AudioQuest ThunderBird Zero Speaker Cable - Banana to Banana 3m Pair Ex-Demo
Usage Guide
Amplifier
Speakers
Connection Guide
Spade
Banana
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Item code: ThunderBird Zero BB 3m Ex-Demo
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SPEAKER CABLES:
A quantity of 2 means you will receive a pair of speaker cables e.g. for your front left and front right speakers. By entering a quantity of 1, you will get a cable for a single speaker e.g. centre speaker and this option also enables you to vary the length (and termination) of your cable for each speaker.
OTHER CABLES:
A quantity of 1 means you will receive a single cable in the case of aerial, satellite, subwoofer, digital coaxial & optical cables and a pair of cables in the case of 2 rca to 2 rca analogue audio cables.
NON-CABLE PRODUCTS:
A quantity of 1 means you will receive 1 of the specified products.
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AudioQuest ThunderBird Zero Speaker Cable - Banana to Banana 3m Pair Ex-Demo
With the introduction of the Mythical Creatures series of speaker cables, AudioQuest has pushed significantly beyond even its own very high standards.
The same team responsible for the groundbreaking new series of AudioQuest AC power cables—AudioQuest's founder, William Low, and Director of Power Products, Garth Powell—has created what are simply the most transparent, get-out-of-the-way immersive speaker cables ever made. The Mythical Creatures series—ThunderBird, FireBird, and Dragon—are not merely an incremental evolution; their introduction represents a category advance in speaker cable design.
Building on a solid base of familiar AQ technologies, Garth and Bill specifically focused on addressing one of the most vexing issues plaguing speaker cable design: the mismatch between the amplifier’s source impedance and the speaker’s load impedance.
All previous attempts to address this issue chose to move the speaker cable’s characteristic impedance to a value closer to the nominal impedance of the speakers. All such attempts failed because a speaker’s impedance changes with frequency, and the amplifier’s output impedance is something else altogether.
By eliminating the Mythical Creatures speaker cable’s characteristic impedance, current compression and distortion of the signal (current) transient is significantly reduced. The result is dynamic contrast, transient response, and bass slam that are rendered seemingly without effort.
These new Mythical Creatures ZERO speaker cables may be used in one of two ways: either as ideal Full-Range cables, or, in combination with a dedicated BASS cable, in a BiWire cable assembly of unparalleled performance. ThunderBird, FireBird, and Dragon BASS cables incorporate our patented common-mode noise-rejection technology, yielding an audibly dramatic additional reason to BiWire when possible.
Whether AudioQuest’s new Mythical Creatures speaker cables are used as Full-Range or BiWire, the beautiful sonic result is the sound of your amplifier doing its job unmolested by either current compression or radio-frequency noise.
Features
- Ground-Noise Dissipation
- ThunderBird Conductors: Solid Perfect-Surface Copper+ (PSC+)
- Carbon-Based Linearized Noise-Dissipation System (NDS)
- Dielectric-Bias System with Carbon-Level Radio-Frequency Trap (DBS)
- ThunderBird Biwiring
- Mythical Creature Cold-Welded Terminations
ZERO: No Characteristic Impedance for Uncompressed Current Transfer
The integrity of any audio transient (instantaneous peak-to-peak voltage swing and current) delivered from a power amplifier to a loudspeaker has always been compromised. Whether the amplifier is valve or transistor, regardless of class of operation, the amplifier’s source impedance and loudspeaker’s load impedance are never critically matched. The speaker cable’s characteristic impedance is yet another culprit in a highly compromised non-linear electrical circuit. AudioQuest has always stated that all cables cause damage because the output is never as good as the input. However, by eliminating a speaker cable’s characteristic impedance, AQ’s ZERO Technology is an unprecedented step towards reducing that damage. The result is greater dynamic contrast, better audio transient response, and bass slam that are rendered seemingly without effort because the cable is not electrically restricting (strangling) the music.
Ground-Noise Dissipation
This extremely effective patented common-mode noise-rejection technology is deployed on the ground path in almost all AQ AC Power cables, in addition to in AQ Bass & Midrange model speaker cables. The effectiveness of GND compromises audio above 10,000Hz, preventing the dedicated Bass & Midrange cable from being ideal for Full-Range use.
ThunderBird Conductors: Solid Perfect-Surface Copper+ (PSC+)
Solid conductors prevent electrical 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 that exist within any metal conductor.
Carbon-Based Linearized Noise-Dissipation System (NDS)
Today’s environment is saturated with radio-frequency noise that is extremely difficult to filter or reject. The frequencies of this noise from satellites, cellular towers, and Bluetooth, etc., are so extremely narrow that a conventional shield, or a series or shunt filter, is wholly inadequate. Much of the low-level signal that carries the harmonics and spatial cues that define high-resolution audio is masked by induced radio-frequency noise. AQ’s comprehensive Linearized Noise-Dissipation System combines multiple shields and a carbon-based linearized resistive network that turns most of this noise into heat. By "linearized," we mean that the system is equally effective across an extremely wide bandwidth, rather than at selected frequencies only, as is more common. The remaining bad energy is effectively drained away from the sensitive amplifier circuits via directionally controlled signal and shield conductors.
