Datasheet

JANUARY 1, 2014 • RETAIL PRICE BOOK

The challenge of shielding an audio or video signal

from through-the-air interference, usually called

RFI (Radio-Frequency Interference), is an old game.

It’s also a game which is usually easily won. Despite

promotional material trying to induce fear and

the seeking of comfort with one brand or another,

shielding just isn’t that dicult. However, almost

all shielded cables absorb and then drain noise/ RF

energy to “component ground,” modulating and

distorting the critical “reference” ground plane.

It is ironic that in doing its job of protecting the

signal conductors, the shield actually picks up

more RFI than the signal conductors, because it

is much bigger. However, the cure doesn’t have

to be worse than the disease ... by “shielding the

shield,” it is possible to have 100% shield coverage,

and to dump almost no energy on the reference

ground plane. AudioQuest’s Noise-Dissipation

System (NDS) uses alternating layers of metal- and

carbon-loaded synthetics to “shield the shield,”

absorbing and reecting most of this energy before

it reaches the layer attached to ground. The result

is that sound comes from a quiet black background.

Music and dialog are easier to understand and more

compelling.

Metal Foil

Carbon-Loaded Synthetic

Carbon-Based 5-Layer Noise-Dissipation System (NDS)

Noise-Dissipation System (NDS)