Review: Furez silver plated copper banana plugs
drumminman
Posts: 3,396
I’ve had these for a year or so and decided to go ahead and reterminate my diy braided Cat 5 speaker cables (Chris Venhaus recipe). I’ve had these cables in my system for many years and never felt the need to upgrade. They’re well balanced, with great imaging and detail, and contribute to an impressive sound stage.
I’ve been using gold plated brass compression bananas which have perfomed well. However, since I had the Furez on hand which I bought to try a new diy cable recipe I decided to go ahead and use them in the 2 channel rig. Available from Douglas Connections
http://www.douglasconnection.com/Furez-TSTSB60Ag-Silver-Plated-Banana-Plug-Connector-Pair-FZTSTSB60Ag.htm
they're constructed of silver plated tellurium copper with a conductivity of 105% IACS. Gold plated brass is around 40%, so I was hoping for an audible difference.
Not sure if burn in is applicable to banana plugs, but if it is I’m in for a real treat. I played music I’m familiar with to be able to note any changes and upon hitting the play button on the first CD, Bonnie Raitt’s “Silver Linings” I could tell something was different. The best overall description I can give is the sound from the speakers was thinner, less wooly, but more correct with a better frequency balance. So far this am I’ve played Madeline Peyroux, The Handsome Family (the folks who did the theme song for True Detective) and presently Annie Lennox’ Nostalgia)
The bass is more powerful, with greater slam, but slightly less bloated. Vocals are crystalline, pure, better tone, somehow cleaner. Drums and cymbals have transients that are more realistic, which is not something that was lacking before. In fact, I thought everything was already correct, but it was not until I heard the system with these Furez that I realized there could be improvement without replacing components.
The soundstage is about as wide as before, but with greater front to back depth. Subtle percussion and background instruments are more noticeable, as are individual instruments within complex passages. Horns, organs the tinkle of pianos all have a richer, more live "you are there" tone. The rig is also louder at the same volume settings on the linestage.
These tweaks costs around $100 for 8 connectors and for me is easily worth it.
I’ve been using gold plated brass compression bananas which have perfomed well. However, since I had the Furez on hand which I bought to try a new diy cable recipe I decided to go ahead and use them in the 2 channel rig. Available from Douglas Connections
http://www.douglasconnection.com/Furez-TSTSB60Ag-Silver-Plated-Banana-Plug-Connector-Pair-FZTSTSB60Ag.htm
they're constructed of silver plated tellurium copper with a conductivity of 105% IACS. Gold plated brass is around 40%, so I was hoping for an audible difference.
Not sure if burn in is applicable to banana plugs, but if it is I’m in for a real treat. I played music I’m familiar with to be able to note any changes and upon hitting the play button on the first CD, Bonnie Raitt’s “Silver Linings” I could tell something was different. The best overall description I can give is the sound from the speakers was thinner, less wooly, but more correct with a better frequency balance. So far this am I’ve played Madeline Peyroux, The Handsome Family (the folks who did the theme song for True Detective) and presently Annie Lennox’ Nostalgia)
The bass is more powerful, with greater slam, but slightly less bloated. Vocals are crystalline, pure, better tone, somehow cleaner. Drums and cymbals have transients that are more realistic, which is not something that was lacking before. In fact, I thought everything was already correct, but it was not until I heard the system with these Furez that I realized there could be improvement without replacing components.
The soundstage is about as wide as before, but with greater front to back depth. Subtle percussion and background instruments are more noticeable, as are individual instruments within complex passages. Horns, organs the tinkle of pianos all have a richer, more live "you are there" tone. The rig is also louder at the same volume settings on the linestage.
These tweaks costs around $100 for 8 connectors and for me is easily worth it.
"Science is suppose to explain observations not dismiss them as impossible" - Norm on AA; 2.3TL's w/sonicaps/mills/jantzen inductors, Gimpod's boards, Lg Solen SDA inductors, RD-0198's, MW's dynamatted, Armaflex speaker gaskets, H-nuts, brass spikes, Cardas CCGR BP's, upgraded IC Cable, Black Hole Damping Sheet strips, interior of cabinets sealed with Loctite Power Grab, AI-1 interface with 1000VA A-L transformer
Comments
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Nice review! I aim using almost the same connectors on 2 pairs of my cables and have a full unused nannor set for future projects. one set is screwed down the other is the crimp.2 ch- Polk CRS+ * Vincent SA-31MK Preamp * Vincent Sp-331 Amp * Marantz SA8005 SACD * Project Xperience Classic TT * Sumiko Blue Point #2 MC cartridge
HT - Polk 703's * NAD T-758 * Adcom 5503 * Oppo 103 * Samsung 60" series 8 LCD -
Those are some excellent connectors. Glad you found them to be a nice upgrade
Sunfire Theater Grand IV
Sunfire Cinema Grand Signature
SRS 2.1TL
SDA 2BTL's
CSiA6
FXiA4
FXiA6
SDA 2A's
Monitor 10A's
http://www.douglasconnection.com -
drumminman wrote: ». but it was not until I heard the system with these Furez that I realized there could be improvement without replacing components.
Cha-ching.....that pretty much sums up the whole cable debate in general. Glad you like your new connectors. Send Doug a Christmas card....with a Starbucks gift card to keep him jazzed up making cables.
HT SYSTEM-
Sony 850c 4k
Pioneer elite vhx 21
Sony 4k BRP
SVS SB-2000
Polk Sig. 20's
Polk FX500 surrounds
Cables-
Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable
Kitchen
Sonos zp90
Grant Fidelity tube dac
B&k 1420
lsi 9's
