptacle as the clarity just wasn’t there when I listened to music. If you have a very analytical, precise, hard sounding system, this receptacle might make sense.
Oyaide R1 -
I tried this receptacle next and it is better than the SWO-GX in all aspects. The smear isn’t there. It has a delicate sound. If you have a bright sounding system the R1 will tone it down. It does color the sound a bit which I didn’t realize until I tried the Maestro. For the cost, the R1 is probably the least effective. I think they sound best with front-end components. In reading you need to reduce the vibrations of the R1 to get the most out of it by getting an Oyaide faceplate. These are ridiculously expensive and I refuse to get one...
Teslaplex -
The Teslaplex is certainly the most dynamic of the bunch by far. It gives control to the sound-stage and bass like no other receptacle; however in doing this vocals can seem a bit too restricted and unnatural sounding. The high frequencies are more emphasized than the other receptacles which can be good or bad depending on your system. If you want to listen to the thwack of a drum the Teslaplex rules. For my system I have the woofer amp attached to the Teslaplex as it is amazing. I also have my preamp, the TRL Dude, attached to the Teslaplex as for some reason it is much better than any other receptacle. This could also be due to the cord being pure solid copper. I like the Teslaplex, but using too many of them in the same system may make it sound fatiguing. They are a no-brainer for a sub-woofer.
Maestro -
I recently got the Maestro. It is receptacle that has gotten rave reviews which for some reason makes me suspicious. I mean how much better could it be than the others. Of the bunch it is the most spacious and natural sounding from the midrange up. The Teslaplex beats it in the lower frequencies. The lower frequencies are still better than the R1 and SWO-GX+. Overall this is the best receptacle regardless of price.
In summary, I am using a combination of Maestro and Teslaplex outlets. I still have some R1’s and will continue to experiment to see if the R1 shines anywhere. The only other receptacle which I would like to try is the Furutech.
4 responses Add your response