AudioQuest Robin Hood BASS Speaker Cable (Pair)

Robin Hood BASS

Speaker Cable w/ ZERO-Tech and RF/ND-Tech for Midrange and Bass

Robin Hood BASS with RF/ND-Tech is an ideal cable for the Bass and Midrange inputs of either a Bi-Wireable or Tri-Wireable loudspeaker when used in combination with Robin Hood ZERO or Robin Hood SILVER Full-Range cables.

Key Features & Technology Explained

Solid Conductors

Solid conductors prevent strand-interaction, a major source of dynamic distortion in cables.

Perfect-Surface Copper+ Metal

AudioQuest's best copper. To the greatest extent presently possible, extreme-purity Perfect-Surface Copper+ (PSC+) conductors minimise distortion caused by grain boundaries.

ZERO Technology

ZERO-Tech eliminates the electrostatic field between the cable’s high and low signal conductors, enabling linear Radio Frequency (RF) Noise-Dissipation, and uncompressed transients.

RF/ND Technology

RF/ND-Tech minimises circuit misbehaviour by cancelling induced RF noise.

72v DBS Technology

72v Dielectric-Bias System (DBS) saturates and polarises insulation, allowing clear, dynamic sound against a quiet “black” background.

Direction Controlled

All conductors controlled for RF-noise directionality.

Solid Perfect-Surface Copper+ (PSC+) Conductors

Solid conductors prevent electrical and magnetic strand-interaction. PSC+ Solid-Copper minimises distortion caused by grain boundaries and maximises linear RF Noise-Dissipation.

Carbon-Based Linearised Noise-Dissipation System (NDS)

AQ’s comprehensive Linearised Noise-Dissipation System combines multiple shields and a carbon-based linearised resistive network that turns most of this noise into heat. By "linearised," we mean that the system is equally effective across 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.

ZERO-Tech

The only complete way to eliminate characteristic-impedance mismatches between a cable and the attached source and load is for the cable not to have any fixed characteristic-impedance value. ZERO-Tech accomplishes this by eliminating interaction between the insulation (dielectric) and the cable’s conductors—enabling uncompressed current transfer. All-important transient current is unrestricted, and RF Noise-Dissipation is linearised (consistent octave to octave).

RF/ND-Tech

Though a cable’s ground leads are integral to a component’s signal transmission, they also act as an antenna. Thus, they are subject to induced Radio-Frequency (RF) noise. RF noise is a parasitic signal that is typically coupled directly into a system’s most sensitive audio/video circuits. AudioQuest’s RF-on-ground Noise-Dissipation (RF/ND-Tech) greatly reduces resulting distortion and signal masking, yielding unprecedented levels of Noise-Dissipation across the widest bandwidth (range) of radio frequencies possible. Our unique circuit topology uses a common-mode phase-cancelling array, providing linear noise dissipation across the entire length of the cable (US Patent # 8,988,168).

72v Dielectric-Bias System (DBS) with Level-X RF Noise-Trap

Insulation is also a dielectric that acts like a shunt-filter. Properly biasing the dielectric linearises the filter, significantly improving the cable’s wide-bandwidth ability to dissipate induced noise. The DBS pack’s Level-X Noise-Trap “pulls” RF Noise out of the cable, further reducing attached audio circuit misbehaviour.

Directionality

All drawn metal strands or conductors have a non-symmetrical, and therefore directional, grain structure. AudioQuest controls the resulting RF impedance variation so that noise is drained away from where it will cause distortion. The correct direction is determined by listening to every batch of metal conductors used in every AudioQuest audio cable. When applicable, arrows are clearly marked on the connectors to ensure superior sound quality. For most models of AQ cable, the arrows not only indicate the direction that optimises metal-directionality as part of Noise-Dissipation, but also indicates non-symmetrical attachment of shield and GND in order to optimise full-system performance.

Folk Hero Cold-Welded Terminations

Folk Hero 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 not to induce RF Noise into the conductors.

Robin Hood Bi-Wiring

When possible, running separate cables to the treble and bass “halves” of a speaker significantly reduces distortion. Bi-Wiring 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.

AudioQuest’s RF/ND-Tech (patented RF-Cancelling Ground-Noise Dissipation) attracts RF energy away from the amplifier’s output. When properly implemented, Bi-Wiring has always been a cost-effective way to get better performance for the same or less money. With RF/ND-Tech, the advantage of Bi-Wiring is much more dramatic. Because RF/ND-Tech is so effective, BASS model cables are only for 10KHz and below; do not use a BASS cable full-range or on treble.

Robin Hood BASS cable is ideal with Robin Hood ZERO or SILVER ZERO. A Bi-Wire COMBO with BASS and ZERO cables joined together at the amplifier is usually most convenient. When Tri-Wiring, use BASS cables on the Midrange and Bass inputs.

Caution: Do not Bi-Wire with two ZERO cables. ZERO cables in-parallel can create a very high-frequency resonant peak (ringing), and resulting poor sound. Only use a ZERO plus a BASS cable (whether or not joined as a COMBO). Second best is a single ZERO with AQ Bi-Wire jumpers.