Dielectric-Bias System with Carbon-Level Radio-Frequency Trap (DBS)
All insulation is also a dielectric whose electrical properties affect the integrity of the signal. When the insulation is unbiased, dielectric-involvement (absorption and non-linear release of energy back into the signal flow) causes different amounts of time delay (phase shift) for different frequencies and energy levels, which is a significant problem for very time-sensitive multi-octave audio. AudioQuest’s multi-patented DBS creates a strong, stable electrostatic field which saturates and polarizes (organizes) the molecules of the insulation. This minimizes the nonlinear time delays, resulting in clearer sound emerging from a “blacker” background. The inclusion of an RF Trap (a technology developed for AudioQuest’s Niagara Series of power products) in the DBS battery pack further reduces radio-frequency noise. The DBS battery packs will last for many years. A test button and LED allow for the occasional battery check.
ThunderBird Biwiring
When possible, running separate cables to the treble and bass “halves” of a speaker considerably reduces distortion. BiWiring keeps the large magnetic fields associated with bass energy out of the treble cable, allowing the delicate upper frequencies to travel a less magnetically disturbed path, like taking the waves out of the water when you swim. The Rocket models of AQ speaker cable have two autonomous internal constructions, facilitating proper BiWiring within a single cable. The Type models of AQ speaker cable can be doubled-up, using one for treble and one for bass. However, doubling-up AQ’s ZERO Technology cables can be less of an improvement because of ZERO’s unrestricted wide bandwidth – using two ZERO Full-Range cables can actually allow more RF energy into the amplifier, whereas using a BASS with GND Bass & Midrange cable in combination with a ZERO cable for Treble significantly reduces total RF Noise. The BASS cable’s patented Ground-Noise Dissipation (GND) drains RF energy away from the amplifier’s output. When properly implemented, BiWiring has always been a way to get better performance for the same or less money. With GND, the improvements from BiWiring are considerably more dramatic. Dragon BASS with GND is an ideal cable for the Bass and Midrange inputs of a BiWirable or TriWireable loudspeaker when used in combination with Dragon ZERO Full-Range cable on the treble input. Dragon ZERO can also be used with ThunderBird BASS or FireBird BASS as excellent cost-effective alternatives.
Mythical Creature Cold-Welded Terminations
Mythical Creature cables are Cold-Welded to AudioQuest’s extremely pure Red Copper Spades or Bananas. The bare copper is submerged (hung) in a vat of pure silver instead of being tumbled in a lower-grade solution. AudioQuest speaker breakouts and plug casings are not metal in order to not disrupt the signal’s magnetic field and do not induce RF Noise into the conductors.
Contact Enhancer Option
To ensure the best possible connection between your system, Future Shop recommends the DeoxIT Gold G-Series contact enhancer.
DeoxIT Gold is carefully applied to the plug contacts of your cable and is a unique conditioning solution designed to improve conductivity and provide long-lasting protection on gold, base metals and other precious metal contacts and connections. DeoxIT Gold penetrates plated surfaces, molecularly bonding to the base metals to seal and protect both surfaces.
The benefits of applying DeoxIT gold are:
- Improved Conductivity
- Maintained optimum signal quality
- Reduced wear & abrasion
- Prevents fretting/dendrite corrosion
- Forms a protective anti-tarnishing coating
- Stabilises connections between similar and dissimilar metals
- Reduces arcing, RFI and intermittent connections
Please select this option from the above ‘Contact Enhancer’ drop-down menu and our engineers will apply the contact solution to your cable connectors prior to shipping.
Specification:
- Please note, you need to enter a quantity of 2 for a pair
- Metal: Solid Perfect-Surface Copper+ (PSC+) & Solid Perfect-Surface Silver (PSS)
- Gauge: 2 x 4.73mm2
- Geometry: 2 x 4-in-0Ω
- Dielectric: DBS with Radio Frequency Trap
- Noise-Dissipation System: Carbon-Based Linearised NDS
- Jacket: Black/Red Braid
- Bi-Wirable: Yes with Mythical Creature Bass Speaker Cables
- Termination: Series 1000 Silver Banana or Series 1000 Silver Spade
- Warranty: Lifetime
How to Order
From the dropdown menus' above, simply select the length of cable, the type of plugs required at the ‘ Amplifier end’ and ‘ Speaker end’ and click on the 'Add to Basket' button to add the item to your basket. Your cable will be dispatched as soon as it has been made by Future Shop's or the manufacturer’s engineers and has completed the specified burn-in process (if any), subject to Future Shop’s Terms & Conditions and stock availability.
About AudioQuest
AudioQuest has been the largest cable supplier to the high-end specialist market for many years. AudioQuest is sold in several hundred outlets in the US and in over sixty countries. Bill Lowe (Founder) is especially pleased that this success has been possible despite his insistence that the foundation of the company, and the foundation of AudioQuest marketing, must be the performance of the product. In the audio world, many professionals have learned that it is not always convenient to listen to the products they sell … they might learn something they don’t want to know! Bill has always understood the challenge of basing the existence of AudioQuest on the performance of the product. However, to Bill, this is the only reasonable way to do business and the only acceptable way to combine his passion for music (and all things high performance), with his need to make a living.
About AudioQuest
Californian cable maker covering analogue, digital, speaker and power cables, with patented conductor and dielectric designs.
AudioQuest is based in Irvine, California, and makes cables for nearly every connection in a system: analogue interconnects, USB, HDMI and Ethernet, speaker cables and AC power cables. Its designs come back to four ideas: solid conductors, directionality, noise dissipation and the quality of the metal.
