Furutech Lan-8 NCF Plus 1.2m
Furutech LAN-8 NCF Plus, Cat 8 audiophile network cable
Between the router, the switch and the network player, an Ethernet cable does not carry sound but data packets. Why, then, devote such elaborate construction to it? The answer is not bandwidth, which is more than sufficient with any cable, but the noise that travels along the connection and interferes with the sensitive stages of a DAC. The LAN-8 NCF Plus addresses this issue through materials and shielding rather than speed.
Bandwidth is not the real issue
Category 8 supports 40 Gb/s and bandwidth up to 2,000 MHz. A high-resolution audio stream, even multichannel or DSD, requires only a few megabits per second. The margin is therefore huge, and it is not what sets this cable apart from an ordinary lead.
Ethernet operates in packets, with error detection and retransmission: data arrives intact, or is resent, regardless of the cable. What a shielded, non-magnetic and damped connection aims to contain is the high-frequency noise that travels alongside the signal: RF noise, electromagnetic interference, and interference carried by the switch-mode power supply of a switch or router. This noise can couple with the analogue circuits and clock of the network player, raise the noise floor and disrupt synchronisation during conversion. The extent of the audible improvement depends on the ability of the following component to reject this interference: a streamer that is already well isolated will show a subtler difference than more exposed electronics.
Silver-plated solid-core conductors
The fundamental change compared with the original LAN-8 NCF is the move from stranded conductors to solid-core conductors, meaning solid cores. A solid core maintains its geometry better over the entire length and keeps a more consistent characteristic impedance, which matters at the high frequencies used by Category 8. Each conductor is 24 AWG (1/0.525), made of silver-plated α (Alpha) OCC copper. OCC refers to continuous casting, which limits grain boundaries in the copper.
Silver plating has a genuine benefit here: at Cat 8 bandwidth, close to 2 GHz, skin effect concentrates current at the conductor surface, and this more conductive silver surface handles the fast components. This differs from analogue audio, where skin effect remains marginal. The twisted pairs retain a calculated twist pitch to enhance RF rejection and limit crosstalk. The trade-off of the solid core is that the cable is stiffer than a stranded cable, requiring care with the bend radius.
Three layers against interference
The construction is S/FTP type: foil around each pair and a braided shield around the whole assembly. The triple shielding combines aluminium foil and copper braid. The foil continuously covers high frequencies, while the braid handles lower electromagnetic interference, ensures mechanical continuity and serves as a grounding path. This dual approach fulfils the two expected roles of a network cable in an audio context: preventing external interference from entering and keeping internal noise from radiating towards neighbouring devices. Category 8 already requires full shielding; here it is reinforced, in keeping with the increased diameter.
Non-magnetic connectors and NCF housing
The plugs are RJ45 in 8P8C format. The contacts use a non-magnetic α conductor with thick 24-carat gold plating, while the body is made from 24-carat gold-plated copper alloy with low magnetic properties. The non-magnetic choice addresses a specific issue: the magnetic underlayers often found beneath gold plating can introduce contact distortion through eddy currents and hysteresis. Avoiding them keeps the connection cleaner.
The connector housing uses NCF (Nano Crystal² Formula) material from Furutech, a multi-material hybrid construction. This crystalline compound has two properties: it generates negative ions that dissipate static charges, and converts thermal energy into far-infrared radiation. Furutech combines it with nanometric ceramic particles and carbon powder for a piezoelectric damping effect. The role of this housing is to damp micro-vibrations and dissipate static charges where the cable meets the socket.
Nylon sleeve, diameter and flexibility
The outer jacket is made of flexible black PVC, UL/CL3-rated for flammability (suitable for in-wall installation) and RoHS-compliant. Over it, a braided nylon yarn sleeve protects the assembly and helps damp resonances. The outer diameter reaches approximately 8.0 ± 0.15 mm, compared with 7.0 mm on the previous LAN-8 NCF; this increase in cross-section accommodates the reinforced shielding. With solid cores and this diameter, the cable remains firm: it is best to allow some space behind the furniture and a reasonable bend radius when connecting it.
Connection direction and lengths
The cable is directionally marked. An arrow indicates the input side, meaning the source: the arrow should therefore point towards the transmitting device, the router or switch supplying the player. Connecting the cable the wrong way round will not damage either the cable or the equipment, but the marked direction is the one selected for the best performance. Standard lengths range from 0.6 m to 5 m (0.6 / 1.2 / 1.8 / 2.5 / 3.6 / 5 m), with 7.5 m and 10 m available on request. As the RJ45 plug is universal and Category 8 is backward compatible with Cat 7 and Cat 6, the cable can be placed at any point in the network and works with all Ethernet equipment.
