Furutech Mains socket

i dont know how long this was all done rsch, but i seem to recall vaious reports saying that rhodium takes a LOOOOOONG time to run-in, so this may just be that you need to give it plenty of time,

i once replaced my 5 double sockets at the end of a radial with silver plated ones from MCRU. i didnt like the result at all -- system lost its mellowness. but again, this could be that i was too impatient to give this new setup time to settle down. i quickly replace with new cheapie MK double sockets from B&Q (DIY place in the UK) and order was probably restored. Life's too short.

i was at one point quite interesed in trying the furutech double sockets -- but the fact that they dont take 10mm sq wire and you have to internally wire the 2 sockets (not connected as in MK) put me off completely -- 

good luck and enjoy...

ken

Hi Ken,

Thank you so much for your tip.

Regards

Roberto

rsch posted:

Hi Ken,

Thank you so much for your tip.

Regards

Roberto

y're welcome -- let us know how you get on Roberto...

enjoy

ken

Give it a bit of time to warm up and settle down. I use rhodium soldered mains leads - took almost a month to settle. But then.... Wow!!!

Mike-B posted:

 

And BTW  Ken -  MK Logic sockets are not "cheapie" (OK I understand why you used the word, everything is cheap against Furutech)  They are the best available in UK,   all the internals & contacts are copper.    Even that much misunderstood zinc plated earth strap is a design feature to avoid dissimilar metal corrosion with a zinc plated metal back box. 

there was a time when crabtree was considered best for naim. dont know whether this was because of special construction, materials or what... and i am very puzzled why silver plated didnt work for me, but not really bothered as the MKs fixed this.

enjoy

ken

rsch posted:

After the last Fraim upgrade with the addition of a new stack of which i already mentioned

all my positive unexpected impressions, i thought it was time for a " twist" at  my  mains sockets  The situation is less than ideal since I have a radial circuit with 2,5 mm wire, (bigger is no possible

for the ducts running inside the walls) coming from an  RCD panel in the  basement  and feeding 3 sockets. The first one  on the wall behind the SL2s  and the other two behind  the Fraims stacks.

The one  feeding the system is the second where is connected  a 5 socket  distribution block.

 

I thought it could be a good idea to replace my old power sockets IEC  B Ticino 16A   for  the

Furutech   AS FIE 30 G.1 rhodium plated since EU spec. Powerlines are fitted with Furutech Schuko plugs. 

Once reconnected, i was psychologically expecting something better or in the worst case the same

On the contrary since the very first notes it was like the sound was more congested, slower,

more "inside the box" with more restricted soundstage.

Oh i forgot to mention that the fool electrician who did the work, also replaced the IEC plug on

the distribution block with a  cheap Schuko one but without soldering it, only crimping the

raw copper wire (3 cores Klimo for each polarity)

Regards

&

Happy New Year

Roberto

 

 

With Schuko you can reverse polarity can't you ? Check that , maybe a change for the better ! 

Rhodium plated mains would make sense with rhodium plated mains plugs, otherwise brass or silver plated with standard type plug assemblies.

i prefer silver plated mains sockets with my system ..seems to hang everything further back and in focus.

Hello everyone & Happy New Year,

My idea to change for rhodium plated sockets,  was that Powerlines are fitted as standard with

Furutech Schuko plugs. However my dealer told me that he was never that happy with Furutech

sockets, so i' ll probably stick with the old one eventually upgrading the RCD consumer unit

Is there anyone of you who has tried the Russ Adrews one ?

Anyway this morning i played a handful of cd's, and what i heared seemed quite good

Regards

Roberto

ken c posted:

.... there was a time when crabtree was considered best for naim. dont know whether this was because of special construction, materials or what... and i am very puzzled why silver plated didnt work for me, but not really bothered as the MKs fixed this.

I guess we all wish Crabtree had not moved on.  It exists as a brand name only these days, made in & produced for South African & Indian markets that both have a mix of the old UK round pin plugs & a weird combination of the current 13 amp square pin. Some of which can be a bit scary as not many safety shutters are used.  The Crabtree sockets sold in UK conform to the BS code,  but they are not the quality of the old made in UK items.