Read more about AudioQuest Show less
Conductor and metal choices come first
Solid conductors and metal quality are two of the ideas AudioQuest returns to across its range. HyperLitz, a conductor construction patented in 1988, is another. Directionality, the principle that a cable is built to carry signal in one direction, is the fourth.
Noise is treated as a separate design problem
AudioQuest lists its noise-dissipation technologies as ZERO-Tech, RF/ND-Tech and the Dielectric-Bias System, which was patented in 2004. They are applied alongside the conductor work rather than in place of it, and which ones a cable carries depends on the model and its price.
One brand across the whole system
AudioQuest also makes AC power cables, Niagara and PowerQuest power conditioners and DragonFly DACs alongside its analogue, digital and speaker cables. If you are building or upgrading a system, that means every cable in the chain, and the power feeding it, can come from one design approach.
Why we stock AudioQuest
We took AudioQuest on for HDMI. When the 1.4 spec arrived in 2009 they were the first supplier who could actually get the cables to us, at a point when almost nobody could. The power cables turned out to be just as good, and they are now a bigger part of what we sell than the HDMI ever was.
New cables (even high-quality ones) benefit from a period of signal conditioning before reaching their optimum performance. The dielectric (insulation) around the conductors needs time to stabilise under the electromagnetic field created by signal flow. Rather than leaving this to you, we run cables on our Nordost Vidar burn-in machine before dispatch, up to the equivalent of 200 hours of use, in a fraction of the time. Your cable arrives performance-ready from the first listen.
Specification:
- Please note, you need to enter a quantity of 2 for a pair
- Metal: Solid Perfect Surface Copper+ (PSC+)
- Gauge: 2 x 4.73mm2
- Geometry: 2 x 4-in-0Ω
- Dielectric: DBS with Radio Frequency Trap
- Noise-Dissipation System: Carbon Based Linearised NDS
- Jacket: Black/Blue Braid
- Bi-Wirable: Yes with Mythical Creature Bass Speaker Cables
- Termination: Series 1000 Silver Banana or Series 1000 Silver Spade
- Warranty: Lifetime
We use Royal Mail 1st Class services for our Standard Delivery.
Orders received before 4.30 pm Monday to Friday are usually dispatched the same day by FIRST CLASS post (unless premium postal or timed courier services are selected), subject to stock availability. This does not apply to custom-length cables and speaker cables as these require a longer timescale to terminate. This also excludes all cables selected for the burn-in service. Please note, we do not process orders on national holidays in the UK. Over 98% of our orders are delivered the next working day including Saturdays.
Standard delivery is usually within 2 working days, although 98% of all orders are delivered the next working day including Saturdays. In extreme cases, such as delivery to the Highlands and Islands, this may take 3 days.
All items are fully insured and come with an invoice from Future Shop. We use the Royal Mail for delivery of small packages and DPD Local or DHL for items that weigh over 2KG. Items over 2KG are fully insured and will usually be delivered within 48 hours of placing your order subject to stock availability. For international orders, we use FedEx or DHL services where customers have selected this option.
Please note, special orders for non-standard cable lengths may be subject to longer deliver time-scales. This may vary from manufacturer to manufacturer.
We offer 'Free delivery on orders over £99' subject to the following terms & conditions:
- Applies only to orders with £99 or more of items (including VAT at the UK rate), at Future Shop
- Free Delivery on orders over £99 utilises Royal Mail First Class postal service for items weighing under 2KG. For items weighing over 2KG, we use DPD or DHL next working day services which deliver from 9.00am to 6pm within mainland UK (excludes Royal Mail Special Delivery Services and timed next day delivery services by DPD or DHL).
- Applies only to deliveries to addresses within mainland UK and Northern Ireland addresses. Applies only to orders that are to be delivered to a single Mainland UK delivery address.
- You will not be eligible for free delivery on your order if any items are cancelled or returned for a refund, bringing the total order amount below £99. Where items are returned, the refund due will be the cost of the item less any postage costs.
- We reserve the right to change or discontinue 'Free delivery on orders over £99 promotion at any time.
- FREE DELIVERY FOR ORDERS OVER £99 OFFER DOES NOT APPLY TO TRADE CUSTOMERS.
UK Postal & Delivery Charges - FIRST CLASS
Free UK delivery on all orders over £99*
| Weight | Price (FIRST CLASS UK POSTAGE) |
| 0g - 1000g | £3.95 |
| 1000g - 1400g | £4.95 |
| 1400g - 1800g | £5.95 |
| 1800g - 2000g | £6.95 |
| 2000g - 3000g | £8.95 |
* Free Delivery on orders over £99 utilises Royal Mail First Class postal service for items weighing under 2KG. For items weighing over 2KG, we use DPD or DHL next working day services which deliver from 9.00am to 6pm within mainland UK.
Free Delivery for orders over £99 excludes Royal Mail Special Delivery Services and timed next day delivery services by DPD or DHL.
Special Delivery UK - Guaranteed Next Working Day
We have 99.9% of the UK covered With Royal Mail Next Day Special Delivery. We guarantee delivery to most UK addresses by 1pm the next working day. This includes Northern Ireland, Jersey and Guernsey. Some places take longer to deliver to but we still guarantee delivery within three working days by 5.30 PM.
Please note, Royal Mail Special Delivery for next working day may not be possible where non-standard cable lengths are ordered. If this is the case, the item will be shipped via The Royal Mail Special Delivery service as soon as the cable is custom made.
