Furutech FP-3TS762 or FP-TCS31

Furutech have recently come out with several new’ish PC designs available in bulk.  In addition to the recommendation posted above by @mental you can probably find some comparitive user thoughts on the A’gon forum and on other audio forums.  VH Audio sells a variety of bulk Furutech PC cables also.

Several cable manufacturers and Furutech retailers say that once you get to a certain level of cable quality the connectors make a bigger difference than the cable itself.  Since I have been very pleased with all of the Furutech power connectors I have tried (and not so pleased with some other brands), I recently upgraded the IEC connectors on my power cords to Furutech FI-50 NCF.  I am very pleased with the improvement over the FI-11 Ag plugs I was using previously.  The cable in this case is not a Furutech but Audio Note Isis mains cable which is available in bulk form from the UK.  So I would encourage allocating a major part of your cable budget to the connectors.

Thanks for your answers.
Problem is, I'm not located in the USA. I live in France.
So I think it would be unfair to contact VH Audio or Douglas Connection and ask them for advice, and then not buying from them because the cost would be much increased by taxes and shipping.
Here in France we have very few Furutech dealers.This is the reason why I'm looking for advices from you.

Well...
Nobody?
Recently tried my FP-3TS20 on my McIntosh integrated amplifier (secondary system) and got great results. So I guess the FP-3TS20 could also be a good performer on power amps. But anyway, I only have a single one, so I can't make some tests on my monoblocks.

The TS20 is full OCC copper, but only 14awg, so for high current amp it could be a little bit current limiting.
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The TS762 is standard Alpha (NOT OCC), but 10 awg biggest cable.  The TCS31 is, apparently, their new Triple-Alpa process that I think gets the wire closer to OCC, but is 12awg.  So, ulitmately, The Triple-Alpha TCS31 may have better sound quality, but the TS762 may be able to draw high levels of current better.
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In all honesty, I wold not choose any Furutech cable because of my preference for solid-core, but in the above choices, the TS762 might do a little better on the amp for bass and slam.  Amplifiers will be influenced by things like copper quality, but they are less influenced than source/preamp components.

Hi,
you may consider Power Evolution II, or if you want to DIY S55N would be a good choice. 3TS20, TCS31 are completely different sounding cables and most probably not suited to a power amp. 3TS20 is open and well suited to preamp, TCS31 better for CD.
No experience with TS762 but i would expect a lighter version of Power Evolution. Quality of power plugs is critical.

Any here try Oyaide Tunami V2 102 power cable?
Impressions?

There is a thread on Oyaide Cables:

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/oyaide-cables

Hi,Well, I’m coming back here to give some news, since I ended buying a 3TS762 because I had a discount on one, so I was able to try it.
Now I can speak about these two cables, so this could be useful for some of you.
Both of these cables - TCS31 and 3TS762 - share the sound signature of Furutech cables: very smooth midrange, some kind of a liquid sound. But unlike the 3TS20, they don’t have some highlight in the upper midrange or in the treble (the 3TS20 had a highlight in the treble only with low power gear, like dacs or headphone amps).
Both of them have more presence in the bottom than the 3TS20, more dynamic and deepness in the soundstage.

Their main difference is located in the midrange. The 3TS762 is a quite neutral cable (but very smooth with zero agressiveness, and a very thick sound), and the TCS31 is a mainly warm cable, which adds some colour to the sound (and has essentially the same amount of thicknes/smoothness).
According to your preference, you could prefer one or the other. The warmness of the TCS31 is extremely seductive. It has some kind of a nocturnal feeling, but you lose a bit of light in the upper-midrange and some intruments may sound a little less realistic than with the 3TS762.
The 3TS762 also seems to have a bit more bloom in the bass, while the TCS31 seems a bit more straight, defined in the bass and at the same time less thick (but not lean).
I ended using one or the other according to my humor, the amp I want to use, the headphone or speakers I want to use, etc.
Imposible to go wrong with either of them.

In the end, the 3TS762 sounds like the 3TS20 without its shortcomings, and it even works with low power devices (superb on my KGSSHV Carbon headphone amp, for example), like the TCS31, which makes the 3TS20 the least interesting Furutech cable (but it remains, by the way, a great cable).
The 3TS762 has a bigger soundstage, more dynamics and more bass slam than the 3TS20.

Any here try Oyaide Tunami V2 102 power cable?
Impressions?

