Building a Power Strip, any advise?


I plan on building a power strip to be used with my Audience aR2p-TO power conditioner.
What I would like to do is try different outlets. Right now, the outlets I have ordered are, an Audience Hospital grade cryoed , a Maestro cryoed, Hubble cryoed and a SR Teslaplex and a Furetech IEC.
I also ordered a 8 outlet chassis.

Any additional comments on the type of wire to use, or the wiring configuration?
Or some other helpful hints...
128x128ozzy
A bare bones approach to a "power strip," perhaps, but being a DIY-solution in all its simplicity I find it very worthwhile:

I use non-shielded, twisted 16AWG solid-core copper installation wires(ground-wire twisted in the opposit direction) as powercables on all my components - i.e. poweramp, DAC, HTPC, and from the wall outlet to the "connection-point"(normally a power strip) where the three powercords meet. Instead of a power strip per se I simply bundle the bare positive wires, return and ground dittos in their respective screw terminal where they meet the wall outlet wires, and hereby avoid connectors in the opposit end of the components - something I believe of importance. Arguably not a very practical approach if one is in the need to completely unplug the powercords regularly, but other than that a simple and indeed sonically "sound" solution which has sat in my system for a few years now. The whole shebang is star-grounded, BTW.

If nothing else this solution is very cheap($15-20) to try out, but I wouldn't recommend it if it weren't worth it - sonically speaking. Though the PVC insulator on the wires is not ideal(the insulator material here is arguably not as important as with speakercables and IC's) the copper quality is beyond resproach, and very important is that they're solid-core wires. To me solid-core wires in general simply sound more right than the multi-stranded alternatives, providing cleaner/purer and better resolved highs, more organic and physical mids, tighter and subjectively deeper/weightier lows.
Ozzy, how would you compare the sonic signature of the Oyaide R1 vs the Maestro?
Mikey8811, I really like the Oyaide R1. It has more dynamics and in my system a more deeper sound that sounds purer.
Figures that the more expensive one is the better sounding...
Ozzy - just saw your power strips - looks great

Where did you get that case?

Some things I did with mine (if you are interested)

- I have a 15 amp pushbutton breaker for protection of the unit/devices - good fuses get expensive and may still impact sound

- I used crimped spade connectors for connection to the breaker - I don't like solder joints for power

- I used Furutech mains conductors for the internal wiring

- I wired all outlets in a star configuration to prevent cross-outlet contamination - not in parallel as you have. For this I used a termination block to accomodate all the wires.

- I also added a couple of switches to control 2 of the three outlet/pairs.

My initial cut at this was without switches and breaker, but after signficant testing I found neither the breaker or switches detracted from the sound.

The switches are good quality 20 amp SPST and the breaker is a quality 15 amp thermal model

Better quality magnetic/thermal are available for aroud $40, which may prove to be better, but since I did not nitice any sonic degredation I stopped there :-)

My power distribution box only powers source components - the amp goes into the wall outlet

My outlets are Pass and Seymour MRI grade 15 amp outlets ($25). The MRI rating means they have no ferous materials in their construction.

I found these to be superior the regular 20 amp hospital grade outlets I have tried in the past and they clamp even better - more like a vice, which eliminates the need for additional support of heavy cables. I also have these at the wall outlet.

Regards...
Williewonka, I bought the cases from China, I think the site is posted early on in this thread, if not I can provide it.

"I wired all outlets in a star configuration to prevent cross-outlet contamination - not in parallel as you have. For this I used a termination block to accomodate all the wires."
I'm interested, but not quite sure how I could fit that configuration into my Case. Can you send me an email with a picture to show how you did it?

I have never tried the Pass and Seymour you mentioned, but others also have posted that they like them.

So far, I have tried Synergistic SE, Maestro, Audience and Oyaide R1 outlets.
In my opinion, the Oyaide R1's are the best and they have the grip of death on a plug.