Furutech Flux 50 Filter Review
 

by J. Dan Daniell


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Furutech Company Ltd. has released the Flux-50 In-Line Power Filter. I received two Flux 50 Filters to audition. When holding one in your hand the weight is surprisingly heavy. The premium materials and finish relay a genuine sense of quality before you even put the Flux 50 into service. The beauty of the connectors is museum quality. The Flux-50 features Furutech’s Piezo Ceramic body, rhodium plated (Alpha) non-magnetic, pure copper conductors FI-50R connector on one end and incorporates the Furutech GC-303+EMI Filter, AC-1501R Rhodium plated (Alpha) non-magnetic, copper alloy conductors connector on the other end. Between these two highly specialized connectors is a length of Furutech’s proprietary power cable that features an (Alpha) conductor shield to protect against radiated noise and incorporates 68 strand Onide Continuous Cast copper wire for hot, neutral, and ground conductors with a special grade PE insulation that contributes to a reduction in capacitance.. The three conductors are jacketed within flexible PVC that incorporates carbon powder and ceramic materials followed by a full braided copper shield and an outer PVC jacket that is surrounded by a nylon yarn braid cover. In addition, Furutech provides the Flux 50 with their patent pending metal cable clamps that improve grip and reduces mechanically and electrically induced distortion plus their patent-pending specially engineered pressure plate. The Flux 50 in-line power filter is an engineering marvel.


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I began my evaluation by installing one Furutech Flux 50 on my PurePower 2000 that feeds the studio two channel system components, a McIntosh C1000C/P, Esoteric K-03, Olive 04HD, and a pair of McIntosh MC2301 power amplifiers. To be honest, I wasn’t sure what to expect in the way of performance enhancement. I didn’t know if the PurePower 2000 AC regeneration process might negate what the Flux 50 had to offer, but it seemed like the most logical place to begin. What happened next was not even subtle. Instantly my studio system background grew blacker. I know you’re probably thinking. “Sure it did.” I am not exaggerating, plus the sound stage opened in width and depth allowing every instrument and voice more space to perform in, more air would be the audio term. I am hearing added clarity and improved accuracy in ambient cues coming from the darker background. This enhancement aids my ability to localize the position of instruments and voices. The zest of dynamics seems to have improved. The three dimensional aspects of the sound stage and the essence of live versus recorded is reproduced with a sharper focus. I can’t begin to explain the science behind these improvements to my sound system, but they are real and immediate. The Furutech Flux 50 is an astonishing product.

All of what I just said is taking place with only one Flux 50 plugged into the PurePower 2000. The entire studio two channel system is powered by the PurePower 2000. What's been especially helpful for the comparison of the Flux 50, both in and out of the system, is the PurePower 2000 transfers to battery backup as soon as I unplug the power cord so I don't have to turn off the sound system or stop playing a particular track to install or remove the Flux 50 from the power line, making A/B comparisons simple and quick. This is a great feature of the Purepower 2000.

Listening to Anouar Brahem - The Astonishing Eyes Of Rita, the instruments were literally floating in the air from left to right across the sound stage. The same was true listening to Alison Krauss & Union Station – New Favorite. Alison’s voice on “Let Me Touch You For Awhile” put her physical presence centered directly in front of the speakers. The sensation exceeded just her voice. There was a strong sense of a three dimensional presence. When I removed the Flux 50 Filter from the PurePower 2000 some of the air was immediately sucked out of the performance. With the Flux 50 installed it's like someone flipped on the 3D switch. Removing the Flux 50 returned the sound stage to a narrower and shallower event, not that I ever thought my sound stage was anything but completely satisfying. None the less with the Furutech Flux 50 in the power line the improvement in the system's performance was striking and the difference is not subtle. Some instruments that had previously appeared in the left or right speakers moved outside the extreme left or right of the speakers. You won’t have to merely hope to experience something beneficial. No sir! The improvements in blacker background, enhanced micro details and a more three dimensional sound stage happens immediately. I expect the Flux 50 will show improved performance as the break-in progress continues. I am at a complete loss to explain how the Furutech Flux 50 does what it does. It seems like magic to my ears and mind. I don't have a clue what is going on with this technology but it is good, really good.

