Cheap power strips for best sound.

[ThomasOK]

You can get various Volex AC cables from Mouser Electronics. Unfortunately they don't make everything in every length. For instance I couldn't find the 14 gauge in a short length and it does come with the plated plugs. But they have a short 16 gauge that I purchased to try going into the Revelation units along with a short 14 gauge Longwell I bought a while ago elsewhere. You just want to stick with the SJT wire on Volex cables.

Thanks, Thomas. I'll have a look. I just want to confirm that you meant SJT and not SVT? IIRC all the good 18ga cables have been SVT. According to the specifications I found the insulation and jacket on SJT cables is twice as thick as SVT. I wouldn't be surprised if that makes a difference.

You caught me on that one. Teach me to not look at the cable before typing. SVT is indeed what is used on the Lejonklou and Linn power cables.

[tokenbrit]

It may not be possible to find thicker gauge SVT cable - found this on eHow so not sure how reliable it is... perhaps someone more knowledgeable than me could confirm or correct:

SVT cords can contain wire gauge sizes 17 and 18 only. SJT can use a range from size 10 up to size 18 wire.

[markiteight]

It may not be possible to find thicker gauge SVT cable - found this on eHow so not sure how reliable it is... perhaps someone more knowledgeable than me could confirm or correct:

SVT cords can contain wire gauge sizes 17 and 18 only. SJT can use a range from size 10 up to size 18 wire.

It looks like you're correct. From Volex's catalog:



It appears the Service Vacuum Thermoplastic standard was created specifically for vacuum cleaners while Service Junior Thermoplastic is a broad, general purpose standard.

Sorry for the confusion, Thomas!

[ThomasOK]

No problem. Am I allowed to use SJT? Wouldn't I need the Concorde version?

[markiteight]

No problem. Am I allowed to use SJT? Wouldn't I need the Concorde version?

Slow down there, fireball! FAA regulations stipulate that speeds cannot exceed 250 Knots below 10,000 feet MSL.

[PetterS]

I mentioned that I was going to get into this power strip evaluation thing again. I am not quite ready yet for the first clips (for one thing Fredrik is keeping me busy with these upgrades) but I am doing some more prep work. So last weekend I needed to go to the hardware store and while there I looked at their power strips. They had one with 6 outlets and just a power switch that also had a nice 14 gauge SJT unshielded power cable on it for $4.99. Then I saw a two pack of them at the special low price of $9.97! I couldn't resist the deal so I bought the two pack. (You could say I got a koppla them.) Today I had a little time and popped one open to find this:



It uses the kind of single brass strips for each connection I had mentioned. I took this one and wired past the power switch directly to the brass strips. The original wires were welded (except the ground which was welded and soldered for some reason) so I clipped off the positive and neutral and soldered the wires directly to them. That now looks like this:



I also brought in an old 7 outlet strip that has both a power switch and a circuit breaker. (Interestingly that is the exact number of outlets I need for the 230 Volt part of my system.) As you will see below, it also has single brass strips but the positive and neutral strips are made a little differently in terms of how they grip the blades of the plug. I thought for starters I would just use the 18 gauge wire that came with it and bypass the switches. Then I opened it up and found that I had already done it! Seeing that I was convinced that I had already tried this strip and found it inferior to the Revelation so I modified it by putting in a 14 gauge cable. This is a Volex cable using the same construction as Fredrik's US power cable except that it is 14 gauge, as he recommends for going to the power strip. It also has a plated plug instead of an unplated one as that was the only way I could get it. I bought a ten footer with bare wires at the other end and used some of this in rewiring one of the Revelation strips as I mentioned earlier. I only used 2.5 feet for this as Fredrik had recommended a short cable there. That leaves me a bunch more to use inside strips if I find that works. Here is a photo of the inside before I put the heavier gauge Volex wire in it:



So now I have three cheap strips to burn in and test to see how they compare. It'll be a few weeks yet but it should be interesting.

ThomasOK, this thread has been one of the more intriguing and rewarding to follow. Since this post of yours, I've been looking forward to when the "few weeks" have come to an end.

[ThomasOK]

It has been a bit hasn't it? You can partly blame Fredrik for that as he is keeping me rather busy with all these upgrades. I did one Giella to ∏ upgrade (a lot of work) and two Entity 1.1 upgrades (less work) this weekend. Then I had to walk Bella each day, pick up her leavings and mow the back yard, meditate twice a day, cook dinner, drive an Entity to UPS and check in on my friend Simon who had spinal surgery on Monday (he is doing very well) and try to digest the Källa info Fredrik texted to me. Other than that it was a really kicked back weekend!

I did not end up with enough time to do my taxes which I really need to get done soon. I am expecting to receive a Boazu, an Entity and a Giella from a dealer for upgrades this week. It also looks like I might even be getting an Entity for 1.1 upgrade from the UK as it is apparently easier to have me do it that have it done in the EU!!!

