Power Cable DIY - Please advise


Hi,

Im planning on building a pair of DIY power cables, I have shortlisted a few cables and connectors, please feel free to recommend which one to purchase.

Furutech FP TCS31
Acoustic Revive Powermax 10000
Acrolink ???
NeoTech NEP 3200

connectors... Furutech FI 28/E38 or FI50 gold or rhodium??

Thanks in Advance
narcissus
@Auxinput,

Thanks for sharing your setup, sounds good (pun intended:)), I'am leaning towards the GTX rhodium receptacles too.

A BIG THANK YOU, for everyone who shared their experiences and advise. I'am definitely equipped with better knowledge now and hence I can make an informed decision.

Based upon the replies & reviews I've read in the past few days, I have no doubt that Furutech is one of the world leaders when it comes to audiophile cabling and connections.

The Neotech NEP 3200 is also a strong contender, so the shortlist gets shorter now... 

The Neotech NEP-3200
FP-TCS31
FP-S032N

I'm very interested to hear about "VH Audios Flavour 4" cable or any other one from their stable as Chris VH comes highly reputed here and on other forums too.



Can I use the GTX receptacle and American connectors (FI 28 or FI 50) for use in a 220v environment? I know I could opt for a UK plug, but just a general knowledge question which I've been meaning to ask...

Also, could you please advise some great IEC inlets + fuse which really work as I could use 'em to replace the el cheapo's in my amps...

Technically speaking, there is nothing to stop you from wiring in some normal GTX receptacles and FI-28 male plugs to a UK 220V circuit. It should handle it just fine (it’s just a metal conductor), as long as you stay within the equivalent amperage (at 220V, you wouldn’t want more than a 10 amp circuit). Where you would get into trouble is that you would probably be doing this against local UK wiring codes. I don’t know the UK standards, but this could affect things like insurance claims if somehow this outlet caused a fire. Even though you know it’s a 220V circuit, there’s always the risk of some idiot plugging in a standard 125V device and causing that device to fry itself and possibly cause a fire or more.

Even the US has strict codes on what kind of outlets are placed. You can refer to this chart to see.

http://www.digikey.com/en/pdf/q/qualtek/nema-chart-non-locking-plugs-receptacles

When looking at normal 15 amp circuits, you can choose a 5-15 outlet or a 5-20 outlet. The 5-20 outlet has a special blade insert which allows both 5-15 and 5-20 plugs to be used. However, that 5-20 plug cannot be inserted into a 5-15 outlet (this is mainly a safety measure from the wiring code to prevent over-extending a particular 15 amp circuit and causing electrical fires/problems).

There is also a special 220V outlet in the US called 6-20. You need a special industrial plug for this and it’s really not used for electronics unless you want to use something like a brass Hubbel 220V plug. Again, the reason for this special blade configuration is to prevent someone from plugging in a normal 125V device.

As far as the outlets, if you want to do the wiring yourself and understand that it’s a 220V circuit, feel free to use a GTX on this.  Just make sure your electronic equipment is setup to accept 220 volts.  Once again, I don’t know your local UK codes and what is acceptable and what’s not. This would violate any wiring codes in the US for sure.

http://www.vhaudio.com/acreceptacles.html

VH Audio here in the USA also sells UK and Schuko outlets and plugs, if your interested. I’m sure there’s a UK source for Furutech plugs.

As far as IEC inlets are concerned, I have used the Furutech IEC inlets successfully.  I have both fused and non-fused inlets.  They are a good addition to your equipment.  VH Audio sells them as well.  I'm sure you can find them somewhere in the UK.

http://www.vhaudio.com/connectors-ac.html#IECinlets

Just make sure the dimensions of the inlet and the mounting holes line up exactly.  In my opinion, the IEC inlet upgrade gives you a subtle improvement in sound, but it's not as large of an upgrade as a excellent power cord.