Silver-plated, Cryo treated
Acme outlets start with a high-quality Pass and Seymour outlet. These outlets have excellent gripping
power on the plug contacts to minimize resistance and utilize high copper content Olin #688 brass. All
outlet contacts are both heavily silver-plated and cryo-treated.

Why 20 amp?
We prefer to carry only the 20 amp version because it serves both 15 and 20 amp rated devices.
Electrical code recommends that only 15 amp outlets be used on 15 amp circuits to prevent a 20-amp
device from being plugged into a 15 amp circuit. The circuit-breaker would probably trip if the circuit
were overloaded anyway. We recommend that these outlets be used with 20 amp rated circuits although
they will work fine for 15 amp circuits with 15 amp rated loads. If customers sell their house, we recommend
that they replace these with conventional outlets, which we would expect customers to do anyway.
We consider this the best outlet that Acme offers. This outlet is an excellent match with any of our
power cords with silver-plated plugs.

Installation
Do not attempt this installation unless you are a competent technician. Be certain that the power to the
outlet is dead before even removing the cover. We highly recommend scrubbing the copper wire leads in
the outlet box with steel-wool to make them bright before tightening down to the outlet screws. After
installation and turning the power on, use a checker to determine that it is wired correctly before plugging
any component into the outlet.

What to expect?
We found that the dynamics, slam and HF focus improved when used on our power amps. We found the
cryo treated version to be slightly, but noticably better than the non-cryo version.

Read more about Acme outlets on the Acme website. We sell them at the same retail price:
http://www.acmeaudiolabs.com

What is it?
Image Clarifiers (I-C) insert in-line with your speaker cables. Each I-C contains one or
more Ferrite cores of a special material that blocks transmission of signal at very high
frequencies, generally in the MHz range (ultrasonic to RF). These cores are different
than typical RF filters because of their steep loss behavior. Audio frequencies will not
be affected after they are tuned-up. No snake-oil or magic here, just fundamental physics.

Where do you put the I-C?
One I-C is installed in the left channel and one in the right channel, or one in each
channel of a surround-sound system. The I-C is inserted in series with either the
+ (RED) or - (BLACK) wire of each speaker cable, but not both. The I-C is inserted at
the amplifier outputs or at the speaker inputs, however it is typically more effective
at the amplifier outputs. It is recommended that they be inserted in the minus or
black wire. Each I-C has standard 5-way binding post connections at one end and
can be configured to have an included banana plug or spade lug at the other end. All
contacts and metal parts of the I-C are gold plated. To prevent shorting, it is
recommended that I-C's be installed at the "-"or BLACK connector on the amplifier.
A length of heat-shrink tubing is included to insulate it as well.

Tuning The I-C
The beneficial effects mentioned above can be achieved without degrading
the signal or rolling-off the high-frequency response of the speaker cable if
the I-C is "tuned" properly. Since cables, speakers and amplifiers have different
characteristics, it is necessary to "tune" the I-C for each type of cable.
To allow this, three special Ferrite cores are provided, allowing five tuning
increments. These cores can be added or removed from the I-C during
tuning. To tune the I-C, the user typically starts by installing the smallest
core on each of the I-C's and listens to a recording that they are familiar
with. Cores are then added incrementally each time listening to the same
familiar music until the listener detects some high-frequency roll-off. This is
when the cymbals and other high-frequency sounds, like room echoes in the
program material, are noticeably affected. The number of cores is then
reduced, so that no audio high-frequencies are affected, leaving as many
installed as possible. It is not recommended to use I-C's on cables that already
have high-frequency filters integral to them, because they may degrade
high-frequency audio response.

What you can expect
With many cables, a properly tuned I-C will enhance the system sound by
clarifying the image and removing the haze. The individual instruments and
vocalists will become better focused, at the same time reflections from the
recording venue will not be affected, giving the soundstage a more 3-Dimensional
acoustic appearance. The I-C will not magnetize, wear-out or become less
effective with use and age. I-C's have proven effective with standard Monster
cables, Kimber cables, and Audioquest cables. More efficient speakers and
high-bandwidth amplifiers typically require more ferrites whereas inefficient
speakers and limited bandwidth amplifiers typically require less.

Why replace the jumpers that come with the speakers?
These jumpers are typically made of formed brass or plated steel and are two individual
pieces, one for each pair of binding posts. The use of brass or steel for these is definitely
suboptimal since these are high-resistance materials. Also, these are often not of sufficient
thickness to insure low inductance and low resistance. Sound coloration may occur as a
result.

Gecko Technology
Gecko's utilize high-quality OFC copper conductors with pTFE Teflon insulation. 7 pairs of
conductors are tightly-coupled forming a combined 11 gauge equivalent. The pairs couple
the + or red wire currents to the - or black wire currents. This coupling results in mutual
inductance action which further reduces the inductance of the connection by a factor of
~1/10. Our competitors offer only jumper cables comprised of two separate large gauge
conductors, which reduces the inductance by a factor of only 2/3 or 1/2, depending on the
original jumpers and the gauge of the separate jumpers. We believe that Gecko is the lowest
inductance jumper on the market. Gecko's come terminated by mechanical crimping, with
gold-plated OFC copper combination spade-lugs compatible with both 1/4" and 5/16" posts.
Because speaker binding post spacings vary so much, we are now doing custom versions
to fit each customer's speakers.

Allows non-BiWire in many systems
Many of our customers have returned or sold their Bi-Wire cables because they found that
their sytems sounded better non-Bi-Wired when using Gecko jumpers. It is our recommendation
to our customers that they avoid Bi-Wiring if possible.

Models and Pricing

Empirical Audio reserves the right to adjust prices as costs increase or decrease.

One Credit Card transaction required per Part Number.
For Geckos, please email us with binding post measurements.
(In Continental US, a 2.2% handling charge is added for Credit Card Purchases)
(Older versions of Netscape may exhibit problems with Credit Card payment)
Accessories are shipped USPS Priority or First-Class mail
Outside Continental US, or for Mail Order, go to How to Order

Warranty

Image Clarifiers and Gecko Jumpers are warranted to be free of defects in
materials and workmanship for a period of 90 days from the ship date from
Empirical Audio. If a failure is found in the product, the customer must first
notify Empirical Audio by Email. The customer will be responsible for shipping
the product back to Empirical Audio. After evaluation of the returned product,
if Empirical Audio determines that misuse or abuse did not cause the failure, the
customer will have the option of a replacement Image Clarifier if they are still
in production at that time, or a full refund. If misuse, alteration or abuse is
indicated, the customer will be given the option of keeping the broken Image
Clarifier or a repair fee depending on the extent of the damage. Empirical
Audio will not be responsible for failure of related equipment as a result
of an Image Clarifier or Gecko Jumper shorting to other equipment or terminals.
It is recommended that Image Clarifiers be used only on the ground or negative
terminal of power amplifier equipment and that possibility for shorts to occur with
the positive terminals be minimized by utilizing the included shrink tubing, particularly
after the tuning phase is complete. Cracking or crushing of the ferrite beads is
not warranted. Care should be taken to insure that the ferrites are not shocked
or compressed as they are composed of brittle material. It is recommended that
Gecko jumpers and Image Clarifiers be installed only when the amplifiers are
powered-down to avoid the possibility of damage.

S.F.N.
Copyright © 1998-2002 Empirical Audio^®. All rights reserved.
Information in this document is subject to change without notice.
Other products and companies referred to herein are trademarks
or registered trademarks of their respective companies or mark holders.