For orders weighing over 2KG, we reserve the right to ship items using Next Day Pre-Noon Courier Services where Royal Mail Special Delivery option has been selected.
Channel Islands & Northern Ireland
We accept orders from all Channel Islands including Alderney, Jersey, Guernsey and Sark. Unless you select a premium service, Items weighing under 2KG are delivered using our standard UK delivery option above. For items weighing over 2KG, a surcharge may be applied for all deliveries to the Channel Islands as well as Northern Ireland.
European Countries
Deliveries to EU member states are not subject to 20% VAT after December 31st 2020 and therefore the 20% VAT on items is automatically deducted when you log-in, register or proceed to place an order.
The customer will be liable for the VAT at the local VAT rate, duty on the import and the brokerage service fee if applicable. This may need to be paid in advance to your local Customs & Excise office or the delivery company before your order can be delivered.
We offer the following shipping services:
- Royal Mail First Class International Airmail Services - Items are usually delivered within 3 to 5 working days
- Royal Mail Standard International Mail Services - Items are usually delivered within 7-10 working days
- DHL Express International - Items are usually delivered within 24 to 48 hours. DHL orders must be received by 3:30pm for next day service to most destinations in Europe
- Federal Express International Priority - Items are usually delivered within 24 to 48 hours. FedEx orders must be received by 3.00pm for next day service to most destinations in Europe
- Federal Express International Economy - Item are usually delivered within 48 to 72 hours
We reserve the right to change your shipping method without notification if you select a method that we cannot use for your shipment (for instance, we cannot ship via postal services for items over 2 Kg to International destinations). If we need to change your shipping method, we will choose the least expensive shipping method for your order.
Worldwide - Excluding UK & Europe
Deliveries outside of the UK are not subject to 20% VAT and so the 20% tax on items is automatically deducted when you log-in, register or proceed to place an order.
If applicable, the customer will be liable for the taxes at the local tax rate, duty on the import and the brokerage service fee. This may need to be paid in advance to your local Customs & Excise office or the delivery company before your order can be delivered.
We offer the following shipping services:
- Royal Mail First Class International Airmail Services - Items are usually delivered within 7 to 10 working days
- Royal Mail Standard International Mail Services - Items are usually delivered within 15 working days
- DHL Express International - Items are usually delivered within 24 to 48 hours. DHL orders must be received by 3:30pm for next day service to most destinations in Europe
- Federal Express International Priority - Items are usually delivered within 48 hours. FedEx orders must be received by 3.00pm in order to ship items the same day, subject to stock availability
- Where the actual weight of the package significantly exceeds the shipping cost charged on orders, we may write to you for an additional shipping charge. For larger orders, items may be shipped in multiple packets at our discretion
We reserve the right to change your shipping method without notification if you select a method that we cannot use for your shipment (for instance, we cannot ship via postal services for items over 2 Kg to International destinations). If we need to change your shipping method, we will choose the least expensive shipping method for your order.
Frequently Asked Questions
Free Premium Cable Burn-In Service: Experience the Power of Nordost VIDAR 2 Machine
We are thrilled to unveil our upgraded cable burn-in service, now featuring the cutting-edge VIDAR 2 burn-in machine. At Future Shop, we strive to provide the best possible experience for our customers, and this enhanced service is designed to unlock the true potential of your high-end cables. Read on to discover the exceptional benefits and advancements offered by the VIDAR 2 machine.
Please note: We are unable to burn-in cables with stripped bare ends or BFA plugs. Cable burn-in occurs after your order has been processed for the selected time period. For custom-length cables, burn-in takes place after termination by the manufacturer or our skilled engineers.
The Nordost VIDAR cable burn-in machine seamlessly combines three vital functions into a single operation:
- Neutralising charges around cables and insulation: The VIDAR 2 effectively dissipates any built-up charges, creating an optimal environment for signal transmission.
- Deep conditioning into the conductor core: With its wide band and profound conditioning capabilities, the machine induces significant changes in signal passage through the metal, resulting in enhanced performance.
- Ultrasonic surface conditioning of conductors: The VIDAR 2 employs ultrasonic technology to refine the conductor surface, further refining the signal quality.
In addition to all the advantages of its predecessor, the VIDAR 2 introduces remarkable improvements, including:
- Complex burn-in signal with wider bandwidth and richer content
- Enhanced directionality for cables
- FOUR burn-in zones - including a new digital zone for USB, Ethernet, and Coaxial (BNC) cables.
Using a proprietary blend of composite and complex signals, the VIDAR 2 ensures comprehensive cable conditioning. The signal consists of ultra-low and ultra-high frequencies, surpassing video frequency ranges. The signal effectively penetrates the core at ultra-low frequencies by oscillating throughout the cable while swiftly traversing the surface at ultra-high frequencies. This transmission methodology counters harmonics and heterodynes between the two complex waveforms, improving signal performance throughout all cable layers.
Furthermore, the circuitry design boasts a unique feature that drives electrons above the conductor into the dielectric or insulation area. This process neutralizes any electrical charges that may impact the signal integrity. With the Nordost VIDAR, we go beyond merely sending ping-pong signals along the cable; we also ensure a balanced signal flow from the centre core to the outer shield in interconnect cables.
What does all this mean for you?
Conditioning your cables with the Nordost VIDAR yields remarkable benefits, including enhanced sound staging, heightened detail reproduction, and a more captivating and musical presentation.
