audiosens........I will be installing 3 Furutech GTX -d r. I see that the GTX 105-D Wall Plate $220.....The GTX Wall Frame is $160.....Thats $380....Plus the cost for each of the Furutech GTX-d r....$250 x 3 + $220 x 3....+ $160x3 = $1890 .....Wow that is alot for 3 total receptacles... How important is the wall covers and wall frame ?????
Replacing generic RECEPTACLES
How important is it to replace your generic receptacles with audio grade receptacles . I already replaced my stock power cords to high end Shunyatas. Would it still be necessary to still change my generic receptacles to audio grade?
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In my research the most important element seems to be a layer of carbon fiber on the cover to protect against RFI and vibration. Some forums recommend using a non-magnetic stainless steel cover. Available for quad receptacles. These were highly recommended for duplex outlets... Furutech 104-D Carbon Fiber Hi-Performance Duplex Outlet Cover Plate Oyaide Electric High-grade Outlet Wpc-z |
I own apartments, and sometimes have Section 8 tenants! When I have an inspection, the inspector uses a classic polarity tester to twist and wrench each outlet. If he tester flickers at all (continuity break) I have to replace it! (If they weren’t shot before they test them they definitely are afterwards.) Now I just replace them all. And yes, you can replace a 15 amp outlet with 20 amp one. It makes thing safer! I often do it to “high stress” areas such as kitchen counters! |
tomfoolery And yes, you can replace a 15 amp outlet with 20 amp one. It makes thing safer!You can replace a 15A outlet with a 20A outlet provided the wire connecting the outlet to the panel is of the gauge specified under the NEC and your local code for a 20A circuit. Otherwise, you have a code violation and a definite safety hazard. And there is nothing inherently "safer" about a 20A line compared to a 15A line. If they are each properly installed, they are of equal safety. |
Possibilities are endless: How about replacing your 12-3 nomex from the panel to the receptacle with some exotic wire? Maybe the circuit breaker itself on the dedicated line should be replaced with a high end breaker. Also, isolating (not touching the other wires) the power line between the panel/breaker and the dedicated receptacle would eliminate the possible interference from the other circuit lines (microwave, refrigerator, etc,). To totally eliminate the vibration issues originating from the framing of the dwelling, one can encase the dedicated line in a foam filled solid conduit (not sure if this complies with national electrical codes). ;-) |
Brass is non magnetic. It still conducts. It will drain the sneaky wandering electrons just as well as the Carbon Fiber. In fact maybe better. Naturally the brass just looks like brass, where the carbon fiber looks like money. I place a thin layer of Blu Tack type stuff under the brass cover to help with vibration. A brass dual duplex cover costs about $5 at Home Depot. The Blu Tack about $3 Since the Carbon Fiber as you posted is costing you $374 naturally it is better at draining... your wallet. |
I recently bought cryo-ed 10-2 romex from VH audio and had an electrician install two Oyaide R1 duplexes with two runs of 10-2 romex to my breaker panel, so each duplex has it's own 10-2 dedicated run. One run is the cryo-ed wire from VH Audio and one run is standard 10-2 from Home Depot. Why? Well I thought I bought enough cryo-ed romex for both runs but I was short. I did not buy any fancy faceplates for the Oyaide R1 duplexes. My electrician covered them with standard cheap plastic faceplates. If anyone wants to try to convince me that the faceplate makes a difference, have at it but I am not buying it. I have an Isotek Syncro plugged into the Oyaide and than it goes to an Isotek Aquarius conditioner and all my gear is in turn plugged into the Aquarius. My electrician informed me that higher quality breakers were not an option with my Cutler-Hammer breaker box-that it would only accept one breaker. I am skeptical of that, but I went with what he told me anyway. My first observation was that it took a ton of force to install the male plug on my Isotek Syncro into the Oyaide duplex. In fact, I thought I had it all the way in and then noticed days later that there was an 1/8" gap that required more pushing to eliminate. Point; incredibly tight fit on the Oyaide female blades. Do I hear any difference between the new duplexes and the old "standard" hospital grade plug and 12-3 romex that was my pre-existing dedicated line? Nope. Maybe a tiny bit but not worth the $600 I spent for the materials and installation. The biggest change to my ears was the Isotek Syncro and Aquarius. They made my ARC Ref 6, Arc Ref 150 SE and DeVore 0/93's collectively snap into focus and made my bass sound more authoritative and real. The Isotek gear and Cardas Clear cabling made the biggest differences overall compared to my pre-existing power conditioning (none) and cabling (a mixture of Black Cat and Acoustic Zen). |
I have the Oyaide outlet plates and covers and I’m darned if I can tell if they make a difference ... certainly pretty low on the value for money scale. They’re also a pain to fit and I have had threads stripped due to poor manufacturing tolerances. Whatever outlet face plate you choose it will still vibrate as the small number of and poorly positioned screws don’t hold any outlet plate securely. Adding some fOQ material to damp the plate to the outlet surround will be both cheap and audible (but look as ugly as hell) |
