AudioQuest have introduced the entry point in the Tree Series speaker cable line, Aspen. Aspen and the other Tree Series speaker cables are comprised of many tried-and-true AQ design elements such as Perfect-Surface metals and conductor-size optimization (AQ’s Spread-Spectrum Technology), along with significant newer developments, like Double Counter-Spiral Geometry, AudioQuest’s patented Dielectric-Bias System (DBS) and Noise-Dissipation System (NDS).
Double Counter-Spiral geometry involves a carefully finessed placement of different-size conductors, and in this case, different metals (Perfect-Surface Copper and Perfect-Surface Copper+), in each conductor section of the cable. Each of these conductor sections has the negative conductors spiraling in one direction around the positive conductors, which spiral in the opposite direction for a geometry that is as close to self-shielding as possible. The resulting reduction in distortion is audible as more focused, 3D and engaging sound, furthering AQ’s never-ending goal to Do No Harm to the original signal. Please note too that AudioQuest now offers a Single-BiAmp option for any Rocket, Rock or Tree Series speaker cable, including Aspen. Although similar to a Single-BiWire configuration in which the speaker end has four connectors, the Single-BiAmp configuration also has four connectors at the amplifier end to accommodate the growing number of users who wish to take full advantage of all the amplifier channels in many of today’s AV receivers and multichannel power amplifiers.
As with the other Tree Series cables, Aspen’s separate, 8-conductor sections provide magnetic autonomy of each conductor section and allow it to offer true Double-BiWire performance in a single attractive cable. Of course Aspen is also perfect for full Double-BiWiring, which still has undeniable advantages in many applications.
A very recent advancement featured in Aspen (and all other Tree and Rock Series speaker cables) is the addition of the sleek new “Hanging-Silver” 1000 Series Multi-Spades and Bananas. Originally developed for the WEL Signature Series speaker cables, these plugs are made using a „hanging silver over pure Red Copper” process in which the spades and bananas are submerged (“hung”) into a vat of extreme-purity silver, resulting in a very thick direct-silver plate. No intermediary performance-degrading materials (such as nickel or alloy) are used. Also new to Aspen is a more-neatly-sculpted “breakout” (the covering where the cable separates into red and black legs), which is now made of a synthetic non-magnetic polymer, rather than metal.
We’ve made this all-models upgrade because speaker cables and AC power cables carry large magnetic fields which interact with any metal “collar” around the cable. Eliminating metal in the breakouts is another significant (and clearly audible) step in AQ’s goal of making the cable as sonically “invisible” as possible.
Aspen is a worthy addition to the Tree Series, continuing AudioQuest’s proud heritage of high-value/ high-performance speaker cable designs.