We offer our cable burn-in service as a complimentary offering at the discretion of Future Shop. While we strive to accommodate all burn-in requests for the specified time periods, please understand that during exceptionally busy periods, we may be unable to fulfill all demands due to the limited connections available on the Nordost VIDAR cable conditioning machines.
READ MORE ABOUT THE NORDOST VIDAR 2 BURN-IN TREATMENT
AudioQuest ThunderBird Zero Speaker Cable - Banana to Banana 3m Pair Ex-Demo
With the introduction of the Mythical Creatures series of speaker cables, AudioQuest has pushed significantly beyond even its own very high standards.
The same team responsible for the groundbreaking new series of AudioQuest AC power cables—AudioQuest's founder, William Low, and Director of Power Products, Garth Powell—has created what are simply the most transparent, get-out-of-the-way immersive speaker cables ever made. The Mythical Creatures series—ThunderBird, FireBird, and Dragon—are not merely an incremental evolution; their introduction represents a category advance in speaker cable design.
Building on a solid base of familiar AQ technologies, Garth and Bill specifically focused on addressing one of the most vexing issues plaguing speaker cable design: the mismatch between the amplifier’s source impedance and the speaker’s load impedance.
All previous attempts to address this issue chose to move the speaker cable’s characteristic impedance to a value closer to the nominal impedance of the speakers. All such attempts failed because a speaker’s impedance changes with frequency, and the amplifier’s output impedance is something else altogether.
By eliminating the Mythical Creatures speaker cable’s characteristic impedance, current compression and distortion of the signal (current) transient is significantly reduced. The result is dynamic contrast, transient response, and bass slam that are rendered seemingly without effort.
These new Mythical Creatures ZERO speaker cables may be used in one of two ways: either as ideal Full-Range cables, or, in combination with a dedicated BASS cable, in a BiWire cable assembly of unparalleled performance. ThunderBird, FireBird, and Dragon BASS cables incorporate our patented common-mode noise-rejection technology, yielding an audibly dramatic additional reason to BiWire when possible.
Whether AudioQuest’s new Mythical Creatures speaker cables are used as Full-Range or BiWire, the beautiful sonic result is the sound of your amplifier doing its job unmolested by either current compression or radio-frequency noise.
Features
- Ground-Noise Dissipation
- ThunderBird Conductors: Solid Perfect-Surface Copper+ (PSC+)
- Carbon-Based Linearized Noise-Dissipation System (NDS)
- Dielectric-Bias System with Carbon-Level Radio-Frequency Trap (DBS)
- ThunderBird Biwiring
- Mythical Creature Cold-Welded Terminations
ZERO: No Characteristic Impedance for Uncompressed Current Transfer
The integrity of any audio transient (instantaneous peak-to-peak voltage swing and current) delivered from a power amplifier to a loudspeaker has always been compromised. Whether the amplifier is valve or transistor, regardless of class of operation, the amplifier’s source impedance and loudspeaker’s load impedance are never critically matched. The speaker cable’s characteristic impedance is yet another culprit in a highly compromised non-linear electrical circuit. AudioQuest has always stated that all cables cause damage because the output is never as good as the input. However, by eliminating a speaker cable’s characteristic impedance, AQ’s ZERO Technology is an unprecedented step towards reducing that damage. The result is greater dynamic contrast, better audio transient response, and bass slam that are rendered seemingly without effort because the cable is not electrically restricting (strangling) the music.
Ground-Noise Dissipation
This extremely effective patented common-mode noise-rejection technology is deployed on the ground path in almost all AQ AC Power cables, in addition to in AQ Bass & Midrange model speaker cables. The effectiveness of GND compromises audio above 10,000Hz, preventing the dedicated Bass & Midrange cable from being ideal for Full-Range use.
ThunderBird Conductors: Solid Perfect-Surface Copper+ (PSC+)
Solid conductors prevent electrical 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 that exist within any metal conductor.
Carbon-Based Linearized Noise-Dissipation System (NDS)
Today’s environment is saturated with radio-frequency noise that is extremely difficult to filter or reject. The frequencies of this noise from satellites, cellular towers, and Bluetooth, etc., are so extremely narrow that a conventional shield, or a series or shunt filter, is wholly inadequate. Much of the low-level signal that carries the harmonics and spatial cues that define high-resolution audio is masked by induced radio-frequency noise. AQ’s comprehensive Linearized Noise-Dissipation System combines multiple shields and a carbon-based linearized resistive network that turns most of this noise into heat. By "linearized," we mean that the system is equally effective across an extremely wide bandwidth, rather than at selected frequencies only, as is more common. The remaining bad energy is effectively drained away from the sensitive amplifier circuits via directionally controlled signal and shield conductors.
Dielectric-Bias System with Carbon-Level Radio-Frequency Trap (DBS)
All insulation is also a dielectric whose electrical properties affect the integrity of the signal. When the insulation is unbiased, dielectric-involvement (absorption and non-linear release of energy back into the signal flow) causes different amounts of time delay (phase shift) for different frequencies and energy levels, which is a significant problem for very time-sensitive multi-octave audio. AudioQuest’s multi-patented DBS creates a strong, stable electrostatic field which saturates and polarizes (organizes) the molecules of the insulation. This minimizes the nonlinear time delays, resulting in clearer sound emerging from a “blacker” background. The inclusion of an RF Trap (a technology developed for AudioQuest’s Niagara Series of power products) in the DBS battery pack further reduces radio-frequency noise. The DBS battery packs will last for many years. A test button and LED allow for the occasional battery check.
