Sound Application Power Outlet

earlmarc · « **on:** 12 Dec 2005, 02:41 am »

I ordered a couple of James Weil's power outlets from Sound Application. I have been trialing them for several days now. Mr. Weil has his outlets made to his specifications by Hubbell. I have experimented with outlets in the past. I have tried PS Audio, Hubbell, and Acme outlets in my home. And in each occasion I felt that the upgraded outlets improved performance a little. After speaking with Mr. Weil for what seemed like a long time, I soaked in his vast knowledge about power conditioning. I have never received so much information about power conditioning. This guy spoke about every major competitor in the power conditioning market and explained all of their devices as if he had designed them himself. He suggested that I start by trying his outlets before considering his $5000 power conditioner.

. I quickly agreed. I explained to him that I had tried outlets in the past and didn't think the improvement was anything special. He assured me that his outlets would change my perception. He was right. My system was energized after installing the Sound Application outlets. Simply put everything had greater energy with less distortion. Distortion I never knew existed. Best $50 I ever spent on my audio system. Highly Recommended!

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #1 on:** 12 Dec 2005, 02:51 am »

earlmarc,

Is this the website... http://www.soundapplication.com/ ??[/list:u]

earlmarc · « **Reply #2 on:** 12 Dec 2005, 02:58 am »

Yes Lonewolf, correct website. He doesn't list outlets on web pages. You can call him or e-mail him for outlets. They are the same outlets he uses in his $5000 power conditioner.

truant · « **Reply #3 on:** 14 Dec 2005, 06:58 pm »

thanks for the heads up on these outlets. I've been using PS Audio outlets for a couple of years. No power conditioning. Just plugging my
gear directly into the wall. A very noticeable upgrade at the time and if the Sound Application outlets are even better yet at the same price I'm anxious to try them. There are some other outlets on the VH Audio and CRYOPARTS sites that I've been considering as well but after corresponding with Jim of SOUND APPPLICATION I'm inclined to try his.

alotaklipsch · « **Reply #4 on:** 15 Dec 2005, 12:42 am »

I will have JIMS LATEST AND GREAT linestage next week, it is burning inn as I type. I have been told, this is the BEST uprade ever........we will see, 5K, GULP..............

Zactly

TomS · « **Reply #5 on:** 15 Dec 2005, 03:48 am »

My Sound Application Reference LineStage arrived today and I have to say it is a killer upgrade. Better than cables, power cords, etc. I'm using mine with a Harmonix X-DC 20a cord and the background has become dark, dark, and more dark. Some transients just jump from the background now on my Merlin TSM-MX's. It's almost like they just breathe better.

Wait 'til you plug your TV into it and see what happens to the picture. Unbelievable improvement, except that it probably costs more than the TV (at least mine).

You will enjoy it very much. If you do talk to Jim on the phone hold your breath and hang on. He talks faster than anyone I ever heard. Apparently quite the genious, though, and a straight talker.

audiojerry · « **Reply #6 on:** 15 Dec 2005, 01:13 pm »

Quote from: alotaklipsch

I will have JIMS LATEST AND GREAT linestage next week, it is burning inn as I type. I have been told, this is the BEST uprade ever........we will see, 5K, GULP.............. Zactly

Your collection of 'must hear' components seems to be growing at by the day - I've gotta get down there

alotaklipsch · « **Reply #7 on:** 15 Dec 2005, 04:36 pm »

Quote from: audiojerry

Quote from: alotaklipsch
I will have JIMS LATEST AND GREAT linestage next week, it is burning inn as I type. I have been told, this is the BEST uprade ever........we will see, 5K, GULP.............. Zactly

Your collection of 'must hear' components seems to be growing at by the day - I've gotta get down there

Only the begginning...........I gots more cuming

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #8 on:** 15 Dec 2005, 04:42 pm »

Quote

Only the begginning...........I gots more cuming ...

