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Model: XSnakei
Length: 1M
Price: $60 per pair
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The AudioQuest products we carry are from the Integrator Series, which are the same in design and construction as the AudioQuest Consumer Products.
The XSnakei is equivalent to the Sidewinder.
The Integrator Series products do not include the standard AudioQuest box.
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At first glance, XSnakei's design looks like a traditional coaxial cable. However, there are many very
important differences, each of which greatly influence sound quality.
DESIGN BASICS: XSnakei has identical conductors for the positive and ground connections. Underneath the 100% coverage foil shield is a bare conductor, exactly the same as the insulated center conductor. The conductor under the shield does double duty as a low distortion audio connection, and as the drain wire connecting the shield to ground.
CONDUCTORS: Both of XSnakei's conductors are solid. Electrical and magnetic interaction between
strands in a conventional cable is the greatest source of distortion, often causing a some what dirty harsh
sound. Solid conductors are the most important ingredient enabling XSnakei's very clear sound.
METAL: XSnakei's LGC (Long Grain Copper) allows a smoother and clearer sound than cables using
regular OFHC (Oxygen Free High Conductivity) copper. The "HC" in OFHC means High Conductivity. OFHC is a general metal industry specification as to "loss," without any concern for distortion. LGC, with it's fewer oxides within the conducting material, less impurities and less grain boundaries, has better performance.
INSULATION: Any solid material adjacent to a conductor is actually part of an imperfect circuit. Wire insulation, circuit board materials all absorb energy (loss). Some of this energy is stored and then released as distortion. XSnakei uses air filled FPE (Foamed Polyethylene) insulation on both conductors because
air absorbs next to no energy, and Polyethylene is low-loss and has a benign distortion profile. Thanks to
all the air in FPE, it causes much less of the out-of-focus effect common to other materials.
TERMINATIONS: Precision gold plated plugs are carefully attached with the very best solder. Through
choice of flux and metallurgy, AQ solder has been optimized to make alow distortion connection. All solder, including "silver solder," is a poor conductor. The difference you hear between solders is a result of
connection quality. AQ Solder does not have a high silver content because the more silver there is in solder,
the more difficult it is to make a good connection.
A combination of these major ingredients, and many more subtle details add up to explain how even an
inexpensive cable like XSnakei can sound so good.
For more information, please download the XSnakei (Sidewinder) Product Sheet |
