Furutech NCF FI-50M power-plug revised/improved!

CKKeung

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Jun 17, 2011
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In Hong Kong we notice that the popular Furutech FI-50M NCF has got a quiet revision/improvement!
:eek:

Externally it looks quite similar :
IMG-20190701-WA0033~2.jpg
IMG-20190701-WA0032~2.jpg

However internally there are obvious diff.
The piezo-effect body is taller.
The slots for incoming wires are bigger.
(New-left ; Old-right)
IMG-20190701-WA0035~2.jpg
IMG-20190701-WA0036~2.jpg

Audition reveals that the new one is quieter and has better resolution.

Do WBF brothers notice similar revised FI-50 Series in your countries?
:)
 
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DaveC

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My latest order of plugs has the new design, I really appreciate having the larger openings for wire. :) You can recognize it externally as it sticks out further from the end of the body vs the old design. I have not compared them to the older plugs yet as far as sound.
 
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CKKeung

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WBF brothers please examine them carefully when buying the NCF.
;)
 

Sablon Audio

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I noticed this also CKK and fwiw the schuko plug has always protuded in a similar manner where the screw bases are located. This change could however be down to a change of subcontractor rather than a design improvement per se.
 

RnRmf

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This could be the second update - a year or two ago they updated the connector to include the support on the ground pin. I can't remember if the other changes, noted by the OP, are on the connectors I purchased at that time, however.
The ground pin was apt to loosen over time with very heavy cables. Siltech updated mine for free on two Siltech power cables I own.
 

DaveC

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This could be the second update - a year or two ago they updated the connector to include the support on the ground pin. I can't remember if the other changes, noted by the OP, are on the connectors I purchased at that time, however.
The ground pin was apt to loosen over time with very heavy cables. Siltech updated mine for free on two Siltech power cables I own.


That reminds me, if you own these plugs the ground pins are delicate. If you drop them on a hard floor, run into them with a vacuum or your foot when they are plugged into a wall receptacle, or ship them without adequate precautions the ground pin can break.

If your ground pin feels loose, it is almost surely broken internally and will need to be replaced. It is not safe to use a power cable without the ground, so if your cable has a loose ground do not use it until it is repaired. The good news is the internal part of the plug that contains the electrical contacts can now be replaced separately. MSRP is $160 vs $385 for the complete plug. For most cables it should be an easy job to DIY.
 

CKKeung

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A friend of mine just got hold of the new Furutech NCF FI-48 Ag plugs which is silver-plated.
IMG-20190720-WA0080~2.jpg
IMG-20190720-WA0076~2.jpg
IMG-20190720-WA0120~2.jpg

He will use them on the Gigawatt EVO powercord.
Will update you after auditioning it.
:cool:
IMG-20190720-WA0121~2.jpg
 
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marty

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I just installed a pair of the FI-48s on a Furutech DPS 4.1 PC. It's been playing for 2 days. Mids and top are a delight. The bass isn't there yet. I really hope it will eventually come in. (Bass is typically the last thing to come in.) Curiously, the Ching Cheng PCs take about 5 minutes to break-in. The Oyaide Tunami v2 with 079 connectors take about 24 hours. The current DPS/FI48's? Who knows? I suspect that some of these differences are related not only to the metals in the cables and their terminations, but just as importantly, the metals they are being connected to in the AC outlet or the IEC equipment connector. This much I do know- I hate break-in!
 

mikey8811

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Dec 24, 2014
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I just installed a pair of the FI-48s on a Furutech DPS 4.1 PC. It's been playing for 2 days. Mids and top are a delight. The bass isn't there yet. I really hope it will eventually come in. (Bass is typically the last thing to come in.) Curiously, the Ching Cheng PCs take about 5 minutes to break-in. The Oyaide Tunami v2 with 079 connectors take about 24 hours. The current DPS/FI48's? Who knows? I suspect that some of these differences are related not only to the metals in the cables and their terminations, but just as importantly, the metals they are being connected to in the AC outlet or the IEC equipment connector. This much I do know- I hate break-in!

I was just thinking of trying this. Please update with the results and a comparison with the Tunami GPX R V2's.

Thanks
 

marty

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I'm sorry to report that I was not a fan of the Furutech Silver FI-48s on the DPS4.1. Good freedom from grain at the expense of musicality. Nor did the music didn't have the timbral weight of the real thing. Since I stripped the threads on the FI-48 IEC connector, I threw it out (Ouch). But I have the male end for sale at any reasonable price. PM me if interested. My current preferred combo is a copper FI-11 male on the DPS4.1 and a brass IEC (Oyaide Armored 29 series) on the other end. Since I find it of limited use to describe what plating is used on AC cable connectors without specifying the plating used on the AC outlet and instrument IEC outlet, I'll add that the unplated copper FI-11 AC male plugs are connected into a Shunyata unplated CopperCONN AC outlet and the Oyade 029 Brass IEC plug goes into a gold plated IEC AC connector on the preamp. It's a good sounding combo, however, I still want to try an FI-28 gold plated copper connector on the IEC end and will likely get to that shortly as the part has been ordered.
 