I may or may not try both of the Flux 50's just on the two MC2301 amps. Why? Because if I like them there I will be driven to want the Flux 50 Filter on the C1000C/P preamp, the Olive 04HD, and the Esoteric K-03. I already want to keep the one Furutech Flux 50 on my PurePower 2000. This single addition has me in awe of what I am hearing. I believe all of my components are benefiting from the single Flux 50 installed on the PuerPower 2000. I admit it is unusual for me to be so quickly overwhelmed by a power conditioning product. I tend to have more skepticism with power conditioning products than other audio related components. Often I will spend days or weeks listening. Sometimes it is only when I remove a power cord or power conditioning product that I become aware of the difference I was experiencing. The gains are often subtle. This was certainly not the case with the Flux 50 Filter. I am impressed enough with its positive impact on my studio system that I purchased one of the two review samples. After experiencing what the Furutech Flux 50 did for the system’s sound stage and overall presentation there was no way I was letting this special product slip through my hands. The Furutech Flux 50 retail price is $1249.00. That puts it on par with a premium power cord but not astronomically out of reach for high-end systems. It has increased my listening pleasure more than any power cord upgrade I have ever done. I realize this seems like a lot of gushing over what appears to be an expensive system tweak but I assure you the Furutech Flux 50 delivers the goods. If you have followed my component and cable reviews through the years you know I have no vested interest in blowing anything out of proportion. I do my best to relate my experiences exactly as I hear them. Such is the case here. I believe that anyone with a high-end system will hear a remarkable improvement in focus, air, sound stage width and depth, and a darker background by installing one or more Furutech Flux 50 Filters between their power cords and components. I could probably go completely overboard and plug a Flux 50 into both MC2301’s, the C1000C/P, the Esoteric K-03, and the Olive 04HD, but I have already reaped such a wonderful improvement from a single Flux 50 installed on the PurePower 2000 regenerator powering all of the system’s components that I think I’ll stop with just one……for now. The Furutech Flux 50 Filter is an outstanding power conditioning product. It gets a big thumbs-up from me.


Review update at post #39

Dan... Great review! Eight of these just landed on my doorstep...I'm keener than ever to get these in today! They are certainly museum quality. Furutech Flux connectors are like jewellery. I've never seen anyone else come close to the quality and finish & I guess that is why other premium cable vendors use Flux connectors as their choice. eg. Siltech, Nordost.

Great to hear that you experienced an immediate dramatic improvement. The proprietary EMI filter & their GC-303 filler would be the major elements of this product.

I have always been a fan of Furutech Flux products & I have a lot of it in my system. My favourite to date has been the Furutech Silver Arrows Phono Cable...

The downside is that the rhodium plate has a long burn-in time...The Flux-50 Filter is going to continue to improve as it breaks in.

These will be playing alongside with Shunyata products, so it will be interesting!

Dan... Terrific review, thanks for taking the time and effort to post your findings!

Here is my original review over this past summer:

https://www.audioaficionado.org/show...hlight=flux-50

I know that these are in high demand worldwide & wait time can be long.

I have another dozen I just ordered, wait time was quoted as 2-3 months.

Ivan.......The Flux 50 Filter impresses me on a level that I can't imagine anyone with a high-end system trying one or more and wanting to return them. Tomorrow I will be installing the second Flux 50 on the Power Plant Premier that powers my two MC601's in the living room system. I'll add my impressions tomorrow, but I have a strong feeling it will parrot what I have already said. The Furutech Flux 50 is crazy good.

If there is continued interest in these, I may put up a Group Buy in our Marketplace. :ok:

Dan-
+1 for taking the time to share your review!
Will be watching closely the Marketplace for further details...
V-e-r-y tempting!

Dan, great review! The Shunyata products I've added to my system have had a profound effect, so I don't doubt your review in the slightest. I would love to hear one of these on my power conditioner.

Steve, I look forward to hearing how they play with your Shunyata gear.

S T O P EVERYTHING. Goodness gracious me....These are a profound game changer. :yes:

The Furutech Flux-50 have unassumingly been available for a couple of years now. What a mistake to ignore these until now.

I have all eight installed in-line from components into 2 x Shunyata Hydra Talos. The 2 x Cyclops are still offline awaiting Zitron Anaconda wall umbilicals.

In-line power filtering is the way to go. These are on all MC2301s, C1000, MCD1100 & almost everything else that feeds from the Hydras including Denon HT side.

The Lady walked in & was blown away when she heard "Yello - Baby" CD playing....Yes CD. She stated & I agree, "this is the best sound I have ever heard & absolutely nothing can compete when comparing to the crippled systems that were playing at the recent Melbourne HiFi show".

Seriously everyone....Before you consider spending your hard earned dollars on a major component or system upgrade, get yourself some of these & listen again. The change is immediate but surely to improve as they burn in, especially the rhodium elements.

You will have centre stage in Superman's Crystal Palace with these scrubbing your power feeds. Guaranteed.

...and I thought I had good, strong & clean power coming into the Shunyata Hydras doing the rest, alone. How Wrong I Was!

