hot tweak tip i just discovered... 😀
i've found a power strip that sounds absolutely incredible in my system - and i got it for $29 on eBay! it's a 16 outlet power distribution strip originally made by SL Waber for telecom/datacenter use primarily, original retail over $200. it's in a shallow 19" rack mount chassis with two separate banks of 8 industrial-grade outlets. each bank has its own power light, 20 amp circuit breaker, and heavy duty 12 gauge power cord - long too, at least 10 feet or so. perfect for separating video/digital and analog components. they're terminated with 20 amp twist-lock plugs, which are great if you have such outlets, but if not you can easily change it out for a standard plug. there's no filtering, switching, or superfluous parts of any sort, just the two 20 amp circuit breakers and a power light. i've included a picture below.
when i got it on ebay, it was $20 + $9 shipping, currently it's running for $30 from the same seller:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2081755642
unfortunately the chassis cannot be opened (secured with rivets), but after listening to this thing i don't think it needs much modification. so how does it sound? i just got around to wiring in a regular Pass-Seymour plug and swapping it into my system, replacing the cheap Home Depot strip i've been using for a while. WOW!!! i had no idea my system could be this dynamic! the sound is bigger, fuller, more open, less grainy and restrained. the difference is akin to an amplifier upgrade, i kid you not... it sounds amazing, as good, maybe better than a very good $800 "audiophile" strip i reviewed a few months ago.
any drawbacks? it might be slightly forward-sounding, but methinks it is more accurate. i don't think you'll find anything better for this little money.
i've found a power strip that sounds absolutely incredible in my system - and i got it for $29 on eBay! it's a 16 outlet power distribution strip originally made by SL Waber for telecom/datacenter use primarily, original retail over $200. it's in a shallow 19" rack mount chassis with two separate banks of 8 industrial-grade outlets. each bank has its own power light, 20 amp circuit breaker, and heavy duty 12 gauge power cord - long too, at least 10 feet or so. perfect for separating video/digital and analog components. they're terminated with 20 amp twist-lock plugs, which are great if you have such outlets, but if not you can easily change it out for a standard plug. there's no filtering, switching, or superfluous parts of any sort, just the two 20 amp circuit breakers and a power light. i've included a picture below.
when i got it on ebay, it was $20 + $9 shipping, currently it's running for $30 from the same seller:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2081755642
unfortunately the chassis cannot be opened (secured with rivets), but after listening to this thing i don't think it needs much modification. so how does it sound? i just got around to wiring in a regular Pass-Seymour plug and swapping it into my system, replacing the cheap Home Depot strip i've been using for a while. WOW!!! i had no idea my system could be this dynamic! the sound is bigger, fuller, more open, less grainy and restrained. the difference is akin to an amplifier upgrade, i kid you not... it sounds amazing, as good, maybe better than a very good $800 "audiophile" strip i reviewed a few months ago.
any drawbacks? it might be slightly forward-sounding, but methinks it is more accurate. i don't think you'll find anything better for this little money.
Home Depot carries those orange receptacles (Lutron?). They are around $10 in Canada and I use them a lot.
yeah, should not be hard to make one of these yourself, though for $29 i think i saved money on just the parts, not to mention the trouble of getting a chassis, assembling it, etc. it's UL approved too, something our gear is never. 😛 got some nice spare twist-lock plugs on the side too, though i doubt i will ever use them as long as i live in NYC...
Looks great. I was thinking of building my own power strip soon. We will see how high the price goes.
--
Brian
--
Brian
last time i got it, there were no bids at all except my own, so if a bidding war starts you can bet it's just you DIY folk. 😛
POWERTRIP ERR.... STRIP
Hi guys,
Anyone knows how this actually works?
I'd like to know what's inside.
Just out of curiosity,have any of you thought about just hooking up a TV set to one of these and check if the picture quality actually improves?
I usually find that method a reliable indicator of quality.
Cheers,😉
Hi guys,
Anyone knows how this actually works?
I'd like to know what's inside.
Just out of curiosity,have any of you thought about just hooking up a TV set to one of these and check if the picture quality actually improves?
I usually find that method a reliable indicator of quality.