Like I said, I had some of them. They sounded quite dry, on the lean side. Very detailed but lifeless, to me. I didn’t like them and sold them.

Thanks a ton sir.... I too have been contemplating between the TCS 31 and TS 762 and I think for my Lyngdorf 2170, the TS 762 with the FI28 gold plated plugs should be good enough... Many thanks for your comparison..

As said above, from my small sample set (basic Wattgates, basic copper Furutechs), I do think you can continue to tweak your sound by changing the connectors over time to different platings. Kind of expensive to do but might give the ultimate synergy of attributes across different cables and partnering equipment. I'd like to try Rhodium one day, but always seem happy with copper and not so much silver stuffs.

@petg60, your recommendation, TCS21 or TCS31 for dac with seperate linear power supply?

Hi Knownothing 1,

i believe that TCS31 would be smoother with better image and no speed loss. This cable does not highlight anything and does not sound hifi. Neutral sounding CD players from my experience benefit from heavier gauge cables. For example i have tried many power cables on my SCD-XA9000ES (slightly modified), most of them were fine but i have settled with TCS31 as it brings real life and perfect air to the performance (and shows why this player is still great). This cable works well on equipment with heavy regulation also (i believe like your linear power supply). Terminated with FI-E38R, FI-28R (i believe the sweet spot for Furutech plugs).

...to further confirm the above i have replaced the TCS31 with the otherwise excellent S022N (14awg), fitted with FI-E38G, FI-28G, on the SCD and some immediacy and drama are gone. Still the outcome is musical and involving but i have heard it better. 

I don’t know the TCS21 but I tried the TCS31 with my DAC (Weiss Medea+) and it’s truly magic.
Extreme resolution and speed with superb smooth midrange. On the Dac I agree with Petg60 it’s a quite neutral cable, with just a slice of warmth.
On preamps and integrated amps, it brings a bit more darkness to the sound. I ended up using my TCS31 on my McIntosh C2300 tube preamp and on my Viva Egoista 845 headphone amp and it’s simply marvellous. As the TCS21 replaced the FP3TS20, I guess it could be brighter than the TCS31, but it’s just a supposition.

@petg60. Thanks for the reply.  I ended up buying some Furutech FP-SO22N and FI-28/28M (R) connectors.  I have some nano-partical treated unshielded cable from Nanotec I like a lot, so I’m happy with the approach but wanted a shielded cable. Its only been in operation for three days, so withholding final verdict for now.  It is either really, really good, or better than that.  Chris at VH audio recommended Rhodium plated connectors with that wire, so went with those over gold plated this time.

Hi Knownothing, nice and clever purchase, it will get better with time, when i first heard it myself i wondered how on earth such n inexpensive power-chord sounds like that. My only reservation is the rhodium plugs since this is a rather fast not a full sounding cable, but maybe this is me, enjoy your new set.

Thanks, I will report again after it has more fully settled in.

Interesting observations. I’m burning in a FP-S022N cable right now.
I picked FI-28(G) IEC and FI-50 (G) connectors. I had read the cable might be a bit bass shy, and thought I’d go for gold connectors instead of rhodium.

I’m going to try this on my DAC. I tried a Black Mamba V2 on it, and it’s very, very, good.  Very neutral cable, good details, and silky smooth. However, a bit bass shy for me.  I like my bass just a bit plummy.

Maybe I’ll try to swap the connectors around? Also Have some MPS Hercules connectors on order and may try those, too.

@mooglie

My digital system was the opposite of bass shy, and this cable with the rhodium connectors fixed that, in a good way, so you may be on the right track using the gold connectors for your application.

@petgo60

With 500 hours under power (much less time actually playing) I think I can get a handle on what the FP-SO22N/FI28(R) cable is doing in my system. It has mellowed a bit, more liquid and natural sounding, but still lots of detail. Incredible soundstage width and especially depth. Bass is cleaned up a lot, great leading and trailing edges, slam where called for. Voices, string instruments and horns are to die for real.

Most important, previously nearly unlistenable, strident, digital recordings now sound good. Really remarkable improvement. Example is Rickie Lee Jones, Flying Cowboys CD, which sounded sharp and “Hi Fi” on any of my previous systems now sounds good, especially her voice. The album “Floratone” by Floratone, which has always sounded good, now just oozes out of the speakers like some fermented snake oil. This cable is not going anywhere for a while.

