Range order(s) in the mains outlet

Posted by: graphoman on 24 May 2002

According to Naim’s suggestions I gave up driving the system via 3 separate outlets. Now I use one common outlet for the Naim 6-outlet-extension and it’s really better. (It may be so because of Naim’s characteristic earthing practice, I understand.) However, while making use of the 6 outlets there are a lot of configurations and as pointed out by others in this forum it’s not unconcerned which plug comes first and which last.

I couldn’t remember what my vote was that time so I was in trouble when very recently our flat has been renovated for 3 weeks long and at the end I had to mount the system as it was before. I had to experiment once again and in my system (CDS1/Hi/72/250) I consequently got the result that the very first outlet is for the PS of the CD player and the very last one for the amp with the plug of the Hicap inbetween. (In the meantime I did find my vote for the forum. Yes, it was the same as now!)

Even so, there remained a too big field to play. It’s hard to believe but moving the Hicap’s plug from outlet 2 to 5 caused as big a change in the sound quality as some minor but important upgrades I’ve done before – Black Snake for the Hicap or Black Burndy for the CDS come to mind. In the configuration described above, outlet 2 (CD and Hi side-by-side) gave a warm but blurred image while outlet 5 (amp and Hi side-by side) resulted in a much more focused but cold, uninvited sound picture. So I can’t help but stick to one of the intermediate outputs (3).

Maybe the rule is “let’s put the plugs as far from each other as possible”?

graphoman
Posted on: 28 May 2002 by dave simpson
quote:
To the second: Tiny differences become THAT BIG during our everyday evenings.



Or maybe something else (other than improved AC quality at night that is) in Mick's installation is "masking" plug orientation perhaps?(It's a wonder research scientists have any sanity left what with all the variables they must control)

regards,

dave