Flow-28 NCF

Reviewer: Srajan Ebaen
Financial interests: click here
Main system: Sources: Retina 5K 27" iMac (i5, 256GB SSD, 40GB RAM, Sonoma 14), 4TB external SSD with Thunderbolt 3, Audirvana Studio, Qobuz Sublime, Singxer SU-6 USB bridge, LHY Audio SW-8 & SW-6 switch, Sonnet Pasithea, COS Engineering D1, Laiv Audio Harmony; Active filter: Lifesaver Audio Gradient Box 2; Power amplifiers: Kinki Studio EX-B7 monos & Gold Note monos on subwoofer; Headamp: Enleum AMP-23R; Phones: Raal 1995 Immanis; Loudspeakers: Qualio IQ [on loan] Cables: Exact Express Flame, Furutech; Power delivery: 2 x Kinki/Vinshine Tai Hang on amps and source stack, Furutech DPS-4.1 between wall and conditioners; Equipment rack: Artesanía Audio Exoteryc double-wide 3-tier with optional glass shelves, Exoteryc amp stands; Sundry accessories: Acoustic System resonators, AudioQuest FogLifters; Room: 6 x 8m with open door behind listening seat; Room treatment: 2 x PSI Audio AVAA C214 active bass traps
2nd system: Source: FiiO R7 into Soundaware D300Ref SD transport to Cen.GRand DSDAC 1.0 Deluxe with POW; Preamp/filter: Lifesaver Audio Gradient Box 2; Amplifier: Kinki Studio EX-M7; Loudspeakers: ModalAkustik MusikBoxx + Dynaudio S18 sub; Cable loom: Exact Express Earth; Power delivery: Vibex Granada/Alhambra, Akiko Audio Corelli Corundum & Castello Solo; Equipment rack: Hifistay Mythology Transform X-Frame [on extended loan]; Sundry accessories: Furutech cable lifts, Furutech NFC Clear Lines; Room: ~3.5 x 8m
2nd headfi system: DAC: Cen.Grand DSDAC 1.0 Deluxe with POW; Headamp: Cen.Grand Silver Fox; Headphones: Raal 1995 Magna, HifiMan Susvara
Desktop system: Source: HP Z2 work station Win11/64; USB bridge: Singxer SU-2; DAC/headamp: iFi iDSD Pro Signature; Speakers: DMAX P61 Headphones: Final D-8000, aune SR7000
Upstairs headfi system: FiiO R7; Headphones: Meze 109 Pro, Fiio FT3
2-channel video system: Source: Oppo BDP-105; All-in-One: Gold Note IS-1000 Deluxe; Loudspeakers: Zu Soul VI; Subwoofer: Zu Submission; Power delivery: Furutech eTP-8, Room: ~6x4m
Review component retail: €698

2010. The eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland leads to the release of a large ash cloud that disrupts air travel across Europe for several days, showcasing the impact of volcanic activity on global systems. Furutech launch their first inline power filter with integral EMI filtering.

2016. Donal Trump wins his first US presidency. Furutech upgrade their Flux-50 with Nano Crystal² Formula. The filter housing enhances with a vibration-damping composite, the internal architecture incorporates an EMI-filtering system and Neo Damper material.

2024. Donald Trump wins his second election, Furutech's inline filters refine with upgraded internal coils and capacitors for greater suppression of ground noise, voltage irregularities and HF interference.

July 2025. Furutech's Flow-28 NCF debuts, "a high-performance cost-effective evolution featuring the FI-28 NCF IEC connector. The Flow-28 NCF not only blocks external noise and vibration but prevents internally generated noise from contaminating the rest of the system or escaping into the surrounding environment. Nano Crystal² Formula features a crystalline compound with two active properties which generate negative ions to eliminate static and convert thermal energy into far infrared to dissipate heat. This incorporates into the body of Flow-28 with nano ceramic particles, powdered carbon, nylon and fibreglass to create an extremely effective mechanically and electrically damped body. It can be used between power cables and AC distributors or components. A parallel filter circuit with in-line coils and capacitors reduces noise at 1MHz by 10dB, at 10MHz by more than 30dB."

