Furutech e-TP609 power distributor and Power Reference III Series power cable
Serious audio and video enthusiasts understand the importance of clean power. AC power can often be contaminated by voltage spikes, power surges, ground noise as well as power supply noise and digital noise from other components in your audio video system. This power contamination can negatively affect both audio and video quality. High frequencies can become flat and grainy, the midrange can become unclear and thick and bass frequencies can become difficult to control. Video can suffer from loss of resolution, ghosting and color shifting.
Furutech understands the science of clean power and offers a line-up of power products to deal with AC power line impurities. If you haven’t heard of Furutech yet, that’s because their products are relatively new to the North American market, especially here in Canada. Furutech, established in 1988 in Japan, is a respected manufacturer of high-end audio, video and power cables and connectors as well as power distribution products. Since 2003, Furutech products have been quietly making their way into the hands of Canadian audio and video fanatics thanks to Canadian distributor Audiyo (www.audiyo.com).
One of Furutech’s latest power products is the e-TP609 power distributor which we’ve had the opportunity to evaluate. Together with the e-TP609, we also got a chance to test the Furutech Power Reference III Series power cable. The power distributor does not come with a power cable, so you will need to purchase one separately.
I never thought that I would say this about a power distributor but the Furutech e-TP609 is one gorgeous piece of equipment. It has a black chassis topped with a luxurious brushed white plate that houses six translucent power outlets (three dual sets). Four chrome feet lift the unit slightly off the ground, while isolating it from the ground at the same time. Every little detail of the e-TP609 screams “Place me on display, don’t hide me behind the equipment rack!” Six tranlucent soft-rubber outlet covers are included in the box to protect unused outlets from dust as well as white gloves for the true perfectionist when handling the unit.
But good looks are just the beginning. The e-TP609 is loaded with advanced materials and engineered to perfection. Its chassis is made of a special-grade aluminium which shields the unit from RFI (Radio Frequency Interference). A layer of Formula GC-303 is bonded to the interior bottom plate of the chassis of the Furutech e-TP609. GC-303 is a special material designed to absorb EMI (Electromagnetic Interference) generated by all the internal fittings of the power distributor. In order to keep AC resistance to a minimum, the e-TP609 does not use any other filtering beside Formula GC-303. Furutech claims that this translates into a more resolving, powerful, dynamic and colourful performance from your components.
All metallic parts used in Furutech products undergo a two-stage cryogenic and demagnetizing procedure called Alpha Process – the e-TP609 is no exception. Step one of the process begins with a deep, conditioning cryogenic freeze of all metal parts. Temperatures between -196 to -250 degrees Celsius are achieved by using N2 or He. At these extreme temperatures, the metal parts change their molecular structure relieving internal stress. The molecules bond together tighter and form a more stable structure. This results in superior electrical conductivity.
To further improve the conductivity, step two of the Alpha Process exposes the same parts to a patented Ring Demagnetization procedure, licensed by Furutech from Sekiguchi Machine Sale Co., Ltd. in Japan. This process uses controlled attenuation to completely eliminate magnetization of any metal parts.
Another unique feature of the e-TP609 power distributor is a patent pending Axial Locking System designed by Furutech. Inside the power distributor, custom locking screws are used to anchor each duplex receptacle to the chassis. This helps in preventing oscillation and enhances the unit’s durability. Additionally, a 3M material is used to isolate the receptacles from resonance.
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