June 7, 2013
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Oyaide R1 Electrical Outlet, Pt 1
If you are the type of individual who believes that bits are bits, that all cables sound the same, a properly executed power amplifier sounds just like any other properly executed amplifier, then, please read no farther.
For those of you that are still with me, welcome.
It has been said that the last six feet of the electrical supply feeding an audio product are critical to sound quality. By extension, therefore, not only are power cords of importance, but so would be the electrical outlet that your equipment (including power conditioners, strips, etc.) is plugged into and, indeed, even the electrical line leading from the circuit box to the outlet.
I live in an apartment, as I imagine some of you do as well, so having dedicated power lines installed feeding my equipment is not an option. The electrical outlets are and that is the subject of this review. One word of caution: when replacing the standard outlets in your abode, lethal voltages are involved and unless you are competent enough to handle this endeavor, engage a qualified electrician to perform the work. Electrocution and/or electrical fires are serious matters.
The subject of this review is the Oyaide (pronounced “Oh-yah-ee-day”) R1 electrical outlet. The R1 is manufactured in Japan and is comprised of twice-polished beryllium copper base metal, plated with platinum which is then finished with palladium plating. The mounting bracket is 24k gold plated brass and the R1 is totally non-magnetic to minimize potential disturbances from magnetic fields. The body of the outlet is filled with 30% fiber glass to help minimize vibration and is constructed of Polybutylene terephthalate (PBT).
It is a 20 Amp outlet and does not follow USA conventions regarding the electrical fastening screws. American standards follow the use of a brass colored screw for the hot (positive) connection, a silver colored screw for the neutral, and a green for the ground. All of the screws are silver colored.
Oyaide R1 Box Front & Back Oyaide R1 Outlet Front
Oyaide R1 Outlet Back Oyaide R1 Outlet Neutral Side
Oyaide R1 Outlet Positive & Ground Side
This isn’t your father’s outlet and with all of these exotic, and expensive, materials it isn’t cheap either. The review outlets were purchased from VH Audio at a price of $180 each and were both cryogenically treated and were “cooked” for six days on an Audiodharma Cable Cooker Pro. At this level, one would think that bracket mounting screws would be included but for whatever reason, they were not. Therefore, be sure to hold onto your old ones.
The matching Oyaide WPC-Z Carbon Fiber faceplate and aluminum frame is $250. I didn’t purchase the two of them I would need and instead used the wall plates already in my apartment. An audiophile, in whose ears I trust, reports that the Oyaide WPC-Z helps reduce noise a bit. At this level of performance, it might be worth considering.
Part 2 will cover the “sound” of the Oyaide R1 outlet. Stay tuned.
Comments (2)
If users do go for the WPC-Z, or any other mounting plate, they should install both the plate and the new receptacle at the same time. If you do the receptacle first, and the plate later, you'll most likely have to disconnect the wires, and hook them back again, after threading through the plate. I don't know about others, but for me, hooking the wires to the screw terminal is the most difficult phase.
@rpghero27 -
That's good advice regarding the installation of the mounting plate. I used the push through slots for the hot and neutral connections but that isn't an option for connecting the ground wire which, as you said, was cumbersome.