What is your take on AC outlets

[treitz3]

After listening to about 10 or so albums with nothing else changed but the two outlets the system is plugged into, I'm actually rather surprised at the outcome. The entire presence is sharper, more "in focus", if you will. I have noticed that the volume now needs to be lowered as the volume knob's usual position is too loud now. The lower registers have more weight, authority and extension. I really don't know how to describe the change in the top end....less "grain", if you will, that brings out even more subtle detail. That's about the only way I can think of describing what I'm hearing on the top end. It's nice.

I will say this, I could kick myself in the ol' keister for not doing this sooner. I have had the outlets for about two years now. DOH! It amazes me that such a little change can make such an impact. It's nothing so dramatic like a night and day difference but it is definitely something to consider if you haven't upgraded the outlets yet. I believe the outlets I installed were PS Audio, though I'm not 100% certain about that.

Tom

 

[GaryProtein]

Outlets in hospital rooms/hospital grade outlets are supposed to have the ground pin on top because in the unlikely event a metalic object comes off the wall and falls between the plug and the outlet and rests on the outlets pins, the ground is touched, not the two pins carrying the hot and neutral which would cause a short circuit. It is also obvious when you try it, that the heavier, wider, longer ground pin in on top keeps the plug better inserted in the socket when you push down (towards the floor) on the plug. When my house was built, all the outlet sockets were installed that way. You can always easily flip them over.

Regarding the Richard Gray, all you need to do is open the unit and flip the outlet sockets 180 degrees.

 

[Speedskater]

From the NEC rules forum:

Grounds Up or Down?

Should a receptacle be installed with its ground connection point up or down?

The NEC does not address this question. Both configurations are equally acceptable. It is a matter of choice, and the choice can be made by the designer, the installer, or the owner. There may be some aesthetic advantages in being consistent throughout a given project, but even that is not a code requirement. There have been reasonable arguments made in favor of “ground up.” There have been reasonable arguments made in favor of “ground down.” However, not one of the arguments is any more compelling than any other.

 

[garylkoh]

When I change the outlets, I automatically install it ground up because I come from Singapore which uses the UK-standard outlets with the ground up. If the plug pulls out, the exposed pin is the safe ground instead of the dangerous "live".

I find that it sounds better with ground up as well when one day I changed an outlet back to ground down and lost some soundstage width.

 

[primetimeguy]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FRDw1XWNcU&feature=youtu.be

check this link about AC outlets that I made for all of you
Please sorry for my bad english

enjoy

It shows noise can be reduced as detected by the meter, but is there a doubleblind test to show there is an audible difference?

 

[treitz3]

I find that it sounds better with ground up as well when one day I changed an outlet back to ground down and lost some soundstage width.

Hello, Gary. I'm not in any way trying to be a smart "you know what" but are you serious?

Tom

 

[mep]

It shows noise can be reduced as detected by the meter, but is there a doubleblind test to show there is an audible difference?

Cripes! Objectivists always want measurements to back up claims. Now you give them measurements and they want a double blind test! Three-Card Monte anyone?

 

[Amado]

Nice job Amado, thank you.

Your welcome

 

[rbbert]

Inspired by this thread, I went ahead and installed some. Two to be exact. Favorable impressions so far across the entire spectrum of frequencies/experience. Further observations will be disclosed as the listening sessions progress. Enjoy the music!

Tom

Which outlets are you using?

 

[FrantzM]

Hello, Gary. I'm not in any way trying to be a smart "you know what" but are you serious?

Tom

Same here.... I can take some but this is going waaaaaay too far ...

 

[primetimeguy]

Cripes! Objectivists always want measurements to back up claims. Now you give them measurements and they want a double blind test! Three-Card Monte anyone?

Those measurements aren't measuring what I think matters, which is whether or not the noise is audible. Tons of products are out there to reduce noise on power lines, the question is do they make an audible difference. And for that you need to measure the audible differences not how much noise is on the line.

 

[treitz3]

Which outlets are you using?

