Few things we write about annoy a section of What Hi-Fi?’s readership as much as a cable review. For many of these readers, the idea of spending any more than the minimum makes no sense as long as the cable meets the necessary impedance and current-carrying requirements. If they are happy with their system’s sound, we see no reason to argue.

However, in our experience, the quality of the conductor and dielectric, along with the construction, makes a notable difference to the way a cable performs. With this in mind, Merlin Cables has taken a hard look at the affordable speaker cable market and come up with the Tarantula: an understated but carefully conceived speaker cable designed to offer class-leading performance for the money.

Build & design

Of course, cables are passive components in a hi-fi system. They can’t improve the music signal as such, only make it worse. With a view to minimising this degradation, Merlin has specified the Tarantula with a pair of 99.99% pure, 3.5mm OFC (Oxygen-Free Copper) conductors and wrapped them in XLPE (cross-linked polyethylene) dielectric to reduce signal losses compared to the PVC that many alternatives use.

Speaker cables are also liable to generate structural noise, so it is good to see that Merlin has taken this seriously and specified the use of cotton and other natural fibres to damp any such movement.

A smart and flexible pearl white jacket holds it all in place, and means that the Tarantula is malleable enough to fit around corners or bend behind an equipment rack. It’s a relatively slim cable, just under 9mm in diameter.

While it is possible to use the cable ‘bare-wired’, we would always recommend fitting plugs for convenience and long-term stability reasons. Whether you use Merlin’s Elite Reference 4mm ‘bananas’ or spade terminals, they are cold-welded, which is generally the preferred option over soldered joints for consistency.

The rising cost of raw materials has forced manufacturers to increase their prices in recent years, and so the Tarantula’s £16/m (around $22 / AU$31 per metre) may seem a little hefty for starter cable. But Merlin is adamant that the quality and specification present here would usually cost far more.

We use a 5m pair of the Tarantula cable in two systems. Our main source is Naim’s ND555/555 PS DR music streamer, and we use the cable with both an Arcam A5+ integrated amplifier and KEF LS50 Meta standmounts and in our reference Burmester 088/911 MkIII pre/power into ATC SCM50 speakers.

Our cable benchmark is the Award-winning Chord Company Rumour X speaker cable, which retails for £20 (around $27/AU$48) per metre.

Sound

Straight from the box, the Merlin cable sounds a little hard and brittle. That calms down after a few days of use to reveal a pleasingly balanced and detailed performance. The Tarantula is a slightly understated performer that doesn’t really flavour the music signal in any obvious way.

As we listen to Prokofiev’s Romeo And Juliet, regardless of the system we get plenty of detail and an impressive sense of composure. While there is a good degree of finesse on offer, the Merlin doesn’t shortchange us when it comes to delivering the music’s wide-dynamic sweeps or conveying the power in certain sections of this piece.

We hear scale and authority when the music demands, but also convincing instrumental textures and a tonal balance that’s as close to neutral as we’ve come across at this price. The good news continues when we listen to Jill Scott’s Beautifully Human, where our systems sound clean and crisp without veering into hardness. There is a likeable solidity to their presentations and a measured handling of complex rhythms.

When we swap in the Chord Company Rumour X speaker cable instead of the Merlin Tarantula, our systems certainly sound more punchy and upbeat. The Chord cable presents Scott’s distinctive voice with greater verve and a touch more dynamic expression, but it also sounds less even and less able to convey the texture of the vocals and backing instrumentation.

Considering that the Merlin is usefully cheaper than the Chord, we would say that’s a job well done.

Verdict

The Tarantula ticks all the boxes as far as we are concerned. While not cheap, it remains sensibly priced and has the kind of sonic characteristics that will slot in effortlessly with a wide range of systems.

Add reassuring build quality into the equation, and it looks like Merlin has a winner on its hands.

Review published: 2nd April 2026

SCORES

• Sound 5
• Build 5
• Compatibility 5

MORE:

Read our review of the Chord Company Rumour X

Also consider the Audioquest Rocket 11

Best speaker cables: our 4 expert picks for every budget

If you’re planning on moving house any time soon, make sure to have a thorough clear out before you do.

Clothes that haven’t been worn for years can make their way to a charity shop and unloved children’s toys can go with them. Your unwanted furniture can find a new home that isn't yours. Do you have an old TV in your loft? We did, and there is almost certainly a good reason it was there, but you should really get rid of it before the removal van turns up.

We recently moved house and did not do any of this. A month after our moving day we are still navigating around boxes. A not inconsiderable amount of floor space allocated to items we likely don’t need or want.

There were boxes of cables, too. Most of them for our home cinema and hi-fi systems. Integral parts of the house. Essential items. But there was also a box of, well, random cables.

“Do we need all these cables?” asks my partner.

“Oh yes,” I reply confidently.

“...what for?” comes the predictable follow-up question.

“Well, I don’t know – and that’s exactly why we need them.”

Every house needs a box of random cables. Just like every house needs a drawer full of elastic bands, tiny screwdrivers, those little rubber pads for making doors close quietly, and a massive key of unknown origin.

Of course, you can’t know what you will need and when but the point is you’re prepared.

The accumulation of cables has a clear purpose – to prepare you for that unforeseen eventuality, ensure you avoid an unwanted trip to your local electrical shop and, most importantly, avoid any downtime whatsoever with whatever it is that isn’t working.

I’m happy to report I recently used my box of cables. And it felt good. Really good.

Connecting our Sonos speakers to the new wi-fi network proved less than seamless. After a series of button presses and a diverting light show, the app gave up on me and raced ahead to the foolproof option. “Connect your speaker to your router using an Ethernet cable,” came the order.

An Ethernet cable… Yes. I have one of those. Three in fact. I looked at my box of random cables with a feeling of pride, satisfaction and even achievement. Minutes later, our Sonos speaker was successfully connected.

I had used the box of cables. It had worked. I'd have been lost without it.

So have that spring clean (whether you’re moving or not) and find new homes for those unwanted items, consumer electronics very much included. But that box of cables? That’s going nowhere. You’ll need it.

In our experience, sonically talented, sensibly priced speaker cables aren’t common. There are budget options available from all the major manufacturers but having heard a fair few of them we’re disappointed to report that little has impressed below the £10/m mark. We think the real value in the market starts at the next price point above, which is where Ecosse’s CS2.15 Mk2 speaker cable sits.

The CS2.15 Mk2’s main feature is the use of 1.5mm sq solid core OFC (Oxygen-Free Copper) conductors rather than the multi-strand designs used by most competitors. The company claims the use of circular solid core conductors improves high-frequency performance thanks to something called the ‘skin effect’. This refers to the tendency of high-frequency AC current to travel through the outer edges of a conductor. In this case, the ‘perfectly circular’ conductors that Ecosse employs are claimed to be responsible for improved treble detail and reach over multi-strand alternatives, while avoiding unwanted harshness.

Construction

The conductors are used as a twisted pair to improve the rejection of external electrical interference and are covered in a polypropylene dielectric. Cotton fibres are wound with the twisted conductors and then the whole lot is tightly wrapped in cotton paper before an outer sheath of soft PVC is added. The idea is to produce a speaker cable that resists electrical and mechanical interference well.

The CS2.15 Mk2 is a stiff cable, and its solid core nature means that it won’t take too kindly to repeated bending in the same place. But, under normal circumstances and use this shouldn’t become an issue.

Performance

We tested the Ecosse cables in a couple of systems: our reference Naim ND555/555 PS DR music streamer, Burmester 088/911 MkIII amplifier and ATC SCM50 speakers combination serves for the bulk of our testing, but we also use a Rega Planar 3/Nd3 record player, Arcam A15 amplifier and KEF LS50 Meta set-up to see how the CS2.15 Mk2 performs in a more price-compatible environment. We have the Audioquest Rocket 11, Chord Company RumourX (2022) and QED’s Reference XT40i speaker cables on hand to serve as benchmarks.

