Ungrounded power cord: Will I die?

Googling electrocution by consumer devices is per year in the United states: 1 person per three million.
So for 300,000,000 that is about 100 folks die PER YEAR in the united states from electrocution from home apliances or electronics.
The greatest percent of those are from appliances, and power tools, and mostly men.

No percentage is given that I can find for folks messing with thier stereo equipment.
And those would all be for guys repairing or putzing with the insides of thier stuff anyway.
The risk is just not present for the non intrusive (not inside the equuipment) audiophile.
And if anyone WAS killed or even harmed.. i am CERTAIN it would end up on sites like this by word of mouth, or on Yahoo: "Two six year olds electrocuted by dads stereo" or some such blather...
Even Herman admits to getting a few 'zaps' as a kid (so did I) So what?
Making a mountain out of a molehill is what this thread is about.
And YES I am saying it is nonsense to be concerned beyond such things as stopping for stop signs, or red lights, speeding, etc. Even slipping in the bathtub is as lethal (per percentage).
So unless you are planning to stick two screwdrivers into the wall outlet, and then bit down on them.. i would not get too worried.
So gimme a break on getting electrocuted by your stereo.

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I was wrong and Elizabeth is right.

The risk of death or injury from floating a ground is so low it is not a practical concern.

I apologize for my previous comment.

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Anyone using ungrounded power cords will die eventually. Alas, so will those using grounded ones. That said, as Forrest Gump remarked "Stupid is as Stupid does"; I have known a fair sample of the shallow end of the audiophile pool and none of them have yet succeeded in hifi Hari Kari despite their best efforts. The prize probably went to the guy who built a large outboard capacitor bank, charged it up, unhooked it without discharging it and then tried to hook it up again. He also liked to leave the cage off his EAR 509s despite the presence of potentially lethal voltage. They looked better that way.

That is a universal 100-240 switching supply. Since outlets in many countries don't have a 3rd prong for ground it would have to be designed to not need one.
01-28-12: Herman

Herman,

You could be right..... I checked the Net for an owners manual for the unit with no luck. Maybe the OP will chime in and let us know what the manual says.

I did look at the link you provided and noticed the picture of the back of the unit shows the male IEC connector has the safety equipment ground blade contact.

I have no way of knowing if the PS is Listed by a recognized safety testing agency for use in the USA.
(Such as UL)

Just curious about your thoughts,... if the PS uses an IE transformer with an electrostatic shield that is connected to the metal chassis, enclosure, of the PS and the equipment ground contact of the IEC connector. If the ground is floating will that have any effect on the EMI/RFI rejection performance of the PS?

I can say that style of male IEC connector can be purchased without the ground blade contact.

To go back for just a second to the OP's Luxman amp, the manufacture should have supplied with the amp , at least for sales in the USA, a 3 wire plug PC with the IEC grounding type connector. That way the cord would be idiot proof and could be used on IEC fed equipment that require the use of a safety equipment ground.

Just one example, that is how the Arcam Alpha 9 CDP was designed/manufactured. The unit has the universally used male IEC connector with only the hot and neutral blades. No safety equipment ground blade. The unit uses double insulated power wiring.

The cheap OEM power cord the came with the unit is a 3 wire grounding type. The ground wire is not used in this case but if for some reason the cord was just thrown in a box and later found, there would not be safety issue if it was used on a piece of equipment that was intended to be connected to an AC grounded system equipment safety ground.

I was wrong and Elizabeth is right.

The risk of death or injury from floating a ground is so low it is not a practical concern.

I apologize for my previous comment.
01-29-12: Herman

Sorry, to broad of a statement.

If the OP's cord in question was used on a home computer in a basement with a bare concrete floor and for some reason the user was in his/her bare feet it could become an issue.

Plain and simple the cord is not idiot proof. There is a reason for electrical safety standards. Yes they can be defeated. And if the user chooses to do so he/she then takes that risks if any.

But how about the person that doesn't know there could be a potential safety problem with using the cord.

That is why NEMA standards makes sure the square peg will not fit in the round hole.