24-Jul-2015, 07:02
(23-Jul-2015, 19:48)Manoet Wrote: My group of 5 local audio guys who get together once a month tested a batch of FIEC plugs a year or so ago and were quite surprised with the results. Any/all full-size high-end/aftermarket FIEC's could easily lift & hold an 11lb/5kg component (a W4S mAMP mono block with 3 symposium acoustic upper feet w/o lower feet/bearings was the test weight). Full size F'tech F!-50, Oyaide and Watt-Gate FIEC's lifted and held fine with no slippage. We could easily pick the mono block up by its power cord/FIEC. Every other OEM cord with a OEM molded FIEC tested was also able to pick up and hold the amp with zero slippage after a couple minutes suspended. However, ALL... yep 100% of the modular DIY FIEC's failed before the component was off the pillows we were testing above. They were F'tech, Oyaide and Cardas. I don't remember model #'s but do know they were all split horizontally around their midline so that two halves could be separated and whatever power cord was on the menu could be used with them. This conveyed to us that DIY FIEC's can NEVER be as strong or have the electrical contact patch grip of a one-piece molded plug be it OEM or aftermarket.
Armed with that I think people have 3 choices they should be looking at FIEC-wise; 1) If you want the best-there-is ya lose the cover and buy the best there is! 2) If you want the next-best electrical contact coupled with most tenacious contact grip and to run the cover, use the Devialet OEM cord or a larger conductor gauge cord than OEM with an integral OEM or spliced-in aftermarket vulcanized/molded OEM FIEC plug and go! 3) If you want an aftermarket FIEC that allows you to run the cover and have exotic plating with a loose/sloppy fit I'd simply ask WHY!?! if your FIEC cord/terminal setup can't easily lift at least 7+lbs/3+Kg's and hold it for a minute or two without slipping away from it's socket I'd suggest looking around a bit... your's is leaking, making Rice Krispies sounds (even if you don't hear it) and leaving unused SQ on the table!
My bet is the IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) has a specification related to grip tension just like NEMA does here in the states that would likely specify somewhere upwards of the 7+lbs/3+Kg's I mentioned above but I just know it would be dry read finding it and I'm not up for that today. Some days ya feel like a nut. Some days ya don't ;-)
I am not sure that lifting 5 kg is necessary but I find the Oyaide 4781 which fits the D250 easily does not make good connections with Devialets and also sounds not so good but works on some other equipment well (blade width seems to vary). I find the recent Cardas (some recent Furutech model look very much the same)to give a good grip and sound good but need some sanding on the upper/ right side not to obstruct the cover of the D250.