It is important to note that cables are passive components that can only degrade the signal rather than make it better. Looked at in those terms, the CS2.15 Mk2 does a good job for the money. Regardless of the system it is used in, it passes a decent amount of detail without skewing the tonal balance greatly. It allows our systems to sound articulate and has the clarity to make demanding music such as Mahler’s  Symphony No.5 work.

Dynamic shifts are communicated well, though without the muscle or authority of the class leaders, and there is a decent sense of scale. The cable’s low-end is taut and relatively grippy but could do with a touch more richness and weight. The system's presentation stays insightful and refined at the other end of the frequency spectrum where highs are relatively smooth but retain a good degree of bite.

As we work our way through our test recordings it becomes clear that the CS2.15 Mk2 is a capable all-rounder. Our systems deliver Michael Kiwanuka’s dreamy ’70s-tinged Floating Parade with skill. His voice comes through with texture and passion; it has a convincing degree of natural warmth too. The cable conveys the instrumental backdrop’s easy-going momentum well while delivering a pleasing degree of separation. The recording isn’t the cleanest and the Ecosse’s innate transparency makes that clear without over-emphasising the fact.

Kendrick Lamar’s Not Like Us is a different kind of test, requiring more in the way of attack, punch and rhythmic drive. Here, the CS2.15 Mk2 continues to do a good job in our systems, without proving quite as entertaining as its rivals from Chord Company and Audioquest. Both of these Award-winning alternatives offer more in the way of verve and preservation of the music’s attitude. Even the slightly cheaper QED manages to reveal a little more when it comes to low-level details and dynamic expression, though at the expense of just a hint of edge in the lower treble region.

Verdict

The CS2.15 Mk2 speaker cable remains a fine choice, though. It is a good all-rounder that is likely to fit seamlessly into a wide range of systems. While it isn’t as expressive or quite as entertaining as the class leaders, there is enough ability here to warrant serious consideration.

SCORES

• Sound 4
• Build 4
• Compatibility 4

MORE:

Read our review of the QED Reference XT40i

Also consider the Chord Company Rumour X (2022)

Read our Audioquest Rocket 11 review

Best speaker cables: our editors' choice for every budget

QED was founded in 1973. Within a few years, it launched the legendary 79 Strand, arguably the first specialist speaker cable to hit the market. That’s some legacy, and in the years since then, the company has continued to develop its understanding of cable design, even going as far as to publish technical papers on the subject. 

The new QED Golden Anniversary XT speaker cable not only marks the brand’s significant birthday but also embodies the culmination of the engineering ideas it has developed over the past five decades.

Build & design

This is a smart and well-made product. It certainly feels expensive. Look under the skin and you will find that QED’s engineers have put at least as much thought into the construction and geometry of the cable as the classy appearance.

Essentially, putting QED’s marketing terms like Aircore and X-Tube aside, each conductor is made up of ten copper strands twisted around a hollow polymer rod. Nine of these strands are made of high-purity oxygen-free copper (OFC) while the tenth uses Ohno Continuous Cast (OCC) Copper. OCC Copper is processed in a way that removes grain boundaries within the material’s structure with the promise of purer sound. The exacting geometry of the cable is designed to minimise distortion and deliver consistent results through the frequency range.

Each conductor is then wrapped with gold mylar tape (which gives the cable its distinctive colour) and then encased in a transparent LDPE (Low-Density Polyethylene) dielectric. There are two such conductors in the Golden Anniversary XT and they are twisted together before being protected by a thick PVC external layer. It is a complicated approach to making a speaker cable and shows the company’s desire to achieve something special.

Our review sample is terminated by QED’s Forte 4mm banana plugs. These are cold-welded to ensure a solid and stable connection over time and are nicely made. We have a small complaint though. The plug body has a trio of coloured rubber rings to help grip and identify the cable as black or red. In use, these rings are easy to dislodge or even break. It would be nice if QED could come up with a more durable solution.

Performance

Let’s make one thing clear, a speaker cable can’t make the music signal any better. All it can do is carry the electrical signal from your amplifier to the speakers while minimising losses and distortion. We try the Golden Anniversary XT in multiple systems: our main reference setup of Naim ND555/555PS DR, Burmester 088/911MkIII amplifier and ATC SCM50 speakers and a Cyrus CDi player/PMC Cor integrated amplifier/Epos ES14N speakers combination. We also use it between Arcam’s A5 amplifier and a pair of KEF LS50 Meta speakers with our reference Naim music streamer as the source.

The Golden Anniversary XT turns out to be a fine cable regardless of the partnering system. With it plumbed in, our systems sound impressively clear and crisp. We have the Award-winning Chord Company RumourX (2022) (£20/m, $21/m) on hand for comparison and it doesn’t take long to figure out that the QED delivers more outright clarity and detail precision. The Golden Anniversary XT also has a more even and neutral balance than its rival, while managing to sound more fluid and rounded than previous generations of QED cables we’ve heard.

We listen to a range of music from grand classical pieces like Mahler’s Symphony No.4 to Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’s The Heist, and the QED cable shows no particular bias towards any specific genre. It is well-balanced, combining attack and refinement nicely. The classical piece shows a fine sense of scale and authority while The Heist track proves that the QED has plenty of agility and can deliver punch with the best of them. Overall, the Golden Anniversary XT is the kind of cable that is multi-talented enough to work well across a wide range of systems and, as such, is easy to recommend.

The rival Chord Company RumourX (2022) still edges it for rhythmic drive and dynamic expression though, and that’s particularly obvious on tracks like Thrift Shop, but the QED remains good enough in these respects to satisfy. The choice between the two cables comes down to whether you place resolution, tonal neutrality and openness above the more visceral aspects of music replay. There is no right answer here and it comes down to your system and taste.

Verdict

There is no doubt that the QED Golden Anniversary XT is an excellent performer. If your system merits a speaker cable at this level, put this one on your shortlist.

SCORES

• Sound 5
• Build 5
• Compatibility 5

MORE:

Also consider the Chord Company Rumour X (2022)

Best speaker cables: budget and premium audio cables

While the PS5 and Xbox Series X each come bundled with a quality HDMI cable, you may find that you need a longer one.

The problem is that you can't go out and buy just any old HDMI cable because most won't deliver the high-end features of your next-gen console, most notably 4K/120Hz gaming.

That's why it's well worth seeking out a proper 'Ultra High Speed' certified HDMI 2.1 cable. This certification confirms that the cable has a data transfer rate of 48Gbps, which is what you need for those fancy features.

Having trawled through pages of HDMI cables in the Black Friday sales, I've found what I believe to be the cheapest certified 5-metre HDMI 2.1 cable available anywhere. It's by a brand called Ubluker and it's just £15.99 at Amazon.

To take full advantage of any HDMI 2.1 sockets, you will need HDMI 2.1 cables. The good news is that the two most common HDMI 2.1 sources, the PS5 and Xbox Series X, come bundled with HDMI 2.1 cables, so you should be good to go if you buy one of those.

If you need a longer cable, you'll want to make sure it's fully HDMI 2.1 compliant. Being confident of that is now fairly easy, as the HDMI Forum (the organisation responsible for the HDMI spec) runs a certification program for HDMI 2.1 cables.

So-called Ultra High Speed HDMI Cables feature a QR code that can be scanned so that certification can be confirmed. There are plenty of cables out there that claim to support the HDMI 2.1 bandwidth of 48gbps, and many of them do, but it's worth getting a certified cable to be sure.

If you buy the Maxonar above, there should be a a silver badge with a hologram and QR code on the packaging. Simply download the HDMI Certification app from the Apple App Store or HDMI Cable Certification app from the Android Play Store, scan the badge and, after a few seconds, you should get a big tick to let you know that the cable you've bought is certified for 48Gbps transmission.

If you don't get that big tick, get that cable sent back pronto. It's not worth messing around with cables that aren't certified. Even if they seem to work fine at first, you might find that you get signal dropouts further down the line.

