Replacing generic RECEPTACLES

They just fill the wall with magic pixie dust whilst making snide comments in public to each other about the new family that moved in down the street, and the vibrations of the wires mysteriously disappear.

Yep, that's it, don't you feel left out?

A lot of this information that is given on this thread is wrong and tread lightly when listening to some of this. Most new construction will use 14g wire for 15 amp lines and most use 12g wire for 20 amp, never smaller but you can use 10g. Never assume anything. No builder is going to pay a premium of using 12g wire for 15amp circuits. I have purchased and built 5 new homes in the last 18 years and every builder in every state has done this. We are building a new custom house now and this builder does the same as the other 5. If unsure, open your panel and verify the wire used. Another thing you should do is have either an electrician or your local utility come out and place a device over your circuit to show exactly how many amps you are drawing on the line. There are guidelines on how many max amps you want to draw. For example, on a 15 amp line, you don’t want to go over 10 amps, this is just an example, not sure 10 is accurate, it might be less or more, but never close to 15.
in my latest custom house in my dedicated audio room, I have 6 dedicated 20amp circuits. Cheap to do when building. Large monoblocks, used to use 2 large powered subwoofers, 2 large motor hanss t-60 tt, pre, dac, and other equipment, and the circuits can go fast. Without the subs, I use 4 circuits. Overkill, maybe

inna
How do you people deal with vibrating wires in the wall ? You think it’s nothing ? There is an external vibration and vibration created by the current.

>>>>>That’s quite so. That is why there are such things as duplex outlet covers that act as resonators and large (constrained layer) Marigo Dots for walls and even crystals for walls. Herbies Tube Dampers on power cord plug, anyone? Not only is seismic vibration an issue but when music is playing the walls react accordingly and vibrate like drum heads. The only good vibration is a dead vibration. ☠️

Loserbreath must live in a dilapidated rooming house to be so concerned about the structure not being able to dampen reflected sound waves. And being so knowledgeable about the NEC, has ironically created a fire hazard by stuffing flammable foreign materials into receptacle device boxes. But then, box fill is only a concern for “old men that write books of doctrine”, and not a worry for some ignorant people. That sounds like a big liability when it catches fire and burns down the rooming house or group home or whatever it is. Beware of these risks folks, and keep your homes safe by not embarking on fool’s errands.

" I’m a contributing member and I don’t hurl insults at other members."

Very noble stance sw, it might have been your original intent, however as this thread progresses, recent posts have you straying from your said stance.

Nurse! Thorazine! Man down!

Something new to worry about? (man down!)? Anyway I can say since I have never worried about the wires in the wall before, nor know of any realistic plan to ’fix them. I’ll take a total pass on the issue. (Reminds me of various ’net articles of what you ’should’ or ’should not’ be eating so you do not die, or so you live near forever. Just a lot of stuff for the nervous types to ponder. I would bet someone posted about the in the wall vibration just to see if somebody ’bites’.
In other places, seems that small treated crystal chips do ameliorate the problem of both physical and electrically caused vibration. The NCF formula of Furutech NCF labelled duplex are for just that purpose. And folks whom previously owned Furutech GTX-D Rhodium duplex without the NCF, but then bought the NCF duplex, DO report the NCF helps lower noise. Maybe in new construction an audiophile could work on it. Aside from injecting whatever into the walls around the conduit? Not gonna happen in most cases. A problem never before worried about? I am SURE someone will now worry about it. LOLAlso I would think the insulation around the three wire type in wall AC would help. And the usual cord and rubber/ plastic on external AC cords helps also. (No help for Zip cord though.)

Since the subject of vibration through receptacle covers was mentioned, I'd like some advice. The covers on my duplexes are not perfectly flush to the drywall so I'd like to secure them.
  I have two 20A dedicated lines coming from a subpanel, then wired to Hubbell duplexes. I'm using large non-magnetic stainless steel covers which are very rugged.

