Cheap tweaks...What would YOU reccomend?

Williwonka, I was using some DIY 10 guage Romex as power cords for my Acoustat tube amps, into a Furutech GTX d gold outlet on a dedicated 20 amp line.Very nice sound, and I moved my Annacondas out to my vinyl/headphone setup.

What sounds even better now is running the amps directly to the panel with no Furutech GTX D Gold outlet which until recently, each power amp was plugged into.

Each amp is now on it's own dedicated 20 amp line.
Each line has the cheap but good copper Furutech receptacle and plugs directly into the Furutech IEC on each amp.

Conclusions?

Better sound, yes.

But is it because each amp is now on a dediacted line?
Is it because I have one less break in the route of power from the panel to the amps ie- no GTX D receptacle?
Were the old Acoustat tube amps starved for power?
Until now I never would have thought so.

So for those who have multiple dedicated lines and multiple outlets of whatever brand, try the direct approach like I did.

Go direct from the panel to your amp.

The only more direct route would be to solder the 10 guage Romex directly to your amp,bypassing all IEC outlets and plugs which is not a safe thing to do and not reccomended.

Lacee - I had a very big surprise today - I received a pair of Sonar Quesr silver plated copper mains connectors that I ordered a couple of weeks ago.

Installing them on my Furutech 10 gauge power cord had an amazing impact, by opening up the image far beyond that obtained with the previous gold plated copper connectors. It also separated instruments much more than previously experienced. However - the power cord was installed on the power distribution centre than provides power to the source components. The Romex power cord is now on the amp

I have no doubt of the improvements you obtained from hard wiring the amps - have you thought of doing the same with the sources?

If that's not feasible, maybe try the silver plated mains connectors like these

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/SONAR-QUEST-CRYO-Ag-Audio-Grade-Silver-plated-IEC-plug-Schuko-plug-/130856829251?pt=US_Audio_Cables_Adapters&hash=item1e77acc143&_uhb=1

They work :-)

I use those same cheap Furutech all copper connectors on my power cords they sound wonderful. Tom

Those cheap Furutech copper connectors do sound good.
I am debating the move up to the more expensive Rhodium version to match the Furutech rodium IEC that I installed in my amps.

I suppose I should just bite the bullet and do it.

Anyone made the move and regretted it?

I would love to run direct from the panel to my front end gear,but that would mean two more dedicated lines,and long ones at that.I've used the professional wire covers in seven foot lengths and the thought of two more runs is just too much.
What I have done is install the Furutech GTX D Gold on the wall that the two front end components are plugged into and that made a positive improvemnt over the stock outlet.So I have two dedicated lines, one for each amp and one line, not dedicated for the front end.

I'm just about at the end of the line(pun intended)in getting power to my gear.

Lacee,

There was a thread somewhere else and a guy was being pounded for building and selling an extreme power cord of some type. The fellow that was taking all the abuse indicated he had tried all the Furutech models and materials as well as other brands of the same sort and settled on the copper version as the best balanced sound. He described what each material presented when used with his cable design. Not as a discussion as to his design but rather to the pains that he went to auditioning the termination quality. The Furutech copper is treated in some fashion to reduce oxidation potential. I am now using these copper connectors and not the rhodium I used previous.
Mechanical grounding at these junctions will be my next step.Tom