AudioQuest FireBird Zero & Bass Bi-Wire Speaker Cables
ZERO-TECH (NO DEFINED CHARACTERISTIC-IMPEDANCE) FOR UNCOMPRESSED CURRENT TRANSFER AND LINEAR NOISE-DISSIPATION
The only complete way to eliminate characteristic-impedance mismatches between a cable and the attached source and load is for the cable not to have any fixed characteristic-impedance value. ZERO-Tech accomplishes this by eliminating interaction between the insulation (dielectric) and the cable’s conductors—enabling uncompressed current transfer. All-important transient current is unrestricted, and RF Noise-Dissipation is linearized (consistent octave to octave).
GND-TECH (GROUND-NOISE DISSIPATION)
This extremely effective patented common-mode noise-rejection technology is deployed on the ground path in almost all AQ AC power cables, in addition to in AQ BASS Bass & Midrange speaker cables. The effectiveness of GND-Tech compromises audio above 10,000Hz, preventing the dedicated Bass & Midrange cable from being ideal for Full-Range use.
FIREBIRD CONDUCTORS: SOLID PERFECT-SURFACE SILVER (PSS) AND SOLID PERFECT-SURFACE COPPER+ (PSC+)
Solid conductors prevent electrical strand-to-strand interaction, major sources of distortion. Surface quality is critical because a conductor can be considered as a rail-guide for both the fields within a conductor, and for the magnetic fields that extend outside the conductor. The astonishingly smooth and pure surface of all AudioQuest’s Perfect-Surface metals nearly eliminates harshness and greatly increases clarity compared to lesser materials. The careful choice of the sizes of the PSS and PSC+ conductors ensures that FireBird’s performance is close to using all PSS Silver, but at a much lower cost.
CARBON-BASED LINEARIZED NOISE-DISSIPATION SYSTEM (NDS)
Today’s environment is saturated with radio-frequency noise that is extremely difficult to filter or reject. The frequencies of this noise from satellites, cellular towers, and Bluetooth, etc., are so extremely narrow that a conventional shield, or a series or shunt filter, is wholly inadequate. Much of the low-level signal that carries the harmonics and spatial cues that define high-resolution audio is masked by induced radio-frequency noise. AQ’s comprehensive Linearized Noise-Dissipation System combines multiple shields and a carbon-based linearized resistive network that turns most of this noise into heat. By "linearized," we mean that the system is equally effective across extremely wide bandwidth, rather than at selected frequencies only, as is more common. The remaining bad energy is effectively drained away from the sensitive amplifier circuits via directionally controlled signal and shield conductors.
72v Dielectric-Bias System with CARBON-Level Radio-Frequency Trap (DBS)
All insulation is also a dielectric whose electrical properties affect the integrity of the signal. When the insulation is unbiased, dielectric-involvement (absorption and non-linear release of energy back into the signal flow) causes different amounts of time delay (phase shift) for different frequencies and energy levels, which is a significant problem for very time-sensitive multi-octave audio. AudioQuest’s multi-patented DBS creates a strong, stable electrostatic field which saturates and polarizes (organizes) the molecules of the insulation. This minimizes the nonlinear time delays, resulting in clearer sound emerging from a “blacker” background. The inclusion of an RF Trap (a technology developed for AudioQuest’s Niagara Series of power products) in the DBS battery pack further reduces radio-frequency noise. The DBS battery packs will last for many years. A test button and LED allow for the occasional battery check.
FIREBIRD BI-WIRING
When possible, running separate cables to the treble and bass “halves” of a speaker considerably reduces distortion. Bi-Wiring keeps the large magnetic fields associated with bass energy out of the treble cable, allowing the delicate upper frequencies to travel a less magnetically disturbed path, like taking the waves out of the water when you swim. AudioQuest BASS cables’ GND-Tech (patented Ground-Noise Dissipation) attracts RF energy away from the amplifier’s output. When properly implemented, Bi-Wiring has always been a cost-effective way to get better performance for the same or less money. With GND-Tech, the advantage of Bi-Wiring is much more dramatic. FireBird BASS cable is ideal for the Bass input of a Bi-Wireable speaker in combination with a FireBird ZERO on the treble input. A BiWire-COMBO with BASS and ZERO cables joined together at the amplifier is usually the most convenient. When Tri-Wiring, use BASS cables on the Midrange and on the Bass inputs. Caution: Do not Bi-Wire with two ZERO cables. Two or more ZERO cables in-parallel can create a very high-frequency resonant peak (ringing), resulting in poor sound. On a Bi-Wired speaker, only use a ZERO in combination with a BASS cable, otherwise use a single ZERO cable with jumpers.
MYTHICAL CREATURE COLD-WELDED TERMINATIONS
Mythical Creature cables are Cold-Welded to AudioQuest’s extremely pure Red Copper Spades or Bananas. The bare copper is submerged (hung) in a vat of pure silver instead of being tumbled in a lower-grade solution. AudioQuest speaker breakouts and plug casings are not metal in order not to induce RF Noise into the conductors.