Their is no special construction or materials in the old Crabtree's,  just basic good design & quality materials.  The electrics were copper & brass.    And thats what MK do today, quality design & material & not a sniff of rhodium anywhere.  

Mike-B posted:

Their is no special construction or materials in the old Crabtree's,  just basic good design & quality materials.  The electrics were copper & brass.    And thats what MK do today, quality design & material & not a sniff of rhodium anywhere.  

come on mike-b, lets have a bit of rhodium for some pizzazz...!? 

i gather the attraction of rhodium is that it has extremely good corrosion resistance (oxidation i guess?) but with 'reasobable' conductivity?

whatever, its a bit hard forme to test its SQ credentials as i would have to buy 5 double sockets and even then -- they dont take 10mm sq cable anyhow.

enjoy

ken

http://www.futureshop.co.uk/im...SWS-D-Rhodium_xs.jpg

I am using these with the best succes - yes let time to run in and settle.
Cheers

ken c posted:

come on mike-b, lets have a bit of rhodium for some pizzazz...!? 

i gather the attraction of rhodium is that it has extremely good corrosion resistance (oxidation i guess?) but with 'reasobable' conductivity?

......  pizzazzz  ?????    I thought that was the sound yer get from a blown tweeter.  

I will never be persuaded over rhodium,  its a plating coat over (normally) brass & its conductivity is less than silver & gold so why use it.  My un-plated copper & brass doesn't corrode so I see that as another fairy story to frighten the children with.  Plus much of my stuff is silver plated wherever practical & that is better than everything & if it did oxidise (tarnish)  the oxidised coat remains a good conductor.

To quote one of the well known mains products www vendors  .....  Rhodium ... from the platinum family .....  Compared to other platinum metals, it is a very good conductor, but still only half as good as gold and just one third as good as silver. Therefore, it is misplaced as a coating in a domestic environment. Its sound characteristics are often described as harsh and analytic. 

Mike-B posted:

 

The cable in the local distribution network, all over the house, in the power cord (Naim Power-line) & inside the amp is copper,  why stick a few mm of rhodium in ??

All my plugs & sockets are either copper or if brass its silver plated.

Finally the same myth revolves around Furutech,  great marketing it has to be said, but nothing much else.

Naim EU Powerlines are rhodium ones so I bet that they did listening tests against cheaper gold or copper ones. It is not just Furutech or marketing if you study this a bit more or even do some listening tests.

Here is a comparison between Furutech and B Ticino Schuko sockets

IEC B Ticino from rear  (the left one)

Vimar distribution block

KLimo cable with cheap Schuko plug into Furutech socket

I' m undecided whether to ugrade the distribution block with a star wired one offered by dealer

which can be connected to the wall with another Powerline i already have. 

Like cheaper alternative, stick with this block , changing the plug with a Furutech one

P.s.   Russ Andrews fully upgraded RCD consumer unit anyone ?

Regards

Roberto

Gandalf_fi posted:

Naim EU Powerlines are rhodium ones so I bet that they did listening tests against cheaper gold or copper ones. It is not just Furutech or marketing if you study this a bit more or even do some listening tests.

Ciao Roberto

Do test a diferent power strip / RFI fileter. Ideally on loan from your dealer. 

Your profile shows top notch equipment so it's definitely worth a test. 

I have found some improvements with my system by putting a decent strip. Note: the more expensive does not automatically mean better sounding. 

Adam

Hi Adam,

Yes i can definetely get the upgraded power block for home trial .

I'm trying to do my best for the forthcoming  arrival (touch wood & cross fingers ) of a 552.

Regards

Roberto

Hi

That will be the best option - I'd test at least two or three different ones. 

A side note: I was recently experimenting with different power cables for my LP12 with Radikal. One of the cheaper cables, plugged directly into mains worked best The factory-supplied lead was also good. As I started putting more and more expensive cables on the Radikal the sound started to degrade So much for expensive cables....

Good luck with the 552 - do let us know how it sounds when it arrives!!!

Adam Zielinski posted:

Hi

 

Good luck with the 552 - do let us know how it sounds when it arrives!!!

