Review: Furukawa DIY HiFi Power cord


Category: Cables

Budget esoterica review magazine
September 2013 issue

This will be the first in a series of affordable power cords
priced under $100, that I would like to explore. The Furukawa DIY HiFi power cord is available for purchase on an ebay website that goes by the name of , "atop authentic auction". The cord is available in different lengths and colors. I purchased the 2 meter length with a black/silver color mix braided PET expandable sleeving. This particular length sells for around $76 with free shipping. The cord uses Oyaide gold plated brass plugs and is 15 mm in diameter. Furukawa uses super pure copper multiconductor in their cords. The fit and finish is very nice indeed. I found the performance to be very nice with noteable stand outs such as a liquid, neutral presentation and pretty good extension in both extremes, with a robust midrange.

While listening to track number one of the miles davis and the modern jazz giants on the prestige label , a good number of the noted positive traits showed up. The vibes had very good liquidity and were slightly rounded with a very good sustain of the note. During the second half of the song I noted a clean sound with good bite to the horns.
My toes were tapping and my head was bopping , and that is a tell-tale sign that you have very good rythym and timing going on. Tone of the instruments was good.

Jazz fans who like Freddie Hubbard should check out the cd titled , "Backlash". I find Freddie Hubbard to be a very compelling artist and track number six on this cd certainly does not disappoint. During this song I noticed that the drums have very good whack several feet behind the plane of the speakers. The flute sounds open and airy with very nice tone and detail. The piano notes were strong and slightly crisp. You can hear a man screaming and then talking in the background. At certain times I noticed that the highs had a slight sheen to them.

I really like the jazz vocalist Dianne Reeves. The cd titled, "I remember", is a lesser known recording from the blue note label. Song number five on this cd has excellent lyrics and it conveys the joy and happiness in her voice with great conviction. At the beginning of the song the upright bass sounds a little bit growly. The vocals are clear and pretty accurate but slightly strained. The sax is very appealing here, with a round sound and a good sense of ease and flow. The percussion sounds slightly crisp. This song has an open and lively sound that you don't always get with entry-level gear.

Pros

liquid
good linearity
nice tone
crisp sound
good solidity
strong midrange
smooth
slightly refined
good noise reduction
clean sound

Power cords can be a tricky bunch. Some power cords might sound better with other amps. The best advice I could give is to try before you buy. Unfortunately, the Furukawa power cord stems from asia, so return shipping might be a little pricey. However, I feel confident in recommending the Furukawa power cord to audiophiles on a strict budget. It is a neutral and solid performer, that offers good value for the money.

Associated gear
Arcam 8r with upgraded fuse and rca caps
Denon DVD-2500 with hirakawa power cord
gallo acoustics speaker cable
teac LS-H265 speakers
paradigm speaker stands

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honda6
How flexible was the Furukawa DIY HiFi Power cord that you reviewed? I'm looking for a power cord along the lines of a Shunyata Venom 3 series of cables but for amps and preamps.
Reply from Mr. Johnson the editor of budget esoterica review magazine: Hello and thank you for the question. It is not the most flexible power cord , nor is it the stiffest. I would say somewhere in the middle. I have not tried the shunyata venom 3 , but i think it would be more flexible. I know they have been very well reviewed , and i am sure you could return it easily if you didn't like it. Hang tight, i am currently preparing a review of the cobalt ultimate power cord. The company is now defunct, but i will be revealing a secret location where they can be bought currently.

best regards, Mr. Johnson
Hi Honda6

Thanks for the follow-up. I'm going to review the Furukawa cords and see which one I can use.