The supposed degradation from the steel.... is that something that happens immediately or gradually over time?
Power Receptacles - Review and Comparison
Once I started comparing power cords on the various equipment in my system, it was undeniable that the power receptacle has a tremendous influence on the resulting sound from each power cord. Switching between the Porterhouse Audio Power Port, Oyaide SWO-XXX, Oyaide R1 with the GPC-Z cover, and Synergistic Research Teslaplex consistently produced significantly different results with each power cord I auditioned. I am amazed at how much each receptacle influences the performance of a given cord and, more importantly, the sound of my system as a whole.
Over a period of months, I compared each of these receptacles, using several different power cords on each of my components, beginning with my Ayre CX-7e CDP and K-1xe preamp. I eventually concluded that I preferred the Synergistic Research Tesla T2 power cords with the Teslaplex receptacle on my front end equipment.
So now for the amp. First, I compared the Oyaide SWO-XXX to the Porterhouse Audio Power Port on my Krell FPB-600c with the SR Tesla T3 UHC power cord. The SWO-XXX provided a little more apparent detail, but I found the Power Port to be much more musical and it provided what I feel to be more realistic soundstage ambience and more natural upper-frequency purity.
Next up was the Oyaide R1. While I can see why so many folks are impressed with the R1, it seems to impart the same sonic signature on every piece I try it with. It has a very refined sound, with impressive detail, good tonal balance, and lovely harmonic bloom; but, in my system, it has much less air than the Teslaplex or the Porter Port and the soundstage is not as expansive. Instruments seem to move forward in the soundstage and vocals have a much more ‘hi-fi’ quality about them. I never get the ‘live sound’ magic from the R1 like I do with the Teslaplex or the Porter Port.
Many audiophiles keep a special component, interconnect, or power cord over the years whose sound they know to be truthful and use it to evaluate new equipment in their systems. The Porter Port is such a product. It is my opinion that it is the most neutral of this entire group and should be the standard by which to baseline power cords and receptacles. This is indeed impressive considering the $36 selling price of the Porterhouse Audio Porter Port.
The Synergistic Research Teslaplex receptacle is somewhat of a paradox to me. When comparing its appearance to the Oyaides, it seems very unlikely that this hot-rodded Leviton will be able to make a mark against those exotically-plated Japanese beauties. Looks are deceiving! This receptacle is revelatory in its ability to generate a seemingly unbounded soundscape that is so transparent it actually seems to breathe. Anyone who has tried the SR Tesla power cords knows what I mean by this. The ‘thereness’ of vocals and percussion is just uncanny. I suspect much of this is a result of Ted Denney’s Quantum Tunneling treatment. If you are unfamiliar with this process, visit the Synergistic Research website for a recorded demonstration. One thing I know for sure is that it enhances his products in a most remarkable way.
The Teslaplex may not be everyone’s cup of tea. Its sound is so transparent and delivers such spectacular clarity that I suspect that many audiophiles will find it to be overwhelmingly different from what they have become accustomed to. Perhaps it is, but if the reproduction of air and limitless soundstaging are your audio drug of choice and your system is up to it, I think you will find this receptacle to be quite amazing. Highly recommended!
Over a period of months, I compared each of these receptacles, using several different power cords on each of my components, beginning with my Ayre CX-7e CDP and K-1xe preamp. I eventually concluded that I preferred the Synergistic Research Tesla T2 power cords with the Teslaplex receptacle on my front end equipment.
So now for the amp. First, I compared the Oyaide SWO-XXX to the Porterhouse Audio Power Port on my Krell FPB-600c with the SR Tesla T3 UHC power cord. The SWO-XXX provided a little more apparent detail, but I found the Power Port to be much more musical and it provided what I feel to be more realistic soundstage ambience and more natural upper-frequency purity.
Next up was the Oyaide R1. While I can see why so many folks are impressed with the R1, it seems to impart the same sonic signature on every piece I try it with. It has a very refined sound, with impressive detail, good tonal balance, and lovely harmonic bloom; but, in my system, it has much less air than the Teslaplex or the Porter Port and the soundstage is not as expansive. Instruments seem to move forward in the soundstage and vocals have a much more ‘hi-fi’ quality about them. I never get the ‘live sound’ magic from the R1 like I do with the Teslaplex or the Porter Port.
Many audiophiles keep a special component, interconnect, or power cord over the years whose sound they know to be truthful and use it to evaluate new equipment in their systems. The Porter Port is such a product. It is my opinion that it is the most neutral of this entire group and should be the standard by which to baseline power cords and receptacles. This is indeed impressive considering the $36 selling price of the Porterhouse Audio Porter Port.