Hi knownothing,

glad it worked for you. Yes it takes some time to settle but after so many hours you are nearly there. Indeed, detail is presented with unforced quality, all in a well airy defined sound stage and with excellent speed.
If your player uses fuses consider trying a rhodium one, from the same manufacturer as this may improve things further. Happy listening!

@petg60
Agree 100% with your fuse tip.  When I upgraded the power supply for my DAC a few years ago with a linear supply from McRU, I selected the Furutech Rhodium fuse and IEC socket options. I am also using Nanotec interconnects with Furutech Rhodium RCA connectors from the DAC to the amp, so now there is a lot of Rhodium in the digital signal path, and I am liking it.

I tried out the FP-S022N cable after burn-in. It’s very,very good. A bit more warmth than the Black Mamba, but that might also be attributable to the FI-28(G) IEC and FI-50 (G) AC connectors. Really excellent cable.  Good details, smooth, nice soundstaging. Not slow sounding.

The only downside is it seems to be a bit closed in,  and has less micro-dynamics compared to the unshielded cable I had in the same location before (DAC).  But that is probably a consequence of the shielding. The background noise is certainly blacker with the  shielded cable.

I suppose I may have to step up to a more complex litz braid PC to get the micro-dynamics  and the black background. I will investigate further.

I currently have the FP-TCS31 with FI-28(G) AC and IEC, using it from the wall outlet to the power conditioner. Agree with all the observations mentioned above. I like it so much I want to get another one for my Eastern Electric Minimax Phono Stage which is a very neutral sounding tube phono preamp. Looking at the FP-S022N with FI-28 (R) AC and IEC or the smaller gauge FP-TCS21 with FI-28(G) AC and IEC. 

Chris at VH Audio recommended using Rhodium AC plugs with the FP-S022N, FP-S032N, and FP-S55N cables as its warmer sounding and it would benefit from Rhodium AC plugs.

Conversely, he recommended using Gold or NCF Gold AC plugs for the FP-TCS31 and FP-TCS21 as when mated with Rhodium AC plugs it could get too clinical sounding.

The only thing that concerns me is that I like my bass to be slightly tubby sounding but controlled, everything I've read on Rhodium AC plugs suggests that the bass will be on the leaner side. Is anyone using either of the combinations I mentioned successfully for their phono pre? 

@sylvanor What plugs do you use with the TCS31? 

I think that it's  important to also state the plugs used when mentioning a power cord. 

Hi,Well it’s been a very long time since the beginning of this thead.I now have two TCS31.
The first one with Furutech FI-28(G) and FI-38(G), and the second one with Charlin Carbon power plugs.
I guess the Carlin are not very well known outside France, very few results on the web, they are made in France.
I can only compare these two plugs. The Charlin are much more organic sounding plugs, we could say that they add (or don’t remove) the meat on the bones. Treble has less energy than with the Furutech too. The upper mids are less proeminent.
They provide a very relaxed sound. They don’t lack detail but darken the sound a bit.
In comparison, the Furutech plugs make the upper mids shine slightly more. Bass have presence, and treble are more sparkly.

Couldn’t say which one is the best. It’s a matter of taste. On some bright sounding gear, Charlin plugs might be the one you need. Or if you like when the sound is a bit dark. Furutech is more on the detail and presence in the mids and treble. But they are not bright, probably just neutral.

Thank you for replying. I apologize for reviving your 1 year and 3 month old thread. 

I plan to upgrade some cables in my system and I have drawn interest in the TCS31 which is why ask about the plugs that you used. 

Update on Furutech SO22N for front end use.  I experimented swapping the version I built with F28R connectors for a Black Shadow unshielded, silver-plated and braided wire with Acrolink rhodium connectors, and found I liked the detail and immediacy the Black Shadow lent to the sound.  I also experimented with Furutech silver plated cable with NCF Connectors and liked the punch and detail of that better than the SO22N/F28 combination.

I got an idea to try changing out the F28 rhodium connectors on the Furutech SO22N cable for Carbon fiber body, silver plated copper connectors from Sonarquest.  This combination is the best yet.  Incredible detail, delicate nuance with punch and no added sibilance.  Pretty terrific soundstage and depth too.

I'm going to try the S032N with Furutech FI-48 NCR (R) very soon. It will be used on the amp hence the selection of the S032N over S022N. I have high hopes this will bring a noticeable if not significant difference or improvement to the system.

Can you tell more about your experience with the S032N on the amp? If you also compared the other cables please elaborate on it :-)