IEC connections should be tight - or should they?

[monya]

Some of my mains cables have plugs that fit tighter than a Duck’s arse. Others are looser - by design. I’ve read that tight is good for transfer but I’ve also read that with snug fit connections that micro vibrations can travel up or down the cable which isn’t good. In which case ‘Floating’ design is best. So who’s correct? And does it matter?

 

[RoA]

If you use Naim everything has to float. For anyone else, if the power light comes on you're good.

 

[awkwardbydesign]

Are you talking about the metal pins or the plastic housing?

 

[Tarzan]

Personally l like tight fitting.....

 

[booja30]

Solid state device? Doesn’t matter except for maybe a high gain phone stage.

 

[sideshowbob]

As tight as possible, and a bucket underneath in case the electricity drips out all over the floor

 

[herb]

Naim CDX2 has a floppy IEC socket. A tight fit with fancy thick mains cable insulation sounds bad for some reason. The basic Naim throw away flimsey cable wth cheap copper Furutech IEC plugs sounds the best, The Naim powerline IME ruins the classical music sound.

 

[Bob McC]

Ruins…!

 

[Frizzy]

I remember a Shindo pre on which all connectors and valve bases floated! Changing valves scared crap out of me as you could tear bare silver hair thin wires, prob top of my fave pre’s but distinctly hairshirt.

 

[narabdela]

Ruins…!

Maybe he meant that the Naim ruins the classical music sound?

 

[PhilDick]

Some of my mains cables have plugs that fit tighter than a Duck’s arse.

Where are you putting the ducks arse?

 

[herb]

Ruins…!

IME yes! The CDX2 sounds fine with classical music, not harsh, with the appropriate microphone cable interconnect. I love the powerful lively sound but the expensive Powerline mains cable makes the sound coarse. I have no idea why.

 

[Gervais Cote]

Maybe he meant that the Naim ruins the classical music sound?

I’m a very happy owner of Naim gears because I’m a rock fan but there’s no question in my mind that if I was a cantata fan, I would run a vacuum tube amp with some LS 3/5A !
Even more true with oboes.

 

[Whatsisnaim]

Naim's IEC sockets are a bit loose and wobbly by design, to the point where some people think they might have somehow worked loose, which is not the case. Their Powerline mains plugs and IECs are also decoupled and wobbly (as are some of their interconnect DIN plugs). The actual electrical contact is the opposite though. The jaws that grip the pins in a Powerline IEC are as tight as the regs allow them to be, and require a good hard shove to get them in.