Technical Specifications
Overview
- Type: high-performance Ethernet cable
- Category: Category 8 (Cat 8)
- Purpose: designed for high-speed Ethernet networks and high-resolution digital audio systems
- Intended use: high-end and audiophile Ethernet installations
- Compatibility: backward compatible with Cat 7 and Cat 6 categories
- Compliance: RoHS
Transmission Performance
- Maximum speed: up to 40 Gb/s
- Bandwidth: up to 2,000 MHz
- Solid-core construction for more stable transmission
- Reduced crosstalk and transmission noise
Architecture and Conductors
- Architecture: S / FTP twisted-pair cable
- Conductors: silver-plated α (Alpha) OCC copper
- Gauge: 24 AWG (1 / 0.525)
- Minimized transmission losses
- Furutech NCF (Nano Crystal² Formula) technology
- Mechanical damping
- Reduction of static charges
Connectivity
- Connectors: RJ45 / 8P8C
- Non-magnetic α conductors
- Contact finish: 24-carat gold plating
- Connector bodies: 24K gold-plated copper alloy, with low magnetic properties
Shielding and Protection
- Triple shielding with aluminum foil and copper braid
- Enhanced protection against electromagnetic interference
- Reduced noise and crosstalk
Mechanical Construction and Sheathing
- Outer diameter: approximately 8.0 ± 0.15 mm (increased compared with the previous LAN-8 NCF)
- Outer jacket: flexible black PVC, UL / CL3 flammability rating
- Covering: nylon braided sleeve contributing to resonance damping
- Insulation and damping: materials selected to reduce vibrations and internal resonances
Available Lengths
- Standard: 0.6 m, 1.2 m, 1.8 m, 2.5 m, 3.6 m, 5 m
- On request: 7.5 m and 10 m
Key Features
- 40 Gb/s and 2,000 MHz for ultra-high-speed transmission
- Triple shielding for improved isolation against electromagnetic interference
- Silver-plated OCC conductors to minimize transmission losses
- 24K gold-plated RJ45 connectors
- NCF technology for mechanical damping and static charge reduction
- Solid-core construction improving transmission stability
- Increased 8 mm diameter compared with the previous LAN-8 NCF
- Reduced crosstalk and transmission noise
- Braided nylon sleeve contributing to resonance damping
- Intended for high-end and audiophile Ethernet installations
Frequently Asked Questions
Where should it be placed in the network chain to get the most out of it?
The final segment before the network player is where conducted noise matters most, since that is where it can reach sensitive circuits. In practice, the link between the switch and the streamer is often the priority. Adding a carefully designed link further upstream, between the router and the switch, extends this approach without being a prerequisite.
Is it compatible with a network that is not Cat 8?
Yes. An Ethernet link operates at the lowest category in the chain, so when connected to a Cat 5e or Cat 6 network, it does not unlock Cat 8’s 40 Gb/s. However, its benefit in audio does not come from this speed: the shielding, conductors and connectors affect noise on the relevant segment, regardless of the negotiated data rate. Backward compatibility with Cat 7 and Cat 6 is ensured.
Does the solid-core interfere with repeated connections?
A solid-core conductor withstands repeated bending less well than a stranded cable. In a fixed installation, this is not a problem. It is best to avoid unplugging and reconnecting it often, and bending it tightly near the plugs.
Does it connect directly between a streamer and a DAC?
Only if the converter has an RJ45 network input, which remains rare. Most connections between a network player and a DAC use USB, coaxial or optical. The LAN-8 NCF Plus belongs on the network side, between Ethernet devices.
What does it offer beyond the original LAN-8 NCF?
Three changes: solid conductors instead of stranded ones, a diameter increased to 8.0 mm from 7.0 mm, and enhanced shielding housed within this more generous cross-section. The rest of the formula—NCF material, silver-plated α OCC copper, non-magnetic 24-carat gold connectors—remains unchanged.
Suitable for a TV, console, or computer?
Yes. It is a standard Cat 8 cable with RJ45 connectors: it works with any Ethernet device. Its audio-focused construction does not limit this general use; it simply adds shielding and material work that standard cables do not have.
Is silver plating beneficial for a digital connection?
At Cat 8 bandwidths, the skin effect becomes significant and pushes the fast components of the signal toward the conductor’s surface. A silver surface, being a better conductor than copper, then carries these frequencies. This is what distinguishes a high-frequency network cable from an analog audio cable, where the same argument would carry little weight.
- Eco-contribution included in the sale price.