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mikey8811

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Dec 24, 2014
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I'm sorry to report that I was not a fan of the Furutech Silver FI-48s on the DPS4.1. Good freedom from grain at the expense of musicality. Nor did the music didn't have the timbral weight of the real thing. Since I stripped the threads on the FI-48 IEC connector, I threw it out (Ouch). But I have the male end for sale at any reasonable price. PM me if interested. My current preferred combo is a copper FI-11 male on the DPS4.1 and a brass IEC (Oyaide Armored 29 series) on the other end. Since I find it of limited use to describe what plating is used on AC cable connectors without specifying the plating used on the AC outlet and instrument IEC outlet, I'll add that the unplated copper FI-11 AC male plugs are connected into a Shunyata unplated CopperCONN AC outlet and the Oyade 029 Brass IEC plug goes into a gold plated IEC AC connector on the preamp. It's a good sounding combo, however, I still want to try an FI-28 gold plated copper connector on the IEC end and will likely get to that shortly as the part has been ordered.

Sorry, my bad. I misread the parts number. I meant FI 46 the Gold NCF.

Is there a reason you did not try that?

Thanks
 

CKKeung

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Diff ears, diff rooms, diff components give diff preference.

My frd decided to buy more NCF gold & silver to mix&match to replace his NCF rhodium plugs.

IMG-20190824-WA0054~3.jpg
 
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CKKeung

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CK please share your friend's feedback on the Gold NCF with the DPS 4.1.
Do you guys get the cables terminated by Simon in HK?
We are customers of Simon in HK. He always gives the lowest prices for Furutech products.

And he got a hexagonal clamp for applying hexagonal clamping termination which damages the inner wires of audiophile cables least.
Left : hexagonal clamping
Right : usual clamping
KS1~2.jpg

Applying these Furutech "wire ears" makes switching diff Furutech plugs very easy.
O1CN01nIZF8d1lykVWVozdG_!!0-item_pic.jpg_300x300~2.jpg

However this friend of mine bought a hexagonal clamp himself.
He likes diying.
 
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WilsonDaDa

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I changed from Furutech UK 13A NCF to FI 48 Ag for Acoustic Revive Sensual 18000 for my power bar 2 weeks ago.
Now wanna change one siltech pc to FI 46 g....but no stock ......
 

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CKKeung

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Several members want to know my owner friends' comments on the diff Furutech plugs.

He gave me the following short comments only :
48 Ag has extended treble which is smoother than 50 rhodium.
46 Ag is like an upper grade Fi28.

IMO there can be a lot of configs possible.
Many frds are using diff plugs on the two ends of powercords.
A good combination is 50 rhodium/48 Ag + 46 gold.

Furthermore, Furutech offers 2 types of inner wire-ears : gold-plated and rhodium-plated.
O1CN01nIZF8d1lykVWVozdG_!!0-item_pic.jpg_300x300~2.jpg

A popular combination is to use gold-plated ears on L&N and rhodium-plated on G.

So many configs.
Everybody have to try try and find the one which suits your system & taste more.
:)
 
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Maril555

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Jun 26, 2014
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Several members want to know my owner friends' comments on the diff Furutech plugs.

He gave me the following short comments only :
48 Ag has extended treble which is smoother than 50 rhodium.
46 Ag is like an upper grade Fi28.

IMO there can be a lot of configs possible.
Many frds are using diff plugs on the two ends of powercords.
A good combination is 50 rhodium/48 Ag + 46 gold.

Furthermore, Furutech offers 2 types of inner wire-ears : gold-plated and rhodium-plated.
View attachment 56358


A popular combination is to use gold-plated ears on L&N and rhodium-plated on G.

So many configs.
Everybody have to try try and find the one which suits your system & taste more.
:)

I’m using 46 Gold NCF terminating Black Mamba V2 cable on Lamm ML2 amps at the moment.
I’ve tried this combination with 3 different outlets- Furutech GTX-D NCF and Gold and Oyaide R0 unplated ones.
At the moment I prefer Oyaide R0
46 Gold NCF into GTX-D NCF produced somewhat unnatural treble.
I looked on Furutech website and couldn’t find those crimping sleeves (inner wire ears) you mentioned.
It’s an interesting concept to terminate AC cable inner wires to facilitate AC and IEC plugs connection.
I’m wondering if doing that would compromise SQ compared to a bare wire.
Could you also by any chance post a link to that hexagonal clamp/crimping tool your friend is using?
Thank you.
 

Sablon Audio

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Yes, the crimp sleeves do impair sound quality and you can easily pick up a hydraulic crimping tool like mine in photo below off amazon / ebay.
 

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CKKeung

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Jun 17, 2011
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It’s an interesting concept to terminate AC cable inner wires to facilitate AC and IEC plugs connection.
I’m wondering if doing that would compromise SQ compared to a bare wire.
Could you also by any chance post a link to that hexagonal clamp/crimping tool your friend is using?
Thank you.
This is the one made in Taiwan.
Manual. Not expensive.
http://syurong1116.blogspot.com/2009/08/blog-post_15.html?m=1

SR1-H10_1.jpg
SR1-H10_2.jpg

Hexagonal crimping won't damage the wires.
But even the WBT crimp is not good.
 
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