Receptacles... what to do?

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dBe

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Receptacles... what to do?
« on: 1 Aug 2015, 12:29 am »
In a galaxy long ago and before my accident I said I would walk through how I modify receptacles for my own use.

Here a 3 pictures that might help of a P&S5362A:










I am a terrible photographer as you can see but I think these will work.

The first picture is a photo of a stock 5362A.  Very robust construction on good materials.

The second picture is of it partially disassembled.

The third picture shows part of what I do to make a very good receptacle great.  I have spread the contacts to show you stock (top) and the beginning of the polishing process that I do to the contacts.  The line contacts on the bottom assembly have been through the first pass on the polishing wheel I made and will give you an idea of where I am going with all of this.

People coming for dinner.  I'm the cook.  More tomorrow.  I'll tell you what I use and why.  Also, I will try to take some really good pics of the contacts.

Toodles...



dBe

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Re: Receptacles... what to do?
« Reply #1 on: 3 Aug 2015, 09:58 pm »
Here are the line contacts before and after their final buffing.  Pictures (At least mine) do not do the buffed versions justice.  Nice and shiny and quite smooth.  Under a 10X loupe that are very, very different from each other.

Guess which is which?



Why would I go to all of this trouble?  several reasons:

My innate curiosity makes me do it.  Can't help myself.  OCD?

To find out just how good for audio standard products can be.  As I have found out over the years there are a slew of OK products out there that can sound awesome with a little care.  First came swapping out op amps for better SQ, then 4001 diodes for soft recovery, then Schottky to clean up power supply noise, then power supply caps and on and on...

POOGE:  Progressive Optimization Of Otherwise Generic Equipment.  I can't remember if it was Gary Galo or one of the other guys at The Audio Amateur than came up with that idea , but it stuck with me.

Another reason was to hear the difference in SQ when I did the polish thing to these and to Wattage plugs.  Not really subtle.  The changes were definitely for the better.

Another reason is that this type of polish works well with aftermarket plugs: Furutech, Oyiade and the rest.  This saves the plating from the gouges a standard receptacle will impart on a high $$$ plug.  Better resale when you find that the cable du jour sucks in our system.

The other reason is that this modified receptacle just sounds better to me than the Furutech FPX(Cu) to my ears.  I despise upper mid push in system that are on the verge of being too analytical (at the BAD end of analytical). A P&S 5362A modified in this manner is smooth, organic, revealing without being harsh with great bass and clear, very clean highs.  It is considerably better than some high end receptacles to my old ears.  Once again, to ward off  :flame:  YMMV. 

Remember:  the wild opinions uttered by me are mine.  I 'fess up to them and freely admit that my preferences are MY preferences.

I guess the big point is this:  take some time.  Figure out how all of this works.  You will find that there are some big strides in SQ out there just waiting for curiosity and elbow grease to take hold.

TomS

Re: Receptacles... what to do?
« Reply #2 on: 4 Aug 2015, 12:46 am »
Dave,

POOGE came from Walt Jung, Dick Marsh, and John Curl back in the day. There was also another version much more amusing ;-)

The main transplant patient was a Dyna PAT-5 then a Hafler DH200. It was shocking what's the right op amps,  a few circuit layout changes, and some cheap matched polystyrene caps in the right places could do. Separate +/- super regs for each stage too. It's all about optimizing and Walt J was a master.

Polishing contacts as such would have been right up their alley too. Nicely done.


dBe

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Re: Receptacles... what to do?
« Reply #3 on: 4 Aug 2015, 01:01 am »
Dave,

POOGE came from Walt Jung, Dick Marsh, and John Curl back in the day. There was also another version much more amusing ;-)

The main transplant patient was a Dyna PAT-5 then a Hafler DH200. It was shocking what's the right op amps,  a few circuit layout changes, and some cheap matched polystyrene caps in the right places could do. Separate +/- super regs for each stage too. It's all about optimizing and Walt J was a master.

Polishing contacts as such would have been right up their alley too. Nicely done.
I should have known and the fact that Walt and Curl were there is no surprise.  The original Vendetta was a revelation in its' day!!!  Richard Marsh changed the way the audio family thought about capacitors..  Fathers of High End, says me.

kenreau

Re: Receptacles... what to do?
« Reply #4 on: 4 Aug 2015, 02:05 am »
Dave,

I like your efforts at polishing the surfaces.  Seems like it would help reduce, or minimize the diode like arcing effects. 

Have you experimented with any of the metal-to-metal contact enhancer (silver or gold) pastes?  i.e. Lloyd Walkers "Extreme SST" or Quicksilver Contact Enhancer?  or, the Liquid Furutech Nano contact enhancer?

Thx
Kenreau

dBe

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Re: Receptacles... what to do?
« Reply #5 on: 4 Aug 2015, 03:21 am »
Dave,

I like your efforts at polishing the surfaces.  Seems like it would help reduce, or minimize the diode like arcing effects. 

Have you experimented with any of the metal-to-metal contact enhancer (silver or gold) pastes?  i.e. Lloyd Walkers "Extreme SST" or Quicksilver Contact Enhancer?  or, the Liquid Furutech Nano contact enhancer?

Thx
Kenreau
I have.  I started out with DeOxit years ago in the recording studio (+\- 35 years ago).  I moved to ProGold.  After that I tried various silver borne conductive greases (still use for some applications), but moved to Jena Labs Contact Enhancer.  I like it a bunch.  Appears to suppress oxidation. Better than anything I have tried.  Expensive, but a once in a lifetime purchase., I have tough pitch copper wire here that I treated 3 years ago and it is still pristine.  Thanks, to the Dude that turned me on to it!!!  :thumb:

xsb7244

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Re: Receptacles... what to do?
« Reply #6 on: 4 Aug 2015, 03:59 am »
What happens when you polish the Furutech GTX-D (R) ?

dBe

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Re: Receptacles... what to do?
« Reply #7 on: 4 Aug 2015, 06:18 am »
What happens when you polish the Furutech GTX-D (R) ?
I don't.  The metal finish on the GTX parts is flawless.  They go through mutiple plating and polishing processes.

dBe

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Re: Receptacles... what to do?
« Reply #8 on: 5 Aug 2015, 03:43 am »
I use a 2" diameter buffing wheel that that I got from Harbor Freight.  The wheels are about 1/2" wide and I split them with a utility knife to 1/8" width.  A Dremel tool with the cloth wheel will work well.   Compound is green rouge run @ a medium speed.  Do not spread the contacts like I did for my first few. The 688 brass will work harden and crack easily.

Clean off the rouge with mineral spirits and then soap and water.