ThunderBird Biwiring
When possible, running separate cables to the treble and bass “halves” of a speaker considerably reduces distortion. BiWiring keeps the large magnetic fields associated with bass energy out of the treble cable, allowing the delicate upper frequencies to travel a less magnetically disturbed path, like taking the waves out of the water when you swim. The Rocket models of AQ speaker cable have two autonomous internal constructions, facilitating proper BiWiring within a single cable. The Type models of AQ speaker cable can be doubled-up, using one for treble and one for bass. However, doubling-up AQ’s ZERO Technology cables can be less of an improvement because of ZERO’s unrestricted wide bandwidth – using two ZERO Full-Range cables can actually allow more RF energy into the amplifier, whereas using a BASS with GND Bass & Midrange cable in combination with a ZERO cable for Treble significantly reduces total RF Noise. The BASS cable’s patented Ground-Noise Dissipation (GND) drains RF energy away from the amplifier’s output. When properly implemented, BiWiring has always been a way to get better performance for the same or less money. With GND, the improvements from BiWiring are considerably more dramatic. Dragon BASS with GND is an ideal cable for the Bass and Midrange inputs of a BiWirable or TriWireable loudspeaker when used in combination with Dragon ZERO Full-Range cable on the treble input. Dragon ZERO can also be used with ThunderBird BASS or FireBird BASS as excellent cost-effective alternatives.
Mythical Creature Cold-Welded Terminations
Mythical Creature cables are Cold-Welded to AudioQuest’s extremely pure Red Copper Spades or Bananas. The bare copper is submerged (hung) in a vat of pure silver instead of being tumbled in a lower-grade solution. AudioQuest speaker breakouts and plug casings are not metal in order to not disrupt the signal’s magnetic field and do not induce RF Noise into the conductors.
Contact Enhancer Option
To ensure the best possible connection between your system, Future Shop recommends the DeoxIT Gold G-Series contact enhancer.
DeoxIT Gold is carefully applied to the plug contacts of your cable and is a unique conditioning solution designed to improve conductivity and provide long-lasting protection on gold, base metals and other precious metal contacts and connections. DeoxIT Gold penetrates plated surfaces, molecularly bonding to the base metals to seal and protect both surfaces.
The benefits of applying DeoxIT gold are:
- Improved Conductivity
- Maintained optimum signal quality
- Reduced wear & abrasion
- Prevents fretting/dendrite corrosion
- Forms a protective anti-tarnishing coating
- Stabilises connections between similar and dissimilar metals
- Reduces arcing, RFI and intermittent connections
Please select this option from the above ‘Contact Enhancer’ drop-down menu and our engineers will apply the contact solution to your cable connectors prior to shipping.
Specification:
- Please note, you need to enter a quantity of 2 for a pair
- Metal: Solid Perfect-Surface Copper+ (PSC+) & Solid Perfect-Surface Silver (PSS)
- Gauge: 2 x 4.73mm2
- Geometry: 2 x 4-in-0Ω
- Dielectric: DBS with Radio Frequency Trap
- Noise-Dissipation System: Carbon-Based Linearised NDS
- Jacket: Black/Red Braid
- Bi-Wirable: Yes with Mythical Creature Bass Speaker Cables
- Termination: Series 1000 Silver Banana or Series 1000 Silver Spade
- Warranty: Lifetime
How to Order
From the dropdown menus' above, simply select the length of cable, the type of plugs required at the ‘ Amplifier end’ and ‘ Speaker end’ and click on the 'Add to Basket' button to add the item to your basket. Your cable will be dispatched as soon as it has been made by Future Shop's or the manufacturer’s engineers and has completed the specified burn-in process (if any), subject to Future Shop’s Terms & Conditions and stock availability.
About AudioQuest
AudioQuest has been the largest cable supplier to the high-end specialist market for many years. AudioQuest is sold in several hundred outlets in the US and in over sixty countries. Bill Lowe (Founder) is especially pleased that this success has been possible despite his insistence that the foundation of the company, and the foundation of AudioQuest marketing, must be the performance of the product. In the audio world, many professionals have learned that it is not always convenient to listen to the products they sell … they might learn something they don’t want to know! Bill has always understood the challenge of basing the existence of AudioQuest on the performance of the product. However, to Bill, this is the only reasonable way to do business and the only acceptable way to combine his passion for music (and all things high performance), with his need to make a living.
About AudioQuest
Californian cable maker covering analogue, digital, speaker and power cables, with patented conductor and dielectric designs.
AudioQuest is based in Irvine, California, and makes cables for nearly every connection in a system: analogue interconnects, USB, HDMI and Ethernet, speaker cables and AC power cables. Its designs come back to four ideas: solid conductors, directionality, noise dissipation and the quality of the metal.
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Conductor and metal choices come first
Solid conductors and metal quality are two of the ideas AudioQuest returns to across its range. HyperLitz, a conductor construction patented in 1988, is another. Directionality, the principle that a cable is built to carry signal in one direction, is the fourth.
Noise is treated as a separate design problem
AudioQuest lists its noise-dissipation technologies as ZERO-Tech, RF/ND-Tech and the Dielectric-Bias System, which was patented in 2004. They are applied alongside the conductor work rather than in place of it, and which ones a cable carries depends on the model and its price.