Cheers,😉
frank! you're back. 🙂
it's completely passive, nothing inside other than circuit breaker and power light. that's why it sounds so good. 😛
my TV is plugged into it, indirectly... i have my own power filter after this strip for the video/digital stuff, it's just some filter caps and series inductors from the TrippLite Isobar strip i hacked up. have not really look at the TV picture quality carefully but i think the blacks might be a little better now...
it's completely passive, nothing inside other than circuit breaker and power light. that's why it sounds so good. 😛
my TV is plugged into it, indirectly... i have my own power filter after this strip for the video/digital stuff, it's just some filter caps and series inductors from the TrippLite Isobar strip i hacked up. have not really look at the TV picture quality carefully but i think the blacks might be a little better now...
ALIVE AND KICKING...
Hi everyone,
Keep it quiet.😉
Thanks anyway Dorkus.😎
What I don't get is how this strip can improve things that much.
If one already uses a powerline filter of some sort adding a strip with some passive filtering (X and Y caps,some inductors) only goes to show that there is something missing with the other powerconditioner wouldn't you say?
I'm a bit
by that.
Cheers,😉
Hi everyone,
Keep it quiet.😉
Thanks anyway Dorkus.😎
What I don't get is how this strip can improve things that much.
If one already uses a powerline filter of some sort adding a strip with some passive filtering (X and Y caps,some inductors) only goes to show that there is something missing with the other powerconditioner wouldn't you say?
I'm a bit
by that.Cheers,😉
the previous strip i was using was not a conditioner, just a strip... but it was not good quality. this one has better power cord and outlets, so i feel the sound is more open and less restrained. in particular when playing loudly, the sound is much cleaner and more dynamic.
dorkus said:
You should upgrade your wall socket to a hospital grade socket also (the orange ones are hospital grade, right?). Home Depot sells them.
--
Brian
yeah, i've been meaning to do that. the socket in my apartment is really bad. just been too lazy.
actually, i hear "hospital grade" is not always best-sounding. i hear good quality Eagle sockets, not hospital grade, work very well. even the cheap Eagles are ok too. i do not think the ones on this strip are hospital grade, but they are heavy duty and work well.
actually, i hear "hospital grade" is not always best-sounding. i hear good quality Eagle sockets, not hospital grade, work very well. even the cheap Eagles are ok too. i do not think the ones on this strip are hospital grade, but they are heavy duty and work well.
DEOXIT.
Howdy fellas,
May I take it for granted that you all occasionaly clean all these outlets' contacts with a cotton tip doped in "deoxit"?
Or I'm I wihshful thinking here?
Should I also mention cable continuity or am I pushing things ?
Cherio, 😉
Howdy fellas,
May I take it for granted that you all occasionaly clean all these outlets' contacts with a cotton tip doped in "deoxit"?
Or I'm I wihshful thinking here?
Should I also mention cable continuity or am I pushing things ?
Cherio, 😉
dorkus said:
I assumed that the orange with the green triangle (i thought I saw one on the bottom left corner) signifies hospital grade. I have read good things about the hospital grade receptacles, and they are easily available from home depot for not too much money. How much are the Eagle sockets?
--
Brian
yeah, i have deoxit, but i've been too lazy to use it regularly. not good for signal contacts i hear, but i should use it on my AC plugs. also, bicycle chain oil works well as an AC plug treatment... you may have heard about those "contact oils" that became popular several years ago. KryTech bike oil, which is very light and has wax particles in it, cleans up the sound nicely. apply after cleaning first of course. it's a few dollars for a bottle that'll last you forever.
Eagle makes a range of products, but i heard even their cheap outlet you can get for 99 cents at Tru Value Hardware sounds very good. i have one that i've never used, but it seems to grip more tightly than standard outlets. i didn't mean to imply hospital grade was bad, but that "hospital grade" labelling doesn't guarantee good audio performance. i think some consider the expensive Hubell outlets overrated and overpriced.
Eagle makes a range of products, but i heard even their cheap outlet you can get for 99 cents at Tru Value Hardware sounds very good. i have one that i've never used, but it seems to grip more tightly than standard outlets. i didn't mean to imply hospital grade was bad, but that "hospital grade" labelling doesn't guarantee good audio performance. i think some consider the expensive Hubell outlets overrated and overpriced.
I've just switched off my Pioneer CDR, which was connected to the same outlet as my DAC. I've always kept it on, and for some reason disconnected today. The sound from my DAC became much cleaner.🙂 So experimenting with AC power is definitely worth consideration.
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