:banana:

Very detailed and well written review :thumbsup:

I'm very curious of what's inside the cable that make it so good :stirthepot:

I need to take a closer look into the power side of my system. I think there are quite a few improvement to make there. Currently I use home made cable into a basic powerstrip connected to a basic wall plug ...

I have just turned on the HT. The Sony Bravia has a custom made Furutech Flux cable hard wired into it which feeds from the Hydra Talos. The picture has popped further & now has a more 3D quality to it. The colour depth is to die for. There is no Flux-50 inline to the TV given the customised fitting.

The benefits of Furutech Flux-50 is also cumulative & apparently compounded when used in conjunction with Shunyata.

Steve... This area of Hi-Fi is still new to me so please excuse my lack of understanding but would I require the Shunyata Hydra Talos to gain the benefit of the Furutech or can great benefit be found from the Furutech alone (or doesn't it work like that?)? I am intrigued by your experience!

IMO biggest bang for buck...Start with one Furutech Flux-50 & take it from there. Think of it as a mini power conditioner, albeit inline. If your other components are feeding off the same circuit, there will be some spill-over benefit from the current's backwash. If one doesn't quite do it for you from the outset, I'll buy it off you.

:) :thumbsup:

I'm looking into it now!

Could I benefit from using the first cable from the wall socket to the power board or do I need to use these cables straight into components?

The ends of the filter comprise of an IEC15 male & IEC15 female, so they are designed to plug into an IEC socket such as what is on most components & then the cable plugs into it. Dan used it in between his wall cable to power conditioner because his power conditioner has an IEC15 mains socket. Whereas the Shunyata's have an IEC19 mains socket & would not work in this manner unless Furutech brought out an IEC19 version.

Undoubtably, whatever it is feeding will benefit & of course more will have cumulative benefits.

Thanks Steve... Let the bargain hunting begin ;)

Is this furutech technology incorporated into any of their power cords, so that one doesn't need this as an "add on?"

Partly...The Powerflux has the FI-50 IEC15 connector. The older Power Reference III has a GC-303 module. Neither cable model has an AC-1501 EMI Filter. The Flux-50 incorporates all of these component parts plus more.

The Flux-50 is unique, and would need to be added to even their power cords for this effect.

Dan: thank you for the insightful review. You've established a high standard for equipment reviews and this one is no exception. Just curious, do you plan to purchase the review sample?

Still playing but at very low volume levels...It is very late in the evening or rather early in the morning & I'm finding it difficult to break away & call it quits.

Steve... At least I know I'm not crazy, when I first heard what these did; as far as adding as many as I did that's another matter altogether. :confused-18:

Ivan...Not crazy. I can potentially see myself hanging these off the JL F113s too. :o

They supercharge the performance levels of all components.

For example, a very good interconnect becomes excellent, an excellent interconnect becomes outstanding. The performance gaps are also more discernible due to the magnification. I noticed this when rapidly pre-amp switching cable selection off the same source.

I find this thread VERY interesting. I missed the discussion earlier this summer. I find myself fascinated with the benefits that further improving one's power supply yields. It also confirms that none of us are ever "done" when it comes to improving our systems. Between the Shunyata products and this little miracle called the Flux 50, well, my head is swimming with possibilities. I will address refinement of my power supply in the near future. I am especially interested in Dan's results with the PS audio PPP powering his MC601s. I'm thinking a pair of the Flux50s on my PPP duo might be interesting. The caveat for me is I don't know how my own power cords will interact, Transparent Reference Powerlink with network boxes.

Someone needs to try these with cheapo or stock power cords...I wonder....:scratch2:

LuJr's Experience with a single Flux-50

http://www.audioaficionado.org/isola...50-filter.html

Gary.......Yes I did buy the review sample. I wasn't about to take this jewel out of my studio system once I experienced the benefits.

So this is a $1300 add on to an existing power cord? Will it turn a stock power cord into a decent power cord? Or does it require a decent power cord to start with? How does it compare to the $1K Shunyata Ztron Alpha power cord?

While the idea of an add on filter to a power cord is novel, at the very least it will increase the DTCD drop across the connection as compared to a non add-on cord. This might limit its application to low current devices if optimum performance is desired. Still, it does represent an interesting idea with possibilities.

Bud....I'd be curious to know to what extent the Flux-50 will boost a stock power cord. As for the present outcome, ears tell all & the benefit is immediately discernible by a large degree. The Lady walked in blind after the change & recognised the performance boost without a heads up, straight away.

Wow, that would be an additional $2500 for my Momentum's on top of the $4000 I already spent on two power cables. :scratch2:

Dan...as you evaluate the Flux-50 further in your systems today, do you by chance have any stock power cords laying about that you may wish to try out of curiosity? :o

Never mind.