MORE:

Everything you need to know about HDMI 2.1

These are the best TV deals available right now

And here are the best gaming TVs you can currently buy

In all of the excitement around Black Friday TV deals, it's easy to overlook those all-important accessories – but there are bargains to be had on those, too.

While certainly not sexy, a 48Gbps HDMI 2.1 cable is essential for getting the most out of a PS5, Xbox Series X or gaming PC (and, to a lesser extent, an Apple TV 4K). With a lesser cable, you likely won't get 4K/120Hz – and VRR might not work either. Or you might get a generally patchy performance. Of course, the PS5 and Xbox Series X each come with an HDMI 2.1 cable, but you might need a replacement or an extra one.

Buying a good HDMI 2.1 cable used to be tricky, but the HDMI Forum recently introduced a certification program whereby you can verify the authenticity of the HDMI cable you've bought by scanning it with your phone.

I've trawled through the Black Friday sales and hunted down what I believe to be the cheapest certified HDMI 2.1 cable available. It's by a brand called Maxonar and it's just £3.99 at Amazon. This isn't a cable that I've personally used, but it's got superb user reviews which, combined with the official certification, makes it seem like a pretty safe bet.

If you'd prefer a personal recommendation, I recently bought two certified HDMI 2.1 cables by Vention, and they're both working a charm. You can currently pick those up for £6.49 each at Amazon.

To take full advantage of any HDMI 2.1 sockets, you will need HDMI 2.1 cables. The good news is that the two most common HDMI 2.1 sources, the PS5 and Xbox Series X, come bundled with HDMI 2.1 cables, so you should be good to go if you buy one of those.

If you need an extra cable, or perhaps one that's longer or shorter than the one provided, you'll want to make sure it's fully HDMI 2.1 compliant. Being confident of that is now fairly easy, as the HDMI Forum (the organisation responsible for the HDMI spec) runs a certification program for HDMI 2.1 cables.

So-called Ultra High Speed HDMI Cables feature a QR code that can be scanned so that certification can be confirmed. There are plenty of cables out there that claim to support the HDMI 2.1 bandwidth of 48gbps, and many of them do, but it's worth getting a certified cable to be sure.

If you buy the Maxonar above, there should be a a silver badge with a hologram and QR code on the packaging. Simply download the HDMI Certification app from the Apple App Store or HDMI Cable Certification app from the Android Play Store, scan the badge and, after a few seconds, you should get a big tick to let you know that the cable you've bought is certified for 48Gbps transmission.

If you don't get that big tick, get that cable sent back pronto. It's not worth messing around with cables that aren't certified. Even if they seem to work fine at first, you might find that you get signal dropouts further down the line.

MORE:

Everything you need to know about HDMI 2.1

These are the best TV deals available right now

And here are the best gaming TVs you can currently buy

It may not seem like audio cables can make a big impact on your hi-fi system, but they are still a crucial part of your set-up. While the cables themselves can’t actively improve your system’s sound, they do the important job of carrying the audio signal between each component, and can potentially degrade the performance of your set-up.

If you’ve taken as much care with individual components, you’ll want to ensure that you are using the best possible cable within your system so that the audio signal is pure throughout.

Chord Company has been evolving its Clearway line of analogue interconnects with every generation. This latest version, the Chord Company ClearwayX ARAY Analogue RCA, builds upon an already excellent cable with one main upgrade. The X in the ClearwayX’s name denotes the addition of the XLPE dielectric material.

Build & Compatibility

The material used for the dialectic has a significant impact on the cable’s overall ability, and Chord has been using its version of XLPE (cross-linked polyethylene) technology to insulate the conductor in its more premium cables in recent years. This ClearwayX model at £130 per metre is the first time it’s been available on a more – relatively – affordable interconnect. 

Other elements of the cable remain the same, carried over from last year’s model, including the high-quality oxygen-free copper conductor and the latest versions of Chord’s Tuned ARAY conductor geometry technology and dual layer shielding systems. Our review sample measures one metre and is terminated at both ends with RCA plugs that are coated in Chord’s ChorAlloy multi-metal plating – this was also introduced last year and aims to offer better conductivity and is claimed to tarnish less over time (compared with silver or gold-plated plugs).

The cable itself is well made and feels reassuringly durable; if you are going to splash out and buy this cable, it certainly feels as though it will last many years with minimal wear or tear. We also appreciate the direction indicator icons to guide you on which end to plug into your source and which goes into the amplifier. 

While the cables can be used with any system, your hi-fi set-up does need to be of a certain calibre and level of transparency to really hear the benefits that a decent cable upgrade can make to your system’s overall performance. You won’t need to splash out such money for a budget system, but much like when we reviewed the premium Atacama Elite Eco 24 Reference rack, we would recommend upgrading to this level of cable only when each individual product in your system costs around £1000. At that price level, the performance upgrade is more apparent.

Performance

We connect the Chord ClearwayX cable into our reference system of Naim Uniti Atom Headphone Edition music streamer, PMC Cor amplifier and Epos ES14N speakers. We also have the previous Clearway RCA Analogue (2022) model at hand to make clear comparisons.

We’re not expecting a gulf of differences in the overall system’s sound here. The Chord ClearwayX RCA interconnect shares the same characteristics as its predecessors, with our system retaining high levels of clarity, crisp leading edges, rhythmic cohesion and even-handed tonal balance. But there are clear differences heard with the newer model.

Major Lazer’s Pon De Floor is propelled forward with a greater sense of drive and attack when the ClearwayX cable is used between the streamer and amp. There’s more momentum and purpose to the song, which now flourishes in a bigger soundstage. There’s clearer intention and snap to each staccato drum beat, while the tautly pulled deep bassline has more textures unearthed. It demands your attention.

Switch to Nina Simone’s Feeling Good and her voice is lavished with greater undertones and richer textures – it’s a more detailed and expressive performance. There’s greater weight and dynamic subtlety to the instruments too, while the quiet moments in between notes are more pronounced and more profound. Background noise is lowered, while there’s more depth and dimension to the space too.

We swap back to the older Clearway RCA and our system still zings with a clear, nimble and surefooted performance packed with detail. To be clear, that is still a perfectly capable cable that doesn’t diminish enjoyment from our system’s performance. But the newer ClearwayX manages to eke out a greater degree of control, punch and musical expression from our system.

Verdict

Chord’s existing Clearway cable was at a good standard, but this new, upgraded Chord ClearwayX ARAY Analogue RCA interconnect pushes the performance even further. It’s a notable step up from last year’s Award-winner, and a worthwhile investment if you want to upgrade your system’s overall sound quality.

Review published: 2023. Review updated: November 2024.

SCORES

• Performance 5
• Compatibility 5
• Build 5

MORE:

Also consider the Chord C-Line

These are the best audio cables you can buy

Let’s be honest, there is something truly special about picking and setting up a new hi-fi system.

Whether it’s the time spent creating a shortlist of potential options based on What Hi-Fi?’s reviews, or jumping into a store to experiment and see how your various options work together, the entire journey is wonderfully fun.

But, in all the excitement of picking which amp, turntable and speakers you want, it can be all too easy to overlook one critical step: getting the right speaker cable to connect it all. It’s a cable right, what could possibly go wrong? As it turns out, quite a lot. 

This is why we have created this handy guide signposting the three biggest pitfalls to avoid when buying speaker cable.

Don’t buy blind

One of the most common mistakes rookie buyers make is assuming that all speaker cables are created equal. What Hi-Fi? has been reviewing hi-fi since the 1970s; trust us when we say, this is not the case.

We make a point of reviewing speaker cables, as they are a key component that can make a hi-fi system shine – or completely ruin it. Even if you have otherwise excellent hardware, a poor cable can destroy its performance.

