Ungrounded power cord: Will I die?

I personnaly would not float ground for equipment designed to be grounded, especially very expensive equipment. Why take a chance? I may take a chance for a cheap CD player, receiver, or anything else you will not cry about later should it go up in smoke.But, tube amps, tube preamps, any SS device worth a few bucks, phono stages, and phono stages are in my opinion not worth experimenting with to test AC issues or theories.

Ciao,
Audioquest4life

For years now I have used a grounded powercord w/my tube amps & used an ungrounded cord (cheap but very effective Volex cord w/the grounding pin cut off) on my CDP. The CDP is still grounded thru the interconnects to the amp & provides quieter better sound.

I lived in Japan for 9 years and was an audiophile at that time, so I purchased several Japanese components, all of which had two prong plugs. I did not understand why at the time but reading this thread taught me the differences, so thanks to all who helped me get less dumb.
I am wondering about the question around the amp IEC having three prongs on some of the Japanese stuff though. I'm wondering if a power chord with a three prong plug is used with these components would the ground plug be functional? As someone said the Japanese electronics are built with plastic or coated to avoid the need for a ground in the chassis, but I wonder if the female plug on the back has any ground function, or if it is simply there to allow use of aftermarket cords. One might gain a false sense of security if they attached a grounded cord to an amp that had a non-functional ground.

.

Purely a guess but I agree with the idea that the Japanese stuff comes with the standard 3 wire input jack to be just that; standard. Those who like to play with power cords would shy away if they couldn't do that.

.

I'm guessing if they have a ground there, it is for a reason.

Someone above mentioned it will ground through the interconnects to your other components, and this is not necessarily true. Some equipment has the interconnects isolated from the metal chassis or case. So, don't think this will take care of it.

Some equipment may also have a capacitor/capacitors or other semiconductor connected from a hot 120 volt line to help reduce line noise by tying that hot line noise to the ground, or case that had a ground. If any of these parts shorted, there can be a possibility the case will have the full 120 volt line voltage. Plus, any other part mechanical failure can cause a risk, if it happens.

If this would happen, you could have 120 volts between this to any ground, or your other equipment right next to this unit, with the ground removed. In other words, yes, 120 volts between your amp and preamp, or any other equipment.
Also, to any ground your on, or any other conductive item you may touch.

In my opinion, removing any ground wire that was there always has a risk.