FAQ :: Crystal Cable Canada



Products :: News :: Reviews :: FAQ :: Links :: Where to Buy :: How to Sell :: Contact :: About :: Home ::		general inquiries What is Crystal Cable? How do Crystal Cables work? What are the benefits to using Crystal Cable in my audio / video system? Do power cables make a difference in sound quality? How are the Crystal Cables made? Where would I use Crystal Cables? Are digital cables the same as video cables? Is phono cable the same as interconnect cable? dealer / manufacturer inquiries Can we sell Tonearm wire? Can Crystal be sold as raw cable to be used inside a speaker? consumer inquiries What does the Crystal Cable line offer? general inquiries Q: What is Crystal Cable? A: Crystal Cable is a specialized line of audio and video cables. They are the new cable generation, designed and tested for critical use in the aeronautic and space industries. The very thin cables have a transparent outer jacket of Teflon, making them aesthetically attractive regardless of their surroundings, as well as being fully functional in the technical sense. ^top Q: How do Crystal Cables work? A: Crystal Cable conductors are optimized to minimize audio signal errors to nearly zero distortion over the entire audio spectrum and beyond. This is achieved by using a proprietary, annealed silver-gold metallurgy which minimizes crystal boundary induced distortions. [Very close to truly amorphous levels.] Although much debated if this is detectable, the common error made by skeptics is that they tend to analyze voltage distortions, since that is what most measuring equipment is designed to do. Not many people realize the importance of current induced distortions. Compared to voltage distortions, these current distortions are several orders of magnitude higher, and are for the large part responsible for the deformation of sound from an audio cable. Crystal Cable subsequently sets new standards for audio performance by reducing current induced distortion to vanishingly low levels. ^top Q: What are the benefits to using Crystal Cable in my audio / video system? A: 1. Near Zero Cross Talk — To Or From — Other Cables The shielding quality of both the individual conductors, as well as the cable as a whole, is many times better than the thick and inefficiently shielded products of most high-end competitors. This reduction of noise induced by other components and even picked-up by the cable itself results in a measurably lower noise-floor and therefore in a much cleaner and clearer sound, regardless of the connected system. Noise in cables is a much neglected and misunderstood subject. Manufacturers of larger cables fail to come up with good methods for testing and rejecting various electronic "noise." Current belief is that any thick shield keeps out most noise. In reality this is perhaps enough to keep out about 10 percent of the surrounding energy fields. Too many manufacturers using heavy, multiple shields, end up with impractically stiff cables... while not even achieving a satisfactory field rejection rate, even though they may be using triple or quadruple thick shields. By using ultra thin, yet well designed, engineered and tested multiple shields in combination with superior internal geometry, the audio signal passing through Crystal Cable is almost entirely free from external noise, subsequently increasing the sonic fidelity by a considerable margin. With the signal-to-noise ratio so greatly increased, the silent passages in the music become truly silent, just as originally recorded. Also, all formerly buried micro details now enhance the realism and true life sense of the music. ^top 2. Micro Movement Distortions Crystal Cable uses a proprietary modeling of the co-axial concept, where the distances between the central core and outer-skin shields is fixed by high precision dense foils, preventing any possible deformation. Tolerances of this insulation are maintained precisely, resulting is a cable with equally spectacular performance across the entire bandwidth. Since the main construction principal is based co-axially, with new high density materials as both dielectric and primary shield, there is no room for movement of any conductors between the core and the shield. In stranded cables, even those of high quality manufacture, the tiniest of geometric motion (even resonances between strands) will generate non symmetrical behavior, causing reflections at the higher frequency range due to movement induced distortions (MID). These distortions are most easily noticeable in the higher frequencies, due to the skin effect of electrical conductors passing a broad bandwidth of frequencies. This is a general problem faced by manufacturers of audio cables. When using Teflon, Polypropylene, PVC, nylon, and cotton for their cables dielectric insulation, the softer mechanical properties of these materials causes a subjective effect that is easy to detect, the most common being a sponginess and subsequent lack of dynamics in music. Soft details tend to lose precision and air. Combination cables with air- filled tubes tend to make this effect even worse. Eventually the wires can move very easily towards each other and after bending or other force put to cables built like this, their electrical properties will deteriorate markedly.The whole objective of these manufacturers is to obtain lower capacitance, resistance and inductance. Unfortunately, this traditionally comes with the expense of higher distortions and a dynamic-range reduction due to a higher noise floor. In most properly designed audio cables, capacitance is not an issue as long as the total value does not exceed the driving capabilities of the electronics. In real-world practice, Crystal Cable interconnects can be used to about 20m (65 feet) without sacrificing even the slightest transparency of sound. Also, even after forces which would deform lesser cables, Crystal Cables will maintain its structural and electrical integrity, as well as their superb dynamic capabilities. ^top 3. Low Induction By