The importance of the audio interconnect cables in a high-end audio system cannot be overstated. With Stellar, as with any high-performance equipment, the quality of the audio interconnect conductors and the effectiveness of the noise reduction system is critical. AQ Mackenzie analog interconnects were chosen as the perfect match for Stellar.

The AQ Mackenzie interconnects are part of AudioQuest's River Series featuring advanced geometry, solid Perfect-Surface Copper+, Hard-Cell Foam insulation, Triple Balanced geometry, and a Carbon-Based 3-Layer Noise-Dissipation System (NDS). AQ Mackenzie were chosen to match Stellar's natural sonic character, resulting in an optimum system synergy. Enjoy the perfect match of Stellar and Mackenzie from AQ.

Design

The AQ Mackenzie interconnects employ Triple-Balanced Geometry which uses a separate ground-reference conductor, so the cable's shield is never used as an inferior conductor. Whether prepared with RCA or XLR plugs, the cable's three conductors ensure that the positive and negative signals have equally superior, low-distortion conducting paths. Whereas almost every other “balanced” cable uses its shield as the ground reference, AQ Triple-Balanced cables use a separate dedicated shield that is only connected on one end. Couple Triple Balanced Geometry with Mackenzie's Solid Surface Copper+ conductors for superb, low-distortion performance.

Application

In a PS Audio Stellar System, AQ Mackenzie balanced (XLR) or single-ended (RCA) interconnects tie every piece of audio gear, from the Stellar S300 Stereo or M700 Monoblock amplifiers, to the Stellar GainCell DAC and everything in between. The extraordinary shielding and superior conductor geometry will bring new life to your system and put a smile on your face.

Technology

Hard-Cell Foam (HCF) Insulation ensures critical signal-pair geometry. Any solid material adjacent to a conductor is actually part of an imperfect circuit. Wire insulation and circuit board materials all absorb energy (loss). Some of this energy is stored and then released as distortion. Hard-Cell Foam Insulation is similar to the Foamed-PE used in our more affordable Bridges & Falls cables, and is nitrogen-injected to create air pockets. Because nitrogen (like air) does not absorb energy and therefore does not release any energy from or into the conductor, distortion is reduced. In addition, the stiffness of the material allows the cable's conductors to maintain a stable relationship along the cable's full length, producing a stable impedance character and further minimizing distortion.

Solid conductors prevent both electrical and magnetic 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. Extremely high-purity Perfect-Surface Copper+ further minimizes distortion caused by grain boundaries, which exist within any metal conductor, nearly eliminating harshness and greatly increasing clarity compared to OFHC, OCC, 8N and other coppers.

Features

SILVER-PLATED PURPLE COPPER CONNECTORS

SOLID PERFECT-SURFACE COPPER+ CONDUCTORS

CARBON BASED 3-LAYER NOISE DISSIPATION SYSTEM

COLD-WELDED CONNECTIONS

HARD CELL FOAM INSULATION