Atmospheric ash pollution. Tariff pollutions across international trade. Aggression pollution of global politics. Immense suffering and mass deaths in the Ukraine and Gaza. Across all sectors, our signal-to-noise ratio shrinks as pollutions of various forms dominate. Audiophiles are very fortunate. They get to improve their system's S/NR in the mechanical and electrical domains with vibration isolators, AC/DC filters and ground-noise traps. If we additionally practice human kindness and compassion, their good vibrations will improve the signal-to-noise ratio beyond the confines of our listening rooms. But the same principles apply. We must pay attention to small details; and passionately care about them and making a difference. So can we; make a difference with Furutech's Flow-28 NCF? On the face of it, it won't benefit our neighbours, friends or even strangers. But if it enhances our playback delight, feeling happy and grateful will definitely shine on beyond our dwelling. It's how audiophilia's apparently egoic obsession can become an emotional therapy. If we enjoy ourselves, the result isn't just self referential. Happy people are good for this world. As far as multiplying Flow's effect for maximum returns, the obvious juncture is to precede our outlet multiplier or power conditioner. It's literal plug'n'play. It's also the perfect gift for an audiophile without us having to know anything about their system or taste. And it's compact enough to mail easy then work as a stocking stuffer. If I was to put it on a single component, it'd probably be the DAC. Digital seems fussiest about UHF noise interference.

Whenever our system noise floor drops even a bit, signal portions previously just masked emerge. They now rise above the noise floor like fast-growing dandelions after a lawn mow. What are some of the most low-level signals which our better recordings contain? There are venue reflections whose decay delays contain information on the size of the venue and which also create connective tissue between individual images like intersecting halos. Hearing more of this spiderwebby stuff between, around and behind instruments and voices enhances the aural 3D perception and how specific depth layering becomes. Maximally compressed wall-of-sound productions benefit the least from such gains.

Then there are the uppermost harmonics which occur at four or more octaves above their fundamentals at ever more homeopathic doses. Overtone distribution creates timbre differentiation, microdynamic performer adjustments modulate overtone weighting. Gains in this domain lead to more tone variety and better tracking of how dynamic expressions alter tone. In short, a lower noise floor reveals more recorded space and higher timbre specificity. More 3D, more textures. Another takeaway is that instinctive volume hikes—we compensate for a poor S/NR by playing loud so even the weakest signal portions rise above—become less and less necessary. The better our S/NR, the less need to play loud just to hear everything. When background levels can fully engage and hold our attention because tone doesn't wash out and 3D doesn't flatten, we create less listening fatigue. That means deeper longer sessions. We also cause less sound leakage into adjoining rooms or apartments. We get to indulge our hobby earlier in the day and later into the evening without upsetting co-dwellers and neighbours. Whittling away at our system's noise floor has sonic and social benefits. I've just given you plenty of ammunition for when you must justify your next hifi spend. It can make a compelling argument for the hobby when pursued with this kind of deliberation and attention to execution. It makes playback more civilized and sophisticated, less primitive and basic. Yet mind the phrase 'whittling away'. Noise reduction seems to be a 20-round match. Multiple devices even from competing brands proposing different tech and theories tend to complement each other.

I happen to think that none of them are sufficiently broadband and powerful to become a one 'n' done deal. They seem to operate across different bandwidths. Then consider different sources of noise. There's the AC entering from the wall possibly through multiple outlets which looks back at all manner of water/sewage pumps and motors in our own refrigerator, washing machine, dryer, heater, aircon, solar panels. There are SMPS in our TV, telecom kit and LED lighting. There are the power supplies in our hif gear which radiate noise back into our system's AC loom, its ground and its cabling. There's all of it a house over from us and beyond; or in flats above and below ours in the same building. There might be car-charging stations on our road. There's airborne EMI/RF noise that attacks cable shields which are rendered imperfect by bends. It attacks unused open hifi sockets which become ingress points for their circuitry. Against this bigger picture it feels sensible that different types of noise filters should be effective in massive parallel even series. And my own experience does suggest that noise filters indeed are additive. More of them do more. Ad infinitum? I haven't lived long enough to answer that.