AudioQuest system upgrades

Occasionally, we do a ‘system without a system’ review of the components in and around the audio chain. This test of AudioQuest system upgrades is one such review. This one doesn’t have an equipment support system. However, the power conditioner, power cables, interconnects (digital and analogue), and loudspeaker cables all come from the AudioQuest range. Most of them also come from the more affordable and attainably priced end of the brand’s extensive portfolio of products.

The point of the exercise is three-fold. First, does the notion of a coherent cable system still hold at less than atmospheric price levels? Next, what is the most logical point of entry if migrating from one cable system to another? Even the most ardent supporters of coherent cable systems argue that the digital domain has an ‘interrupt’. But is there?

Dramatis personae

Our AudioQuest signal cables for this test are the Cinnamon USB and Ethernet cables, Yukon RCA to RCA cable, and Rocket 33 loudspeaker cables. We also used NRG-Z3 power cords throughout. One is a three-metre cable connecting the wall to the Niagara 1200 power conditioner. The others are 2m cables to connect to the audio electronics. In the US, the PowerQuest 707 replaces the Niagara 1200. However, it remains current in the UK for the foreseeable future.

Note that I am being deliberately nondescript about the electronics and loudspeakers involved. For the record, the electronics varied from just one Primare-shaped component to some hot Melco-meets-Moon action. Meanwhile, the loudspeakers were Audiovector, Graham Audio and Revival Audio flavoured. The reason for the vagueness is the focus should be on resolving those three main questions, rather than be bogged down in discussing context. Especially as the results were consistent across the systems.

We’re also not going to get too caught up in the design criteria of all AudioQuest system upgrades in the system. The company’s website does a sterling job of explaining the materials science, the layout, the design and the ethos behind the designs and – as there are a lot of moving parts to this review – descriptions could move away from the purpose of the review itself.

Coherence

The easiest part to process across these AudioQuest system upgrades is coherence. The answer is at once ‘yes’, coherence applies across the cables and ‘yes-ish’ about how strongly this applies at the more affordable and attainable end. Ultimately, when you get to a really high-end level (and have a system with suitable resolving power to highlight the changes), having all the cables from the same ‘family’ makes even more difference, but even in more down-to-earth systems, taking a systematic approach still makes sense. Note that throughout I avoided using other brand cables with significant tonal shifts in performance; I wanted ‘similar but different’ instead of reporting on ‘cable as tone control’ changes. 

Swapping out the loudspeaker cable for a more exotic one from a different brand, for example, changed the overall balance of the sound. It might have been more resolving or more detailed than Rocket 33, but the musical performance and even-handedness of the performance were lost in the process. The same applied with interconnects and power cords and held regardless of whether the ‘intruder’ cable was similarly priced, more, or less expensive. 

The largest deviation from that musical coherence was in the analogue interconnect, followed by power cords and then loudspeaker cables, but the drop in musical engagement was noticeable throughout. 

Point of entry

Given that changing the interconnect makes the biggest difference to the coherence of a system, it stands to reason the interconnect should be the first part of the cable system to change. Well… no! In fact, the first change remains outside the signal cables and begins with the power. Specifically, it begins with the power conditioner. Unfortunately, our ever-increasing reliance on mobile tech means more noisy power supplies are often left plugged in around the house. 

The Niagara 1200 is a bulwark to keep noise that pollutes the AC mains supply from undermining your audio system. The NRG-Z3 power cords (that AudioQuest supplied) work in lockstep with the 1200. This has the greatest positive change to the sound, and as a very effective proof of concept, it’s not much of a jump from power to signal cables. Yes, there are good arguments to say what goes on before the IEC inlet is different to what happens after (which is why brands like IsoTek make power products but don’t encroach into signal-path cables), but there are equally valid sonic arguments that support a coherent approach from the wall to the speaker terminals. 

The digital divide

Of all the arguments about coherent cable systems, I feel the one that holds the most water is the difference between the digital domain and the rest of the system. The two Cinnamon cables worked exceptionally well – especially in the Ethernet cable case. However, they did not undermine the coherence of a rival brand’s analogue audio and power cord to anything like the same extent other ‘intruders’ could. Similarly, swapping out Cinnamon in the all-AudioQuest cable system did not undermine the performance like an analogue interconnect might. If I were to build an all-AudioQuest cable system, it would likely include AudioQuest cables in the digital domain. This is due to their excellent performance, consistency, and overall build. But it’s not a mandatory requirement.

Note that throughout I have consciously and actively remained resolutely quiet on the rival brand. A lone cable as an ‘interloper’ in a coherent cable system is not showing its best side. If we were comparing cable systems, that would be different. 

Verdict

We’ve worked to ensure that getting all your cable ducks in a row makes a difference. Still, more profoundly than that, these AudioQuest system upgrades work exceptionally well on several musical levels. As described before, the main benefit of AudioQuest’s approach to making music is that it is inherently well-balanced. It’s a rich and detailed approach that doesn’t exaggerate. It creates a usefully large soundstage and nice clean yet deep bass. More than simply working well together, AudioQuest’s sonic approach benefits the broadest range of audio components. It’s far from just being an experiment to reinforce the coherence issue at a down-to-earth price point. These cables also just happen to be damn good and easy to recommend in almost any system! 

Prices and Contact Details

Cinnamon USB (Type A-B, 0.75m): £79/$99.95

Cinnamon Ethernet, 0.75m: £99/$109.95

Yukon RCA-RCA interconnects (1m): £459/$430

Rocket 33 loudspeaker cable (3m/8’ pair): £659/$669.95

NRG-Z3 power cords (2m): £309/$349.95

Niagara 1200 power conditioner: £1,099 

Manufacturer

AudioQuest

www.audioquest.com

+44(0)1249 848873

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