High performance electric outlets

The cryo treated Hubbell outlet Jena Labs sells is a "semi custom" model not carried by Hubbel dealers (according to their WS). It is a mere $100 each.

My experience with outlets over the past year and a half or so leads me to believe that there is literally a truckload of misinformation or disinformation on receptacles out there. I have tried a number of outlets from various manufacturers, and the best stock outlets I used were Hubbell 8200/8300 hospital grade, although I did not use a stock Hubbell 5362. The Jena Labs is a stock Hubbell 5362 that is cryoed, and both the Hubbell 5362 and 8300 are available cryoed from Audio Excellence/World Power, for $55 and $60 respectively. I can say that the cryoed 5362 is substantially better than the stock 8300 (which is also the basis for the PS Audio receptacle) and believe me, I was very skeptical that there would be much improvement. I posted a review of this receptacle at Audio Asylum (in the cables section) and tried to post it here, but apparently it didn't go through. Haven't heard the FIM, and wasn't keen on the Pass & Seymour stock receptacle that the Acme is based on.

"My understanding is that for hospital purposes they have a treatment that is not good for audio applications."

Ksales......I don't mean to throw a wrench into the works, but this is not exactly correct. For the hospital grade outlets, Hubbell uses a different, and higher-impact resistant face material (rather than the nylon used on non-hospital grade products) and bright-nickel plates all the power contacts and metal strapping. The multi-layer plating insures the metal won't oxidize or corrode, especially in a medical environment.

Sonically (and I beta-tested these units with others), the 8300 and 5362 are *very, very* close. They are both quite musical, with an extended and smooth frequency response. The 5362 gives a "slightly" more laid-back or relaxed presentation, the 8300 a "slightly" more immediate (one customer described it as more 'intimate') presentation, as if you moved your listening chair a bit closer. Again, these differences are ones of subtlety, not night-and-day differences.

From my understanding, bright nickel plating is on a different level than standard nickel plating, about which many have thought to have sonic problems, and consequently, have labeled anything with nickel plating to be "bad". In the Hubbell's case, au contraire.

I hope this information helps.

Alan, thanks for the info. I personally found it very informative. Just a few more questions if you don't mind : )

Do you know what the physical differences between the 8300 and 5362 are ? Have you ever had an 8300 cryo'd ? If so, what were the differences ? Thanks again... Sean
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"Do you know what the physical differences between the 8300 and 5362 are?"

Other than the bright-nickel plating and differing face material of the 8300, they are *identical* in construction and size/dimension......again, identical. The brass alloy for the power contacts, etc. is identical as well.

"Have you ever had an 8300 cryo'd? If so, what were the differences?"

Yes. All the 5362's and 8300's I'm offering ARE cryo'd....in fact double-cryo'd. I mentioned the sonic differences (between the two duplexes) in my previous post. If you're asking about the sonic differences between a cryo'd 8300 and a non-cryo'd 8300, I can't offer an opinion, as I never did such a comparison. After cryo'ing a few different test items earlier in the year, I decided to cryo *everything*, as the sonic rewards were clearly evident to my ears. As of tomorrow, all my system cabling (and extras) will have undergone double-cryo processing so I can listen to music again!