[michaelv]

what is your opinion?

I plan to replace my receptacle ( installed by builder when the house was built).  I know how to replace it , but i don't know if i need a certified electrician to look over it?  I install in current line, not a new line at all. Can new receptacle at least provide some benefits to clean power?

thanks.

[gooberdude]

Go for it, but be careful.   Make certain the breaker is off and get a tester
from the hardware store so you know when the power is off and so you know that the ground, neutral and hot leads are installed correctly.

If you are unsure about any step, call an electrician.

I have a few of the Furu FI-15 Cu outlets - a fantstic bargain for $40.

you'll experience a more forceful presentation of the music...more and tuneful bass + a top-to-bottom cohesion.

my 2 cents...

[michaelv]

thanks.

Do you think i need to install a dedicated circuit in order to take advantage of Furutech receptacle? I read somewhere that replacing the receptacle on non-dedicated line is useless. Right now my room is in basement and i don't have many stuffs connected to the power line. When i turn off the breaker, only my room and the small hallway next to my room have no power. THe only thing in these areas needs power is ceiling light and my gears.

So i guess i don't need another dedicated line though.

By the way, I intend to upgrade power cable for my integrated amp (Plinius 9200) and cdp (Ayre CX-7e). Which cable do you recommend  up to $150?

thanks.

[gooberdude]

Hey Michael,

the benefits of adding an aftermarket outlet are NOT only for those with
dedicated lines, that's a complete load of BS.   I'm sure those with dedicated lines hear even greater improvements...but its splitting hairs at that point.

In my L/R i have 5 outlets...2 of which are 35 yrs old and not accessible due to a soundproof
wall i put up before i got into stereos.    Just adding one good outlet on the 5 outlet circuit made my jaw drop, and i was switching from a cryo'd P&S 5262 to the Oyaide SWO-XXX.

I have a cryo'd Oyaide SWO-XXX and 2 Furu Fi-15 Cu outlets on the circuit, plus the 2 crappy orig outlets mentioned above.  If i were starting out in audio all over again, knowing what i know, the 1st $ i'd spend would be on a wall outlet.   they really change everything and are worth every penny.

In terms of power cords, i assemble my own from well-known parts.   If you go with the Furu outlet, try and plug Furu male plugs into it.  The real benefit of these AC tweaks is realized when you view it as a system unto itself (plugs & outlets)...

EX:  I have male Oyaide P-079 plugs into all the SWO-XXX outlets (they are in my power strip too) and even super cheap components, like my $100 Sony CDP from Circuit City, benefit bigtime.   When my amp and source both have the P-079, crazy good sound happens.  (i have a passive preamp)

My power cables are now all DH Labs Power Plus AC in bulk, about $35 for a 5' cable from Wellborne Labs.  Adding the Oyaide P-079 male + Furu FI-11 Ag female end brings the total price to $185.  I save $50 by going with the Furu female IEC, its a killer sounding plug.   

Below the price range you mentioned is my #2 fav power cable:  Furu FI-11Cu male + Fi-11ag female & the DH labs cable...about $115 to your door and all you need is a razor knife and a screwdriver to assemble it (takes about 20 minutes).  Supposedly the FI-11 CU male/female combo is too rich, too much copper...the silver female end sounds great though - i can say that with confidence & use 3 of them currently.

I think there's true synergy when matching plugs & outlets from the same mfgr.  Plus, if the bug really bites you down the road you can buy the Furu FI-25 plugs, which are amazing from what i'm told.  Then, you can use the orig FI-11 plugs on a 2nd cord or sell them to fund the FI-25 purchases.  Or, place them on any gear with captive power cords.  A FI-II Cu plug really woke up my 15 yr old Muse 100 amp.   

After that you can buy bulk power cable from Chris Venhaus and literally have the best AC delivery system that sane $ can buy.   

The best piece of AC gear i've ever purchased is the BPT PPC.  Its a straight power strip, no fuse, switches, filters, nothing, with Oyaide SWO-XXX outlets & brass spikes...a great way to spend $350 in this hobby assuming you have nice gear. 

Since you're at the beginning of this stuff, don't be afraid to do it one piece at a time.  its easy to hear the improvements each step of the way and will make you appreciate the effort and $ spent when its complete.   

[michaelv]

thanks very much for the detail suggestion.

Currently i have xlo reference 2 10A connected to the integrated amp and Singal HC digital cable to  PS audio UO hight current , then Signal Magic Cable to wall outlet.

i must say Signal cable is good for value...but i still want to get the most out of the system. That's why i would like to explore for better power cable. I certainly will try diy pc as well.

I heard many good things about Oyaide..but my budget is not up to it, so i opt for Furutech. How long does it take to burn in the outlet? 

thanks again.

[jackthecat]

I have furutech plugs with DH labs power plus that I DIY'd and I would recommend it too. 

[michaelv]

Where is the source for getting power cable besides VH Audio and Wellborne Labs?  I look at Wellbourne Lab's wesite, but the items are very limited.   I plan to do DIY power cable using Furutech plugs as well because the Furutech receptacle is on the way.

