The AC Plug Thread / The Benefits of Upgrading to Hospital Grade AC Plugs!
Maxxwire Moderator Premium Member Rank: Sony Adept
Joined: Aug 29, 2002
Posts: 25730
From: Portland, Oregon - USA
Posted: 2006-11-10 03:08
After going through the whole process of upgrading the tired old molded AC Plug on my Power Amp I decided to try upgrading the molded plugs on 4 other pieces of my Audio equipment as well.
Below is a picture of the molded plug that was on my Sony CX300 Megachanger beside its new Hospital Grade Green Dot AC Plug replacement:
I could have chosen to go with a different more expensive brand of AC Plug, but I wanted to find out what the most basic entry level step up from a molded plug had to offer in the way of sonic improvements.
So, what effect did this new set of Hospital Grade AC Plugs have when I put them on the power cords of my Megachanger, 2 Digital Processors and Preamp?
Since the AC Power eventually becomes the Music we listen to the improved build quality and super tight fit of the new Hospital Grade AC Plugs enhanced the performance of my equipment which resulted in my being able to now hear the individual unique sonic signature of each and every instrument with a clarity that was simply impossible when I was using the stock molded plugs.
There was a new ultra tight integrity to the Harmonic Structure and the creation of lingering decay envelopes that transverse the entire soundstage instantaneously. The tonal character had become rich, lush and more full of instrumental bloom due to a substantial increase in dynamics provided by more instant access to the AC current now coming through the new Hospital Grade plugs.
One of the most welcome improvements was that the Music was more mellifulous and natural sounding than I had ever heard it before.
One thing I wanted to mention specifically about the effect that the new Hospital Grade AC Plug had on the Sony CX300 Megachanger and that was that it removed a layer of Digititus from the presentation which gave a new super smooth and relaxed feel to the Music that I have only heard on one other occasion and that was back in 2000 when I heard a Sota Turntable driving a pair of Cary SLAM 100 Tube Monoblocks. I never imagined that replacing a single molded plug on a stock captured cord on a piece of Sony equipment would have this much of a dramatic effect in my Audio system.
Another thing I discovered was that upgrading to the $6 Leviton Hospital Grade AC Plug did not automatically bring any specific measured amount of sonic improvement to each piece of equipment, but rather had varying degrees of effect on the different pieces of Audio equipment that had their power cords retrofitted with it.
I talked to my Tech today about my experience with upgrading to Hosital Grade AC Plugs and he had these 2 things to say:
1) Moving up a Hospital Grade AC Plug is likely the biggest bang for the buck upgrade you can do.
2) It takes some time for a new AC Plug to break in so the sound just keeps getting better and better and better...
Thank you for bearing with me through this long post, but of the 550+ upgrades I've done in my Audio system this $24 worth of Hospital Grade AC Plugs easily deserves its place among the top ten most effective and I plan on enjoying this "upgrade honeymoon period" that they have brought me for quite some time!
~Maxx~
2009 Flash Forward Edit-
This is the original photo that I posted at the beginning of this thread and is in fact taken from the exact same original picture that the much clearer and much more fully detailed picture I have later been able replace it with after a Computer upgrade.
I am offering the visual differences in these two pictures as a metaphor for how great an impact AC Power delivery can have on the sound quality and performance of an A/V System. Don't let the performance your expensive Audio and Video equipment continue to suffer from using the mediocre factory issue molded AC Plugs it came with simply because the manufacturer needed to meet a pricepoint. The path to releasing the true performance level of your A/V gear can start with as little as a $7 investment.
----------------- A Satisfied Sony Fan Since 1974!