One brand across the whole system
AudioQuest also makes AC power cables, Niagara and PowerQuest power conditioners and DragonFly DACs alongside its analogue, digital and speaker cables. If you are building or upgrading a system, that means every cable in the chain, and the power feeding it, can come from one design approach.
Why we stock AudioQuest
We took AudioQuest on for HDMI. When the 1.4 spec arrived in 2009 they were the first supplier who could actually get the cables to us, at a point when almost nobody could. The power cables turned out to be just as good, and they are now a bigger part of what we sell than the HDMI ever was.
New cables (even high-quality ones) benefit from a period of signal conditioning before reaching their optimum performance. The dielectric (insulation) around the conductors needs time to stabilise under the electromagnetic field created by signal flow. Rather than leaving this to you, we run cables on our Nordost Vidar burn-in machine before dispatch, up to the equivalent of 200 hours of use, in a fraction of the time. Your cable arrives performance-ready from the first listen.
Specification:
- Please note, you need to enter a quantity of 2 for a pair
- Metal: Solid Perfect Surface Copper+ (PSC+)
- Gauge: 2 x 4.73mm2
- Geometry: 2 x 4-in-0Ω
- Dielectric: DBS with Radio Frequency Trap
- Noise-Dissipation System: Carbon Based Linearised NDS
- Jacket: Black/Blue Braid
- Bi-Wirable: Yes with Mythical Creature Bass Speaker Cables
- Termination: Series 1000 Silver Banana or Series 1000 Silver Spade
- Warranty: Lifetime
We use Royal Mail 1st Class services for our Standard Delivery.
Orders received before 4.30 pm Monday to Friday are usually dispatched the same day by FIRST CLASS post (unless premium postal or timed courier services are selected), subject to stock availability. This does not apply to custom-length cables and speaker cables as these require a longer timescale to terminate. This also excludes all cables selected for the burn-in service. Please note, we do not process orders on national holidays in the UK. Over 98% of our orders are delivered the next working day including Saturdays.
Standard delivery is usually within 2 working days, although 98% of all orders are delivered the next working day including Saturdays. In extreme cases, such as delivery to the Highlands and Islands, this may take 3 days.
All items are fully insured and come with an invoice from Future Shop. We use the Royal Mail for delivery of small packages and DPD Local or DHL for items that weigh over 2KG. Items over 2KG are fully insured and will usually be delivered within 48 hours of placing your order subject to stock availability. For international orders, we use FedEx or DHL services where customers have selected this option.
Please note, special orders for non-standard cable lengths may be subject to longer deliver time-scales. This may vary from manufacturer to manufacturer.
We offer 'Free delivery on orders over £99' subject to the following terms & conditions:
- Applies only to orders with £99 or more of items (including VAT at the UK rate), at Future Shop
- Free Delivery on orders over £99 utilises Royal Mail First Class postal service for items weighing under 2KG. For items weighing over 2KG, we use DPD or DHL next working day services which deliver from 9.00am to 6pm within mainland UK (excludes Royal Mail Special Delivery Services and timed next day delivery services by DPD or DHL).
- Applies only to deliveries to addresses within mainland UK and Northern Ireland addresses. Applies only to orders that are to be delivered to a single Mainland UK delivery address.
- You will not be eligible for free delivery on your order if any items are cancelled or returned for a refund, bringing the total order amount below £99. Where items are returned, the refund due will be the cost of the item less any postage costs.
- We reserve the right to change or discontinue 'Free delivery on orders over £99 promotion at any time.
- FREE DELIVERY FOR ORDERS OVER £99 OFFER DOES NOT APPLY TO TRADE CUSTOMERS.
UK Postal & Delivery Charges - FIRST CLASS
Free UK delivery on all orders over £99*
| Weight | Price (FIRST CLASS UK POSTAGE) |
| 0g - 1000g | £3.95 |
| 1000g - 1400g | £4.95 |
| 1400g - 1800g | £5.95 |
| 1800g - 2000g | £6.95 |
| 2000g - 3000g | £8.95 |
* Free Delivery on orders over £99 utilises Royal Mail First Class postal service for items weighing under 2KG. For items weighing over 2KG, we use DPD or DHL next working day services which deliver from 9.00am to 6pm within mainland UK.
Free Delivery for orders over £99 excludes Royal Mail Special Delivery Services and timed next day delivery services by DPD or DHL.
Special Delivery UK - Guaranteed Next Working Day
We have 99.9% of the UK covered With Royal Mail Next Day Special Delivery. We guarantee delivery to most UK addresses by 1pm the next working day. This includes Northern Ireland, Jersey and Guernsey. Some places take longer to deliver to but we still guarantee delivery within three working days by 5.30 PM.
Please note, Royal Mail Special Delivery for next working day may not be possible where non-standard cable lengths are ordered. If this is the case, the item will be shipped via The Royal Mail Special Delivery service as soon as the cable is custom made.
For orders weighing over 2KG, we reserve the right to ship items using Next Day Pre-Noon Courier Services where Royal Mail Special Delivery option has been selected.
Channel Islands & Northern Ireland
We accept orders from all Channel Islands including Alderney, Jersey, Guernsey and Sark. Unless you select a premium service, Items weighing under 2KG are delivered using our standard UK delivery option above. For items weighing over 2KG, a surcharge may be applied for all deliveries to the Channel Islands as well as Northern Ireland.
