AudioQuest is an American brand specializing in digital and analog connections. The AudioQuest Carbon AES/EBU digital cable is a high-end digital link designed for high-quality audio systems.
AudioQuest Carbon AES/EBU: Features
The XLR connectors are made of pure purple copper and receive a very high-quality silver plating.
In the field of high frequencies, which is more or less the operating range of digital signals, signal transmission is cleaner when all impedances are matched: 110-ohm output impedance, 110-ohm cable and 110-ohm input impedance. Even the connectors, whether they are the sockets on the components or the plugs on the interconnect cable, must have a 110-ohm impedance in AES/EBU. When impedances are not matched, the signal can interfere with itself, causing synchronization errors (jitter). A corrupted signal will no longer be faithful to the original analog waveform. This sensitivity to jitter is partly due to the consumer digital standard. This standard transmits musical and synchronization information on the same cable.
The 0.2 mm² conductors are made of very pure copper plated with 5% silver. The silver plating provides better conductivity for high frequencies. Indeed, these mainly travel along the outer surface of the cable. In this way, the performance of the AudioQuest Carbon coaxial cable approaches that of pure silver cables but at a lower price.
The conductors are cold welded using a current of 8000 amperes.
Cable insulation is ensured by high-density polyethylene air-cell foam that prevents any interference harmful to sound quality. This cable also features a noise dissipation system based on five layers of carbon inside its jacket.
AudioQuest Carbon AES/EBU: Test and Listening
When listening, the importance of digital connections becomes immediately apparent, as the AudioQuest Carbon AES/EBU coaxial cable respects the original signal and reproduces the music identically. This cable gives the impression of having more space between and on each side of the speakers.
The treble and midrange are particularly fine and precise but without emphasizing aggressiveness. The tonal color is superb and very realistic. The bass is very deep and highly articulated.
AudioQuest continues to design and manufacture digital and analog interconnect cables using high-quality technologies and materials. The AudioQuest Carbon AES/EBU digital coaxial cable ensures audio data transfer with remarkable quality.
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FranckImpedance: 110 Ohms
Conductors: pure single-strand copper plated with 5% silver
Conductor diameters: 3 x 0.2 mm²
XLR connectors: pure purple copper, silver-plated
Insulation: cellular foam
Noise dissipation: 5 layers of carbon
Contact: cold soldering