I want to insulate the inside of the covers to insure a more secure fit. Should I use rubber or Sorbethane, or would there be any benefit in using carbon fiber fabric or tape?
All this talk about buying Oyaide carbon fiber covers has me wondering.

I have stuff like 'Blu-Tack" spread under the surface of some of my duplex covers. IT is plastic and can be spread as thin as one has the patience to do it. Some have been used with that stuff for over six years..and it remains the same flexible material. Definitely dampens the Duplex cover for a few bucks. I use Brass outlet covers all around.                 
Blu Tack is a brand name, but all building supply/hardware stores have it or a similar product to hold up pictures.(I have never used it for that, but I also use it around powercord plugs. The stuff is reusable a thousand times.. Also it is sticky, but if any sticks? Just use the clump tap the spots they come off onto the clump.

Hi @elizabeth. I saw your earlier post about Blu-Tack, I didn't realise that you spread the product over the entire duplex cover.
  What's your take on RFI leakage thru the AC receptacle; does this need to be treated? Or is vibration control the only aspect that needs to be addressed? A lot of folks are spending big money on carbon fiber receptacle covers.
Thanks.

The Blu Tack is only on the backside, NOT front of cover.Previously I have experimented with small quartz crystals. I bought several pounds of small tumbled quartz (average 2mm to 4mm size) all sorts. And applied my own idea of a coating, Automotive dielectric grease. (never ever get in eyes, or on hands soon in eyes. bad bad)
(what is wanted is to coat the crystal bits with a non conductive coating. Some have cooked the crystals in whatever..The idea is the individual crystal bits get radiated energy and then vibrate. dissipating the energy, instead of allowing it to continue to radiate, they ideally need to be in close contact, but not inter-conductive.) Placed in small baggies. stuck them all over the place. Anyway got kind of tired of that. But when I have been doing the Furutech outlets, I used some of the baggies. They in a way, are like the NCF material on some Furutech duplex. So yes there are small baggies of treated quartz around some of the Furtech duplex in the boxes and in the Furman power conditioner. (I previously had them in the Furman, six years? no problem) I also have some baggies taped to AC plugs, and ALL the Furutech plugs have as much of the treated quartz crystals inside as I could pack in.(and still close up the plugs)

I get that the Blu Tack is only on the backside, that's where I want to use damping material. 
So, I intend to stop vibration at the receptacles, but do you believe that this area also needs treatment for RFI?

I'm not going buy carbon fiber treated covers, but I'm still looking for an explanation of how RF can be generated or exist at the AC receptacle.
 

The 'pressure' of 120v AC is 'pushing/radiating' electrons off the surface anywhere the voltage is available. in use or just sitting!.(same thing IN equipment, where the AC line comes in, switch, etc, around the transformer... endless)
I own a small tool to measure radiated fields. (Greenlee GT-16 adjustable voltage detector $25 or so at Amazon) It registers off equipment displays, even individual diode lighting, any powered outlet spews out this stuff. So do ALL unshielded power cords. It is also carried along metal. So say a pole lamp with a zip cord AC wire inside, but not touching, up to top? the whole pole is charged and radiating the field. Only insulating/shielding the wire will stop the field. The quartz crystals do also stop it, but only if they are more tightly packed. if they are only jumbled.loose. they do not stop it, it manages to get through. So no matter what, your duplex outlets ARE radiating a field. The outlet cover may be designed to stop it from inside the outlet box. The HOLEs in the outlet cover are spewing the stuff anyway... but the moment you add a plug, the plug body is ALSO radiating the field, unless it is fully shielded! any plastic plug body is letting the field radiate off it. Metal too, unless the metal is grounded.           
This stuff is almost unavoidable. and takes a LOT of effort to control fully. No one does this and they all survive. Plus you have endless RFI in the air anyway just at higher frequencies. TV over the air, radio, police bands, cell phone, Who knows what else..I have over 30 WiFi signals floating through my apartment. None of which belong to me!It is kind of a hidden problem, since you do not feel it. But the stuff is there, all the time all around. (no big deal) so trying to control it?? tough job. Fancy duplex outlet covers are like a small band aid on a big wound. (so are the quartz crystals.. but they are way cheaper than the fancy duplex covers, and far more versatile) I suggest buying  a Greenlee GT-16 and find out for yourself. (the Greenlee is a little better than the other similarly priced tools like it, though when it's battery gets half worn, it starts to go crazy, replace the battery!)Anyway, hope that helps.

