Furutech G-314 Ag-15 Plus E 1.5m

The power cord supplied with an amplifier or player often offers only the bare minimum: thin conductors, moulded plugs and no shielding. This mains cable from Japanese manufacturer Furutech replaces that link with a more generous cross-section, silver-plated copper conductors, a braided shield and two gold-plated, screw-assembled plugs. Measuring 1.5 metres long, it connects a wall socket or mains power distributor to the power inlet of most hi-fi components.

The G-314Ag updated with FI-15 Plus plugs

The G-314Ag cable is part of Furutech’s High Performance Studio Power Series, a range of mains cables that the Tokyo-based brand has produced for many years. This 15 Plus version succeeds the G-314Ag-18 Plus, with its length reduced from 1.8 to 1.5 metres and new plugs at the equipment end, the FI-15 Plus. These connectors revisit the brand’s very first mains connectors, the FI-15E, in a version reworked for its twenty-fifth anniversary: a new, more durable plating process and a redesigned clamp to hold the cable more securely. The letter E in the reference denotes the European version, fitted with a Schuko plug and rated for 10 A at 250 V, whereas the American version has a NEMA plug.

Silver-plated copper for live and neutral

Each of the three conductors combines 37 strands measuring 0.25 mm in diameter, giving a cross-section of 1.82 mm² (approximately 14 AWG according to the American wire gauge). This is substantially larger than the cords originally supplied with equipment, often limited to 0.75 or 1 mm², and this extra capacity limits voltage drops when an amplifier draws current during a signal peak. The metal used is μ-OFC, Furutech’s version of oxygen-free copper, cleared of the oxygen and impurities that form boundaries between the metal’s grains. The live and neutral conductors, which carry the current, are made of silver-plated μ-OFC, while the earth conductor remains bare copper.

All these conductors undergo the brand’s proprietary Alpha process: a two-stage cryogenic treatment followed by demagnetisation. The role of silver plating should be kept in perspective. At 50 Hz, current flows through the full thickness of the wire, and the skin effect that makes silver particularly useful at high frequencies remains marginal here. The silver layer primarily protects the copper against oxidation and improves the surface condition of the strands.

Polyethylene, braided shielding and a double sheath

Each conductor is insulated with good-quality polyethylene, an insulating material with low electrical capacitance. The assembly is surrounded by a braid of twisted wires that serves as shielding. A mains cable can pick up high-frequency interference from switching power supplies, routers or wireless networks, then radiate it towards the interconnect cables running alongside it behind the cabinet: the braid limits these exchanges. Two overlapping flexible PVC sheaths complete the construction. They dampen vibrations transmitted to the cable and leave it flexible enough to route without straining the inlets.

Two gold-plated, screw-assembled plugs

At the wall end, the Schuko FI-E11 (G) plug uses the CEE 7/7 format. This hybrid format fits both a German socket, which provides an earth connection through side clips, and a French socket with an earth pin, ensuring correct earthing in both cases. Its pins are made of gold-plated phosphor bronze, an alloy harder and more elastic than pure copper, which maintains constant contact pressure inside the socket contacts over repeated connections.

At the equipment end, the IEC FI-15 Plus (G) connector uses 24-carat gold-plated pure copper contacts housed in a glass-fibre-reinforced nylon body. A polycarbonate clamp with stainless steel screws grips the sheath, and the brand’s Floating Field Damper system counteracts magnetic fields induced in the connector. The metal parts of both plugs are non-magnetic and treated using the Alpha process, and the wires are secured by Furutech’s proprietary screw-clamping system, which ensures a firm, lasting connection. Gold, a soft, corrosion-resistant metal, ensures reliable contact and does not oxidise over time.

Equipment to connect with this cable

Its rating of 10 A at 250 V represents approximately 2,300 W on the French mains supply, providing ample capacity for a CD player, a converter, a network player, a preamplifier, a phono preamp or an integrated amplifier. The FI-15 Plus connector fits the three-pin 10 A IEC inlet, the most common type on audio and video equipment. Power amplifiers fitted with a larger 16 A inlet and small devices with a two-pin figure-eight inlet require a different type of cable.

Both plugs are long (the FI-15 Plus measures 72.5 mm overall): allow around ten centimetres of clearance behind the equipment, especially if it is installed close to a wall or in a cabinet with a closed back. The cable can be connected equally well to a wall socket or to the Schuko socket of a mains power distributor, and its 1.5-metre length is sufficient in most installations to reach a hi-fi rack from the nearest socket.

Technical Specifications

General Specifications

• Type: 2 poles + ground
• Load capacity: 10 A / 250 V AC
• Total length: 1.5 m

Connectors

• Models: IEC FI-15 Plus (G) and Schuko FI-E11 (G)
• Composition:
  • Male: pure Alpha α copper, non-magnetic gold-plated
  • Female: pure Alpha α copper, non-magnetic gold-plated

Conductors

• Type: Alpha μ-OFC (Oxygen Free Copper) silver-plated conductors
• Configuration:
  • 37 strands of Alpha α μ-OFC conductor with 0.25 mm diameter × 2 cores (1.82 mm²)
  • 37 strands of Alpha α μ-OFC conductor with 0.25 mm diameter × 1 core (1.82 mm²)

Insulation and Protection

• Braided shielding for superior acoustic insulation
• Double flexible PVC sheath for better insulation
• High-quality polyethylene (PE) insulation with low capacitance
• Unique Furutech wire clamping system