If you think you feel bad about the missing comparisons, I'll mention that this weekend I listened to PART of the same track on a Miles Davis album three times. Twice to make sure the Entity units sounded great after the upgrades (they measured fine but I always double-check) and once to hear it again on the SINGularities. That's the sum total of the music I had time to listen to this weekend except for some background radio. And I have five new records sitting there, only one of which I have opened and started to listen to a couple of weeks ago.

[beck]

Lazy ways indeed. :-)

[PetterS]

ThomasOk, sorry if my yearning for gaining more knowledge in this somewhat peculiar area appeared pushy. Partly it might be blamed on an inability to express myself in 2nd language with polite enough nuances.

Btw, this thread – when listening and comparing mobile phone excerpts without first reading the comments, and then finding out I could clearly hear the differences and aspects lifted – finally made me order the Boazu, and upgrade the sound and digital cables as well as power set up and network.

[ThomasOK]

ThomasOk, sorry if my yearning for gaining more knowledge in this somewhat peculiar area appeared pushy. Partly it might be blamed on an inability to express myself in 2nd language with polite enough nuances.

Btw, this thread – when listening and comparing mobile phone excerpts without first reading the comments, and then finding out I could clearly hear the differences and aspects lifted – finally made me order the Boazu, and upgrade the sound and digital cables as well as power set up and network.

No offense taken. I just thought I should explain my lack of further posting on this undertaking. Congratulations on the Boazu.

[ThomasOK]

OK, comparison time. This is the first of what promised to be several comparisons as I finally start wading through power strip options. Don't expect these to come fast and furious. I have caught up with my Lejonklou upgrade work (by the simple expedient of having upgraded most of the stuff out there) and finished my taxes (Nokturne Audio sales were up over 50% in 2020 compared to 2019!). However, we finally seem to have gotten past the frosts here in Michigan so I went out yesterday, bought a bunch of veggies and herbs, and planted one of three raised beds (so far with four tomato plants and a bunch of Swiss chard). I still also am putting finishing touches on a Källa newsletter for dealers that brings together most of the information about it and I have a new website to work on. (And I haven't forgotten the need to address Linn Silver vs Silver II.)

That all means that spare time for music listening is still a bit scarce but I did relax to some music this weekend and got the first comparison done. Let's see what you think.

Clip K: https://www.dropbox.com/s/j8dwfcy33u0f9 ... M.mov?dl=0
Clip C: https://www.dropbox.com/s/lxfd7e4ezsgip ... M.mov?dl=0

[Tony Tune-age]

OK, comparison time. This is the first of what promised to be several comparisons as I finally start wading through power strip options. Don't expect these to come fast and furious.

That all means that spare time for music listening is still a bit scarce but I did relax to some music this weekend and got the first comparison done. Let's see what you think.

Clip K: https://www.dropbox.com/s/j8dwfcy33u0f9 ... M.mov?dl=0
Clip C: https://www.dropbox.com/s/lxfd7e4ezsgip ... M.mov?dl=0

I have listened to both of these links several times, and after a break I'll listen again. But so far, I'm leaning towards the first link as sounding better.

Cheers

[beck]

+1

[tpetsch]

I'm personally having difficulty following the tune on both, but saying that I'd choose (K) because the sounds flow slightly better.

[markiteight]

I'm leaning toward K.

[tokenbrit]

K > C (hoping C does not stand for Cablepro ;)

[beck]

I like the “one sound” feel I get listening to your latest clips Thomas.

A jazzing hoboe is not often heard and not my favorite cup of tea but interesting non the less. I do understand why the saxophone is so popular in jazz. :-)

[Tendaberry]

I would choose K too.

[V.A.MKD]

"K" for me, more musical and can easily catch the idea of composer ...

[Spannko]

I'm personally having difficulty following the tune on both, but saying that I'd choose (K) because the sounds flow slightly better.

👍

Karousel syndrome?

[beck]

The hoboe is being played slightly high pitched on many of the notes. Jazz or bad musicianship, your call.......

[PetterS]

ThomasOK,
I loved this slightly odd excerpt. I actually preferred clip C. For me it becomes clear when the groove starts around 32s.

[Pedro]

I also like version K better.
With version C, the decay of the notes is different. In the case of sustained notes of the double bass and the flute, the pitch seems to rise somewhat as they decay. This makes listening a bit annoying.

[tokenbrit]

ThomasOK,
I loved this slightly odd excerpt. I actually preferred clip C. For me it becomes clear when the groove starts around 32s.

I can hear what you mean... I hadn't listened that far through as the tone & balance seemed better with K in the first 30s of the track - lesson learned, hopefully :)

[beck]

I prefer the band feel (musical timing) from clip K.

I do know that what we use when listening to the clips can make a difference when the differences we compare are small..........