Or any recipe would be greatly appreciated.
thanks.

[gooberdude]

I had a difficult time when i 1st started looking too.    I settled on the DH Labs cable since it was the only bulk cable i could find, however you can buy the bulk cable of most any mfgr'd cable.   Audioquest bulk AC cable should be easy to find.

I think a lot of suppliers carry bulk cable, but don't advertise it...

www.cryo-parts.com sells a home brew cable for around $5 a foot i think.

In terms of quality, and i haven't heard all that many so take this with a grain of salt, the DH Labs cable is a good standard.  It does all things well.

The Venhaus DIY recipes should be considered top of the heap...they have more slam and dynamics than the DH Labs (according to a few trusted posters at audioasylum) and are well worth the effort and $.

At some point i'll slowly begin swapping in CV cables for the DH Labs.  That's the best part of assembling your own is that you can swap stuff in in out as your ear and budget permits...

[rajacat]

Where is the source for getting power cable besides VH Audio and Wellborne Labs?  I look at Wellbourne Lab's wesite, but the items are very limited.   I plan to do DIY power cable using Furutech plugs as well because the Furutech receptacle is on the way.

Or any recipe would be greatly appreciated.
thanks.

http://www.diycable.com/ has bulk power cable.

Raja

[Dyak]

I would like to offer a simple agreemet (based on my experiences) of "Gooberdude's" comments on the Furutech outlets, power cord terminations, and of course about VH-Audio (and Chris VenHaus' cable & recipies www.vhaudio.com).
 
All of my power cords are VH-Audio and I have used the Furutech copper terminations on each and every one.  I also use the Furutech outlets that you ask about.  I love'em to pieces!!  Huge gains over stock and even beats (in my opinon) the Pass&Seymore that I had used in the not too distant past.     

Take a look at the (VH-Audio) Flavor 4 power cord recipe....I think it could work very nicely for an integrated.....Though the Flavor 2 may cover your needs and be slightly less expensive. 

Insert more agreement w/Gooberdude here....from what I've read, the Oyaides (I have not tried the Oyaide products) may sound better than the Furutechs, but they cost mucho dinero $$$.  I have not tried the DH Labs productseither though I've heard good things about them.

One more thought....I've read a number of posts in the AudioAsylum where people have been super pleased with switching out the outlets in thier PS audio UOs to Furutechs (or other good outlet).  If you check over there, look up Duster in the "Tweakers Asylum"....don't know if he posts here also.

Best of Luck! and Be Safe!


Doug 

[gooberdude]

Hey Doug,

Thanks for posting about Duster over on audioasylum...his tastes & mine run about the same, but his wallet is much bigger!!     He and his cohorts definitely have their finger on the pulse of AC tweaks.

One combo that he turned me onto are the Furutech Fi-11 AG iec ends mated with either the Furu FI-11Cu or the Oyaide P-079 male ends.   The Ag (silver) plug is $10 more than the copper equivalent (Fi-11cu), but it sounds simply amazing.    I tried one power cord with both fi-11cu plugs and the sound was a tad too warm.  This is both through an Oyaide swo-xxx and Furu fi-15 wall outlet.   the mixing and matching is ALL system dependent though...    its so cool that if people are willing to spend the $, different flavors, sounds (colorations?) & levels of performance can be obtained.

Currently I have 3 Fi-11ag iec plugs and there's NO WAY i'm gonna swap them out for the Oyaide female plugs...unless i win the lottery!

I can't agree with you more that the FI-15 outlet sounds better than P&S outlets.  I listened to a cryo'd P&S 5262 for over a year before buying the Furu outlet...i nearly through the P&S out the window after making the comparison - it is SO bright.   the extra $14 that the Furu FI-15cu cost was more than worth it....   

Even though my AC delivery system has all Oyaide outlets & male plugs, I see no need to buy the matching female plugs since the Furu's are such a good sounding product at the right price.

The real key to this tweaky power stuff is matching the male plug with the wall outlet, like you mentioned to swap out the outlets in a PS Audio strip.   My experiences tell me that as long as the female IEC end is of a good design (Furu Fi-11 are the cheapest of these plugs that I know of) and the male plug is made from the same mfgr as the wall outlet, an undeniable synergy occurs.

Over the past year i've been playing with several plugs:  Oyaide P-079, Furu Fi-11 cu & Ag, cryo'd Wattgate 5266i & the corresponding female IEC.    I wish I could say the $15-$20 Wattgate plugs could hold their own...but if you are intent on good sound they simply don't to my ears.  However, if someone is just getting into aftermarket power cords, the cheap ones will sound fine for a while...i get them from Chris Venhaus.    I've installed the Wattgate plugs on my TV and cable TV box - recycling!

matt

[Midnite Mick]

Silly question but, I currently have everything plugged into just a regular Acoustic Research surge protector power strip kind of thing.  I have been contemplating switching the wall outlet for a Furutech outlet that the power strip plugs into.  Any point?