Joined: Oct 10, 2002
Posts: 128
From: Richmond, Va
Posted: 2006-11-10 09:25
Timely post for me, Maxx. Thanks for info. Ordered three for myself since I have found every one of your recommendations to be nothing short of 100% accurate. I have always had one question concerning the stock ac cords on my Sony receivers. I see they have three prongs coming out of the unit itself, hence, I know one of them is the ground wire, but only two prongs on the plug. What do they do with the ground wire at the plug??? Could it be the improvement is also partly due to continuing the ground connection to the electrical grounding system in the house wiring system??? I'm no electrician, but am learning every day here at work as well as on the web site, and the one thing I have learned is that grounding is a very important part of the electrical system as a whole. Wilky
Maxx a few years ago the Canadian Hi FI mag UHF did a experiment. They took a water kettle and measured how long it took for the water to boil. They then replaced the plug with a hospital grade unit much like you did. When the experiment was repeated it took almost a full minute less for the same amount of water to come to a boil.
I find it interesting that a $6 plug made such a big difference. My Mav 3.1 is fitted with some (to my mind) rather pricey Oyaide plugs. They make plugs with various platings that they say determine the sound. Their description of the sound of the plugs Mav used would seem consistent with their claims but I can't be sure since I haven't compared their other plugs. I'm surprised that plugs can make such a difference. I'm not saying they don't just that it surprises me. It seems that the influence may be nearly as great as cables. I'm assuming that's the justification for the prices of some. I've seen AC plugs for audio use that cost $400 ea. At that price they better make a whole lot of difference._MMMike
Maxxwire Moderator Premium Member Rank: Sony Adept
Joined: Aug 29, 2002
Posts: 25730
From: Portland, Oregon - USA
Posted: 2006-11-10 14:03
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On 2006-11-10 09:25, wilky wrote: I have always had one question concerning the stock ac cords on my Sony receivers. I see they have three prongs coming out of the unit itself, hence, I know one of them is the ground wire, but only two prongs on the plug. What do they do with the ground wire at the plug???Wilky
What do you mean by "3 prongs coming out of the unit"? I have owned 4 Sony Receivers and each of them had 2 conductor power cords coming from the equipment and were terminated with 2 prong non-grounded AC Plugs.
If a piece of Audio equipment has a 2 prong plug then it is not grounded when it is plugged in.
When my Tech connected the ground wire of my previously ungrounded Power Amp which had been using a 2 prong plug the result was a horrible ground loop hum! All I did was unplug the new Hospital Grade AC Plug and remove the ground wire from its connection then completely cut off the ground wire. I plugged the Power Amp back in and its been running perfectly since!
Replacing a 2 prong plug is pretty straight forward. All that is required is making sure that the polarity of the hot and neutral connections is exactly the same to the new plug as it was to the old plug. On modern 2 prong plugs the thin blade is hot and the wider blade is the neutral.
With 3 prong grounded plugs you must connect all 3 wires- hot, neutral and ground in exactly the same way to the new plug as to the old plug or there will be dire consequences!
I've been working with and building Audio equipment since 1966 and very early on I learned the hard way to have a great respect for AC Power and to never, never, never assume anything when dealing with it! My motto is: Check, recheck and then check again!
I tore apart each and every 3 prong plug I replaced to make absolutely and positively sure beyond a shadow of a doubt that I got the new plug wired just exactly right! And if I will continue to do the same with every one of the 3 prong plugs that I replace in the future also!
Anyone who attempts this Mod would do well to do it when they can take plenty of time to do it absolutely right the first time making sure each step of the way that there is no possibility that any kind of a mistake has been made.
Taking your time being extra careful to perform each procedure perfectly will hopefully result in a solid upgrade for your Audio system that proves to be not only economical, but highly effective at raising the sound quality of your Audio system far beyond the pricepoint of the upgrade itself!
[ This message was edited by: Maxxwire on 2007-04-24 23:52 ]
Maxxwire Moderator Premium Member Rank: Sony Adept
Joined: Aug 29, 2002
Posts: 25730
From: Portland, Oregon - USA
Posted: 2006-11-10 15:01
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On 2006-11-10 14:02, mykyll2727 wrote: I find it interesting that a $6 plug made such a big difference. My Mav 3.1 is fitted with some (to my mind) rather pricey Oyaide plugs.
