Another Passive Filter? FFA Power Line Filter & DC Noise Blocker

The FFA Power Line Filter & DC Noise Blocker is basically a power cord with a box of passive filtering components inside. Frankie says one can order the FFA with US style NEMA-5 plug as well

Another day, another passive power line filter comes to market place, so what's so different about this one? Since I have played with most of the PLC or filtering device out there? 

Well for a start, this is a locally designed & made product. Designed by my buddy, non other than Mr Oh, the hifi repair man that most readers will by now be familiar with, if you've had hifi equipment repaired by him, you're in good hands! Yes, designed by Mr Oh, but made by Frankie Fong! So who is this Frankie Fong? Some may ask. I only met Frankie when he brought me a pair of the FFA Power Line Filter & DC Noise Blocker for this review. This guy is our Malaysian Elvis King apparently! Don't believe me, look at the CD cover below! Yes, Frankie has an album dedicated to all of Elvis early career songs. He's a pretty good singer too. I would love to see him perform as Elvis one day.....

 

Frankie Fong is a big time Elvis fan and does cosplay performances as well. He lives the Elvis way when on stage! 

FFA = Frankie Fong Audio? yeah right.............. You tell me, Can this Frankie Fong may be as famous as the other Frankie(Frank Powerbank fame) in our Malaysian audio landscape? Only time will tell.  The FFA Power Line Filter is basically a power cord attached with a plastic box of passive components inside to do some passive filtering of electricity as it comes in to your hifi equipment. DC Noise in power line? Don't know how to verify that either. As I plug in the FFA power cord with a box to my hifi equipment, I heard some nice improvements which I like!

First and most obvious, the bass tightens up. In my small room, big speaker set up, some room modes do remain untamed, but with the FFA plugged in most of those pesky room modes are either gone or audibly reduced. Next improvement noticed is stereo separation. In much audiophile music where there are lots of sound stage location cues, the FFA makes them more dramatically pronounced, in a nice sort of way which doesn't sound artificial, unlike some of the other tweaks I've played with in the past. And possibly the last  noticeable effect is the back ground noise becomes darker, as most good power line filters or conditioners tend to be.

However, one thing stood out for me with this FFA power cord. It prefers to work with a power line conditioner in front of it. Meaning in my case, the power from wall first goes to my Torus Power RM-16UK with my usual power cord, then to the hifi equipment via the FFA! If I just use the FFA direct from wall to equipment, the results are less impressive. The bass less well controlled, but still better than without the said FFA, stereo separation panning effect is less pronounced, and there is virtually no "darker" back ground noise as well. This is actually not normal.

And so, I tried the FFA in my HT system where I used 2 units of Weiduka AC-8.8 power line conditioner, one for my stack of sources & amps, and another one for my pair of SVS PB-2000 subs. I used the FFA to run the pair of SVS subs with & without the Weiduka in place. Again I heard the same great leap of performance with the Weiduka in use, and lesser performance gains without the PLC in use. I can't explain what I heard, but that's what I heard.

So my take is the FFA plays more like a supporting role in the whole power management for your audio or HT system. It actually takes performance levels up a notch or two with any power line conditioner is use together, but on it's own, my probable verdict would be YMMV!

However due to the excellent results I got with the FFA at the small outlay of MYR599/unit, I bought the review pair and they are now in use in my HT system. FFA can be ordered on FB market place, or one can call Frankie Fong direct at 016-2380220 to find out more.