Furutech AC Receptacles

@pbnaudio:

Peter: I spent the better part of 18 months experimenting with receptacles about 15 years ago. I found it interesting and it was not particularly costly with decent quality stock receptacles from the better manufacturers. 

You have some decent equipment and I would expect a decent ear as well.

Here's a simple suggestion for you and the best way for you to get to the bottom of this issue: buy 3 Pass & Seymour 5262's and 3 Hubbell HBL 5262's (make sure they are the HBL 5262's and not CR 5262's or other non HBL prefix Hubbells-they are very different). 

Total cost to you will be about $75-$80 for those 6 receptacles. I suggest purchasing 3 of each because (I know this from experimenting and doing this)

a)  the effects are cumulative
b) very few systems run off 1 receptacle
c) the sonic character of the receptacle is much more readily discernible when it is not in a "mix and match" situation. Logical, actually when you think about it scientifically, and clearly audible when you do it and approach it that way. If you need to buy an extra couple of receptacles to run the whole system off the same receptacle, that is certainly the way to go, but running most of the system off 3 receptacles should give you a very decent baseline. 

Leave the 3 P&S receptacles in for a month or two and then switch them out and replace them with the HBL's. 

Notwithstanding the effects of burn-in, if you don't hear significant differences with your system between the Levitons you are currently using and the Pass & Seymours & HBL's, I will buy the 6 receptacles from you including shipping and your experiment will have cost you nothing. 

If you do hear differences, you can thank me and go down the receptacle rabbit hole. 

You should, of course, report your findings here. 

Otherwise, it's just as easy for me to say you don't want to believe that it is possible as it is for you to say I want to hear a difference and therefore I do. 

Right now, the difference is that I've done it and you haven't. I'll leave it to others to ascertain as to how much faith one should put in one "opinion" vs. the other. 

An outlet is just a connection. A means of coupling a device to your home electric grid. It is a plastic housing with copper slip grips that squeeze the prongs from the dead front plug you push in it. That is it. The better quality ones such as "hospital grade" are sturdier and better built than the ordinary ones. Again that is it.  All you need to make sure of is that they are good quality, the correct amperage, copper and tight. Please explain to me what burning in does to this very simple device.

+1 salectric
funny to see this kind of question pop up on a regular interval, similar as those questioning a if cables can make a difference.
My experience after 8+ years of tweaking with isolation/resonance control, power and cables: absolutely they all make a difference and, yes, burn in is needed.
Furutech has great products, esp their wall sockets are great value/money. I like their rhodium versions GTX-D(R) as it works best in my tube based system.
See my main system: power+resonance control+cables make up at least a quarter of the budget and it is worth it for me.

@pbnaudio: I would certainly add some Furutech GTX-D(r) or the gold version if you like a smoother sound to the mix, maybe 3 Furutech and 3 Pass & Seymour as hdm suggested. All way better than Hubbel which is better than stock. 

hdm and Hudson,

As mentioned in a post above I did start a test per say of AC outlets some years ago, just never finished it, all missing is a program for the Allen Bradley PICO controller PLC.  The idea is that a complete system will be hardwired to this jig which features 8 different outlets including the ones you mention a few others and a elcheapo Homedepot one at $0.54   The inlet to the Jig will be hardwired directly to our electrical panel.

It is impossible to conduct a real test of the difference in sound quality an outlet makes, if any, plugging in un plugging and restarting the system. 

So if theres a Wizard out there that wants to make the program for the  PICO - which will engage any of the outlets via remote control before it disengage the prior one selected - this way the system can be powered consistently without any interruption - so if there is a difference in SQ this should be beyond obvious to any listener.

I will post a systems page of the Jig which is all wired up ready to go only thing missing is the program - I used to program PLCs many moons ago just do not have the time to relearn it.


Good Listening

Peter

Jazzonthehudson,

Like you I have a GTX-D (R).  Mine is the NCF version with the aluminum housing and the cover plate.  That's the only Furutech outlet I have tried so I can't comment on how this differs from the non-NCF version or how the outlet sounds without the housing and optional cover plate.  However, the combination certainly sounds nice in my system which like yours uses tube electronics.  I only have one of these outlets though.  Do you have more than one in your setup?  The reason I am asking is I am wondering whether adding extras would be a good thing or perhaps cause too much of a Furutech sound.  My one complaint with the GTX combo is that the soundstage perspective is more recessed and distant than I like.  I wouldn't want to make it even more distant with a second or third GTX.  Any comments?

(I realize that people who already "know" that outlets can't make any difference in sound quality will find these comments absurd.  So be it.)