On top of that, like system matching in general, you should try to find a cable with a character that is compatible with your hardware. This is why we recommend reading our reviews and trying different combinations in-store rather than going off our star ratings alone or grabbing whichever option is top in our best speaker cables guide.

If in doubt, you can also ask the manufacturer of your amplifier or an expert in-store which cable they recommend.

Cost is also a factor. As a general rule of thumb, we recommend spending about 10-15 per cent of your budget on a system’s cables.

Measure the space

Most specialist retailers sell speaker cables by the metre, so you should always measure the space you plan to set up your system in. There’s nothing more annoying than getting everything bought and in place only to realise you have bought too little cable. This is especially true if you plan to use a bare cable end - remember stripping it will reduce the cable’s length, so it’s always good to have some wiggle room to spare with the length.

On top of that, if you want to get the best audio possible you will also want to make sure you get the same length for the left and right channels. As well as being basic good cable-management practice, there is also a scientific reason for this - to ensure they both have equal impedance values. If you don’t, the amplifier sees very slightly different electric loads for the left and right channels, which could affect the sound.

Check what you are actually buying

Knowing what you are buying may sound like an easy pitfall to avoid, but it’s the easiest mistake on this list to make. This is because it is fairly common for online retailers to use product images of cables with banana plugs, when those are actually an add-on you have to purchase separately. So make sure you read the product description and know if the plugs are included.

On top of that, if you are going the bare cable route, make sure you have the proper tools. If you’re going to invest in a decent speaker cable you should also pick up proper cable cutters and strippers. Try to DIY it with a Stanley knife and a basic set of pliers and you will risk damaging the wire and be at a higher risk of cutting yourself.

MORE:

These are the best stereo amps we've tested

Here's how to build the perfect hi-fi system

Check out our picks of the best speakers

Today, the audio interconnect from Chord's middle-sitting Epic series has become the latest of the company's wires to get the XLPE (Cross-linked Polythene) insulation upgrade that it has been rolling out for the past five or so years (including to its award-winning RumourX speaker cable, no less).

The new EpicX ARAY (with the 'X' denoting the XLPE inclusion) is a "considered development" of the original Epic, which Chord Company says quickly became one of its most popular interconnects when it launched many moons ago.

What you get over the one-range-down Shawline model here are heavier-gauge silver-plated conductors with upgraded geometry, plus increased shielding volume – all in the name of enhanced performance, of course, with both improved conduction and isolation designed to help carry music signals without detriment.

As for where the 'ARAY' part of its name comes in, the new interconnect features Chord Company’s proprietary, supposedly performance-enhancing ARAY 'mechanical tuning' technology, which it says optimises the potential of those silver-plated conductors. This is all finished off by its ChordAlloy connectors, which promise three benefits – lower intermodulation, full solderability and a tarnish-free finish.

The EpicX ARAY can be terminated with VEE 3 RCA, XLR or even the DIN connection which has been an option for the range since 2020. And the pricing is £420 for a 0.5m length and £520 for a one-metre length. The EpicX ARAY is designed for a pretty serious system, then, although is still some way below the ambitions of Chord's reference Sarum T and Music cables.

MORE:

The best speaker cables and best audio cables you can buy

Building a hi-fi system? Don't forget this crucial element (which so many people do)

Chord Company’s new interconnect promises "the best performance in 25 years" - but it'll cost you

British audio specialist Chord Company has announced an upgrade to its long-running, high-performance and very high-end Signature cable range. The new SignatureX Tuned ARAY boasts upgraded materials, specifications and construction for what Chord Company boasts will be “the best Signature analogue interconnect in the range’s 25-year history”.  

The SignatureX Tuned ARAY features cross-linked Polythene (XLPE) insulation, a technology first introduced in the SignatureXL speaker and power cables. This updated upgraded insulation has been added in conjunction with the shielding architecture and Chord’s proprietary Tuned ARAY conductor geometry technology taken from the previous generation. 

The new analogue interconnect cable is bolstered by ultra-low-mass RCA connectors, while XLR and DIN connectors are also available (good news for Naim users, especially for the new Naim Classic range). There’s also a turntable-ready version available to order, as well as tonearm cables in slim or reference versions. 

The pins themselves are ChorAlloy plated, a new multi-metal material that we’ve seen (and heard) used in the Award-winning Rumour X (2022) and Clearway Analogue RCA (2022) cables. ChorAlloy is designed to improve conductivity and tarnish less over time. Chord further says it aims to avoid changes in impedance where the cable is terminated.

The cable’s conductors, meanwhile, are multi-stranded silver-plated OFC types with XLPE insulation, whereas high-frequency shielding is provided courtesy of a high-density silver-plated braid and foil mix. 

The new XLPE insulation is clearly something that the Chord Company is looking to use going forward, recently announcing that all future Signature range interconnects will be upgraded to incorporate XLPE insulation.

Price? Available now, the new SignatureX Tuned ARAY interconnect costs a rather expensive £1,000 / $1,300 / AU$1,900 per metre, so it’s very much suitable for those customers who want a premium cable for some similarly premium hi-fi equipment. 

MORE:

Best speaker cables: budget and premium audio cables

How to build the perfect hi-fi system

Read the Chord Company Clearway Analogue RCA (2022) review

British audio specialist QED has announced its Golden Anniversary XT speaker cable to commemorate the company’s 50th anniversary this year.

The new Golden Anniversary XT will join QED’s current five-star model, the capable Reference XT40i, and promises to deliver the sonic benefits of a high-end speaker cable at a relatively competitive price.

The new speaker cable integrates X-Tube Plus technology to provide a more even, consistent performance across frequencies. X-Tube Plus essentially sets a cable’s conductive material around a central hollow insulating rod, avoiding the ‘skin effect’ that pulls high-frequency analogue music signals to the conductor’s exterior. The result is a more even and consistent performance across the spectrum of audible frequencies.

The Golden Anniversary XT also utilises a hybrid oxygen-free copper and Ultra-Pure Ohno Continuous Cast Copper blend for an improved signal path to give “outstanding signal retention” at “a fraction of the price”.

The dielectric material insulating the central conductors, meanwhile, is made from low-density polyethylene (‘LDPE’), which works in tandem with the cable’s X-Tube Plus arrangement to deliver greater efficiency and a dissipation factor that is “barely measurable”, according to QED.

The cable also uses the Airloc cold-weld system for attaching QED’s Forté banana plugs to the entire range of the company’s speaker cables, including the new Golden Anniversary XT. Forté banana plugs provide resistance to oxidation by essentially rendering the cable and the plug a single unified entity, thus protecting against degrading and weakening in vulnerable areas such as the link between the cable and the speaker/amplifier.

Want to check it out in person? The speaker cable will be making its first appearance at the High End Munich Show from the 18th to the 21st of May in room A (Atrium) 4.1, F110.

The QED Golden Anniversary XT will be available to purchase in June from QED retailers, priced at £27 / €35 / $40 per metre.

MORE:

Best speaker cables: budget and premium audio cables

How to build the perfect hi-fi system

Read our QED Reference XT40i review

If you've been following recent TV news, you'll know that 2023 is shaping up to be a big year for TVs. CES 2023 saw some futuristic "wireless" TVs make their debut, as well as brand new screen technology in the form of Micro Lens Array, which could power a host of brighter, next-generation OLEDs.

It's not all sunshine and rainbows in TV land, though, as there is one significant disappointment here to cast an unfortunately early shadow over many of the TVs we'll see this year from the likes of Sony, Philips and Panasonic. That happens to be MediaTek's Pentonic 1000 chip, which was announced late last year and was expected to up the number of HDMI 2.1 sockets from two to four.

Bad news for gamers...

Well, it appears that's not the case after all, as we've had confirmation that the Pentonic 1000 will actually support just two HDMI 2.1 connections. Worse news is that one of these HDMI 2.1 sockets will still be the designated eARC port for connecting audio equipment. That will leave just one HDMI 2.1 port for those people using eARC for a soundbar or AV receiver. That won't be the end of the world for everyone, but it will be a serious turn-off for hardcore gamers.

The PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X / Series S and gaming PCs require HDMI 2.1 in order to unlock their most next-gen feature – 4K/120Hz gaming. 4K is obviously beneficial when it comes to detail and graphical fidelity, while 120Hz refers to achieving higher frame rates. This results in smoother and more lifelike motion, as well as giving you a competitive edge in gameplay with faster reaction times. 

If you have both consoles and/or a gaming PC, you'll have to choose just one to use in glorious 4K/120Hz. Unless you're happy switching over your HDMIs every time you switch machines. Which you're not, are you?

This is a really frustrating compromise to have to make when you're spending thousands on your new TV, especially when some brands have been offering four HDMI 2.1s for years.

Can MediaTek keep up?

LG has included four HDMI 2.1 ports on its C-series OLED TVs since the C9 launched way back in 2019. Samsung also jumped on the bandwagon back in 2019 with the Q90R offering HDMI 2.1 features across all four ports, even though they weren't officially certified. In other words, MediaTek has had four years to catch up, making it all the more baffling that it's still behind.

So why don't the likes of Sony, Samsung and Panasonic develop their own HDMI chips in the way that LG and Samsung have, rather than continue to rely on MediaTek? It's almost certainly down to resources. LG and Samsung are vastly larger entities with far bigger budgets.

Perhaps the bigger question is why LG and Samsung don't sell their HDMI chips to these other brands. After all both companies sell TV panels to them. It's also a bit surprising that another third-party manufacturer hasn't sought to upset MediaTek's apple cart with an HDMI chip of its own. Doesn't Qualcomm, for example, want a piece of the action?

LG and Samsung feature TVs within their respective ranges that don't include HDMI 2.1 on all ports, but the higher-end sets are fully equipped, with the upcoming C3 and G3 OLEDs from LG and the S90C and S95C from Samsung both getting the full HDMI 2.1 treatment. This means the latest Panasonic, Philips and (in all likelihood) Sony sets will launch to an almost immediate disadvantage. We've already considered how the LG C3 and Philips OLED808 will compare with one another, and the LG is immediately the clear choice for gamers with multiple consoles and/or a PC.

All of this is extra frustrating in the case of Sony, seeing as it has a major stake in the gaming sector with the PS5. But perhaps the company doesn't like to entertain the thought of gamers having Microsoft consoles and PCs.

What does this mean for 2023 TVs?

So where does that leave us? Will the Sony, Panasonic and Philips TVs that launch this year all flop? Of course not, but they'll have to go the extra mile to appease serious gamers. We've reached out to MediaTek for comment so stay tuned for an update, but expect to see us complain about the lack of abundant HDMI 2.1 ports on many of our 2023 TV reviews.

Looking ahead to 2024, we really hope that MediaTek has a step-up version of the Pentonic 1000 with four HDMI 2.1 sockets up its sleeve. More fully-featured gaming TVs would mean more choice for gamers, and that can only be a good thing.

MORE:

Read our full review of the LG 55OLEDC2

And check out our list of best gaming TVs, for more great choices

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MediaTek has announced a new chip that will bring more TVs into the next generation. The Pentonic 1000 system on a chip (SoC) will power a host of 2023 models according to MediaTek, most likely from brands such as Sony, Samsung, Philips and Panasonic, who already use MediaTek chips in their TVs.

So what makes this new chip so special? Well, gamers might want to take note here as it opens up the possibility of having four fully featured HDMI 2.1 ports – MediaTek's current top chip, which powers flagship models from the TV brands mentioned above, has only two HDMI 2.1 sockets with two HDMI 2.0 ports. You may think that two HDMI ports is plenty, but when one of them is also the eARC port that's used t connect a soundbar or AV receiver, you're left with just one for an Xbox Series X, PS5 or gaming PC.

Each of the new chip's four HDMI 2.1 sockets will support 4K 120Hz or 144Hz depending on the panel, so you'll have more than enough ports for your games machines and whatever other HDMI 2.1 devices might come in the future, just as you already do if you buy a top LG or Samsung TV.

VRR and ALLM will also, of course, be supported, just as they are now, and while it's not specifically been confirmed by MediaTek, the expectation is that gaming in Dolby Vision at 4K 120Hz will also be possible. Currently, that's a feature exclusive to LG's top TVs.

In other Dolby Vision-related news, the Pentonic 1000 brings Dolby Vision IQ with Precision Detail for greater contrast control and dark detail improvements, all automatically optimised based on ambient lighting conditions. This is another feature that's currently exclusive to LG's top TVs.

Motion also gets some love from the Pentonic 1000 thanks to Motion Estimation, Motion Compensation (or MEMC) onboard, which is a system of inserting extra frames for smoother movement. It will be interesting to see if this can overcome the reservations that many AV aficionados have about motion processing.

The Pentonic 1000 brings other improvements across the board, with Wi-Fi 6E support for low latency wireless internet connectivity, as well as the promise of vague AI enhancements – we’re not sure if that relates to the picture or software experience on upcoming MediaTek-powered TVs but the suspense is killing us. The processor itself features a multi-core CPU which is tasked with keeping the user interface running smoothly, as well as a dual-core GPU for graphical rendering.

As mentioned before we can expect to see TVs with this new processor launching in 2023, with a target of Q1 according to MediaTek. Expect lots of related news at CES in January.

MORE:

The best TVs: brilliant budget to 4K Ultra HD

Read our LG OLED42C2 review, winner of our Best Gaming TV Award

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You may not have spent much time thinking about the cables in your hi-fi system, but it can be one of the most important factors in your system's overall performance.

After all, an audio cable carries the analogue signal between your source (a CD player, turntable or music streamer) and your stereo amplifier – that's an awful lot of crucial information. So it is important to keep that audio signal as pure and accurate as possible with the least amount of interference or degradation.

This is why the quality of audio cables – otherwise known as 'audio interconnects' or 'RCA cables' – can significantly affect your system's performance. Cables matter, and they're often a major aspect of most hi-fi systems that gets overlooked time and time again. As with speaker cables, this is an area you don't want to overlook or scrimp on if you want your hi-fi system in tip-top shape.

So where should your buying decision start? Well, you can skip ahead to our 'how to choose the right audio cables for you' section below, or simply scroll down to see the three audio cables we most recommend.

This trio represents the best-value audio cables our expert in-house reviews team has tested and span various budgets (the prices are per metre) and suit most user needs, too. Whether you're after a decent budget cable for your modest set-up or your high-end system demands more investment and care, these RCA interconnects will make the most of your hi-fi's potential.

Or if they're not to your tastes, they will offer a jumping off point to discover the best audio cables for your system.

The quick list

Best audio cable overall

If you've ever wondered what difference a metre of cable can make to your system, we'd urge you to give the C-line a listen.

This is the venerable British cable company displaying once again an understanding of what makes hi-fi great, with the best-value audio cable we've heard at this affordable price point. It never loses sight of what matters – the musicality of your system – and is a deft hand at communicating your system's detail levels, making for an entertaining and informative listen.

Indeed, in terms of overall enjoyment, little at this price level comes close to what the C-line can do for your system. And that's why this model has won multiple What Hi-Fi? Best Buy Awards on the trot.

Read our full Chord Company C-line review

Best premium audio cable

The original Clearway analogue interconnects were around for a good while but were finally revised in 2022 in the Chord Company Clearway RCA Analogue (2022) to introduce new plating to the plugs. The even newer and current Award-winning ClearwayX ARAY Analogue RCA interconnect is another premium option if your budget can stretch ever further, and especially if your system is transparent enough to benefit from it. The 'X' in its name denotes the addition of the XLPE dielectric material, and this has a significant impact on the cable’s overall ability.

