Replacing/Upgrading AC Outlets

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

Chuck, I do undertand your position.

I didn't know what to expect myself from this outlet upgrade. I was conservative about my expectations and was not sure that the results that others were reporting would translate to my system. First of all I was reading reports from Albert Porter, who's opinion I find very credible, as well as Larry, another AGoner aka,Lak who have both done more experimentation in this area than I. I was unsure that the reports of vastly improved sound would happen in my system. Comparing Albert's system to mine is like comparing a laser beam to a red colored Christmas light! Secondly, I don't even have special dedicated lines yet. I repalaced cheap spec grade Levitons that were in good condition, using the existing wireing.

I am very happy that I took a position of, why not, it can't hurt?

I can't tell you all of WHY this worked so well. I can tell you that the results are VERY easy to hear and it took my system to a new level for a tiny fraction of the cost of new electronics or huge exotic new power cords! I am as you may be able to tell very excited about this change. I would still be excited by a change this dramatic if it had cost $500 to $1000. This is damn near free in comparison.

I will write only a couple more posts about this upgrade(I won't even call this a tweek, as it is much more than that!)on this forum. I just feel that this is what this forum should be about. If we share good information on how to make improvements that are this much fun with the rest of the Goners we can all get more enjoyment from this persuit.

I am very much a BELIEVER now.

I don't find what Maxgain is saying hard to believe; it is essentially the same experience as mine. The difference between a stock and properly cryoed Hubbell (mine were treated by Alan Kafton at Audioexcellence/World Power) is the difference between night and day. I have said this before and will say it again: testing/listening to receptacles is problematic in the least because, to get a real idea of what the receptacle is doing, you should replace EVERY receptacle in your system, including line conditioner units, to hear the real character of the receptacle. Plugging a Monster conditioner into an upgraded outlet at the wall and then plugging the majority of your components into the cheap outlets in the Monster (or other line conditioner) is going to give you an idea, but only a small idea of what the upgraded receptacle is doing. It is not easy, but I have replaced 3 receptacles at a time each time I've compared different units. Personally, I could never justify buying the PS Audio, as it is simply a Hubbell 8300 (which I have used and is available for around $20, or $15 for an 8200-which is the same except for not accepting a 20 amp plug) with extra nickel plating, and there are many who feel that the nickel plating, or more of it, would be detrimental, not positive to sound quality.

In any event, when replacing 3 receptacles at a time, there was no problem in identifying fairly large sonic differences between, for example, the Pass and Seymour 5262's, the Arrow Hart 8200 and the Hubbell 8200/8300's. There were pretty substantial differences. There was a "quantum leap" difference moving from the stock Hubbell 8200/8300's to the cryoed World Power Hubbell 5362's that I am currently using, and, yes, I would describe it as being the equivalent of a component upgrade. In fact, I have done component upgrades in my modest system which have not resulted in the positive impact that replacing receptacles has had.

There is no doubt in my mind that ANYONE could hear it and would agree with me, particularly if they have a system that draws from 2 or 3 receptacles and replace them all at once. The phrase "blown away" gets thrown around too much in these forums, but in this case it applies. For under $200 for an average system, you will be "blown away" by what that $200 can do.