nature, Crystal Cables are immune to inductances (generated by all cables) throughout the entire audio bandwidth. This is of great importance to achieve an undistorted and correct impulse response regardless of frequency and in part, accounts for Crystal Cables superb linearity in frequency-dependant response. When connecting high-power amplifiers to low-efficiency loudspeakers, these effects are multiplied. The Crystal Cable loudspeaker cables are therefore as ideally suited for power-hungry systems as they are for highly efficient designs. Both systems strongly benefit from the Crystal Cable principle of low inductance, low capacitance, low resistance, virtually immeasurable induced or generated noise, and grand, sweeping dynamics with even the tiniest of nuances proudly presented. Even with the smallest and hardly noticeable model called CrystalSpeak Micro, many kilowatts can be handled. The very low inductance, capacitance and resistance guarantees superb response with no compromises whatsoever. ^top Q: Do power cables make a difference in sound quality? A: Yes they do. Power cables radiate pulses* that influence your interconnects up to distances of a meter. These pulses are caused by the rectifier which is standard for almost every piece of Hi-Fi, and is being picked up by nearby interconnects and enter your system where they interfere with your music signal. Crystal's power cords do not radiate these pulses. These pulses are double the main frequency; i.e. 100Hz or 120c/s. Cause is the rectifier together with the always charged electrolytic capacitors; the current needed to fill up those capacitors only flows in the top of the sine wave during a very short period. So instead of an average current consumption from the mains, the current peaks at twice the cycle sending out magnetic fields ranging from 100c/s to about 5000c/s. Q: How are the Crystal Cables made? A: Crystal Cable uses the best possible conductors and isolators: a proprietary, annealed gold and silver alloy for the central, positive conductor. This alloy's inherent properties allows a near-zero state of crystalline-boundary and other spurious induced distortions. Kapton foils as dielectric and electrical/mechanical shield. Kapton is very hard and has a high 400ºC melting point. It is a superb insulator and exceptionally strong, especially when configured in a triple layer such as in Crystal Cable. Braided silver mesh, which has dual purpose functions of both carrying the negative signal and acting as an additional layer of shielding for the central core. Clear Teflon outer coating which is not only a good insulator but also reduces any pickup of stray electrical fields generated outside the cable. (even things as seemingly innocuous as static charges from rugs or carpets!) Because of their high price and difficulty to machine thinly, these exclusive conductive and isolation materials are normally not used all at the same time for consumer products. When combined together, these cables come as close as theoretically possible to a purely "amorphous conductor" without the astronomically high price tag such a product would otherwise command. Another of their other special properties is the fact that they are mechanically extremely strong and very durable. This attention to detail maintains the purity of signal, without any losses from movement induced distortions (MID). It is clear that Crystal Cables uses only the very best available materials to build a compact yet strong cable. The incredible strength, reliability and the high voltage breakdown ratings also ensures that it is an extremely safe product in practical use despite its small size. ^top Q: Where would I use Crystal Cables? A: Crystal Cable made sure these cables will fulfill a long lasting wish among audiophiles: to purchase an audio cable that is truly advanced, giving top-notch results in virtually every system, and which will serve for a lifetime. The additional advantages of being very small and eye pleasing make these cables highly desirable in systems where neat and tidy is preferred to large and bulky. This is especially important in today's larger and more complex systems when cutting holes in walls or floors in order to route unsightly large cables is not a preferred option. Crystal Cables allow both audiophiles, videophiles and their significant others to have the best of both possible worlds... eye pleasing but with the best possible audio and video reproductions. These cables are optimized to be truly system independent. Excellent subjective listening results are achieved over the entire audio range. The richness and purity of the music will quickly result in Crystal Cable becoming your new reference. ^top Q: Are digital cables the same as video cables? A: Yes and no. When both types of cables are well designed they have the same characteristic impedance of 75 Ohm. Video cables however need to have a much higher bandwidth than digital cables. So you can use all video cables as digital interconnects but not necessarily the other way around. ^top Q: Is phono cable the same as interconnect cable? A: Not necessarily. Phono cable always has a ground wire with a small spade and sometimes a DIN sometimes TAC5 connector, sometimes just RCA-RCA with ground. dealer inquiries Q: Can we sell Tonearm wire? A: Yes. And in different diameters. Q: Can Crystal be sold as raw cable to be used inside a speaker? A: Yes. ^top consumer inquiries Q: What does the Crystal Cable line offer?* A: Crystal Cable offers analogue and digital interconnects for audio and video applications in RCA, XLR, BNC, HDMI, and SCART terminations. Video cable bundles come in common jackets with three or five leads. Speaker cables are available with exchangeable banana or spade splitters, in single or bi-wire configurations. Power cord terminations comply with all global plug standards. copywright © 2007 Audio Basics Inc ^top Credits: We thank J.Shanaphy for his whitepaper on Crystal Cable which we've incorporated in our general inquiries section, above.