Hey, rbbert. Honestly, I do not know. I could have sworn that they were PS Audio outlets but I can't verify this. I didn't see any "advertising" on them whatsoever. The best I can tell you is that they are grey, kinda look like a hospital outlet and they have an orange triangle and a teal circle next to the lower grounding pin. I know, not much help but that's all I can offer other than that they weigh about triple the weight of a standard outlet. Sorry, that's all I can offer. Perhaps someone here can tell you more. Sorry. I really wish I had more for you.

Tom

 

[mep]

I'm pretty sure Gary is quite serious. What if you tried it and you agreed? Because then what you *know* won't match what you heard. Some people don't believe that properly functioning sockets can make any difference in sound and yet others swear to it. Hospital outlets do grip tighter than normal $1.00 outlets which is a safety issue just as installing them "ground up" is a safety issue. If your life is possibly dependent upon a machine, you really don't want it accidentally getting pulled from the socket.

 

[treitz3]

I'm pretty sure Gary is quite serious. What if you tried it and you agreed?

Oh, I'm more than willing to try it. It only takes about 10 minutes for both outlets. Just kinda surprised a bit at the statement Gary made, is all. I'll try it tomorrow and post my observations. I'd do it right now but I have a guest over that is currently enjoying the sweet spot.

Tom

 

[rbbert]

Hey, rbbert. Honestly, I do not know. I could have sworn that they were PS Audio outlets but I can't verify this. I didn't see any "advertising" on them whatsoever. The best I can tell you is that they are grey, kinda look like a hospital outlet and they have an orange triangle and a teal circle next to the lower grounding pin. I know, not much help but that's all I can offer other than that they weigh about triple the weight of a standard outlet. Sorry, that's all I can offer. Perhaps someone here can tell you more. Sorry. I really wish I had more for you.

Tom

Yes, the appearance you describe sounds like the PS Audio. I wonder how much (if at all) better they sound than the Hubbells from which they are sourced? With the PS Audio selling for well under $50 each, and Hubbells up to $20+, there's not even a big price difference.

 

[mep]

Yes, the appearance you describe sounds like the PS Audio. I wonder how much (if at all) better they sound than the Hubbells from which they are sourced? With the PS Audio selling for well under $50 each, and Hubbells up to $20+, there's not even a big price difference.

I guess it depends on whether they were cryogenically frozen next to Walt Disney's head or not.

 

[garylkoh]

Hello, Gary. I'm not in any way trying to be a smart "you know what" but are you serious?

Tom

Tom, I know. But you should try it at least once. Takes 20 mins and a screwdriver. I'm just reporting what I thought I heard.

 

[vinylphilemag]

From what I've seen (not that I'm a closet AC-socket stalker!), the common way for AC outlets to be installed over here is earth prong down. I've been toying with getting some Furutech GTX-D outlets, and I see from their photos that they are designed to have the earth prong on top (because the Furutech logo is the right way up when so installed). I honestly don't know what would mess with my OCD more: installing the Furutech outlets earth prongs up (so the logo is correct), or earth prongs down so that although they would be "wrong" they'd match the others in my house.

One solution would be to install the Furutechs correctly, then invert all the other outlets. Just thinking about it is making me break out in a cold sweat: I think I should go listen to some music!

 

[treitz3]

From the NEC rules forum:

Grounds Up or Down?

Should a receptacle be installed with its ground connection point up or down?

The NEC does not address this question. Both configurations are equally acceptable. It is a matter of choice, and the choice can be made by the designer, the installer, or the owner. There may be some aesthetic advantages in being consistent throughout a given project, but even that is not a code requirement. There have been reasonable arguments made in favor of “ground up.” There have been reasonable arguments made in favor of “ground down.” However, not one of the arguments is any more compelling than any other.

Hello, Speedskater. We reside in a new house and one of the first things I noticed upon the final inspection prior to purchase was that some of the outlets were installed "upside down". When I told the builder that this needed to be corrected, I was informed that the reason some were installed upside down was to indicate to the user that the particular outlet was associated with a light switch and the ones that were "correct" were not. FWIW.

Tom

 

[primetimeguy]

Tom, I know. But you should try it at least once. Takes 20 mins and a screwdriver. I'm just reporting what I thought I heard.

I won't disagree at all what you thought you heard. But doing a blind test should help determine if what you thought is reality.