Power cable newbie

Cellcbern

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I recently replaced several Fi-50 NCF (R) connectors with ETI Legato Gold, and my findings are exactly the same as @Cellcbern. The FI-50 connectors are indeed cool and analytical. The Legato Gold connectors are, to my ears and in my system, more natural and more neutral. They are the first gold-plated connectors I have used that do not sound too warm and too soft in the highs. An unexpected bonus is the Legato Golds are actually more detailed in the midrange and more dynamic overall. The connectors in question are all on Audio Note ISIS mains cable.

I do have a question for @Cellcbern. Have you tried the Legato Rhodium connectors? My experience with Rhodium is limited to Furutech.
No - I won't try anything Rhodium plated. I do have the Oyaide "Armored" AC/AP-004 connectors on a PC in my system that are platinum and palladium over copper. These have a cooler sonic signature than gold but are not analytical/clinical like Rhodium.
 
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Salectric

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Jan 15, 2012
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No - I won't try anything Rhodium plated. I do have the Oyaide "Armored" AC/AP-004 connectors on a PC in my system that are platinum and palladium over copper. These have a cooler sonic signature than gold but are not analytical/clinical like Rhodium.
Funny you mentioned Oyaide. I have had a C-004 sitting in a box for a number of years. I tried it in a few places over the years but couldn’t find a spot where I liked its sound. It always sounded artificial and small. That changed somewhat a few days ago, however, when I put the C-004 on an Ocellia Silver Reference power cord and used that cord on my turntable DC power supply. That combination sounds very good.

I haven’t seen the AC-004 for sale in the US or UK. Do you know where it can be purchased?
 
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Cellcbern

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Funny you mentioned Oyaide. I have had a C-004 sitting in a box for a number of years. I tried it in a few places but couldn’t find a spot where I liked its sound. It always sounded artificial and small. That changed somewhat a few days ago, however, when I put the C-004 on an Ocellia Silver Reference power cord and used that cord on my turntable DC power supply. That combination sounds very good.

I haven’t seen the AC-004 for sale in the US or UK. Do you know where it can be purchased?
AP/AC 004 were never distributed in the USA - mine were a gift, purchased in Asia. There may be some available from Japanese sellers on Ebay.
 

Salectric

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It's been 3 months since I first tried the ETI Legato Gold IEC and my feelings about the Legato keep getting better and better. I have gradually replaced all of my FI-50 NCF IEC connectors with Legato Gold, and I haven't found a single place where I preferred the FI-50. To be fair though I am still using a Furutech AC plug on most of my cables but it's now a FI-11M Copper instead of FI-50M NCF. The FI-11M Copper is to my ears a pretty neutral plug with just a little emphasis in the bass and treble. I find the Legato IEC is a synergistic match with the Furutech Copper AC plug.

All of these cables use Audio Note ISIS mains cable. One of the ISIS cables also has a Legato Gold AC plug so I can compare it to the others over the long term. So far I am happy with the Legato/FI-11M combo on my preamps, DAC and power amps. The Double-Legato cable is on my turntable power supply which, to my surprise, is a very critical spot indeed.

One side benefit of getting rid of the FI-50 plugs is my system is listenable right from when I turn it on. I no longer have the NCF "warm up" issue. Of course, the rest of the equipment goes through its own warm up over the first half hour or so, but the sound doesn't change nearly as much as it did with the NCF plugs.
 

matakana

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It's been 3 months since I first tried the ETI Legato Gold IEC and my feelings about the Legato keep getting better and better. I have gradually replaced all of my FI-50 NCF IEC connectors with Legato Gold, and I haven't found a single place where I preferred the FI-50. To be fair though I am still using a Furutech AC plug on most of my cables but it's now a FI-11M Copper instead of FI-50M NCF. The FI-11M Copper is to my ears a pretty neutral plug with just a little emphasis in the bass and treble. I find the Legato IEC is a synergistic match with the Furutech Copper AC plug.

All of these cables use Audio Note ISIS mains cable. One of the ISIS cables also has a Legato Gold AC plug so I can compare it to the others over the long term. So far I am happy with the Legato/FI-11M combo on my preamps, DAC and power amps. The Double-Legato cable is on my turntable power supply which, to my surprise, is a very critical spot indeed.

One side benefit of getting rid of the FI-50 plugs is my system is listenable right from when I turn it on. I no longer have the NCF "warm up" issue. Of course, the rest of the equipment goes through its own warm up over the first half hour or so, but the sound doesn't change nearly as much as it did with the NCF plugs.
Interesting, Thank you for your report.
 

John T

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Salectric

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What is the NCF warm up issue?
@John T
The NCF material, whatever it is, supposedly becomes activated when there is current flowing through the connector. When equipment is turned off completely so that no current is flowing, the NCF is in some kind of dormant mode and becomes activated again when the equipment is turned on the next time. It takes something like 10-20 minutes for the NCF to warm up. This won't be an issue for solid state equipment that is left on continuously but it can be a bit annoying with tube gear that is turned on each time you want to listen.
 

bryans

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@John T
The NCF material, whatever it is, supposedly becomes activated when there is current flowing through the connector. When equipment is turned off completely so that no current is flowing, the NCF is in some kind of dormant mode and becomes activated again when the equipment is turned on the next time. It takes something like 10-20 minutes for the NCF to warm up. This won't be an issue for solid state equipment that is left on continuously but it can be a bit annoying with tube gear that is turned on each time you want to listen.
I must say this is the first I have ever heard of this.
 
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matakana

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@John T
The NCF material, whatever it is, supposedly becomes activated when there is current flowing through the connector. When equipment is turned off completely so that no current is flowing, the NCF is in some kind of dormant mode and becomes activated again when the equipment is turned on the next time. It takes something like 10-20 minutes for the NCF to warm up. This won't be an issue for solid state equipment that is left on continuously but it can be a bit annoying with tube gear that is turned on each time you want to listen.
I will say that having a morning listening session for a couple of hours and then breaking for lunch for an hour or so , (with the system left as is but not playing.) it does take 10 mins or so to get back to the same as before, even with digital. This is without using any ncf in there. IMHO.
 

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