Ethereal™ NCF Pure Silver Power Cable

The Ethereal™ NCF is A.L.A Audio’s reference-level AC power cable, engineered for high-resolution audio systems where ultra-low noise floor performance, transient speed and tonal accuracy are critical.

Rated beyond 20A, the Ethereal™ is engineered for use between the mains outlet and power distribution, or directly feeding high-resolution source and amplification equipment, the Ethereal™ focuses on minimising impedance, controlling resonance behaviour and suppressing high-frequency parasitic noise present on the AC line.

The latest generation Ethereal™ now features a revised separated ground architecture alongside genuine Furutech FI-50 NCF connectors, further improving grounding performance, noise dissipation and overall system compatibility.

Design & Material Specification

Each active conductor utilises a combined equivalent surface area of 4mm², comprising a hybrid geometry of dual flat ribbon and dual solid-core 5N Pure Silver conductors (Assay Lab Certified).

This architecture was selected due to its ability to achieve exceptionally low inductance while preserving current linearity and transient integrity under dynamic load conditions.

The revised ground conductor employs an individually shielded high-purity Litz architecture, specifically designed to reduce parasitic capacitance interaction while creating an ultra-low impedance path to ground. This structure effectively assists in shunting unwanted noise away from connected equipment.

Construction Philosophy

Designed and hand-built in Australia, each Ethereal™ cable is individually constructed from the ground up using carefully selected materials and extensive manual assembly processes requiring many hours of labour.

Laboratory-grade PTFE (Teflon™) dielectric materials are utilised throughout due to their exceptionally tight manufacturing tolerances and superior electrical stability.

The relationship between dielectric behaviour and AC power transmission is critical in achieving accurate tonal balance, low phase distortion and reduced system coloration.

A high-speed design methodology combined with advanced multi-stage shielding was specifically chosen due to the cable’s intended application between AC mains and highly sensitive high-current audio equipment.

Timing, Phase Integrity & Spatial Accuracy

Particular attention was placed on phase integrity, propagation consistency and timing coherence throughout the Ethereal™ design.

In high-resolution audio systems, timing accuracy is not merely responsible for speed or attack — it is fundamentally tied to spatial realism, image depth and the natural separation of instruments within a recording.

Depth perception within a soundstage largely exists in extremely small low-level timing cues and phase relationships. When noise, resonance, dielectric interaction or conductor instability interfere with these relationships, spatial information begins to collapse, often resulting in flatter presentation, reduced layering and diminished realism.

The Ethereal™ was engineered specifically to preserve these microdynamic and temporal relationships through:

• Extremely low inductance conductor geometry
• Stable conductor spacing and resonance control
• Reduced dielectric interaction
• Advanced grounding architecture
• Suppression of high-frequency parasitic noise riding on the AC line

The result is a presentation that maintains stronger image stability, improved spatial layering and a more natural sense of depth without artificially emphasising leading edges or tonal balance.

Low Inductance Ribbon Geometry

The use of flat ribbon conductors was selected for their effectiveness in reducing inductance without introducing excessive capacitance.

This geometry significantly aids transient speed, leading-edge attack and overall dynamic responsiveness while maintaining tonal density and composure.

The latest revision also places strong emphasis on highly accurate conductor positioning, as conductor geometry and spacing are critical variables influencing final electrical behaviour and sonic performance.

Each conductor is precisely suspended dead-centre within sealed air tubes, providing several important benefits:

• Reduction in eddy current formation
• Increased resonance control
• Maximisation of air as the primary dielectric
• Reduced conductor contact with dielectric matter
• Lower stored energy and dielectric interaction
• Increased tonal accuracy with reduced coloration

Advanced Shielding System

EMI and RFI suppression is handled via a complex three-stage shielding architecture comprising:

• Mylar and copper foil shielding with over 150 individual drain wires
• Precision-positioned tinned copper mesh shielding located approximately 10mm from conductors
• Aerospace-grade 3K conductive carbon layer functioning as both EMI absorber and mechanical vibration dampener

(Optional DBS — Dielectric Bias System available upon request.)

Surface & Contact Treatment

A proprietary metal surface treatment is applied to conductor surfaces, specifically targeting frequency related noise phenomena extending beyond standard 50/60Hz AC fundamentals.

Nano treatment is additionally applied to all contact surfaces to:

• Increase effective electrical conduction area
• Reduce contact impedance
• Improve long-term conductivity stability
• Assist in oxidation resistance

Connectors

Fitted with genuine Furutech FI-50 NCF IEC connectors and matching AU-approved Furutech NCF power connectors.

Other connector configurations are available upon request.

Compliance

Built to comply with Australian Standards:

• AS/NZS 3112:2000
• AS/NZS 3112:2004

Additional Information

• Each cable is made to order
• Approximate build and testing time: 6 business days