Mains extension blocks

It looks like mastic tube screw caps providing insulation over the soldered joints :joy:

Soldered joints ?? you are joking
These are twist on wire connectors, strip back the insulation, hold the wires together, insert into the connector & twist.
As cheap & cheerful as they come, but surprisingly robust if done correctly

Looks very effective. I think if I were making another block I’d stick with twisted, soldered and insulated.

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All our electrical mains are relying on these connectors in North America. We call them Marrettes.

I used them a lot many years ago, & yes they are effective if done right, but when its not right … watch out.
When I first saw them used in the Matrix-2 I was very surprised, considering the retail price, to me its ‘value engineering’ taken too far. Looking at the other components confirmed that opinion; the wire is 16AWG (1.3mm/2) & the sockets look to be not a good spec where the pin grip resistance seemed loose. What price a Naim Powerline into or via one of those

Must admit i was a little shocked when i saw the pic, luckily i have moved mine on. I can now see why you made your own Mike…you know exactly what you are getting.

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What this does show is that you can make your own, and do no worse, but actually probably better, these commercial units.

I have a Wireworld Matrix 2, on the outside very sturdy and quality build, if the picture is true that is disgraceful. I have contacted Wireworld awaiting a response.

Good for you, i must admit it felt sturdy enough. Be interested in their response. I wonder if there are some fakes out there. My daughter just sold mine on ebay and looked a few examples up. There was a seller of new ones in Latvia with only 5 sockets…not sure they actually make a 5 socket block?

Thanks @Gazza now you mention it, i saw some 2nd hand one was 5 way, i bought on new about a year ago instead.

Will feedback on any response.

If not if i have a quite day I will take it apart, as it powers the TV/Sky/Router/Switch/RPi not the Naim gear.

I was told inside was a bus bar type star earth arrangement.

Yes - but I was just quoted £1250 for doing that.
And I might move house in a couple of years.
So I’m wondering whether to invest in some kind of DC blocker, or ‘power conditioner’ or ‘power plant’ instead - but I have no idea whether any of these things work to improve SQ?

I wouldn’t get too bent out of shape over the inside of the Wireworld, its fairly normal view of what you see inside & behind socket boxes. I was disappointed more in the quality of assembly & parts considering the retail price. I’ve seen better in consumer electric store offerings.
Its more laughable when you look at the ‘high tech specs’ in the Wireworld cables, considering all that ‘hi-spec BS’ connected to whats going on inside the Matrix-2 box

I’ve used Matrix 2 for few years now. It outperformed Musicline (german Naim dealer) basic plastic block which was made with Naim stock power cable and also Furutech e-TP60e which costs 2-3 more than Matrix 2. It’s funny that at the moment we have this same discussion going on on our Finnish hifi forum. Someone posted the exact same picture of opened Matrix 2 there and people went nuts. I don’t have the technical knowledge and to my eyes it looks like a regular extension block with decent quality. I like it that there’s nothing extra since I’ve found out that’s usually the best way with power blocks. People also noted that Matrix 2 doesn’t have real star wired connections(?) Anyway the sound quality is top notch and it’s all that matters to me really.

With mains power ‘star’ is called radial
In the photo we all seem to be looking at, & what I saw when I opened one up;
the Matrix-2 is radial (star) wired to the first in a pair of sockets, the first socket is parallel connected to the second socket.

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:small_blue_diamond:Gazza,…I do the same thing,…

I manufacture my own powerstrip.
Then I know exactly what I have,…and that I can evaluate every single part of my PowerStrip.
I will use these Furutech socket below (they cost £57:-per piece in Sweden).

I will have seven sockets in my PowerStrip.
This cable,…Jorma Design Duality (see below),.will sit between the sockets.
The cable sounds very good,.it is on a picture as an full powercable in the thread “Cableoholic”.
It will be exciting to listen to the result, when everything is finished.


:small_orange_diamond:This above is the Furutech-socket from the front.


:small_blue_diamond:This above is the socket from the rear.


:small_orange_diamond:This above is the socket from the side, here you can see the powerful mountings for the cable.


:small_blue_diamond:Here above you can see the Jorma Design Duality-cable at close range.

/Peder🙂

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Can you say what you mean by top notch?
Did you do an AB comparison blind or ‘sighted’?

Do you know where i can one buy something like this

To me and my ears it sounds top notch. I’ve compared it to those two power blocks I described earlier. I never do blind testing since that’s not how I listen to music in everyday situation. I always test equipment in as normal listening environment as possible. So preferably at home in my own setup with my eyes and ears, and all other senses, wide open.

Not sure you can advertise retailers here but google will tell you where you can buy one.

tbh I’d be half tempted to rewire internally using better cables and proper twisted/soldered connections. You go to all of this effort using extra thick wire etc… in your mains leads to have it then compromised by the extension block. It’s made me go back over the idea of a hydra setup.

It’s a low cost mains block. It’s not dangerous and i’m sure it doesn’t sound any different now you know the internal construction. What sort of response are you expecting ?