Mike

[gooberdude]

Yup.   Good sound starts at the wall as far as I'm concerned.

After installing the wall outlet and getting used to it for a month (all AC tweaks take 30 days to burn-in) I'd install a corresponding male plug on the power cord that connects the AR to your wall outlet. 

if the advantages are audible & you like them, next consider replacing the outlets in the AR to the same type as the wall outlet, or at least from the same mfgr. 

The final component to these upgrades would be to install (same mfgr) male plugs on all the components, starting with the sources and preamp.   I'd stick one on a preamp & on your fav source at the same time - let your jaw drop.

the best part about ac tweaks is that there's no issue with taking it all in steps - the 1st step is
a decent wall outlet though.

i've been beefing up my AC supply this last year or so.  Every few months i'll spend $100 or so and
each time the results keep getting better and better.   


no affiliation w/mfgrs whatsoever, just a happy customer. 

matt

[Midnite Mick]

I am lucky to have a Furutech dealer about a 10 minute drive from my house.  He also likes the plate cover as well.  I have tried many of the cords he makes out of Furutech parts and I have to admit it made improvements for the better.  A receptacle is a less expensive place to start.

Thank you,
Mike

PS. There is nothing unusual about installing one of these vs. traditional receptacles is there?

[Dyak]

Hey Midnight,

Not a silly question at all.

My opinion is that it could make a positive difference for you.  For me, the wall outlet was the first location that I upgraded.....and I had noticed a small difference when I upgraded from generic wall outlet to a cryo Pass&Seymore.....Then I heard a very nice difference upgrading from P&S-to-Furutech.  I noticed a nice difference immediately! But, it took time for the sound to settle in....just seemed to get a bit nicer as time went on.  Other outlets may work well, but from what I've read (and in my limited experience), the Furutech is at or near the top of the heap in the "Best Bang for the Buck" catagory.   

Once again I'll insert complete agreement with Gooberdude (Matt)....that in my opinion (also), good sound starts at the wall. 

For reference, I've done as Matt has, buying outlets/terminations etc... kind of piecemeal.  After some time, I've finished the mods to my Monster HTS3500mkII (power conditioner) with the Furutech outlets, a Furutech IEC, a VH-Audio Flavor 4 cord.... and to me this made WORLDS of difference.  (I also bypassed the filtering for the high current outlets, so only the surge protection and circuit breaker are in-line....so I can plug my amps into it and not have the "squashed dynamics" that conditioners w/amps have a tendency to produce.)

Hey Matt,

Thanks for reminding me of the Furutech Ag female + Cu male termination....I had read about that some time ago and forgot about it....maybe I'll give it a whirl in the next few weeks.

Best!

Doug

[gooberdude]

Not to my knowledge.   i've installed the Furu Fi-15, an Oyaide swo-xxx and the P&S 5262..they are all the same essentially in this regard.  

In my condo there's only 2 wires in the wall, the metal gang box is grounded.  I run both wires into the back of the outlet (not the side screws) and screw the outlet into the box with brass screws...the screws acting as the ground connection.  To be safe, i've also added a small wire from the ground on the outlet to the metal box...     Be sure to get a tester from a hardware store so you know the pos, neg and ground are done correctly.  the tester costs about $3 i think.

i'm pretty sure a good wall plate helps too, though right now all that covers my main outlet is a foam insulator...    If i were to get a good faceplate, i'd pull the trigger and get the $200 Oyaide contraption.  its gonna be a while b4 i get that silly though...  

Since you are aware of what good power cords do, you'll be happy as heck after installing a Furu outlet.    Install the P&S on the outlet that serves your computer...your ipod will sound a bit better.

[carusoracer]

Well, Now you guys have done it again. Another tweak I need to try out
Actually it made me go into the drawer and grab the new croy'ed FU15 that has been sitting for a year I had been using the croy'ed Hubble and completely forgot about the 15A...So in it went tonight. I'll have to listen in a few weeks critique to tell any difference

Cheers

[michaelv]

I have just installed Furutech 15A  (cost $40) . I can tell you how happy I am ...    The bass is heavier and tight, the high is so smooth...no more hasrh or fatigue.   I hope that it can be better after burning in . By the way , how long does it take for Furutech to be burned in?

Since installing new receptacle, i realize that the line i have contains only 5 or 6 wall outlets!  It likes i have a dedicated line even though it's only 15A. So, for this line, only my components are connected to ...nothing else.  I will replace 1 more Furutech  soon..

Next step...DIY power cable...

Thanks for all suggestions.

[michaelv]

BY the way, i look at vhaudio.com for recipe, but i don't see recipe for Flavor 4 .  I  think i need flavor 4 for my integrated amp which rated 200wpc (plinius 9200)

thanks.

[gooberdude]

Good move!!     For me, the Furu outlets took about 1 month to fully break in...however, to me, the FI-15cu outlet sounded pretty good right out of the box.   

Typically, bass is the last thing to show up.  With the FI-15cu it was there from the start.

in my experience, cables and outlets all take about 500hrs or so to settle down.