User Manual

CABLE THEORY

Page 16

used for single biwire, the more sensitive “treble half” is pure PSC, making Bedrock an ideal single-

biwire cable; especially for three-way (low crossover) speakers. This Mild red cable is 12 awg (3.19

sq.mm) Mild Red cable.

AudioQuest Gibraltar is The Top Rock! The big difference in this dark blue cable is

the quality of the metal. In this ne-tuned Hybrid design the character of the overall

cable is determined by our proprietary PSC+ copper used for the 21 and 18 awg and

19 conductors. Only the large 16 awg conductors are the remarkable, but in this case

inferior, PSC copper. As even the “bass half” of this Flat Rock is a hybrid, even the

bass half has mostly the character of PSC+. Leaving only the largest treble impaired 16 awg conduc-

tors in PSC saves money and gives up almost nothing in absolute performance. Thanks to the use of

these exclusive coppers, the music is sweeter, cleaner and more dynamic. As with all the other Rocks,

Gibraltar is also excellent for single-biwire use, or to make a double-biwire set with Bedrock or Granite

on the bass.

Counter Spiraling Circular Helix Hyperlitz - The Earth Features

If the only change to the new AudioQuest cables was the inclusion of the wonderful Perfect Surface

metals, we would be shouting from the rooftops about our great new cables. If the only difference in

the new cables was Third Generation SST, we wouldn’t shout as loudly, but even a quick listen would

show that the SST improvement alone would easily justify new models and a proud designer. If Double

Quad-Helix construction were our only new trick, that alone would provide reason to sing the praises

of the Flat Rocks.

However, there is even more to shout about. The top four new models have enough conductors to be

able arrange them in a new and extremely effective manner. In each Earth Feature cable there is a

circular array of positive conductors spiraling in one direction. Around this helix is another circular array

of negative conductors spiraling in the opposite direction. The inner group spirals more quickly (has a

shorter lay length), while the outer group spirals more slowly (longer lay), so that for every foot or meter

of cable, the length of the positive and negative conductors is equal.

This arrangement meets the Hyperlitz criteria of a never changing regular and xed relationship be-

tween positive and negative; the two cylinders of conductors are in a xed non-changing relationship,

even thoughthe conductors are crossing each other instead of being in parallel. This crossing of con-

ductors has always been sited as (potential) the advantage of a braided cable. However, the magnetic

disruption (as the high frequency engineers call it) in a braid causes far more audible damage than any

benet from non-parallel conductors.

Since all four of these great cables use new Perfect Surface metals, all include third generation SST,

and all are bigger and meatier than anything from AudioQuest since the 1980’s; it is impossible to listen

to the magnicent performance and hear just the contribution made by the Counter Spiraling Circular

Helix construction. We can tell you that this construction technique is crucial to these cables’ ability to

clearly place individual sounds all over a huge three-dimensional stage.

All the Earth Feature cables were rst optimized for their full range performance. Then when decisions

were made about the spacing of the conductors in the outer circular array, they were divided into bass,

midrange and treble groups. This facilitates superior single-biwire performance. To achieve maximum