[Whazzzup]

In preview to my new DX music server I took the opportunity to try out some new cables to interconnect my TT and GSX MK2. I have previously Double Helix Chaperone 3 , a no slouch made to order cable. There was a also a distance issue I had ordered .75 M cable that was tight but worked from DHC. I was able to up the size to 1 m which allows cable flexibility out the back. So here is a blurb then photos and my thoughts.

SOLID PERFECT-SURFACE SILVER (PSS) CONDUCTORS
Perfect-Surface Technology applied to extreme-purity silver provides unprecedented clarity and dynamic contrast. Perfect-Surface Silver (PSS) is AudioQuest's highest-quality metal. Solid conductors prevent strand interaction, a major source of cable distortion. Extremely high-purity Perfect-Surface Silver minimizes distortion caused by the grain boundaries that exist within any metal conductor, nearly eliminating harshness and greatly increasing clarity compared to OFHC, OCC, 8N and other coppers.
FEP AIR-TUBE INSULATION (FEP IS A FLUORO-POLYMER)
Any solid material adjacent to a conductor is actually part of an imperfect circuit. Wire insulation and circuit board materials all absorb energy (loss). Some of this energy is stored and then later released as distortion. Air, however, absorbs next to no energy, and FEP is the best extrudable solid insulation, absorbing less energy than other materials. The use of FEP Air-Tube insulation, with almost nothing but air around the solid PSC+ conductors, improves the sound of an audio system's focus and dynamics.

DIELECTRIC-BIAS SYSTEM WITH RADIO FREQUENCY TRAP
All insulation between two or more conductors is also a dielectric whose properties will affect the integrity of the signal. When the dielectric is unbiased, dielectric-involvement (absorption and non-linear release of energy) causes different amounts of time delay (phase shift) for different frequencies and energy levels, which is a real problem for very time-sensitive multi-octave audio. The inclusion of an RF Trap (developed for AudioQuest’s Niagara Series of power products), ensures that radio frequency noise will not be induced into the signal conductors from the DBS field elements. (DBS, US Pat #s 7,126,055 & 7,872,195 B1)
TRIPLE-BALANCED GEOMETRY (SEPARATE GROUND-REFERENCE CONDUCTOR)
Our Triple-Balanced Geometry uses a separate ground-reference conductor, so the cable's shield is never used as an inferior conductor. Whether prepared with RCA or XLR plugs, the cable's three conductors ensure that the positive and negative signals have equally superior, low-distortion conducting paths.

CARBON-BASED 8-LAYER NOISE-DISSIPATION SYSTEM (NDS)
It's easy to accomplish 100% shield coverage. Preventing captured Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) from modulating the equipment's ground reference requires AQ's Noise-Dissipation System (NDS). Traditional shield systems typically absorb and then drain noise/RF energy to component ground, modulating and distorting the critical "reference" ground plane, which in turn causes a distortion of the signal. NDS's alternating layers of metal and carbon-loaded synthetics "shield the shield," absorbing and reflecting most of this noise/RF energy before it reaches the layer attached to ground.
WEL-TYPE DOUBLE-CONTACT COLD-WELDED REUSABLE PLUGS, HANGING-SILVER PLATING DIRECTLY OVER MACHINED SOLID EXTREME-PURITY RED COPPER
This plug design enables a perfect heat-free connection between cable and plug. The connection between the plug and conductors is made using AQ’s Cold-Welded System, which provides a superior connection that ensures that the structural integrity of the conductor is kept completely intact. The Cold-Welded System refers to a combination of high pressure at the point of contact and the use of copper- or silver-impregnated paste. (Wild Blue Yonder’s silver conductors get silver paste.) XLR plugs are also available.

After unpacking which it does come in a nice zipper case, one immediately can see and feel the quality of this cable, the interconnects are top quality and the whole thing just feels it. Now casual non blind testing i was happy to hear a more impact at the low end, but not exaggerated a real thump to the kick drum that actually sounded more real? If thats a sound, more detail I guess so one can hear these subtle qualities...Well considering the transport Im going to receive and system synergy I will offer up, if budget is of little concern, try fire, Im sure you will enjoy it as I have.

 

[Whazzzup]

Giving it another 50 hours, no burn in intended, realizing this interconnect unleashed a lot more from my TT than i expected. The first place is the expanse yet tight realism of the low end. On real percussion the timber of those hits, reverb, sub seem to be made more apparent. Manu katche ex.The GSX MK2 also gets to shine in this endeavour as well, hard to say whats what exactly anymore. Just this interconnect seems to work for me......

 

[gregorio]

Whatever supposed damage is caused by cheap XLR cables/connectors, is already burnt-into the recording itself. In a typical world class studio the signal will have travelled through at least 20m (and probably much more) of cheap XLR cable and any supposed damage amplified by as much as 100-1,000 times by the time the recording is ready for distribution. How does 0.75m of very expensive cable correct all the massively amplified amount of damage already in the recording? World class recording studios have typically spent many millions on their setups, why don't they spend a measly few grand extra on these types of expensive XLR cables if they caused even the slightest actual improvement?

If someone wants to buy these types of cables because they like the look or feel of them or for pride of ownership, that's of course entirely up to them. But the actual facts are that they provide no improvement in audible fidelity, despite all the marketing pseudo-science implying the opposite!

I realise that some/many here are only interested in "impressions" ... impressions influenced by the high quality look and feel of these cables and are therefore extremely adverse to the actual facts of performance differences (or lack of them). However, there maybe others who come across this thread who are maybe new to the scene and ARE interested in the facts, in addition to "impressions". In the interests of fairness and not being deliberately or inadvertently misleading, shouldn't the facts at least be mentioned?

G

 

[Whazzzup]

well thanks for that non impression observation. I quickly checked 35 threads of cables and interconnects and see not one contribution of this type ,hope you spread your love.

 

[asquare3376]

Interconnects makes a world of difference. I am personally using AQ Water from last 2 years and there's no going back.
Going to upgrade to Fire XLRs in a couple weeks.