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What kind of outlet wall plate do yo use?

I was reading a post over on AA last week. The post was about outlet wall plates, non magnetic stainless steel wall plates.

I had seen these posts in the past on AA but always passed them over never really reading them. This time I took the time to read the post and reponses to it.

To cut to the chase I went out and found some non magnetic stainless steel outlet plates at a lumber yard. I must stop here and tell you I was a bit skeptical that I would hear any difference in sound from my system.

I pulled the plastic plates from my 3 dedicated duplex outlets and installed the ss plates. I plugged the equipment back in and turned on the system. I let it warm up for about a half hour and then sat down for a listen.

The first CD I listened to was Diana Krall, "The Girl in The Other Room." I could hear a difference right off, but not for the better. Sound stage was small, Krall's piano sounded like a blanket had been thrown over it. The air had been let out of the music.
I listened to a few other CDs with the same results.

I then carefully pulled the ss plates from the outlets for the preamp and the power amp. Just sliding them down on the cords out of the way. I sat back down for a listen. Every thing was back as it was before I had installed the ss plates.

I should mention here my preamp is a Sonic Frontiers line-1, and the power amp is an Audio Research VT50.
The three 20 amp branch circuits are installed in EMT conduit. The rough-in boxes are 4"x4" 2 1/8" deep with a single gang raised device cover for the sheetrock wall and electrical outlet mounting. Wire is #10 awg solid THHN copper. Recepts Leviton 20A Hosp Grade. Branch circuit breakers single pole Square D OQ. Branch circuits breakers installed on the same line in the panel. Distance from electrical panel less than 25ft.

I still was puzzled why there was any difference in sound at all. I then, just for the hell of it, installed two leviton stainless steel plates. One for the power amp outlet and the other for the preamp outlet. A magnet will stick to the leviton plates like gorilla glue...

I plugged the gear back in, turned on the system and let it warm up for about a half hour or so. I then sat down for a listen. The sound, not bad. Remember this is the electrical wall outlet plate. First impressions the sound is darker, vocals smoother, more body, fuller.

I will compare the leviton ss plate to the plastic plate later after my ears have had a chance to adjust to this new sound.

Have any of you guys experimented with the wall outlet cover plates?
Why is there a difference in sound? When I first read the post I thought maybe it was due to the rigidity effect the plate was placing on the electrical outlet. Was it working as a damper of sorts. I mean a non magnetic ss cover plate verses a plastic plate.
Why did the non magnetic ss plate degrade the sound of my system?
With the Leviton ss plates are they providing shielding, in effect a Faraday cage.

By the way I asked the person, who posted the thread, why the plate changed the sound on his system. Some of those tweakers can be quite defensive when you question them. Though he was not others were.
I also should mention the member is using solid state gear.

Jim

jea48
jea48 OP
2,944 posts
 
Albert,
Bob was definitely ahead of his time. Note the time, 15 years before his post he found he could change the sound with the type of cover plate he used for his power strips. 1988, were you experimenting with receptacles and cover plates in 1988? I sure wasn't.
Sure, maybe by mistake, he found out it was the grounded brass cover plate that was causing his problem. In 1988 who would of thought a brass plate was causing the problem... Bob didn't say how long it took to find his problem. Or for that fact solving the problem by isolating the brass plate from ground.

I like his subtle comment about using aluminum. Curious, was he using aluminum for the face plates of his power strips? If so, I wonder how many years he used aluminum and didn't bother to say why he was using it.
Jim
albertporter's avatar
albertporter
4,927 posts
 
Jim,

I knew Bob fairly well, he and I spoke on many occasions and I even negotiated with him for a Blowtorch when I was moving from Counterpoint and searching for the ultimate preamp. A mutual friend of Bob's was Fred Crowder who also lives in Houston (I'm in Dallas), Fred and I are much closer than Crump and I were. I call Fred from time to time just to hear his voice, he's a good guy and really loves this hobby.

As for wall plates, I had NO idea in 1988, in fact, I did not install dedicated AC runs for my system until 1991 and the "over the top" 14 run, multiple dedicated lines system I have now, was not until maybe ten years ago and the crazy outlet tests were just a few years ago.

I experimented with different outlets and the cover plate deal was purely by accident that I heard it. Granted it was small but I was surprised by the change.

Truth is, it was not all that many years ago that I laughed out loud when the first people claimed that power cables could help the sound of a system. I could NOT get past the thought that there were miles and miles of common wire out on the poles (with birds sitting on them :^) and now, past the breaker box and in-wall Romex we add a thick AC cable and get improved sound.

Reminded me of the guys with Japanese cars, tiny exhaust system all the way to the bumper and then a huge flare pipe to "improve" flow (yea, sure).

Finally Steve McCormack (McCormack Audio) who has been a good friend for more than 30 years said my logic was flawed and I should view it the other way around. The superior AC cable is an EXTENSION of the units power supply. You would not dumb down the power supply because of all the miles of wire before it. Anyway, the best AC cables do more than just pass current and voltage, many of them actually shield while scraping off RF and EMI.

We all learn as we evolve our systems, fortunately I am reasonably open minded about such things, perhaps because I'm an artist by profession or perhaps out of wishful thinking and hoping to make the music better :^).

Thank goodness there are people like Steve McCormack and others that push the boundaries so we can make things a bit more like the real thing.
essentialaudio
1,147 posts
 
Albert, the price on a CTC Blowtorch has never been negotiable, no insiders discount nor accommodation. The price is what it is, because it has always been a labor of love with low markup. I own one and knew Bob Crump better than most people and keep in touch with John Curl. I also speak with Fred who as you say is a good guy and an enthusiast.

My apologies to others for posting off topic.
Brian Walsh
jea48 OP
2,944 posts
 
Albert, the price on a CTC Blowtorch has never been negotiable, no insiders discount nor accommodation.
07-31-07: Essentialaudio

Not sure why Albertporter did not respond.

Price may not have been the issue.....

Might have been a design feature Albert wanted.

Did you know Bob Crump built at least one CTC Blowtorch with a single two ganged volume control instead of the standard two separate volume controls?
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albertporter's avatar
albertporter
4,927 posts
 

Essentialaudio
Albert, the price on a CTC Blowtorch has never been negotiable, no insiders discount nor accommodation.

Jea48. Not sure why Albertporter did not respond.

Price may not have been the issue.....

Might have been a design feature Albert wanted.

A bit late for this response since my post in 2007 :^). But Jea48 is correct, negotiations aren't always over price. There are issues of availability, cosmetics, features and more.

The results of that testing back then was a decision to purchase Aesthetix IO and Callisto. A decision I was happy with for a very long time.

Jea, were you the happy customer that got the blowtorch with single two ganged volume control?
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