Agree with the last 2 posts regarding the inexpensive but quite effective Porter Ports and hospital grade +cryo treated = why not, doesn’t cost too much more. Funny to me how so many folks I KNOW spend 100.00 or more for fancy fuses and STILL have .35 cheap contractor track house grade recepticles, they’re garbage and should be immediately replaced prior to plugging in expensive audio electronics. I haven’t tried some of the pricier receptacles but would venture still a wiser investment FIRST over boutique fuses. At the very least commercial grade at a few bucks each would provide a better more effective grip without the worry of arcing caused by a weighty furtech plugged into a .35 receptacle. |
One useful cheap tool to use in the ever exciting world of AC power is a "GreenLee GT-16 Adjustable Voltage Detector" They now cost about $23 on Amazon. (Other brands do not work as well for sniffing stray AC The GT -16 has a good adjustable range, and works well for AC) Once you have one, you can sniff out all the stray voltage escaping from your AC wires, plugs, and equipment screens etc..So odd things too, Like pole lamps spray a ton of AC contamination.. When the basic zip cord in running up inside the metal lamp pole.. Another place are umbilicals of two box preamps. I own two of them And both umbilicals spray a ton of 300V stuff (Both use tubes) ALL AC outlets spray electrons out the unblocked holes.. One of the reasons I still like Pangea power cords is they are REALLY well shielded. No stray voltage there. *except atthe molded plug ends) So with the GT-16, I can see I stop all the stray voltage out of a duplex with the brass plate. (if the holes in the duplex outlet (for plugs) are filled with metal body grounded plugs. That is all you are doing with the Carbon Fiber one too. I also find the Teflon plumbers tape tweak to stop the escape of stray voltage from duplex. That is wrap each AC plug 3 metal prong bases with a few turns around each prong base with the tape. The plug, when inserted the duplex will push the tape and crush it between the plug and duplex, creating a insulation shield where that small space of blade is exposed... so the sneaky electrons do not sneak out the crack. naturally I cannot hear any difference with this. But it is a dexterity challenge, and fun to mess with. One time added and usually the Teflon tape will stay in place over several pluggings. and unpluggings. Complete waste of time, but for fanatics... Nothing is to obscure or odd. |
tatooedtrackman Pay attention to to little screws, with the « Furutech Wall Plate », use only a little watchmaker's screwdrivwer and slightly thighting in an easy manner. Remember that your audio system is fed with electricity, and we (audiophile) have to pay attention to AC, AC Cable, IC, « Binding Post », all place where electricity pass through. Enjoy music |
@audiosens..........Furutech dose not make the double carbon fiber frame and outlet cover. Which i will need 1 double . Oyaide makes the double carbon fiber face plate and aluminum base all attached (WPC-Z2) The price is $374.99. Now, Furutech does have the GTX single carbon fiber wall frame $160 and GTX 104-D outlet cover $120. And Oyaide has the single carbon fiber with the aluminum base attached WPC-Z, $239.99. VH Audio sells them. {Oyaide covers } The difference in cost between the 2 single covers is only $40. But since if i do splurge and go with the Oyaide carbon fiber double cover with aluminum base i might as well also go with the single one from Oyaide. Also when i asked AH Audio if the Oyaide carbon fiber covers will fit with the Furutch GTX-d r , he said that they do fit and he uses them with his Furutech GTX-d r. He also said that there is and will be a 40% to 60% improvement with the Oyaide carbon fiber covers with the Furutech GTX -d r than not having them. |
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@tattooedtrackman Have you ever seen a 120VAC 20A male plug? About the only difference is that one side of the plug is horizontal vs both being vertically oriented hence the “t” on the receptacle. I can’t rememebr seeing any household item that has it other than a hefty audio amplifier. (Heck, they even make and sell adaptors for them) I used to work on medical lasers that could pull up to 17amps and some of the mobile laser companies would take pliers and twist the horizontal terminal to vertical so it would plug into a 15A receptacle. (noted on my service report) Are you the the only person in this house? Your CDP will never get close to tripping a 15A breaker and you could probably run your whole system off of it without an issue. |
laserjock1963....Im not worried about my CPD tripping on the 15A circuit. I do want a dedicated line for my CDP whether it be a 15A or 20A makes no difference to me but i did want and buy the Furutech GTX -d r receptacle for my CDP and since i have to run a dedicated line it might as well be a 20A line and breaker for the furutech. And NO i cant run my whole system on a 15A breaker for my Krell FPB 600 and ARC Ref 6. |
Imagine the improvement with the carbon fiber wall cover too.