The Synergistic Research Teslaplex receptacle is somewhat of a paradox to me. When comparing its appearance to the Oyaides, it seems very unlikely that this hot-rodded Leviton will be able to make a mark against those exotically-plated Japanese beauties. Looks are deceiving! This receptacle is revelatory in its ability to generate a seemingly unbounded soundscape that is so transparent it actually seems to breathe. Anyone who has tried the SR Tesla power cords knows what I mean by this. The ‘thereness’ of vocals and percussion is just uncanny. I suspect much of this is a result of Ted Denney’s Quantum Tunneling treatment. If you are unfamiliar with this process, visit the Synergistic Research website for a recorded demonstration. One thing I know for sure is that it enhances his products in a most remarkable way.
The Teslaplex may not be everyone’s cup of tea. Its sound is so transparent and delivers such spectacular clarity that I suspect that many audiophiles will find it to be overwhelmingly different from what they have become accustomed to. Perhaps it is, but if the reproduction of air and limitless soundstaging are your audio drug of choice and your system is up to it, I think you will find this receptacle to be quite amazing. Highly recommended!
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- 61 posts total
Quote Furutech FP-15A(Cu)-N1 B1 15A AC receptacle. Copper plated deoxidized phosphor bronze, treated with Furutech's Alpha process. This is a brand new receptacle just released at CES 2007. These are quite a bit better built, with a massive non-magnetic stainless steel backstrap that provides a very rigid structure for the rest of the assembly. These receptacles garner our highest recommendation, and are a worthy progression from the near legendary FP-15AcuFurutech ======================================== Quote Shunyata Research’s SR-Z1 Outlets, are built by Hubbell to Shunyata Research's exacting specifications. These outlets have large internal contacts that provide superior contact integrity for power cords. All Ferrous metals have been removed from the SR-Z1 design, as have carbon materials, which Shunyata's independent tests have proven are detractive to optimal AC performance.============================ PS Audio's new Power Port Premier will soon be available. PS Audio has really outdone themselves and created a world class receptacle, able to stand toe-to-toe with any of the other top audio grade receptacles available. Direct gold plating over high purity berryllium copperLink for quote =============================== Wattgate 381 Gold and silver plated brass terminal clamps, mounting strap, rivets, and grounding strip. Just a note here, the Wattgate sure looks like a Leviton. I wonder if Leviton makes it for them. ========================================== Note not one of these audio grade receptacles have a ferrous, magnetic, backstrap. In fact you will notice no ferrous materials are used in the outlets. It is possible the backstap on the Tesla plex recept is made from a high grade stainless steel. If that is the case, the metal would not be ferrous. Joeyboynj said in his post when he placed a strong magnet on the front of the strap, (the part of the strap that connects the receptacle to the rough-in box), there was not any attraction...... . |
I asked Ted Denney about his Teslaplax outlets and here is the response I got... "Regarding gold jewelery AC outlets, ferrous (magnetic) and non-ferrous (non-magnetic) receptacles, all of these considerations will have an effect on sound but as is always the case, the proof is in the pudding. I first listened to dozens of commercial duplex outlets, found designs I liked, then had a custom 20 amp duplex made to my specifications. You will notice that compared to the jewelery outlets mine has comparatively less metal, just like the connectors for my cables seem modest when compared to fancy precious metal connectors. I find when something looks like jewelery it tends to sound compressed and congested- a good design will have only the material needed to get the job done. A design that has substantially more material (conductor) is more designed to catch the eye of the audiophile, then his or her ear. Lastly every Teslaplex is Quantum Tunneled and this makes a HUGE difference. For anyone who has Tesla power cords, including Holograms with their 079 connectors (which do not have more conductor material then needed), the common link will be Quantum Tunneling and this means top performance is achieved through the use of a Teslaplex and not any other brand (that I know of) duplex. On a design philosophy basis, just because I see a lot of companies riding a "train" of design philosophy, with marketing and market acceptance to make selling a product easier, does not mean I follow suite if I know the trend to be false. I design everything I build to be the best it can be, and I tend to design products that are very different from other brands because I actually design for sound, not marketing. This has meant I have been swimming against the stream..." |
Dlcockrum, it has taken me a long time since you were up and recommended the Tesla outlet and other SR gear. I now also have the SR PowerCell 10SE and the Holograph D charged pc for digital. First let me say that you were absolutely right about the Tesla outlet. I compared it to my IsoClean which now sits unused. It has not been an unusual experience in breaking it in. At first I was impressed, later shocked in particular about the bass and sound stage, then less impressed as it is on its down cycle, and right now again amazed. It was the PowerCell that I first installed, however. It is what just makes me incredulous. I have had over 40 different ac conditioning devices ranging from transformers, regenerator, and various others. This is just so clean, open, and detailed with sparkling top end and bass better than anything I have ever heard. I am approaching the 72 hour, so can hardly wait. I don't know about all outlets, but the several I have tried are left in the Tesla's wake. I have had every power conditioning device I know of and the PowerCell is a 10 on a 10 point scale and the other range from 0 to 2. Ted somehow hit a homerun on this. |
- 61 posts total