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Replace pwr cord w/IEC socket on vintage gear?

I have thought about this many times, as I own a fair amount of gear from the '80s. Yesterday I picked up a KILLER Heathkit pwr amp, but it has a really wimpy pwr cord. The shop where I bought it will install an IEC socket for 1 hr. labor plus the part. Given that this opens the amp up to the world of better power cords, this seems like an attractive, low-cost upgrade.

Has anybody here done it, and how'd it turn out?
johnnyb53
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almarg
9,670 posts
 
Stltrains, I don't follow what you are saying. What does having "all components in phase with each other" mean in the context of orienting a two-prong non-polarized ac plug?

Regards,
-- Al
stltrains
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When you check phase you reverse the plug and get voltage readings in each position the lower reading is in phase do this for all pieces of gear in a system its suppose to contribute to better sound.
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almarg
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06-27-11: Stltrains
When you check phase you reverse the plug and get voltage readings in each position the lower reading is in phase do this for all pieces of gear in a system its suppose to contribute to better sound.
Yes, which is what my initial post above addressed, and which is what I feel certain is what Ron (Rrog) was referring to. However, I would not refer to the procedure as resulting in anything being "in phase" or "out of phase," in part because those terms have no meaning without being referenced to something. What is occurring is that ac leakage to chassis is being minimized.

Regards,
-- Al
stltrains
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ok al sounds good to me.
rrog
1,958 posts
 
Al, Thanks for your comments. I have been using this method for many years with a variety of components and I have always been able to notice an improvement. The improvement in sound quality varies from one component to the next and it seems to coincide with how much the voltage readings vary. Is this related to the transformers and their windings?
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