A large improvement in sound can be achieved by changing the UK and IEC plugs on the end of any quality mains cord to those from the large Furutech range. This is easy to do and produces an immediate, and very cost effective, upgrade in sound. The sonic improvement with Furutech connectors is one of a larger sound stage, a more natural tonal balance and wider bandwidth.
UK Mains Plugs
FI-1363 – gold – straight or right-angle £107
FI-1363 – silver – straight £117
FI-1363 – rhodium – straight £130
FI-1363 - NCF rhodium - straight £161
IEC Connectors
C-15 IEC (10A)
FI-11-N1 – gold £72
FI-11-N1 – silver £72
FI-11 -N1 – rhodium £84
FI-12L - gold £80
FI-12L - rhodium £96
FI-15 Plus - gold £49
FI-15 Plus – rhodium £56
FI-C15 - gold £55
FI-C15 NCF rhodium £75
FI-28 – gold £100
FI-28 – rhodium £123
FI-46 - NCF gold £181
FI-48 - NCF silver £227
FI-48 - rhodium £245
FI-50 – rhodium £283
FI-50 - NCF rhodium £347
C-19 IEC (16A)
FI-31 Gold £123
FI-32 Rhodium £164
FI-52 – rhodium £317
FI-52 NCF - rhodium £373
We strongly believe that the fuse in any UK 13 amp plug seriously downgrades the sound quality of the component the power cord is connected to. This is because the fuse is a thin piece of wire designed to fail; it really has no place in a an audiophile power cord made from conductors that are often capable of carrying 20A or more of AC current.
Furutech do have an audiophile grade fuse which can reduce this detrimental effect to some extent but it is relatively expensive. Far better results can be achieved by changing to Schuko European plugs that do not have fuses in them at all. This route would necessitate changing wall sockets (we can supply the necessary European back boxes) or using one of their Schuko mains distribution outlets described below.
There some truly expensive audiophile fuses available. We have listened to a good few and found that whilst they change the sound it is not always for the better. Some make the sound brighter and more "hifi". The restriction to dynamics and soundstage still exists.
It is worth noting that the "best" sounding fuse is no fuse. Hence our strong recommendation to move towards a Schuko power distribution system.
UK Wall Sockets
All significant conductor parts are made from solid copper, plated with either gold or rhodium, and the whole construction is of the high standard we have come to expect from Furutech. The cover plates are easy to fix to a standard UK in wall arrangement.
FP-1363-S Gold single top plate £103
FP-1363-D Gold double top plate £165
FP-1363-S NCF Rhodium single top plate £158
FP-1363-D NCF Rhodium double top plate £256
Schuko wall sockets
By replacing the wall socket with the Furutech Schuko versions, you eliminate the last fuse in a power cord connected from here to your power distribution block. If you combine this with the Schuko power distribution blocks and plugs as described below, you then arrive at the best sound from your investment in quality audio cables.
The benefits cannot be overstated. The soundstage become much larger, particularly depth, the bass is more extended with more authority, the highs are much smoother and more elegant. Most importantly the dynamics and transients are significantly faster making a large impact on the rhythmic aspects of the music. It is as if a dam is removed from a river.
You are fully protected by your circuit breakers on your consumer board which act much faster than fuses in the 13A UK plug anyway. If in doubt, please consult your qualified electrician or call us for more details as we have good experience here and many of our clients have pursued this route with great success.
Installation of these wall sockets should be done by a qualified electrician. To accommodate the different fixing positions required for Schuko wall sockets we can provide European back boxes, either in-wall or surface mounted variants, free with the purchase of a Furutech Schuko wall socket.
There are two type of wall socket. The FP prefix denoted the use of a standard off-white plastic surround. The FT prefix denotes the use of a carbon fibre surround that provides additional resonance absorption for a cleaner sound.
FP-SWS Gold single wall socket £83
FP-SWS-D Gold double wall socket £159
FT-SWS NCF Rhodium single wall socket £198
FT-SWS-D NCF Rhodium double wall socket £280
FT-SWS-D NCF Rhodium double socket BOX £645
Fuses
If a change to a Schuko plug and socket system is not feasible (see above), changing the standard fuse in a UK plug is worth the effort. The benefit to sound is very audible; not as large as having no fuse but very cost effective. A more natural sound with more authority, but without the brightness and forward presentation that many of the competitive brands impart.
There some truly expensive audiophile fuses available. We have listened to a good few and found that whilst they change the sound it is not always for the better. Some make the sound brighter and more "hifi". The restriction to dynamics and soundstage still exists. It is worth noting that the "best" sounding fuse is no fuse. Hence our strong recommendation to move towards a Schuko power distribution system.
T-13A Rhodium - wall plug fuse £85
4 Zephyr House Calleva Park | Aldermaston | Berkshire RG7 8JN
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