I've seen AC plugs for audio use that cost $400 ea. At that price they better make a whole lot of difference._MMMike
To be honest I have never tried using a $400 AC Plug and I hope that I never become so desperate, jaded and completely out of original creative ideas that resorting to trying one seems appealing!
What I have done though was to install 4 of the $6 Leviton plugs and what they did for the sound quality of my Audio system totally embarasses what the $6,500 worth of Shunyata Hydra PLC and its super expensive Power Cords were doing for $50,000 McIntosh Reference system that I heard them powering! Which leads me to beleive that:
This $6 Leviton Hospital Grade AC Plug has proven to offer spectacular performance compared to the overpriced brands that I've heard in Audio systems which were terrifically more expensive than mine and best of all this high performance blue collar hero of an AC Plug is affordable and available to EVERYONE! It is the EVERYONE PLUG!
I've heard more than a sufficient number uber expensive Audio systems with uber expensive PLC's and exotic power cords that don't come close to measuring up sonically to much less expensive Audio gear to know that the linear relationship of outstanding performance and pricepoint is nothing but a myth.
OTOH the bonus part of using the Leviton Hospital Grade AC Plug is that according to my Tech who has been in the business for over 30 years as these $6 Hospital Grade AC Plugs get broken in they will sound better and better and better...
~Maxx~
A Satisfied Sony Fan Since 1974!
The quest for truly great Audio reproduction is one where a keen interest in knowledge and plenty of curiosity combined with vigorous application will take you further than mere riches ever could!
[ This message was edited by: Maxxwire on 2006-11-10 18:07 ]
Joined: Oct 10, 2002
Posts: 128
From: Richmond, Va
Posted: 2006-11-10 17:22
On 2006-11-10 14:03, Maxxwire wrote:
What do you mean by "3 prongs coming out of the unit"? I have owned 4 Sony Receivers and each of them had 2 conductor power cords coming from the equipment and were terminated with 2 prong non-grounded AC Plugs.
My bad, Maxx. I had the Panamax on the brain. My Sony's don't have three prongs either and they are hard wired into the unit, not a removable cord like I was thinking.
Maxxwire Moderator Premium Member Rank: Sony Adept
Joined: Aug 29, 2002
Posts: 25730
From: Portland, Oregon - USA
Posted: 2006-11-10 20:24
As so many of us including my Tech have found out the stock molded plugs on most power cords don't fit nearly tight enough in any outlet to deliver an optimal amount electrical contact!
~Maxx~
A Satisfied Sony Fan Since 1974!
The linear relationship between outstanding performance and pricepoint can be nullified thru the skillful application of knowledge.
Joined: Dec 13, 2005
Posts: 1516
From: Coffs Harbour-AUSTRALIA
Posted: 2006-11-10 21:36
Maxx wrote:-One thing that I discovered was that if you plug a Hospital Grade Plug into a Hospital Grade Outlet they grip together so tightly that it takes an iron grip and plenty of muscle to get them apart again which is the reason why they work so well TOGETHER!
~Maxx~ -------------------------------------------------------------------- We definitley don't wont loose connections!
The most important part of this relatively cheap upgrade to our systems ,tight Surface compression contact between conductors .If a plug isn't tight with high current passing through it will vibrate letting air in between conductors,sparking and creating heat.The extreme end effect is High resistance burn out between contacts,melting plugs and black carboning conductors(it's how fires start).
I believe now that every connection can influence the end quality of our systems sound.From the first connection at the Fuse/Circiutbreaker Board to the wall outlet and on to the last speaker/driver soldering joint terminal. I've heard different sound qualitys by changing the IEC pugs on Mav3.1 that MMMike is using to the Proto that i'm using after the power conditioners not before .I can't say if there was a difference between the wall outlet plugs in all my cases they are all super tight fittings plugging into the wall 240v outlet.
