Replacing/Upgrading AC Outlets

Barrelchief, I think for the most part the outlets that are called “Audiophile outlets” have been altered in one fashion or another to be an improvement over the hospital grade. Some outlets are even produced with slightly tighter tolerances to make the contact points tighter.

In some instances they are gold plated or silver plated. I believe the plating process, same as the various materials used in production such as copper, brass, mixtures etc gives different variations to the end product, (the sound).

When the outlets are cryogenically treated in the correct fashion (as many but not all of them are) it usually leads to additional enhancement in the ears of the beholder, that can actually be heard with a revealing system and some experience. Many but certainly not all of the Audio level outlets are given different names but they boil down to a variety of Hubbell’s, or other major brands. For example the Acme Silver plated cryo’d outlet is a Pass & Seymour (older fashion with only screws to wrap the wire around) that has been carefully disassembled silver plated put back together and then cryo’d. I'm currently am doing a demo with the Acme at the present time. It seems very pleasant; the question is what sound does the listener prefer?

Czbbcl, your correct, they are better constructed. They are built by Hubbell.

I do agree with Zikhmark & Chuck on the PS Audio units. They are a high quality, no nonsense piece. They are isolated ground as oposed to some "high end" units that cost about $300.00 a piece, which aren't. Isolating the ground will lower the noise, the nickel plating will fight
corrotion in the contacts. At $50.00 you won't find a better outlet, not in this price range.

The cryo'd 8300 Hubbells I am experimenting with are not finished breaking in and I can already say that at least in my system there is NO question, No maybe, No who knows, about the fact that they sound better. So much better in fact,that it is like buying new upgraded electronics and the burn in is not even complete. These are not a matter of, well gee I think I heard something, maybe. It is a transformation of the way the equiptment functions, alowing is potential to be realized. It made a bigger improvement in my system than changing the power cord on my CD player, which was a very noticeable improvement, and not just different. The conclusion I have to draw at this point is that the real difference between other members findings who are not sure if they hear an improvment or not but like the higher contact pressure and the construction and my experience with drasticly improved sound is the cryo treatment(which as Lak mentioned, needs to be done properly, no silly dry ice sort of bologna). A good cryo treated Hubbell is available already burned in for only $10 more than the PS Audio which seems well liked here,but does not, judging from the prior postsers results, offer the same performance gains I am hearing from the cryo'd units. Cryo seems to be the key at least at this price point in much improved sound quality, given that the construction is roughly equivilent. Other members have reported sonic improvement that rival $10000 electronics upgrades using the $150 Wattgate. Other members have found the cryo'd Hubbell = to the Wattgate. I understand that the Furutech is a great outlet as well which may be in the same leagur with the Wattgate or beyond. I have yet to hear the results from cryo treating a Wattgate. I have no doubt that the outlets I installed are the best investment, dollar vs. performance, that I have made on my system.

Maxgain

I guess you hear what you hear. But I do find it hard to believe that you can statistically tell a difference..........but who knows.

Happy listening

Chuck