AudioQuest ThunderBird ZERO Full-Range Speaker Cable (Pair)

ThunderBird ZERO

Speaker Cable w/ ZERO-Tech for Full-Range or Treble

Thunderbird 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.

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.

Carbon Based Noise Dissipation

Alternating layers of metal and carbon-loaded synthetics "shield the shield," minimising RF noise before it reaches the layer attached to ground.

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.

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 strand-interaction, a major source of dynamic distortion. Extreme-purity PSC+ solid copper minimises distortion caused by grain boundaries, and, when direction-controlled for surface asymmetry, facilitates crucial Radio-Frequency 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).

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.

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 not to induce RF Noise into the conductors.

ThunderBird 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.

ThunderBird BASS cable is ideal with ThunderBird 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.