alotaklipsch · « **Reply #9 on:** 15 Dec 2005, 05:22 pm »

I have a PISSED OFF WIFE

ifyaknowwhatimean, heh heh heh

I just sold 3 sets of speakers, and a couple sets of amps too, the eq, comes, the eq goes.........

earlmarc · « **Reply #10 on:** 15 Dec 2005, 10:37 pm »

Spoke with BPT Audio today about incorporatiing the Sound Application outlets in his PPC. BPT said they could do that for me if I provided three outlets. BPT uses a copper chassis rather than steel or aluminum which rejects RFI and EMI better. BPT also uses Furutech's best IEC inlet. This combination should make a very good power strip. Additionally BPT also offers Bybee Filters and ERS isolation. The outlets total $150 and the assembled final product from BPT is $100. I think this combination is worth a try for $250.00.

gstraley · « **Reply #11 on:** 16 Dec 2005, 12:29 pm »

Recently I performed a number of a/b/a listening test with wall outlets. I have a dedicated line and it was somewhat easy to swap out the outlets. We tried 12 different outlets. Some like the PS audio, the Acme silver cryo, the Shunyta Venom, one from LLoyd Walker, Sound Applications, Porter Ports, FIM and some other stock outlets that were cryo frozen. I made sure that all outlets had at least 100 hours of break in time on them. Most of the outlets were taken out of some of my friends walls once they heard that I was doing the comparisions. I had at least 2 audiophiles at my house when we were comparing outlets. In the end we had at least 4 different listening sessions to cover all of these outlets. There were some high dollar outlets that sounded worst than if you went to Home Depot and bought a certain model $7.00 Leviton and had it cryo frozen. The Leviton unfrozen might have still sounded better than a couple of the outlets tested. There were at least 4 that were just down right awful.

Even tho they were marketed for high end audio systems they sounded worst then the $7.00 Leviton. Then we found about 4 outlets that came in second. It was too hard to really pin down with the time constraints what was 2nd, 3rd, 4th or 5th. A lot of the cryo frozen Hubbles came in this group including the $7.00 Leviton. The Sound Applications outlet was in this group. In our opinion, hands down unanimous, the clear cut winner was the Porter Ports.

Once we heard the Porter Ports we were comparing everything to that and did not dwell on what came in 2nd, 3rd, 4th etc. We do know what were the 2 or 3 worst ( I really do not want to mention them by name). For those that are interested in the best $36.00 you can spend on your system you can find the Porter Ports on Audiogon. They also are cryo frozen and are a Hubble that he has custom made for him. He told me that the reason that they sound so good is that he tells Hubble to only do the plating one time. Most companies do a multi plating with different type of plating over each other. The PS Audio claims to have 15 coats of plating. You can hear the many layers of plating. Every one that I have recommended the Porter Ports to has thanked me for one of the biggest and cheapest upgrades that they have tried. One of the things that we noticed with the Porter Ports was that it had more of a sense of realism compared to most of the other wall outlets. The bass was tighter, the highs seemed to shimmer better but not over bright like the silver plated outlets do. There was better decay to the instruments which might be what attributed to a greater sense of realism.

Occam · « **Reply #12 on:** 17 Dec 2005, 02:27 pm »

Quote

The Leviton unfrozen might have still sounded better than a couple of the outlets tested....

Gregg,

Would you please share with us which specific model $7 Leviton from HD was such an overacheiver.

TIA

ScottMayo · « **Reply #13 on:** 17 Dec 2005, 02:41 pm »

Quote from: Occam

Would you please share with us which specific model $7 Leviton from HD was such an overacheiver.

TIA

And I have to ask. What amp was used when you were comparing?

audiojerry · « **Reply #14 on:** 17 Dec 2005, 03:49 pm »

I haven't tried the Porters, but a number of years ago I exchanged emails with him before he went into business, and he was genuine, generous, and awfully patient with my questions. He seemed like a very sincere and nice guy.

maxwalrath · « **Reply #15 on:** 17 Dec 2005, 04:05 pm »

I haven't had the cash to think about any power conditioning. The idea of a cheap BPT PPC with some good outlets might sound good though.