tatooedtrackman First I only had install the carbon fiber on the GTX G, nothing special noticed. Only months later, I installed the Wall Plate, and I had noticed improvement with the wall plate. May be the fiber cover help with this favorable combination... |
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Only months later, I installed the Wall Plate, and I had noticed improvement with the wall plate.
"" My comment might be: Maybe it was just unplugging and replugging the plug that made the difference? I have noticed the simple act of unplugging and replugging AC plugs/IEC plugs to solidly improve the sound, after a few months of just sitting there. Removes the oxides growing in the connection.? Anyway, that is my response. |
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According to UL and NEMA, the only difference between a 125 vac 15 amp receptacle and a 20 amp receptacle, is the plastic cover governing the type of plug it will accept. I installed two dedicated 12/2 lines, each having hospital grade single 20 amp receptacles, for my monoblocks. They’re both on the same buss at the breaker box. All my “hi-fi” receptacles are on the same buss. As far as the receptacle covers influencing the overall sound, that’s something I’ve never considered. Unless you have a Faraday cage, we are all exposed to unending amounts of EMF and radio waves going through us and our listening rooms at all times. IMO, such nuances as special receptacle plates have little effect on the sound. I do realize that if you add a lot of subtle tweeks to your system, they add up, but to diminishing returns. I know-unless one has tried it...etc etc. |
"Why stop with the receptacles? Why not run $1000/ft power cable from the outlet all the way back to the breaker box? Then pay the power company to continue the run back to the distribution grid, and ultimately a dedicated line all the way back to the power generating station."" To the power station?" That's crazy! If upgraded power cords and receptacles make a difference then, of course, continuing the upgrade through the walls and to the breaker makes just as much sense. But continuing beyond that (to the power station) is just too expensive. Instead, to really squeeze that last remaining bit of audible performance (and bragging rights) out of your system, get a Multiquip WhisperWatt Super-Silent Diesel Generator instead. It is on sale now for $51,000 and a steal considering what a dramatic improvement in transparency, sound stage and clarity it will make. |
Elizabeth...why should we try? I've done that with speaker wire and interconnects and found no difference over appropriate and inexpensive cables. Why waste more money on something that anyone really intelligent and logical would discern as a "gimmick." Besides, if I tried and reported no difference/improvement, you YaySayers would retort (incessantly) that my ears are out of whack or my system isn't good enough to "resolve" the improvement. |
dynaquest4 Elizabeth...why should we try? I’ve done that with speaker wire and interconnects and found no difference over appropriate and inexpensive cables.There’s no reason for you to experiment with power cables - your mind is already made up. It’s called confirmation bias. Your assertion that "anyone really intelligent and logical would discern as a ’gimmick’ " an improved cord isn’t consistent with the facts, btw, but that doesn’t really matter. Your mind is made up. |
handymannm According to UL and NEMA, the only difference between a 125 vac 15 amp receptacle and a 20 amp receptacle, is the plastic cover governing the type of plug it will accept.This is mistaken. A 20A receptacle is designed to safely conduct 20A of current. A 15A receptacle is not designed to safely conduct 20A of current. |
Cleeds says: "Your mind is made up : Yes...my mind is made up...because, among other attributes, I am intelligent and smart. And this difference of opinion is something you should want to be on this forum. It is what discussion is all about. Yaysayers crack me up. You spend untold thousands of dollars on what you decide is a kickbutt audio system...and the more you spend the more you need to spend more on all the little gimmicks that others convince you will "Make an Improvement." And, of course, once you spend that all that on one gimmick (that almost always sounds better) the more you need the next one. That’s why you are getting close to replacing your home’s wiring and breaker. Holy Moly...after you do that, what is next? This: Spend even more money on a new system and start all over again. Yaysayers seem to have no concept of the value of money and the value of products. Sure...it is your money to spend as you want. And it is my privilege, on this forum, to continue to criticize what I see a poor advice to naive visitors to this site. |