Thanks so much, Elizabeth, terrific explanation. Now it makes sense why you have the quartz crystals in different areas, and why so many tweaks are for sale to treat these same areas.
  I was aware of possible RFI being found in the obvious areas such as unshielded AC cable and transformers. The Crystals and similar tweaks to be used system-wide seemed unnecessary to me.
The Greenlee tool could be useful.
Thanks again.

It’s a common misconception that crystals generally operate by absorbing RFI/EMI. In fact, crystals operate in most audio applications by absorbing vibration. For example, in room corners, in proximity to ekectron tubes, on output transformers, on top of tube traps, and on cable connectors, wall outlets and windows. The only good vibration is a bad vibration. Having said all that I wouldn’t be very surprised if someone somewhere could find a place where crystals improved the sound by absorbing RFI/EMI.

Will Blu Tack burst into flames in exposed to a match? no. Will it burn if it is in an extended flame? no.Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blu_Tack

“As of 2015, Bostik was manufacturing around 100 tonnes of Blu Tack weekly at its Leicester factory.”

Wow! That’s a lotta freakin Blu Tak! There must be a boatload of audiophiles out there! Are we just the tip of the iceberg?

lowrider57
Thanks so much, Elizabeth, terrific explanation. Now it makes sense why you have the quartz crystals in different areas, and why so many tweaks are for sale to treat these same areas.
I was aware of possible RFI being found in the obvious areas such as unshielded AC cable and transformers. The Crystals and similar tweaks to be used system-wide seemed unnecessary to me.

>>>Since I am the creator of the first comprehensive crystal based solution for audio applications - Brilliant Pebbles - bear 🐻 with me, gentle readers while I address is comment briefly. Over a period of time starting about 15 years ago I discovered a great many location where crystals (my products are not individual crystals but groups of crystals of various types and sizes) improve the sound. I also discovered locations where their use is either ineffective or hurts the sound. Furthermore, as I just mentioned most locations where crystals improve the sound they operate as mechanical and acoustic resonators. If the entire 3D Space of the room is mapped out for sound pressure level, those locations such as room corners where sound pressure levels can be 4-8 dB or more higher than the average SPL in the room. And beacause crystals are resonators caution should be used when applying them to electronics and isolation stands, for example.

Crystals act as vibration absorbers due to the spring like behavior of atoms in the symmetrical atomic structure of the crystals and the reason multiple crystals are more effective than any single crystal is because the operational bandwidth is wider. Power to the pebble!

I’m gonna throw my recent experience into the mix.
my system 
VPI prime, Hana SL, Lehmann Black Cube SE2
Bluesound node 2, Schiit Bifrost multibit. 
Primaluna Dialogue Premium int.
Focal 1008be2
Audio sensibility wiring.

As I moved from Yaqin 100b to the primaluna , no contest.
adding the Focal speakers took me closer to a wonderful sound that I was quite happy with in my 11X16X10 room.

I had bought some Hubell 5362 outlets a while ago and never installed them.  

I had had an electrician run a 20 amp line to my stereo before I made my equipment upgrades, however they installed their outlets, and didn’t really attach the box to the studs.

Well I finally had some time to replace the outlets and attach the box to the studs. 

To say that there was an improvement would be disingenuous. 

I had more bass, more micro detail, deeper soundstage, and wider. 

Now I need to get some bass traps. 

But I am a believer. 

The crappy outlets they installed were less that half the weight of the hubbells.