I do have some questions.

1. Is it a bad idea to run a digital source, pre, and amp (along with tv, cable box) to the same unit? I know other manufacturers have seperate digital outlets. I'm using a cdp now but may make the squeezebox switch some time soon.

2. All things being equal, what would most likely sound better? Three quality outlets, 1 for the source, 1 for the pre and amp, and one for the tv gear (no power strip) - or something along the lines of a PPC with the same outlets?

Thanks for any opinions....

earlmarc · « **Reply #16 on:** 17 Dec 2005, 04:38 pm »

Maxwalrath, that's a good question, one in which I would like to invite James Weil from Sound Application to explain. James if you're watching, could we solicit your expert advice?

alotaklipsch · « **Reply #17 on:** 17 Dec 2005, 04:58 pm »

gstraley

What type of system where you using for your evaluation, you mention nothing of the gear used. I am wondering if it is really transparent enough for you to make these statements. It sure seems you are coming into a thread, and trying to change a direction by promoting the Porter stuff. I dunno, I just am just getting more skeptical as I spend more time and $$$ in my pursuit of sonic nirvana. I know I personnally have TT Weil, and Porter, Dodd, Wright, Peycev, Tucker, Tyler, and at least 100 other small and large business owners. Than I decide what to Buy, try, keep, or resell. I sure would feel better knowing more about your reasoning for your above statement

Keep Smilin

blakep · « **Reply #18 on:** 18 Dec 2005, 02:22 am »

While I would agree with much of what Gstraley has stated above, I believe there are a few things which he has stated which are not in fact true. Firstly, the Porter Ports are not a custom outlet manufactured for Porter (and I don't believe Albert Porter has ever stated this). They are in fact a Hubbell 8300H, which is a slimline hospital grade outlet available at any electrical supply store which carries Hubbell. They will probably not be in stock like the standard Hubbell 8300 (which is not a slimline receptacle and has nickle plated contacts which virtually all hospital grade receptacles from any manufacturer do) and will probably have to be special ordered, but should arrive within a week or so. Secondly, the contacts on the Porter Ports are NOT plated; they are non-plated brass, which makes them somewhat unique among hospital grades. I believe that Albert Porter has them cryoed at NASA as he has a contact there, but inquiring minds may wish to know that you can buy exactly the same receptacle cryo treated for approximately half the price from Takefiveaudio in Canada. I'm not going to say that I can hear the difference in the cryo treatment between these two receptacles because I haven't compared them, but I can say that I have compared numerous receptacles (both cryo treated and not cryoed) and the Hubbell 8300H (or Hubbell 8200H which is what I use-cryoed in the same facility that Takefive uses) is the best that I have used and that includes cryoed Hubbell 5362's (which is what the Soundapplications used to be a few years ago-they may be different now), cryoed by both Audioexcellence and Jena Labs (possibly in the same facility-I'm not sure), cryoed Pass and Seymour's including the 5262A which is brass everywhere, standard Hubbell 8200/8300, etc. etc. The current rage in receptacles right now are the Oyaides, but they are pricey at around $100 and I have not experimented with them. But for anyone wanting a great receptacle for not much money the Takefive Hubbell is probably the best value. Breakin is critical, though, and I'd recommend no less than 2 weeks on each half of the receptacle on your refrigerator before putting it into your system. I have no affiliation with Takefive other than being a satisfied customer with some other purchases, and have never actually purchased outlets from them.

http://www.takefiveaudio.com/mall/AC_Connectors/hubbell_ac_connectors_hbl8300hi.html

audiojerry · « **Reply #19 on:** 18 Dec 2005, 05:11 am »

Thank you for taking the time Blakup to offer additional information.
Welcome.