Martin Kaiser 794 IEC plug.

[oceanobsession]

Has anyone used this type iec plug,

What is the maximum outer diameter cable it excepts,

are they any good for the money.

thanks oceanobsession.

[Reid Malenfant]

I bought a few, Mark Grant gets them silver plated i believe... They'll happily accept his DSP2.5 cable (2.5mm^2)...

[Effem]

http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt309/themainsman/DSCF0006.jpg

An excellent IEC connector. I hope David (Mains-cables-r-us.co.uk) won't mind but I have lifted the picture of his silver plated variant to show the connector pin and wiring connection layout of the Kaiser designed plug. Note how the electrical contacts are not the usual flimsy springy brass ones found in the majority of IEC connectors and the screw terminals for the bare wire is just about the best to be found in any compact bodied IEC plug.

http://www.mains-cables-r-us.co.uk/22_martin-kaiser

Judging by the cord entry gap, I would say a 10mm O/D cable would easily fit.

[YNWaN]

Has anyone used this type iec plug,

What is the maximum outer diameter cable it excepts,

are they any good for the money.

thanks oceanobsession.


I've used that specific type of IEC connector in the past, it was fine - better than the similarly priced ones that Maplins sell (£3.50 or so). I think I probably got it from RS. I don't really see the point in using a silver plated one, the socket it fits into is very unlikely to be. I'm pretty sure I soldered mine to the cable.

[DSJR]

I've started soldering mine again, but I like the springy plated brass ones, 'cos it's easier to bend the springy bits to make a tighter connection I found.

[MCRU]

I've used that specific type of IEC connector in the past, it was fine - better than the similarly priced ones that Maplins sell (£3.50 or so). I think I probably got it from RS. I don't really see the point in using a silver plated one, the socket it fits into is very unlikely to be. I'm pretty sure I soldered mine to the cable.

silver is the best conductor known to man kind sir, for £6.50 and 15 microns of silver I would say that is a bit of a bargain wouldn't you? The IEC inlet may be cheap but that can be replaced with a good one from Furutech for £8.95!

There are even pure silver IEC inlets too.

[YNWaN]

If it plugs into a standard IEC socket, It doesn't matter how conductive the plug is - it could be a super-conductor for all that it matters. Even if you change the socket the wire inside the amp is almost certainly copper and the mains wiring certainly is. If you have a standard IEC socket (as the vast majority of equipment has), you have a better electrical impedance match if you use a similarly standard plug (it is less 'bling' though). Frankly, it makes more sense to use unplated solid copper connectors throughout as then there will be consistency between all the connectors and cables .

I notice that some manufacturers use a silver cable with silver plated connectors; this seems logical until one considers the fact that the cable bridges the mains and the internal wiring of the component, neither of which have any silver content (a few amps do have silver internal wiring, but this is rare).


silver is the best conductor known to man kind sir,

Obviously sir, I am aware of that.


for £6.50 and 15 microns of silver I would say that is a bit of a bargain wouldn't you?

No I wouldn't. The price isn't excessive by any means; but it isn't a bargain if its entirely unnecessary in the first place.


The IEC inlet may be cheap but that can be replaced with a good one from Furutech for £8.95!

In my opinion, changing the IEC plug and socket for silver plated versions is a complete waste of money (irrespective of their price) and there is no genuine electrical justification for it - spend it on a new record instead (or give it to charity).


There are even pure silver IEC inlets too.

Yep, I'm not surprised - I realise there is all manner of audio jewelry.

[oceanobsession]

Thanks folks for your opinions,

My outer cable is 14mm and the wire is 3mm,

I must say i would be happy with brass ,

I have a couple of the oyaide type but i dont like the connectors,

Anyway i will need four of them so if the cable will fit into the plug then

Thats what i will buy.

thanks oceanobsession

[Reid Malenfant]

Not a chance in hell :( I just measured one & even with the strain relief sleeve removed the biggest cable you'll fit is 13mm diameter ;)

[MCRU]

hello again
this may be cheeky but the cable may warrant something better than the kaiser which will be a struggle as reid said, some internal trimming is required to get that thickness of cable in and spending a bit more will yield far better results, the connectors are sometimes more important than the cable IMO.

http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt309/themainsman/BONI/IMG_8124.jpg

[Marco]

Hi Mark,


In my opinion, changing the IEC plug and socket for silver plated versions is a complete waste of money (irrespective of their price) and there is no genuine electrical justification for it - spend it on a new record instead (or give it to charity).


I get what you're saying, but maintaining the integrity of the electrical contact between IEC plugs and sockets (and thus lowering resistance) in a high-resolution system, in my experience, is always sonically beneficial.

And with silver being indisputably the best conductor, electrical contact points between equipment made of such a material, will always maintain that integrity better than their copper-made counterparts.

However, like you say, the benefit is best achieved when both the IEC plug and socket are made from solid-silver conductors. When that's case the sonic improvements, to my ears, in a good system, are readily heard. And I speak from experience on this matter, having experimented considerably in that area... :)

You can also hardly label the Martin Kaiser IEC plug (with its silver contacts) as being 'audio jewellery', as from the outside, it just looks like a generic IEC plug. And as for silver IEC sockets, when used on equipment, you don't even see those! ;)

I agree with David, in that the silver IEC plug he showed (who makes it, daftee? It's unclear on the picture), would do an even better job for Phil.

Marco.