AudioQuest introduces a brand new range of analogue audio interconnects nearly a decade ago and they're still top sellers. They deliver a performance level and price that just a few years ago would have been simply impossible. The AudioQuest Sydney analogue stereo RCA cable is terminated with a silver-plated male stereo RCA connectors on all four ends.
Did you know that the Sydney Harbour Bridge is the tallest and widest steel-arch bridge in the world, and the fifth longest. The Tyne River Bridge in Newcastle, England is smaller, but as we are told the design chosen to span Sydney harbour. The “Coathanger” (the bridge’s nickname in Sydney) is close to the Sydney Opera House for worldwide recognition as a symbol of Sydney, and as a symbol for all of Australia. An organised and rather expensive ‘Bridge Climb’ is offered many times a day to the top of the bridge, offering a truly exceptional view of Sydney’s amazing harbour from 134 metres (440 ft) above the water. However, we can say that even a walk across at street level for free is also amazing and will get you save you money for some new interconnects! Anyway, like all products from AudioQuest, the Sydney range of RCA cables are made to exacting standards and offer many of the design features of the more expensive models in the range. Lets take a look.
Solid Perfect-Surface Copper Conductors (PSC): Perfect-Surface Copper+ has an astonishingly smooth and pure surface. Proprietary metal-processing technology protects the wire’s surface at every stage of drawing and fabrication. When high-purity low-oxide copper is kept as soft, pure and smooth as possible, it becomes a wonderfully low-distortion PSC+ conductor. PSC+ is manufactured by applying the same exceptional technology to an ultra-pure copper. The resulting sound quality is even more focused and simply less in the way.
For over 30 years AudioQuest has pioneered the use of superior metals; yet even they were surprised by the huge leap in performance made possible with Perfect-Surface Technology. PSC+ simply outperforms all previously available copper metals at any price. All of Sydney's conductors are solid. Electrical and magnetic interaction between strands in a conventional cable is the greatest source of distortion, often causing a somewhat dirty, harsh sound. Solid conductors are fundamental toward achieving Sydneys very clean sound.
Polyethylene Air-Tube Insulation: 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 released as distortion. All of Sydney’s conductors use PE Air-Tube Insulation because air absorbs next to no energy, and Polyethylene is low-loss and has a benign distortion profile. PE Air-Tube Insulation causes much less of the out-of-focus effect common to other materials.
Carbon-Based 3-Layer Noise-Dissipation System (NDS):100% shield coverage is easy. Preventing captured RF Interference from modulating the equipment’s ground reference requires AQ’s Noise-Dissipation System. Metal and Carbon-Loaded synthetics prevent most RFI from reaching the equipment’s ground plane.
Double-Balanced Asymmetrical Geometry: Purpose designed for single-ended applications, Double-Balanced Asymmetrical Geometry offers a relatively lower impedance on the ground for a richer, and more dynamic experience. While many single-ended cable designs use a single path for both the ground and the shield, Double-Balanced designs separate the two for cleaner, quieter performance.
Cold-Welded Silver-Plated Pure "Purple-Copper" RCA Plugs: This proprietary, novel plug design allows for a connection devoid of solder, which is a common source of distortion. Because the ground shells are stamped instead of machined, the metal can be chosen for low distortion instead of machine ability. Purple-Copper offers a cleaner, clearer sound than the nickel-plated or OFHC metals commonly found in competing manufacturers' plugs.
Directionality: AudioQuest’s understanding of conductor directionality and its effect on audio performance has steadily evolved, growing stronger and more complete. All audio cables are directional. The correct direction is determined by the arrows on the plugs/connectors.
About AudioQuest
AudioQuest has been the largest cable supplier to the high-end specialist market for several decades and is sold in over sixty countries. Founder Bill Lowe is especially pleased that this success has been possible despite his insistence that the foundation of the company, and the foundation of AudioQuest marketing, must be the performance of the product and when he visited Audio Trends a couple of years back we were convinced of this by his genuine sincerity. In the audio world, many professionals have learned that it is not always convenient to listen to the products they sell … they might learn something they don’t want to know! Bill has always understood the challenge of basing the existence of AudioQuest on the performance of the product. However, to Bill, this is the only reasonable way to do business and the only acceptable way to combine his passion for music (and all things high performance), with his need to make a living.
Features
- Design: Analogue Stereo interconnect cable with dual RCA connectors at each end
- Conductors: Solid Perfect Surface Copper (PSC) conductors for excellent performance
- Insulation: Polyethylene air-tube insulation
- Shield: Carbon 3-layer NDS (Noise Dissipation System)
- shields against RF interference
- Geometry: Double-balanced asymmetrical cable geometry separates the ground and shield for quieter performance
- Outer Jacket: Black braided jacket
- Connectors: Cold-welded, silver-plated RCA plugs feature a solder-less design for lower distortion
- Directional: Yes
- Available Lengths: 600mm; 1 metre; 1.5 metre; 2 metre and 3 metre
- Manufacturers Warranty: 5 years
Note: Features & Specifications Subject To Change Without Notice. E&OE