Maxx, You found out the experimental way why earths/ground cables are left out off some Audio equipment the old 50hz hum cycle or in your case 60hz.
The simple way out as you found is leave the 3 prong/pin plug with the ground/earth cable disconnected(if there is only 2 wires) only connect active/Hot and neutral/negative.Most IEC plugs are tagged identifing L and N (Lstands for Load/ HOT andNstands for Neutral/negative). It's important to wire L & N the correct way.International colour code Is:- Brown is " L" , Blue is " N "and Green/yellow is "G" ground
Great post by the way Maxx!
Cheers maverick
Maxxwire Moderator Premium Member Rank: Sony Adept
Joined: Aug 29, 2002
Posts: 25730
From: Portland, Oregon - USA
Posted: 2006-11-10 23:53
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On 2006-11-10 21:36, maverick11359 wrote: The most important part of this relatively cheap upgrade to our systems is tight Surface compression contact between conductors.
I believe now that every connection can influence the end quality of our systems sound. I've heard different sound qualities by changing the IEC plugs on the Mav3.1 PLC that MMMike is using to the Proto that I'm using. Great post by the way Maxx! Cheers maverick
Thanks for offering your extremely valuable thoughts on the subject of AC Power delivery Maverick!
These statements coming from a decades long experienced Journeyman Electrician and builder of one of the most effective PLC's on the market gives your statements plenty of hard earned weight and credibility!
~Maxx~
----------------- A Satisfied Sony Fan Since 1974!
Maverick_Did you try the various Oyaide plugs and if so were there the sonic differences they claim? When I read their claims of the differences I must say that the signature of the gold plugs is there. I heard it before I knew which plugs they were so I wasn't influenced by that. I'm wondering how much, if any effect the plugs have on the sound of the 3.1. To accept Oyaide's claims it would be quite a bit. I can understand a far better connection with regard to tightness making a huge difference in the performance of an audio unit. (BTW the Oyaides do make a great connection). I'm still skeptical that it's build with regard to things such as plating can have that big of an effect. If it can then for some a $400 platinum/palladium/gold plated carbon-fiber shelled Acrolink plug would be appropriate._MMMike
On 2006-11-10 14:02, mykyll2727 wrote: I find it interesting that a $6 plug made such a big difference. My Mav 3.1 is fitted with some (to my mind) rather pricey Oyaide plugs.
I've seen AC plugs for audio use that cost $400 ea. At that price they better make a whole lot of difference._MMMike
To be honest I have never tried using a $400 AC Plug and I hope that I never become so desperate, jaded and completely out of original creative ideas that resorting to trying one seems appealing!
What I have done though was to install 4 of the $6 Leviton plugs and what they did for the sound quality of my Audio system totally embarasses what the $6,500 worth of Shunyata Hydra PLC and its super expensive Power Cords were doing for $50,000 McIntosh Reference system that I heard them powering! Which leads me to beleive that:
This $6 Leviton Hospital Grade AC Plug has proven to offer spectacular performance compared to the overpriced brands that I've heard in Audio systems which were terrifically more expensive than mine and best of all this high performance blue collar hero of an AC Plug is affordable and available to EVERYONE! It is the EVERYONE PLUG!
I've heard more than a sufficient number uber expensive Audio systems with uber expensive PLC's and exotic power cords that don't come close to measuring up sonically to much less expensive Audio gear to know that the linear relationship of outstanding performance and pricepoint is nothing but a myth.
OTOH the bonus part of using the Leviton Hospital Grade AC Plug is that according to my Tech who has been in the business for over 30 years as these $6 Hospital Grade AC Plugs get broken in they will sound better and better and better...
~Maxx~
A Satisfied Sony Fan Since 1974!
The quest for truly great Audio reproduction is one where a keen interest in knowledge and plenty of curiosity combined with vigorous application will take you further than mere riches ever could!
