SOLID PERFECT-SURFACE COPPER/PERFECT-SURFACE COPPER+ CONDUCTORS (PSC/PSC+): The Rocket 88 uses a carefully tuned and optimized combination of Perfect-Surface Copper and extremely high-purity Perfect-Surface Copper+. The amazingly smooth and pure combination of PSC+ and PSC significantly eliminates harshness and improves clarity. PSC+ accounts for the largest proportion in the conductor mix of the Rocket 88.
CARBON-BASED NOISE-DISSIPATION (INSULATION): The four negative conductors in the Rocket 88 are insulated with partially conductive carbon-loaded polyethylene. This remarkable material attenuates high-frequency interference so that it is not fed back into the amplifier. This brings the same sonic advantage of reduced fluctuations and improved spatiality as reducing RF garbage in an audio circuit. In the Rocket 88, polyethylene foam insulation is used on the positive conductors because air absorbs almost no energy, and polyethylene is low-loss and has a benign distortion profile. Thanks to the air in the PE foam, significantly fewer blurring effects occur than with other materials.
DIELECTRIC-BIAS SYSTEM (DBS, US Pat #s 7,126,055 & 7,872,195 B1): Any insulation slows down the signal in the conductor within it. If no voltage is applied to the insulation, it slows down individual parts of the signal to different degrees – a major problem with very time-critical broadband audio. AudioQuest DBS creates a strong, stable electrostatic field that saturates and polarizes (organizes) the molecules of the insulation. This minimizes both the energy stored in the insulation and the various non-linear time delays. The sound emerges against a surprisingly black background with unexpected richness of detail and extended dynamics. The DBS batteries last for several years. A button with an LED indicator allows occasional testing of the battery charge level.
DOUBLE-STAR-QUAD GEOMETRY: The relationship of the individual conductors to each other defines the basic electrical properties of a cable (capacitance and inductance). Even if these variables are kept in a sensible balance, the relationship of the conductors to each other can vary in such a way that the sound is strongly influenced. The Double-Star-Quad construction of the Rocket 88 allows significantly better dynamics and information clarity than when the same conductors are routed in parallel.
SPREAD-SPECTRUM TECHNOLOGY (SST): Every single conductor and every conductor bundle has its own specific distortion profile. Even if radially symmetrical conductors (solid or tubular) have the fewest irregularities, every conductor of a certain size leaves a sonic footprint. SST is a method to significantly reduce these characteristic weaknesses by using a precisely determined combination of conductors of different sizes. The different conductor sizes used in the Rocket 88, determined with the help of SST, enable the exceptionally clear, pure, and dynamic sound.
BI-WIRING: The Rocket 88 is an exceptional single-bi-wiring cable. When the halves at the speaker end are separated, the Double-Star-Quad geometry transforms the Rocket 88 into a true double-bi-wiring set, thanks to the magnetic independence of the individual quad-conductor areas. A single Star-Quad conductor group, viewed in isolation, would be a little lightweight in its presentation because it is very treble-heavy. The other Star-Quad conductor group is bass-heavy; its sound is more powerful and less focused on ultimate resolution. Both together result in the optimal full-range setup. When the cable ends are used separately, the Rocket 88 becomes a double-bi-wiring cable with maximum performance thanks to the Double-Star-Quad design.
TERMINATION: AudioQuest offers a wide range of high-quality connectors with which the Rocket 88 can be connected to any type of hi-fi equipment. The focus on quality is more on low-distortion sound than on visual appeal. The gold and silver of these AQ connectors look "boringly" dull because the metals are applied directly to the connector – there is no shiny-looking but rough-sounding nickel layer underneath. Also, AQ-PK spade lugs are relatively soft, because higher-quality metals are soft, which is advantageous for connection quality. For devices that require banana or BFA plugs, the AQ-PK-BFA/banana plugs offer unprecedented high-quality reproduction compared to conventional brass versions.
USAGE: The PVC "pants" on the ends of the Rocket 88 are labeled "Speaker End" or "Amp End." Please use the cables in the appropriate direction.
Technical data
Geometry: Double Star-Quad
Metal: Solid PSC+ Copper
Gauge: 2,63 mm2
Jacket: Black/green braid
Connectors: Spade, Pin or Banana
