Audiophile Grade Wall Receptacle

I will tell you the $50, or $100 Pangea receptacles are all Copper ,and  Gold plated 

much heavier built then most even at much more monies and they grip the connectors very good , That be said  , fits Equally important to have similar quality 

pieces, and make connectors ,for many lesser cables use Brass ,not that great a conductor just loook under metals conductivity chart, Silver if roughly a 67, Copper a 64, Brass maybe a   24.  You can spend $300 if you want ,also in your line conditioners many use cheaper Hubble receptacles ,fine for industrial but not Audiophile this creates a resistive Bottleneck Copper+ rhodium ,or Gold , ,look on your interconnects, and speaker cables as well , what’s the point of all quality wire then cheap connectors at the end, it’s like putting cheap tires on a Ferrari.

I tried a few different outlets in my old PS Audio P600 and then tried them in the wall as well.  My P600 came with the orange hospital grade outlets.  Originally, I bought an Oyaide SWO-GX and an R1.  The gold plated GX was marginally better than the stock outlet but too warm and syrupy for my taste.  The R1, however, was a huge improvement over the stock outlet and the GX offering much more detail top to bottom with greater air/extension above, much better dimensionality, and both a more authoritative bass range and greater dynamics and control.  I thought the R1 would be my final outlet choice but I tried both the Porter Ports and the Cruze Audio Maestro and these revealed to me the single shortcoming of the R1, that is a slight loss of transparency.  Either of these outlets made the R1 sound a bit veiled.  I can see how this might not even be noticed in many systems but it's there, if you listen for it.  I sold both Oyaide outlets and bought another Porter and Cruze Maestro outlets.  I think the Porter might be ever-so-slightly more transparent but the Maestro has the control of the R1 while the Porter seems to lack a bit of control, at least compared to the R1 and the Maestro.  The Furutechs may be better but I've never been tempted to experiment further with outlets as the Porters and Cruze's sound excellent in my system and switching around outlets is a PITA.

And don't listen to the naysayers here.  An opinion doesn't mean much without direct experience.  

Oyaide R1 is very nice. I tried a number of receptacles with my power conditioner and wall outlets, combo of R1's and PorterPorts is what I ended up with.

Starting with a solid foundation is likely the best thing you can do. I wired a group of dedicated circuits into my listening room. Six dedicated circuits. The lines are all exactly the same length and all on the same leg of the breaker box. That is very important to make sure they are all on the same side no difference in potential to ground. I had three of the circuits with hospital grade Hubbell plugs and the other three I had industrial grade levition plugs. Parts connection had a sale of the second best furutech receptacles. I thought I would buy two for the Levenson monoblocks. I had no base in my system and since the room was new I was getting ready to start messing with placement. I wired those single receptacles in two two of the circuits that the amps plugged into. One of my audiofile buddies was over not sure who was more shocked him or me. More bass like way more. Top to bottom more information was coming though smoother every area was better. That replaced the hospital grade plugs except the one I don't use there.  On the side wall I had the industrial plugs which were also about six months old my friend said I guess you are going to have to let the moths out of your wallet! Lol. Anyhow I bought the top of the line furutech receptacle one at a time. The first one I put in was for my DAC and transport I have the Sonic frontier transport and DAC three in that room. also a huge difference same thing more of everything. More detail more bass more top to bottom nothing was worse only better way more resolution. I order two more one at a time. Each time things got better my Ayre k1xe was next then the audio research phono stage and Linn. Each time same thing it was huge. If you are going to have more than one if try them one at a time. That way you will not feel so bad if it doesn't do the same thing for you. I have no trouble putting expensive extras in the drawer it I don't like them. As an example I bought one set of feet of silence so glad I only bought one set at a time and a set of discs of silence. Both items are not used and I have tried them in all but my av system I will eventually get there. Now to continue with furutech I decided I would try a set of there IEC and plug ends on one of my power cords. I talked to Chris Johnson before I bought them asked him if he thought I would be better off taking that money with the money I got selling my power cord and getter a way better cord from him or buying the top of the line IEC and plug ends. His answer was with the new ends I am sure you will get another fifteen years of enjoyment out of them with the new plugs. I did the same thing one at a time. At 425 for each end of the powercord I wasn't going to waste more money than one sets worth of cash. Everytime it was stunning the levels of resolution went up and the dynamics improved. I ended up buying a set of plugs for the Levinson 33 monoblocks and wow one last time. Considering that there is an onboard power regeneration in those amps I wondered if I would notice anything and same thing more of everything. Go at it slowly and listen carefully as you go. That way you will be sure you are not wasting your money. Don't forget receptacles are not showy and nobody will see them so nothing to show your friends nothing like a pair of monoblocks to show off with lol. That is what one of the things that I really like about them it just sounds better nothing for show just for listening to. As a side note I have had a half a dozen people come over to listen to my system in my new room two of them left in tears! That is the best review you can get ever. Emotion is one of the main things that I look for In a system as well as timing and resolution. Emotion and timing is what music is in my opinion. Resolution and soundstage makes you feel like the performer is in the room. When you have everything in your system that is reference grade the plugs are a huge improvement. I have started changing them on my Canary tube monoblock system in the upstairs and once again it gets better and better. Piece by piece I will get them all done. Sorry I have not tried any of the other brands there might be more available with them but I am happy with my first choice and have not gone any further. I have tried many different power conditioners over the years and I don't care for any of them. Seem to be Band-Aids to me some things better some things worse. Start with a solid foundation of dedicated circuits and great receptacles go one at a time and listen as you go. 

Regards

As expected, there are as many different opinions as there are people. There are those that view the receptacle as the last piece of the electrical supply to your system. If you consider that alternating current electricity does not flow in the way that water flows through a pipe but, more or less just moves back and forth on the wire (I know this is simplistic and I am not an expert on electricity) then the receptacle and/or power cord perhaps should be considered the first component of the power supply to the system (the cord is the first six feet of the power wiring that your system sees not the last six feet of the circuit and it is a circuit not a dead end). Therefore, in this view, the quality and sound characteristics of the receptacle are important enough to be willing to spend money on, at least to those who figure that every single thing matters in the system and can hear the differences.

Now, to narrow the choices you may want to consider what metal is used for the conductor. Is it basic brass or the higher level of brass known as phosphor bronze or pure copper? Each type has its own sound.

Next, do you want any kind of plating and if so what kind? Maybe, you want it to be un-plated? Again, each type of plating has its own sound.

My personal preference is for un-plated pure copper receptacles. I have used the Cruze First Maestro which is some form of brass alloy. To my ear, they are more neutral than plated receptacles but, bare copper sounds even more neutral to me. However, there are variations in the sound of bare copper from one brand to next also.

The Oyaide R-1 has been mentioned which has similar plating to their 004 cord ends.. Oyaide also has the R-0 which is un-plated copper. I have two of the R-0 in my main system. Interestingly, I prefer the Maestro in my second system.

There are many choices out there. You need to try several to figure out what combination of materials fits your preferences and works well with your system just as you have to do with power cords.

Then there is Cryo treatment, a whole 'nother subject.