Other elements of the cable remain the same as the 2022 model, including the new ChorAlloy multi-metal plating on the plugs, and we found the new ClearwayX ARAY Analogue RCA interconnect was able to eke out a greater degree of control, punch and musical expression from our (admittedly high-end) system.

The ClearwayX Aray shares the same characteristics as its predecessor, allowing our system to deliver an open, crisp, rhythmically cohesive sound, but with that bit more detail, momentum and precision to the sound overall. With this cable used in our system, background noise levels are lowered too, allowing for a cleaner, more open sound.

The price tag might weigh heavy on many listeners’ wallets – and the cheaper C-line remains a class leader we can still get behind – but for those who can justify the outlay and have a high-end system that will benefit from the upgrade, it is brilliantly capable of letting you hear where your money has gone.

Read our full Chord Company ClearwayX ARAY Analogue RCA review

Best alternative audio cable

This QED interconnect has been around for many few years, but it remains a solid recommendation. The Performance Audio 40 analogue interconnect cable is a great step-up buy if you are keen to replace the cheap cables supplied in the box.

We always say that if you're looking to refresh or update your audio system, start with the cables rather than replacing an entire product, as it might just need an uplift in performance that better quality cables (which have good shielding and materials that prevent noise interfering with the audio signal) can provide.

In the QED's case, this interconnect works with a variety of audio systems, especially as an upgrade for an entry-level system to bring out a greater degree of detail. When plugged into our reference systems in our test rooms, it delivers a presentation that is clearer and more spacious overall, too, while keeping everything nimble and snappy.

Compared to the Chord C-line, the QED cable favours a more clean, analytical approach while the Chord offers a smaller-scaled but more musically cohesive and dynamic presentation when used in our system. Either way, if you're looking to upgrade your cables and don't want to pay hundreds, under £50 per metre for this QED interconnect is a solid way to breathe new life into your audio system's performance.

A newer Performance Audio 40i cable is available to buy now, which claims to improve upon the original cable's performance even further.

Read the full QED Performance Audio 40 review

Also consider

• Atlas Element Achromatic: It’s possible to buy alternatives that are livelier and more obviously entertaining (such as Chord’s Clearway Analogue RCA above), but it’s hard to think of anything at this price that makes our system sound as neutral and pleasingly hands-off as this. This is a clean and precise-sounding performer.

How to choose the right audio cables for you

A good starting point for choosing audio cables is to get in touch with the manufacturer of your stereo amplifier and ask if they recommend a particular brand or model of interconnect. After all, engineers will have spent hours experimenting during the development process and you might be told some valuable nuggets of information which might make your job of finding something suitable more simple.

You could also speak to your local dealer to see if they have tried different cables during demos and found any that work particularly well with your amplifier.

Otherwise, when it comes to picking the right audio interconnects, a lot of your decision-making will revolve around price and, of course, your system, whether you're putting one together or already have one set up.

As a general rule of thumb, we'd recommend setting aside 10 to 15 per cent of the total cost of your system for cables. In the case of a hi-fi set-up, you'll be looking at analogue interconnects, speaker cables and, potentially, a digital optical or coaxial cable depending on the sources you're using. So you'll want to dedicate a share of this to a pair of suitable analogue interconnects.

If you currently own an excellent entry-level set-up, you don't need to spend big on interconnects. However, at the same time, nothing is stopping you from trying more premium pairs to see how your system reacts. On the flip side, If you own a high-end set-up, we'd suggest looking at price-comparable interconnects, though you could also audition some cheaper interconnects too. As always, the best way to choose any component for your system is to listen.

You'll also want to decide whether you want an unbalanced RCA cable (which is the most typical, cost-effective analogue solution and the type pictured above) or the balanced XLR cable (which is pricier but for good reason: it better rejects the electrical interference and radio frequency noise it is subject to in a room, and is considered a better choice particularly for longer distances). Popular audio cables such as those above come in a choice of either.

One last piece of advice would be to avoid choosing audio cables purely on their What Hi-Fi? star rating. Read our reviews to help you understand the character of the cable and see if it matches the character of your hi-fi system.

How we test audio cables

The What Hi-Fi? team has more than 150 years of combined experience in reviewing, testing and writing about consumer electronics. We have state-of-the-art testing facilities in London and Reading, where our expert reviewers do all our in-house testing. This gives us complete control over the testing process, ensuring consistency across every product we review.

The first thing we do to a pair of analogue interconnects is run them in by connecting them to our reference system over at least a weekend. In our experience, their impact on a system can change over time so we make sure they have a couple of days with an audio signal running through them before we start listening.

When connecting them, we also pay attention to the cable's directionality, which is usually marked on the plugs' cable sheaths via arrows. These arrows reveal the direction of the signal from the source to your amplifier.

During testing, we start listening through our high-end reference system as its transparency allows us to hear exactly how the characteristics of the cable are affecting the sound. We also connect them to a more price-compatible system to hear how they work in a more typical scenario. As we keep stock of class leaders in every hi-fi category, we can compare each cable to its closest price-matching rival(s) to see how it fares in the market context. Naturally, this helps us reach a verdict and star rating.

All our review verdicts are agreed upon by the team rather than an individual reviewer, to eliminate any personal preference and ensure we're being as impartial and thorough as possible, too. There's no input from PR companies or our sales team when it comes to our verdicts on audio cables, with What Hi-Fi? proud of having delivered honest, unbiased reviews for decades.

That's why if you take the plunge and buy one of the products recommended below, or on any of our other Best Buy pages, you can be confident you're getting a What Hi-Fi?-approved product.

You can read more about how we test and review products on What Hi-Fi? here.

FAQs

Recent updates

• January 2026: It's a new year, and we've checked that all the information in this guide is current.
• May 2025: We have removed the discontinued QED Profile cable and have included the QED Performance Audio 40 cable instead.
• January 2025: Checked all information is up to date.
• September 2024: Added the current Award-winning Chord Company's ClearwayX ARAY Analogue RCA entry into the main list.
• April 2024: Added Also Consider and FAQ sections to help better inform readers in their audio cable buying decision.
• October 2023: Added mentions of Chord Company's ClearwayX ARAY Analogue RCA audio cable following its What Hi-Fi? Awards 2023 win.

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So you've spent time, effort and money choosing the source, amplifier and speaker components for your hi-fi system, but there's one thing you don't want to forget or scrimp on: speaker cables.

Sure, speaker wire isn't the sexiest thing to spend money it, but it is a crucial consideration and can make a difference to your overall system's performance, especially when going beyond budget separates.

As passive components that carry sound between system components, speaker cables can't make your system sound better than it actually is. But we find that the best cables are those that degrade the audio signal the least and ensure that every last drop of performance makes its way from your amplifier to your speakers.

Sub-par cables are often a limiting factor within a hi-fi system and can even make it sound worse than it really is, which is why we always recommend investing in the best cabling within your budget when buying or upgrading a system. Dedicating 10 per cent of your total system cost to speaker cables (and the interconnect audio cables between your electronics) is a good place to start.

So without further ado, here are the best speaker cables tested by our in-house reviews experts inside our state-of-the-art facilities. Of course, there are plenty of speakers cables available and this could be a starting point for you to find the cables that suit your system and needs best.

The quick list

Best speaker cables: compared

Here's how the best speaker cables stack up against one another.

Best speaker cable overall

The original Rumour was introduced way back in 1996 and at the time was only Chord’s second attempt at a speaker cable. This audiophile speaker cable has seen various iterations since then, with the previous five-star RumourX (2018) now superseded by the latest RumourX (2022) model.

It's incremental changes throughout, but all of these add up to a fine performance upgrade at this price.

Chord’s development work with high-end ranges such as ChordMusic and Sarum T showed significant improvements could be made to the Teflon dielectric material used. While the subsequent high-end solution of Taylon proved too expensive to use in products such as the RumourX, a more reasonably priced alternative XLPE (Cross-linked Polyethylene) was found instead in the 2018 model. Chord has introduced a new multi-metal alloy for the pug plating in the 2022 model (changed from the previous silver), which supposedly tarnishes less over time and offers better connection quality.

