Is the Maestro AC outlet basically a cryo'd Cooper BR20 found at Lowes for $3.47?


Quote from an AA member regarding the Maestro AC outlet. 


Image: Cooper BR20 AC Outlet

I think it’s safe to assume the Maestro AC outlet is a Cooper brand product that’s essentially the same or similar to the Cooper BR20 Commercial Grade AC outlet available at Lowe’s for $3.47. If so, the Maestro AC outlet is nothing more than an ordinary hardware store product that’s been cryo’d and treated with a sweet smelling, sticky substance (snake oil?). Perhaps this unknown coating is what can supposedly make a $3.47 AC outlet sound superior to a Furutech or Oyaide product. Sorry for the snarky commentary, but this type of thing can affect the reputation of bonafide Audio Grade AC products. I’m sure you will fully enjoy the new Furutech GTX-D(R) AC outlet, bcowen!

See link:

http://www.audioasylum.com/audio/tweaks/messages/20/202332.html

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Here is the full Tweakers Asylum thread.

http://www.audioasylum.com/audio/tweaks/messages/20/202315.html

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jea48
My additional black outlet is settled and with tweaking room acoustics,  i use quite a fair bit but have equalised the highs that was a tad dull,  inluding a touch od silve paste walker esst,  after the addition of the 2nd black outlet.  It sound fine,  but knowing that brilliance which allows that silvery sheen to emerge which allows cymbals to take on a more realistic metallic edge is still not comparable with the T. SE and gtx r which is in the upper midrange up "presence"region, but other than that i like how it sounds in orher areas. 

This is almist exactly like 2 same photographs,  one with saturated colours in which colourful objects pops upfront and the very same photo with more neutral tones allowing you to see more deeply as if you took a step back as there are no catchy colours pushing and competing for your eyes attention. 

I going to allow myself more listening time not focussing on this to see if i still feel shortchanged after which i will then have no choice but to reintroduce the T. SE or Gtx R in to the chain. 

Possibly introducing the GtxR elsewhere or even in an unused socket might be the ticket in restoring that last bit of brilliance.  I intentionally use brilliance as opposed to terms like sharp or glary,  because it is not. 

As for the p300,  1hz below adda a tad more warm,  maybe bit much sometimes and 61hz shows more dynamic contrast and tightness,  but also less presence and a whitish tonality accross the board. 
Jtubes, I'm finally satisfied my SR Black has broken in completely. 
I'm pleased with the unit, but less euphoric about it for perhaps the same reason you mentioned: the treble. It's very good and clear, but it was most "brilliant" on the first day, which was also when the sound had the most 'physical' representation. As time went on, the sound receded just a little, so one moved from row 6 to row 10. I would correlate this to your comment about the shimmer and metallic edge of a cymbal, and I agree it is not as refined as the Tesla SE, which overdoes it in the same regions that the Black does an about face and backs off a bit in the upper midrange and treble.
Another thing I noticed when playing some Frank Sinatra CDs (My September Years (Capitol) and a couple of others ( long after the initial post about the unit). Sinatra's voice sounded not as 'voluptuous' in the way that it had in the past. So I connected the Sigma power cord to the PS Audio (into a Tesla SE outlet, such irony), an thru an Alpha HC power cord into the Furutech GTX NCF outlet (instead of using the amp on the UEF Black outlet. The improvement in his vocal tones was clear, but at the expense of a sense of clarity and transparency. And the highs, while not of the super airy variety, still is quite, quite good. Of course, perhaps using an amplifier with an airy quality might reveal the shortcoming to be in the NAD, but given that I've used it before with other outlets, the colorations of the amp are clear enough for me to decide that the outlet, as good as it is, is only an equal and worthy alternate to the  Furutech NCF. I could even see preferring the Black with a component that is warm in the upper bass/lower midrange, although I would just like Sinastra's voice to be as I know it has sounded for many, many years. On female vocals, the Black is excellent and even some older 50s  r&B artists with a falsetto (Jackie Wilson, Little Richard, as examples).

As far as the older Furutech generation, however, The Black is clearly superior, to the GTX- Rhodium outlet I have.
Gbm,

I am not looking for the perfect outlet nor really find the "One" that promises to be the last in outlets.

I merely try my best to find the strengths and weaknesses in the outlet.

I agree and find the black still a very good outlet, but knowing the upper midrange doesnt come alive, without comparisons it actually will sound very good and most will feel nothing ever was lacking.

I did'nt have a choice but to reintroduce the GTX (non-ncf)  connected to the p300 and as with my previous conclusion and what your impressions mirrors, sound a not as clear, open overall and slightly warmer than i would like. This certainly would suit a dull system or one that needs more upfront clarity. The black would be e best bet on a tube or warmer system even better.

However, the areas which the black lacks, the GTX shines.

The GTX however remains in my distributor but now connected a non audio chain equipment (Telos Q Noise Reducer), in doing so, it has reintroduced that slight bit of upper midrange onwards brilliance and presence back in the system while not sounding a bit fuller or warm , which is also not my preference. Just for example, if the black was a 5 on the warmness scale, the GTX would be a 7.5 to 8 where my preference would be a 6.5 on this scale.

To highlight, the Furutech's are pure copper, you will get a purer, clear, organic and warmer sound which are traits of copper over brass, period. The brass contacts of the black outlet will never provide sonically what a pure copper plated connectors bring sonically to the table.

I also find that the SE is still a good outlet overall and and has many good qualities which might also be easier to fit into the majority of systems over the black outlet, which may sway too much leaning out the sound.

The black outlet does sound thinner and on certain few recordings, bass weight can also seem to vanish.

Moving away slightly from this topic, i did also purchase a NCF inlet, but it is slightly wider than the standard iec inlet and was not installed as enlarging the casing is required. As NCF is made of nano crystalline and carbon in the mix and affect emf, it now sits between the heads of 2 cables come out from the p300. Holy, it affects the sound using it this way, it adds a wholesome organic and further delicate smoothness to the sound, this complements what the black outlet does'nt provide in it's sonic presentation.

Strangely used, but the inlet stays sitting there between the 2 connectors!

There is something to further experiment with the NCF mixture, it is actually very potent sonically, with or without the copper rhodium contacts.
Allan,

If you read the sonic traits i have listed, i would call all 3 outlets i use together, NCF, Black and SE all top contenders.

They each sound different and i would call any worst or better, top notch sound from each but due to their different sonic traits and presentations, each could synergise better that the other in any given system.

I would list it as:

1)NCF - most detailed, organic, rich, full, with best high frequencies tad leaning towards a warmer, calmer mid-centric presentation. Bass does not go as low as the black.

2)Black - Very detailed, more laid back, quiet organised sound at an expense of finer and more present HF information, less midrange energy but deepest bass of the lot. Think of it as a NCF but subtracting from the fuller midrange (and leanng out this region) so as to stretch and kneading this region down toward the low regions of the frequencies.

3)Detailed, overall most balanced but less high end brilliance, micro detail and organic sound than the NCF. Not as organised and distant presentation as the black so you get more midrange energy but can be a little harder sounding and a notch below than the other 2 contenders. There seems to be less of a sonic trait bias of the lot.