AudioQuest Coax Forest

Achieving 100 percent shielding is easy. To prevent “trapped” radio frequency (RF) interference from affecting the device’s ground reference, the AQ Noise Dissipation System (NDS) is required. Conventional shielding absorbs noise/RF energy and then dissipates it to component ground; this modifies and distorts the critical ground reference area, which in turn distorts the signal. The NDS “shields the shield” by absorbing and reflecting most of the noise/RF energy before it reaches the ground-connected layer.

Solid conductors prevent distortion caused by strand interaction and reduce jitter. Solid, silver-plated conductors are ideal for high-frequency digital audio and video applications. During transmission, these high-frequency signals move almost exclusively on the surface of the conductor. Since this is made of high purity silver, the reproduction is very close to that of a solid silver cable, while the price is closer to that of a solid copper cable. This is a surprisingly cost-effective way to produce very high quality digital cables.

This connector design allows connections without solder – as this is a common source of interference. Because the ferrules are stamped rather than machined, the metal can be selected for low distortion rather than machinability.

Hard-cell foam (HCF) maintains the critical conductor geometry. Any solid material adjacent to a conductor becomes part of an incomplete electrical network. Cable insulation and circuit board material absorb energy. Some of this energy is stored and then released as distortion. Hard cell foam insulation behaves similarly to the PE foam used in cheaper Bridges & Falls cables and contains nitrogen injections that create air pockets. Because nitrogen (like air) does not absorb energy and therefore does not release energy from or into the conductor, distortion is reduced. Additionally, the rigidity of the material ensures that the cable conductors do not change position relative to each other over the entire cable length, creating a stable impedance character and further reducing distortion.