With the Chord cable plumbed-in, our reference hi-fi system delivers a crisp, clean and dynamic presentation, just as before. Our reviews team compare it to next to a sample of the previous-generation Rumour and found that the basic character of the cable hasn’t changed: "This is still a detailed and dynamically expressive performer that’s unusually surefooted when communicating rhythmic drive," our RumourX (2022) review reads.

But the bass performance is tauter, the top end is more refined and there's an ounce more subtlety. We’re impressed at the musically cohesive nature of the sound and the way our systems render subtle dynamic shifts with such finesse. It's not essential to upgrade if you already own the previous RumourX cables, but if they're looking a bit worn, this latest RocketX version will give your system a decent performance lift.

Read our full Chord Company RumourX (2022) review

Best budget speaker cable

Monetary savings are not necessarily accompanied by a reduced level of technology or care on Chord Company’s part. The C-Screen's specifications are similar to speaker wires further up the British brand's hierarchy.

Beneath its white outer jacket, the C-Screen features what Chord Company describes as multi-stranded oxygen-free copper conductors, insulated with low-density polyethylene and arranged in a twisted-pair configuration to reduce interference. The white outer covers a PVC casing designed to reduce mechanical noise and space the conductors correctly.

So what is all of that in today’s money? Essentially it translates to recognisable Chord Company performance, favouring your system's cohesion and musical performance over outright analysis. "Tracks... characterised by its drive are held together as if with superglue, but without ever sounding mechanical," notes our C-Screen review. Our in-house reviews team tested it within our top-level reference system and a more financially appropriate one, and with each the Chord impressed.

What it does well, it does better than anything else we’ve heard at this price, though if your system sounds warm enough already, you may prefer a cable that won’t significantly add to that. An alternative cable that prioritises space and detail is the QED XT25.

Read our full Chord Company C-Screen review

Best mid-price speaker cable

AudioQuest’s Rocket 11 – at the budget end of its Rocket range – could just be the hi-fi speaker cable to give your system a new lease of life. We love it so much it's been a What Hi-Fi? Award winner several years running now, having batted off new competition to keep its crown for many moons.

AudioQuest has taken a lot of care with the configuration and quality of the conductors used inside the Rocket 11. It uses semi-solid true-concentric conductors and long-grain copper – all to improve performance and reduce any interference that might degrade the sound.

There’s a perceptible improvement in the way systems perform when the Rocket 11 is plugged in, compared with rival speaker cables. Music sounds crisp and clean, with a punchy sense of dynamism that's a joy to listen to.

The similarly priced QED Reference XT40i lets through more detail and therefore could be the preferred choice for anyone whose hi-fi is built upon clarity and analysis, but we find the Rocket 11 offers more of a musical whole, which is a lot to do with dynamic expression and organisation, and that does it for us more so than the extra information. As our Rocket 11 review concludes, "the best thing this AudioQuest cable does is get out of the way and simply let you enjoy the music".

Read our full AudioQuest Rocket 11 review

Best premium speaker cable

The Rocket 22 continues the fine work of its multi-Award-winning sibling, the Rocket 11, and, in a suitably talented set-up, the difference in price between the two can be justified by the improvement in scale, detail and authority.

The design of this audiophile speaker cable mirrors that of the cheaper model but uses higher quality copper conductors with a polished outer surface that’s claimed to give a ‘sweeter’ high-frequency performance. The conductors use strands arranged in concentric layers, where each layer spirals in the opposite direction to the one below it.

The cable also uses AudioQuest’s Noise Dissipation System, which is essentially specially designed layers of shielding that reduce the impact of RF (Radio Frequency) interference and EMI (Electromagnetic Interference).

In both the reference-level and more modest systems we plumb the Rocket 22 into during testing, we enjoy a spacious and refined presentation – "one that sounds noticeably larger scale than when we substitute talented cheaper alternatives such as the Chord Company RumourX [above]," reads our Rocket 22 review.

It carries an impressive amount of fine detail, arranging it in a stable and cohesive manner and presenting it even-handedly without emphasis, and despite its civilised nature there’s still enough in the way of dynamic punch and rhythmic drive to allow a track's sheer energy and attack to shine through.

All of this makes for an easy-going balance that makes the Rocket 22 suitable for a wide range of systems.

Read our full AudioQuest Rocket 22 review

Also consider

• QED Golden Anniversary XT: Pricier but delivering more outright clarity and detail precision than the Chord Company RumourX. The Chord replies with greater rhythmic drive and dynamic expression, but the choice between the two comes down to whether you place resolution, tonal neutrality and openness above the more visceral aspects of music replay.

How to choose the right speaker cables

Ask your speakers' manufacturer
If you're embarking on getting new speaker cables for your system, a starting point could be to get in touch with the manufacturer of your stereo speakers and ask if they recommend a particular brand or model of cable.

After all, engineers will have spent hours experimenting during the development process, and you might be given a valuable nugget of information that might make your job of finding something suitable simpler.

Speak to your dealer
You could also speak to your local dealer to see if they've tried different speaker cables during demos and have found any that work particularly well with your pair of speakers. First-hand advice is always valuable. Alternatively, our list above offers a trio of the best cables we have found to work well in several varied systems.

Consider your required lengths
Do remember to budget for the lengths of speaker wire that you need (and the number of speakers you're wiring up if it's a surround system) and bear in mind that the cable prices we quote in our reviews and buying guides usually don't include the banana plugs that you'll see in the pictures – you can specify lengths and termination during the buying process.

Consider cable termination
Banana plugs make connecting, unplugging and reconnecting easier, but they don't make the sound any better. In fact, many people believe a bare wire connection to be sonically superior. You might also want to consider bi-wiring if your speakers are compatible (i.e. they have four speaker terminals as opposed to just two).

Your system matters
Otherwise, when it comes to picking the right speaker cables, a lot of your decision-making will revolve around price and your specific hi-fi system. As a general rule of thumb, we'd recommend setting aside 10 to 15 per cent of the total cost of your system for all cables.

In the case of a hi-fi set-up, you'll be looking at analogue interconnects, speaker cables and, potentially, a digital optical or coaxial cable depending on the sources you're using. So you'll want to dedicate a share of this to a pair of suitable speaker cables.

If you currently own an excellent entry-level set-up, you may not feel the need to spend big on cables, and that's totally fine. However, you might find that trying a new set of cables is an easy and effective way to upgrade your system's sound without spending big bucks.

As you can see from our list above, there are some brilliant affordable options available.

How we test speaker cables

What Hi-Fi? has been reviewing speaker cables for 50 years, and today our reviews remain as independent, honest and trusted as ever across print and online.

The current What Hi-Fi? team, which has more than 150 years of collective experience in reviewing, testing and writing about consumer electronics, has access to purpose-built, acoustically treated testing facilities. Indeed, all of our testing is done in-house, giving us complete control over the reviewing process and ensuring we are consistent across all product reviews.

It also allows us to keep stock of a wide variety of kit – mostly benchmark class leaders and five-star products – so that we can compare new products against the ones we know and love. Comparisons are bread-and-butter to our reviewing process and ensure we have the widest contextual knowledge of every corner of a market. This is particularly helpful for speaker cable reviews as it allows us to plumb the wires into numerous systems of varying price and tonal character, ensuring we can offer advice on which sonic flavour of systems they would best suit. Testing them within our reference system can really reveal what the speaker cable is doing (or not doing), while plugging them into a more price-compatible setup is also vital to gauge their 'real-world' effect.

Whether tested individually or collectively during our What Hi-Fi? Awards judging process, all speaker cables are listened to by multiple members of the What Hi-Fi? reviewing team at one time. The final review verdict is agreed upon by the team as a whole rather than a single reviewer, to help ensure consistency and avoid individual subjectivity and biases. Manufacturers, PRs and commercial teams have zero impact on them – which is why our reviews are trusted by readers, retailers and manufacturers alike.