Jim... If I had 2 to send you, I know I wouldn't get them back. ;)

Steve.......I have Wireworld Silver Electra's on every component in both systems, but I think I can locate the original MC601 power cords and give them a try with the Flux 50 Filter. Should be interesting.

I plan on trying the Flux-50's on my theater projectors; and will report my findings.

Ivan...I think you will be pleasantly surprised given that we noticed further picture improvement as a result of the indirect aggregate effect of the Flux-50 on the same circuit.

I don't know why I didn't think of trying it sooner; geez, last time I was in the Cape I was running around putting a few dozen of these everywhere. :lmao:

Today I installed the second Furutech Flux 50 review sample in my living room system. This sound system is set up using two PS Audio Power Plant Premier's to power all the components.. Each PPP is fed from a separate dedicated 20 amp circuit and a PS Audio Soloist Premier SE outlet, plus each PPP has a two meter Wireworld Silver Electra power cord. One Power Plant Premier provides regenerated AC to the two MC601 power amps. The other Power Plant Premier powers the C2300 preamp, Esoteric K-03, Olive 04HD server, MS750 server, and an MR85 tuner.

I did several different installations of the Furutech Flux 50 beginning with it installed feeding the PPP that powers the MC601's. The power amps both use Wireworld Silver Electra power cords from the dedicated Power Plant Premier. I had great expectations for the Flux 50 and it did not disappoint me. Before installing the Flux 50 I had been listening to Keiko Matsui - The Piano, in particular track #4 "Between The Moons". The recording begins with upper octave piano notes that are sustained and linger across the sound stage, then a very deep synthesized bass appears. From the distant background percussion instruments are tapped lightly, then struck harder before more drums come in and then fade back to Keiko's piano with the underlying synthesized deep bass. I felt my systems resolution, sound stage width and depth and silence were excellent, but the moment I played the same track with the Furutech Flux 50 filter plugged into the PPP that feeds the power amps the sound stage grew wider, deeper, more three dimensional, and filled with a remarkable space around Keiko's piano. The resolution of the entire performance improved and the blackness of the background grew darker. I felt I could hear much deeper into the depth of the silence. The piano notes gained a clarity and focus that simply is not there without the Flux 50 in place. I removed the Flux 50 and reinstalled it three different times, each time regaining the advantages of its presence in the power line.

Next, I moved the Furutech Flux 50 to the other dedicated circuit that feeds the second Power Plant Premier providing power for the preamplifier and sources. The improved resolution, wider sound stage and darker background appeared but not to the same degree of the Flux 50 plugged into the PPP that powers the MC601 amplifiers. The Flux 50 powering the preamplifier and sources did make a discernible improvement just not to the degree it does on the power amps. The air improved but not by a large amount and the sound stage and background silence seemed only slightly better than without the Flux 50. I could hear the improvements, but they were not on par with having the Flux 50 powering the amplifiers.

At Steve's request (MyPal) I located the stock power cords for the amplifiers and PPP. I replaced a Wireworld Silver Electra power cord with a stock power cord plugged into the Flux 50 filter, then into the Power Plant Premier. Playing Keiko Matsui's "Between Two Moons" I was not able to detect any loss of the Flux 50's performance enhancements. Then I replaced the two Wireworld Silver Electra power cable from the Power Plant Premier to the MC601's with their stock power cords. The Flux 50 was still plugged into the PPP that feeds the amps but now there were stock power cords on the amps and the PPP. Playing Keiko Matsui "Between The Moons" again, this time I discovered a reduction in the strength of the synthesized bass. The authority of the deep synthesized bass notes seemed less robust without the Wireworld power cables between the Power Plant Premier and the amplifiers. The overall enhancement to the midrange clarity was still present with no loss in the air or sound stage width and depth, but the absence of the Wireworld Silver Electra power cords between the PPP and the amps was easily identifiable. Returning the WW Silver Electra power cables to the Power Plant Premier and the MC601's renewed all of the magic.

For those who understand the impact high quality power cables deliver, it is widely understood that stock cables do not deliver the ultimate performance available with high-end components. Although the sonic magic delivered by the Furutech Flux 50 in-line filter is clearly evident with stock power cords, it's sort of like ordering a banana split without the toppings. It will still taste good, but you know you're leaving some good things off if you don't go all the way. Either way, stock power cords or premium power cords, the Flux 50 is worth having in your sound system for its positive influence on a system's ability to flesh out all that is in a recording. Now guess what? I don't want to return the second review sample. :whistle:

Uh Oh! I just bought both review samples. These Flux 50's are THAT good.