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Many sophisticated design techniques,
superior materials, and an exceptional termination system combine to make Diamondback possible. The result
will put more than a scare into most cost-no-object cables.
DESIGN BASICS:
Diamondback is
Triple-Balanced. This means there are three identical insulated conductors, in addition to a separate
conductor underneath the 100% coverage foil shield. When used with XLR connectors and balanced electronics,
the two positive signals (inverting and non-inverting) and the negative, all get the same low-distortion
conducting path. The shield is attached to chassis ground through the case of the XLR, providing extremely
effective shielding without contaminating the quality of the negative conducting path. When Diamondback is
fitted with RCA plugs, two conductors are used together for the much higher potential across the negative
connection, providing a substantial performance advantage. The shield is only attached at one end,
providing total shield coverage without compromising the negative conducting path.
CONDUCTORS:
All of Diamondback'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 Diamondback's very clean sound.
METAL:
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 conductor. For fifteen years
AudioQuest has pioneered the use of superior metals; yet even we were surprised by this huge leap in
performance. PSC clearly outperforms previous AQ metals that cost over ten times as much.
INSULATION:
Any solid material
adjacent to a conductor is actually part of an imperfect circuit. Wire insulation, circuit board materials
all absorb energy (loss). Some of this energy is stored and then released as distortion. Diamondback uses
air filled FPE (Foam Polyethylene) insulation on both conductors because air absorbs next to no energy, and
Polyethylene is low-loss and has a benign distortion profile. Thanks to all the air in FPE, it causes much
less of the out-of-focus effect common to other materials.
TERMINATIONS:
Diamondback's plugs
are Resistance Welded to the cable in a process which sends 8,000 amperes of current through the junction
of conductor and plug for 33 millionths of a second. The heat resulting from the resistance of the metals
locally liquefies the conductor and the plug, creating a single material alloy where the two meet. An ideal
connection that puts any solder to shame. Diamondback's gold plated RCA plugs use a patented design that
eliminates the distortion caused by the extra contact inside most plugs. Because the ground shells are
stamped instead of machined, the metal can be chosen for low distortion instead of for its machinability. A
combination of these major ingredients, and many more subtle details add up to explain how Diamondback can
sound so clean, clear and dynamic.
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Questions?
1.973.239.1799
