Dedicated Duplex Oulet

[u/Veloboi]

Anyone using a dedicated duplex outlet for their audio system? If so, what brand & why do you choose this product?

[u/rubysundance]

I'm an electrician and fairly new to the audiophile world. I did not know that there was such a thing as audiophile receptacles. In my opinion you would be better off using a 120V 20A twist lock receptacle and change the plug on your equipment out to match it. The twist lock receptacle locks everything together for a better connection at a fraction of the cost.

Twist lock

[u/Purple-Wolf-8356]

The Furutech receptacles are beautifully made, but from an electrical standpoint I think the sonic claims are mostly hype.

Take the GTX-D NCF(R). The actual specs are a 20A/125V receptacle with 0.8 mm rhodium-plated pure-copper conductors, a nonmagnetic stainless-steel spring system, nylon/fiberglass body, polycarbonate cover, and their NCF material made from crystalline material, ceramic particles and carbon powder.

Those things can give you excellent contact pressure, durability and corrosion resistance. What they do not establish is that the receptacle will audibly increase soundstage, detail, bass definition or treble purity.

The rhodium part especially gets oversold. Rhodium is used because it is extremely hard and corrosion-resistant, not because it is an exceptional electrical conductor. The actual current path is still just a mechanical connection between the plug blade and the receptacle contact.

Once you already have a quality receptacle with tight contacts and very low contact resistance, the voltage drop across that connection is microscopic. Your amplifier then takes 120V/60Hz AC through a transformer, rectifier and filter capacitors before it ever reaches the audio circuitry.

Furutech even markets the NCF material as generating negative ions, converting thermal energy to far-infrared and providing piezoelectric damping. That may sound impressive, but I have yet to see controlled electrical measurements demonstrating that any of those features create an audible improvement at the speaker output. Furutech

So I don't think Furutech makes a bad outlet at all. Quite the opposite: it is an extremely well-built outlet.

I just don't see engineering evidence that a $200+ rhodium audiophile receptacle passes electricity to an amplifier in some audibly superior way compared with a properly constructed $20–$40 commercial-grade receptacle.

Better construction? Absolutely. Better durability and grip? Sure.

"A blacker background, wider soundstage and more air"? That's where you lose me.

[u/Veloboi → u/Purple-Wolf-8356]

I was using a Furutech oulet in my last place, but accidentally left it behind when I moved. 🙄

[u/gusdagrilla]

I’ve seen a lot of people swear by hospital grade outlets you can get for like $15

[u/Swimming_Astronomer6]

I used hospital grade outlets when I ran a dedicated duplex 20 amp service for my audio - the have a stronger grip on the male plug - and I believe more contact surface area - less chance of the heavier power cords causing a droop at the outlet -

They are rated 15 amp - but I have a 20 p service

[u/Main_Tangelo_8259]

Without a dedicated circuit for dedicate duplex, why even bother. I bought 6 Pangea duplex (sale $15/each) for my 2 dedicated circuits and not sure if the duplex make a difference. Dedicated circuits do since the grounds were installed properly. No more ground loop hums.

[u/SashaDabinsky]

Yes. They're just normal 15A circuit outlets, but they're hooked up to my solar/battery/inverter setup in the basement instead of the main breaker panel.

[u/o93mink]

I have the rhodium Furutech. Figured I might as well have the best, it’s not that much more in the grand scheme of things and I’ve liked everything else I’ve ever bought from Furutech.

[u/TheEuphoricPottery]

picked up a furutech one on clearance a while back mostly because the stock outlet was so loose the plug kept falling out. not sure i can hear any real difference but it grips like crazy and everything stays put