European Countries
Deliveries to EU member states are not subject to 20% VAT after December 31st 2020 and therefore the 20% VAT on items is automatically deducted when you log-in, register or proceed to place an order.
The customer will be liable for the VAT at the local VAT rate, duty on the import and the brokerage service fee if applicable. This may need to be paid in advance to your local Customs & Excise office or the delivery company before your order can be delivered.
We offer the following shipping services:
- Royal Mail First Class International Airmail Services - Items are usually delivered within 3 to 5 working days
- Royal Mail Standard International Mail Services - Items are usually delivered within 7-10 working days
- DHL Express International - Items are usually delivered within 24 to 48 hours. DHL orders must be received by 3:30pm for next day service to most destinations in Europe
- Federal Express International Priority - Items are usually delivered within 24 to 48 hours. FedEx orders must be received by 3.00pm for next day service to most destinations in Europe
- Federal Express International Economy - Item are usually delivered within 48 to 72 hours
We reserve the right to change your shipping method without notification if you select a method that we cannot use for your shipment (for instance, we cannot ship via postal services for items over 2 Kg to International destinations). If we need to change your shipping method, we will choose the least expensive shipping method for your order.
Worldwide - Excluding UK & Europe
Deliveries outside of the UK are not subject to 20% VAT and so the 20% tax on items is automatically deducted when you log-in, register or proceed to place an order.
If applicable, the customer will be liable for the taxes at the local tax rate, duty on the import and the brokerage service fee. This may need to be paid in advance to your local Customs & Excise office or the delivery company before your order can be delivered.
We offer the following shipping services:
- Royal Mail First Class International Airmail Services - Items are usually delivered within 7 to 10 working days
- Royal Mail Standard International Mail Services - Items are usually delivered within 15 working days
- DHL Express International - Items are usually delivered within 24 to 48 hours. DHL orders must be received by 3:30pm for next day service to most destinations in Europe
- Federal Express International Priority - Items are usually delivered within 48 hours. FedEx orders must be received by 3.00pm in order to ship items the same day, subject to stock availability
- Where the actual weight of the package significantly exceeds the shipping cost charged on orders, we may write to you for an additional shipping charge. For larger orders, items may be shipped in multiple packets at our discretion
We reserve the right to change your shipping method without notification if you select a method that we cannot use for your shipment (for instance, we cannot ship via postal services for items over 2 Kg to International destinations). If we need to change your shipping method, we will choose the least expensive shipping method for your order.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Free Premium Cable Burn-In Service: Experience the Power of Nordost VIDAR 2 Machine
We are thrilled to unveil our upgraded cable burn-in service, now featuring the cutting-edge VIDAR 2 burn-in machine. At Future Shop, we strive to provide the best possible experience for our customers, and this enhanced service is designed to unlock the true potential of your high-end cables. Read on to discover the exceptional benefits and advancements offered by the VIDAR 2 machine.
Please note: We are unable to burn-in cables with stripped bare ends or BFA plugs. Cable burn-in occurs after your order has been processed for the selected time period. For custom-length cables, burn-in takes place after termination by the manufacturer or our skilled engineers.
The Nordost VIDAR cable burn-in machine seamlessly combines three vital functions into a single operation:
- Neutralising charges around cables and insulation: The VIDAR 2 effectively dissipates any built-up charges, creating an optimal environment for signal transmission.
- Deep conditioning into the conductor core: With its wide band and profound conditioning capabilities, the machine induces significant changes in signal passage through the metal, resulting in enhanced performance.
- Ultrasonic surface conditioning of conductors: The VIDAR 2 employs ultrasonic technology to refine the conductor surface, further refining the signal quality.
In addition to all the advantages of its predecessor, the VIDAR 2 introduces remarkable improvements, including:
- Complex burn-in signal with wider bandwidth and richer content
- Enhanced directionality for cables
- FOUR burn-in zones - including a new digital zone for USB, Ethernet, and Coaxial (BNC) cables.
Using a proprietary blend of composite and complex signals, the VIDAR 2 ensures comprehensive cable conditioning. The signal consists of ultra-low and ultra-high frequencies, surpassing video frequency ranges. The signal effectively penetrates the core at ultra-low frequencies by oscillating throughout the cable while swiftly traversing the surface at ultra-high frequencies. This transmission methodology counters harmonics and heterodynes between the two complex waveforms, improving signal performance throughout all cable layers.
Furthermore, the circuitry design boasts a unique feature that drives electrons above the conductor into the dielectric or insulation area. This process neutralizes any electrical charges that may impact the signal integrity. With the Nordost VIDAR, we go beyond merely sending ping-pong signals along the cable; we also ensure a balanced signal flow from the centre core to the outer shield in interconnect cables.
What does all this mean for you?
Conditioning your cables with the Nordost VIDAR yields remarkable benefits, including enhanced sound staging, heightened detail reproduction, and a more captivating and musical presentation.
We offer our cable burn-in service as a complimentary offering at the discretion of Future Shop. While we strive to accommodate all burn-in requests for the specified time periods, please understand that during exceptionally busy periods, we may be unable to fulfill all demands due to the limited connections available on the Nordost VIDAR cable conditioning machines.
READ MORE ABOUT THE NORDOST VIDAR 2 BURN-IN TREATMENT
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AudioQuest ThunderBird Zero Speaker Cable - Banana to Banana 3m Pair Ex-Demo
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