[ This message was edited by: Maxxwire on 2006-11-10 18:07 ]
Maxx_That's what I'm wondering about. I'm thinking that maybe it's simply a matter of better contact. I have trouble imaging that a $400 plug performs better than your extremely well built $6 one. I can definitely see your plug making a big impact over what you replaced it with just because of better contact and thereby better AC flow. But then again since we know that the better the flow of AC the better the unit's performance, then perhaps the plating, internal contacts, etc. could make a profound difference between plugs given surface area and security of contact between plug and outlet are the same._MMMike
Joined: Dec 13, 2005
Posts: 1516
From: Coffs Harbour-AUSTRALIA
Posted: 2006-11-11 03:13
[ This message was edited by: maverick11359 on 2006-11-17 03:19 ]
Maxxwire Moderator Premium Member Rank: Sony Adept
Joined: Aug 29, 2002
Posts: 25730
From: Portland, Oregon - USA
Posted: 2006-11-11 03:22
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On 2006-11-11 00:48, mykyll2727 wrote: I can definitely see your plug making a big impact over what you replaced it with just because of better contact and thereby better AC flow. But then again since we know that the better the flow of AC the better the unit's performance, then perhaps the plating, internal contacts, etc. could make a profound difference between plugs given surface area and security of contact between plug and outlet are the same._MMMike
The bottom line is that its not a matter of which is the best AC plug, but rather which is the most appropriate AC plug for any given application.
A moderately priced Sony Receiver, CD Player, or DVD Player with a very expensive high performance designer AC plug on the end of its conductively compromised 18 AWG captured cord would certainly not be a good example of an appropriate application.
Using a much more expensive plug than is actually needed will not result in any higher level of performance than using a more appropriate plug that is more closely spec'd to the specific task would.
Using that same very expensive high performance designer plug on a 7 X 200w Flagship Sony Digital Receiver connected with a tripple sheilded 12 AWG power cord and extremely effective top notch Line Conditioning would be a much more appropriate application because the plug would be doing the job that these kind of plugs were originally designed for under the conditions they were made to work best in. I was not trying to portray the $6 Leviton Hospital Grade AC plugs as being the best plug available, but I think that whoever tries them out may discover that at the very least its all the plug they need to very effectively replace the loose inserting molded plugs on their equipment that use captured power cords.
While no plug can make your Audio equipment sound better than it was made to sound upgrading to a better plug can bring with it the potential to enhance the performance of your equipment over using an inferior plug.
At present I have 4 of the $6 Leviton Hospital Grade AC Plugs running over $6,000 worth of my Audio gear and the improvements have proven to be so spectacular that I plan on enjoying the wonderful sonic effects these plugs have brought to my Audio system for quite a while.
They say that the journey is the destination and to me upgrading an Audio system is like taking an extended journey.
I have learned over the last 550+ upgrades I've made to my own Audio system that it makes for a much more enjoyable experience to stop and take the time to savor the beneficial effects each significant upgrade brings rather than to obsessively hurry on to what the next upgrade might offer. If I've learned one thing that always rings true on this Audio Odyssey it is that...
Getting the upgrade is by far the best part of having the upgrade.
~Maxx~
A Satisfied Sony Fan Since 1974!
The linear relationship between outstanding performance and pricepoint can become nothing but a myth with the application of the proper knowledge and skills.
[ This message was edited by: Maxxwire on 2006-11-11 13:21 ]
Maxx_After re-reading my post I realise I didn't express what I meant by being surprised well. I was surprised that it made such a difference because I had never considered better contact with an AC plug would make that big a difference. I wasn't surprised from disbelief. Instead I was surprised because it caught me off guard. I was surprised/startled by it because I hadn't expected it. AFA the sonic signature of plugs goes, if Oyaide's claims were accurate the ramifications could be enormous. Another thing to be carefully selected and tested to determine it's appropriateness w/regard to the desired final sound and it's synergy to ALL other items having an effect on the final sound. It's almost too complex now to get it right. That would make it even tougher._MMMike
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Posted: 2006-11-10 03:08