Of course, if the deal will eventually fall short, i have a 2nd   option of a 252 with the eventual

addition of a 2013 Nap 300 in mint condiion 

For the record i recently trialled a Wireworld distribution block but returned it, since

it made no positive difference 

As far as i read on the forum it seems that Naps particulary sound better when connected straight

into wall plugs.

My problem is that i have a radial circuit plugs arrangement

The first one into the room is a spare socket receiving  the cable coming from the RCD panel in the

basement,  then it goes to the 2nd socket behind Fraims where the system is connected and from

which it goes to another sockets  on the right. 

Regards

Roberto

Mike-B posted:

ken c posted:

come on mike-b, lets have a bit of rhodium for some pizzazz...!? 

i gather the attraction of rhodium is that it has extremely good corrosion resistance (oxidation i guess?) but with 'reasobable' conductivity?

......  pizzazzz  ?????    I thought that was the sound yer get from a blown tweeter.  

 

enjoy

ken

Mike-B posted

Naim PowerLines use rhodium plugs only with the Furutech Schuko or US variants. The Naim designed UK square pin plugs look like brass to me,   the inside of the IEC320 socket (plug) is copper.

Also worth noting the S.L. cables are silver pins.  

 

I've tried rhodium a number of times,  I had a power strip lead with Furutech rhodium plating at both ends,  that was replaced by my own built MK socketed & MS-HD 13a wall plug - copper at both end.  It sounded better but that was for reasons other than rhodium.   I had rhodium plated RCA IC's between my phono amp & SN for a long period.  I replaced them with new cable & installed RCA's with gold plated beryllium (a copper alloy with better spring properties than straight copper).  The new cables sounded better but I'm more convinced it was because of the new cable's properties & configuration rather than the RCA connector materials.   

I ment power connectors only, Naim case silver is better with other ICs. Due EU Powerlines are rhodium it could be usefull to try same manufacturer rhodium plated ones, those carbon versions looks cool, sound???

Some months ago I had a Furutech FT-SWS G installed and the difference was evident right from the first notes: Music was much faster, made a very positive difference for me.

I live in a building from 1910 and god knows how old the original mains sockets were.

ken c posted:

Mike-B posted:

Their is no special construction or materials in the old Crabtree's,  just basic good design & quality materials.  The electrics were copper & brass.    And thats what MK do today, quality design & material & not a sniff of rhodium anywhere.  

come on mike-b, lets have a bit of rhodium for some pizzazz...!? 

i gather the attraction of rhodium is that it has extremely good corrosion resistance (oxidation i guess?) but with 'reasobable' conductivity?

whatever, its a bit hard forme to test its SQ credentials as i would have to buy 5 double sockets and even then -- they dont take 10mm sq cable anyhow.

enjoy

ken

But Ken, if people start using something with strong oxidation resistance we'll no longer be able to say "unplugging/replugging cleaned the contacts" when someone reconfigures their hifi and then says they can hear a difference!

rsch posted:

Here is a comparison between Furutech and B Ticino Schuko sockets

 

IEC B Ticino from rear  (the left one)

 

Vimar distribution block

KLimo cable with cheap Schuko plug into Furutech socket

I' m undecided whether to ugrade the distribution block with a star wired one offered by dealer

which can be connected to the wall with another Powerline i already have. 

Like cheaper alternative, stick with this block , changing the plug with a Furutech one

 

P.s.   Russ Andrews fully upgraded RCD consumer unit anyone ?

Regards

Roberto

 

Yes, I have one of those.  I bought it when adding a dedicated spur.  As to whether it sounds better than other alternatives, I've no idea as I had no real way to test it.  Thus they could easily be pulling my leg over this one but I just hoped that it wouldn't sound worse!

I should however add that the MCB supplied with it (B16) was insufficient for the current inrush and turning on Naim power supplies tripped it 99% of the time, I had to replace with a C16.  Russ Andrews' helpline wasn't terribly helpful when I asked them about this (before changing MCB) in that they simply stated that they had found that B16 was sufficient for "most hifi".  Clearly they didn't try Naim then...

Graham Clarke posted:

But Ken, if people start using something with strong oxidation resistance we'll no longer be able to say "unplugging/replugging cleaned the contacts" when someone reconfigures their hifi and then says they can hear a difference!

Ooops! sorry forgot that! spoil sport i am...

enjoy

ken