Audiophile General Power Outlet (GPO)

[allhifi]

A quick update, here's a pic of the SineWorld GPO fitted:



It is so much easier now to plug/unplug cables into the wall GPO now, as the GPO socket grabs and holds the power cables firmly. Notice how the orientation is such that the plugs are plugged sideways (i.e. Earth is on the right rather than at the top)? This orientation makes sense after I plugged in the power cable, the flat live and neutral pins of the power cables are horizontal and is able to hold the cable up. Absolutely the attention to detail here.

Being unswitched outlets I always fear there will be sparks as I plug/unplug the power cables. Surprisingly that didn't happen .

So here are some quick (and unexpected) measurements. This is the EMF reading of the SineWorld GPO without any connections:



Gah I hate a non flat wall!

Back on topic it's now a lower Electrical Field (EF) reading, that's only approximately 31% of the original reading! Slightly higher magnetic field (MF) though, I'm guessing that big bronze faceplate with platinum plating is the cause of this extra MF.

And what with power cables plugged in?



That's only an increase of 48 V/m when compared to the bare SineWorld GPO. More importantly, this reading is a marked 15% of the original switched GPO. Higher MF reading though (again I suspect it the big metal plate to be the culprit).

So what does all this mean? On the surface this seems to be a zero sum game, a lower EF is cancelled out by a higher MF.

And do these EMF mattter really? Unlike RF, when using the these units of measurements, EMF don't have a lot of "transmitting" power, this is the reason why the meter is placed so close to the outlet - the further you are from the source the weaker the field (logarithmic power loss).

If you are in a big listening room, the GPO will not be able to influence most equipment due to distance. The power cable is the only exception as it's right next to the source! The ground may have some induced noise and that may result in a small fluctuation. However most people would never consider a power cable an audio equipment so this GPO mod is moot.

For me this reinforces a potential benefit of using after market power cables that are shielded. That will help in the EF side of things. 

Would this mod translate to better SQ? To evaluate this aspect I have to wait a few weeks to find out.

As a final note, the usual disclaimer applies. If you reside in Australia do not ever fit this power outlet! No sparky will ever install this for you and the cons far outweighs any pros, especially if you DIY!

Hey AK: 'Measurements' aside, I'd strongly recommend the thinnest/leanest AC power cable for use with hi-fi gear; respecting Amperage requirements.
Here in Canada (North America) properly insulated #18 guage (X3) copper wire is good for 10-amps, #16awg -12A and #14awg -15A.  

Unnecessarily thick, heavy, bulky, expensive #8-#12 guage (AC power) wire -with concomitant thick, crappy insulation and (almost without exception) heavy shielding -double/triple- are the WORST sounding. By far.
Changes to sound ? You bet ! For the better. Absolutely not. Simply listen.

The ubiquitous, throw-in, #16 guage (with thinner/harder insulation/sheathing) sounds better. And is more than ample for 95% of applications -including power amps.  

The best 'sounding' AC power cables are the ones designed around and interact with a components particular power supply. 
Shielding creates a host of problematic (electrical, magnetic field) interactions -none of which 'enhances' sound quality. It may measure/read different (perhaps even "better"), but the one's I've investigated- auditioned sound slow, with excessive LF colorations resulting in a heavily bass-biased subjective SQ interpretation that seriously lacks transparency, resolution and nuance in this most critical frequency spectrum: 20-200/500 Hz. region.

In fact, I urge anyone interested to do a simple "throw-in cable" comparison; find ones of varying #awg, thickness, insulation/sheathing, even color -and listen. Then use a thicker (lower #awg) and or thicker/heavy shielded power cord. And listen. Simply listen for vocal clarity, bass guitar, guitar, back-up vocals 'openness', 'airiness' -naturalness. I'll bet listeners will discover greater clarity and dynamics with the less 'bulky' (stock) AC power cord.

Are there good/excellent aftermarket p/c's avaialble? Absolutely. But it's not a given. In fact, from my experience, the majority impair performance -to a considerable degree.  

peter jasz