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Audioquest Firebird Zero

I've tried several speaker cables over the past year; Shunyata Alpha and Sigma, Wireworld Silver Eclipse series 7, Audioquest Oak and Redwood, Audience Au24 SX, and I own Clarus Crimson speaker cables. I prefer the Clarus over all of the aforementioned speaker cables. I've had the Audioquest Firebird Zero speaker cables on loan for three days. My initial thoughts were everything is a little clearer through them compared to my Clarus Crimson. Not a night and day difference, but definitely clearer. The Clarus are slightly more 3-dimensional to my ears. My wife on the other hand just keeps saying the AQ sounds sharper, clearer, there are less impurities in the music. I'm not sure what she means by impurities, but she keeps repeating it. Maybe she means a darker background? My plan was to have a home audition of the Thunderbird Zero speaker cables, but they had banana plugs on the amplifier end and I can't use them. I took the Firebirds with the logic that if I can't hear a difference between them and my current cables I didn't need to have a home audition of the Thunderbirds. $14K for an eight foot pair of speaker cables is freaking crazy and sad! It would be easy for me to dismiss it  because there isn't a night and day difference, but once you hear the difference it's very hard to ignore. Financially I just can't justify spending $14K on speaker cables and hope to hear the AQ Thunderbirds sometime next week. Once again I'm reminded that absolutely everything makes a difference. For those that can easily afford $14K, $20K or more speaker cables I understand, because cables can be equivalent to a component change. Does it ever end?
ricred1
gdnrbob
4,407 posts
 
@ozzy ,
I was with ctsooner at Audioconnection when Johnny demoed the CAD unit. Subtle, but noticable change- blacker background, more detail coming through. I should get one, too.
In any case, just call Johnny directly. He will set you up.
Here is the website:
https://www.computeraudiodesign.com/gc1-ground-control/

Bob
bo1972's avatar
bo1972
2,789 posts
 
I have done many tests on audio cables in over 21 years of time. And sold many brands you all know. The current Audioquest power cables, Mythical Creatures, and Folks Heroes series are a huge step up in cables. They all have a lot less compression than other brands.

In all these 21 years of time, I never auditioned a brand in cables who made such a big step forward compared to the former series of the same brand. This year Audioquest will focus on the more affordable loudspeaker cables. The interconnects will come after that. I am sure they will a big step as they proved with the new power cables and loudspeaker cables.
thyname's avatar
thyname
3,107 posts
 
I will definitely buy the Interconnects designed by Garth. Whenever they come out. I will wait patiently 
bo1972's avatar
bo1972
2,789 posts
 
I also did test different ground cable products. The problem is that most people can not judge audio on all aspects/properties of sound. When you test ground cables on all aspects of sound, you will find out that it does not improve all aspects of sound.

This is why at this moment I do use and sell these products. They all showed a loss in a 3-dimensional stage. This is unacceptable when you judge at a 'High-end' level. It showed too much emphasis like many cable brands also reveal.

Creating a different sound is very easy in audio. But people forget that you need to be able to judge on 8 different aspects of sound at 1/10 of a second. Humans can perceive between 1 and 3 different aspects of sound at the same time. This is why they make the wrong decisions!
bo1972's avatar
bo1972
2,789 posts
 
The Wel and all other pure silver cables of Audioquest all have a long inburn period. The Wel took about 23 days 24 hours a day before they were able to give the highest level. Silver needs a longer time to burn in compared to copper.

But through research, we found out that even after 800 hours we could measure an improved level of sound and stage. We could hear more details, layers and also improved low frequencies.

With the latest Monitor Audio Gold series, we had again the same experiences. We did measure at 400 hours, 800 hours and after 1000 hours. And again we had a clear improvement in low, mid and high frequencies.

People have no idea how long burn-in periods are of cables and components.
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