From our reviews, we hand-pick only the best speaker cable at each price to feature in this Best Buy guide. That's why if you take the plunge and buy one of the products recommended here, you can rest assured you're getting a What Hi-Fi?-approved product.

You can read more about how we test and review products on What Hi-Fi? here.

Speaker cable FAQs

Recent updates

• January 2026: It's a new year, so we've checked this guide's information and the available of the cables recommended to ensure it's all up to date.
• June 2025: No new entries, but we've lightly updated our how to choose the right speaker cable advice.
• February 2025: Checked all information is up to date.
• December 2024: No new entries this time, although we have tested a new set of Ecosse cables recently – but they don't make the cut here. We've also flagged our current 2024 What Hi-Fi? Award-winner in the speaker cables category.
• October 2024: Updated our buying advice and FAQs.
• April 2024: We added 'FAQ', 'Also Consider' and 'How we test' sections to offer you more buying advice and awareness of how What Hi-Fi? arrives at its verdicts.
• January 2024: We trimmed our list of the best speaker cables for more pointed recommendations at set price points.

MORE:

10 affordable ways to upgrade your hi-fi system right now

Our pick of the best audio cables you can buy

All of our test track playlists in one place: the ultimate music tracks to test your hi-fi system

There’s been a trend of products not updating their name even though they’ve had significant revisions in the new model. The new 2022 generations of Focal Utopia and Apple AirPods Pro come to mind as the most recent examples, and Chord Company has followed suit with its new 2022 edition of the multiple award-winning Clearway Analogue RCA interconnect.

Build

The Clearway’s cable design is based on the Award-winning and more budget-friendly C-Line interconnect, but uses a heavier gauge oxygen-free copper and an improved version of Chord’s Tuned ARAY conductor geometry technology for the step-up in performance.

It’s by no means the biggest or flashiest update we’ve come across: the formerly silver-plated plugs of the interconnect have now been updated to a new ChorAlloy plating. Chord hasn’t expanded on the exact materials used here, stating only it’s a “multi-metal material” that now coats the VEE 3 RCA plugs on either end of the cable.

Chord Company is no stranger to updating the materials on its cable connections to improve the conductivity and longevity of its products. A few years ago, silver replaced gold as the choice for plugs due to its better conductivity, and the new multi-metal ChorAlloy plating is further claimed to act as an even better conductor that will tarnish less over time. Chord claims this results in a more musical sound for your system. 

The rest of the audio interconnect remains exactly the same construction as before, with FEP (fluorinated ethylene propylene) insulation and a dual-layer counter-wound heavy gauge foil design for its shielding.

Elsewhere, small visual changes include a new direction indicator icon and the new packaging that the cable comes in. The cardboard box with sleeve is a nicer (not to mention more eco-friendly) presentation than the previous all-plastic affair.

While cables themselves can’t actively improve your system’s sound, they do carry the audio signal between your components, and can easily degrade the performance of your set-up.

Sound

We connect the Clearway RCA cable to our reference system of Naim ND555/555 PS DR music streamer, Burmester 088/911Mk3 amplifier and ATC SCM50 speakers, as well as a more relatively affordable set-up of the Cyrus CDi, Naim Supernait 3 and KEF’s LS50 Metas.

We have the previous generation Clearway Analogue RCA at hand as well, which makes it easy to make comparisons.

It’s no surprise that both cables share the same characteristics – clear, detailed, rhythmically cohesive, and dynamics that are communicated with confidence. 

But it becomes clear fairly quickly that with the new 2022 Clearway RCA interconnect plugged in, both our systems sound crisper and more open. There is more nuance to voices, along with subtler dynamics and a tauter bass.

We play Eminem’s The Way I Am, and the edges of notes are crisper, more precise and more detailed. The bite in his vocals remains but it isn’t just straight aggression we’re hearing; there’s more texture and feeling in his voice that the new Chord cable communicates more effectively.

The bassline is also pulled tauter, adding to the driving, attacking rhythm. It sounds more solid and tuneful with the new Clearway RCA connected.  

We swap back to the older version and, while it’s still very capable, we now notice a slight hard edge to the top which is absent when using the new cable. With the latter, the ambient notes in Four Tet’s Circling soar high with refinement, and the greater sense of airiness and subtlety makes it a more involving listen. The rising crescendo before a drop into silence in the middle of the song is more dramatic when using the new interconnect, too. 

With its new plugs, the 2022 Clearway RCA simply makes our system sparkle more. It’s the difference a fresh coat of white paint or a wipe-down of a mirror makes: everything is just cleaner, pulled into focus, and there’s more detail, allowing the system to deliver a more emotive and tangible performance.

Verdict

Current owners of the Clearway Analogue RCA with silver plugs need not rush out to upgrade immediately, as that cable remains a perfectly fine performer for the money. But if you feel your home audio system needs a refresh or a little lift, the new edition of the Clearway RCA with ChorAlloy plugs is a good place to start. It works with a wide range of kit, and is worth the investment.

SCORES

• Sound 5
• Build 5
• Compatibility 5

MORE:

See all the What Hi-Fi? Awards 2022 winners

Read our review of the Atlas Element Achromatic 

Also consider the Chord C-line

Best speaker cables: budget and premium audio cables

You can tell Chord is relatively pleased with its Tuned ARAY technology. Until now, however, it’s been aimed at the high-end hi-fi listener only. But that was before the C-line stereo RCA interconnect.

Build

Even with all this technology, high-grade copper conductors and high density foil shielding, what difference can a metre of cable make to your system?

We played Lou Reed’s Transformer album to compare the C-line with a previous award-winner, the  Atlas Element Integra.

We liked the latter for the detail and size of the soundstage when plugged into our reference system, and that positivity hasn’t waned over the last 12 months.

Yet, as is its signature, Chord has created a product that doesn’t ignore those things but places its main emphasis on the character of your music.

For Transformer, it helps our system make more sense of Reed’s almost blasé delivery, making it sound laid back but not uninterested, and finding it to be true to the roots of the album’s spirit.

Rhythmic drive is strong and dynamics are expressive.

Verdict

This is Chord displaying once again an understanding of what makes hi-fi great, with an entry-level interconnect that never loses sight of what matters; the musicality of your system.

Review published: 2015. Review updated: November 2024.

We admit that the change of plating on a set of banana plugs isn’t particularly glamorous. But take a listen to a 2022 sample of Chord Company’s award-winning RumourX speaker cable using the new ChorAlloy plated banana plugs and it’s hard to do anything but nod in appreciation.

It’s not that RumourX wasn’t already a great speaker cable. It has been our go-to premium recommendation for a number of years now, and rightly so. On paper, its twisted pair construction to improve electrical interference rejection is hardly unusual, and the use of relatively thin and stiff 6mm conductors – silver plated copper – isn’t massively impressive. But there’s a reason that the Rumour has been part of Chord’s line-up for decades. 

It was introduced in 1996 and was just the second speaker cable the company ever made. Rumour was a success from the beginning and has been developed sparingly over the years. The addition of a soft outer sheath over the twin conductors and a change of dielectric from PTFE (Teflon) to Chord’s now favoured XLPE (cross-linked polyethylene) in late 2018 being the most notable revisions.

Build

It is fair to say that in comparison, the change of plug coating from silver plating to ChorAlloy – the company is sketchy on details, calling it a multi-metal material – seems pretty minor. 

The new plating looks shinier, almost chrome-like in comparison to the previous silver alternative. Chord says it gives improved connection quality with greater resistance to tarnishing over time. The result is claimed to be a more musical sound.

Of course, cables are passive components that only carry the sound between components in your system. They can’t actively make the sound better, so the best cable is the one that degrades the signal the least. We try the RumourX in a number of systems from our reference set-up of Naim ND555/555 PS DR music streamer, Burmester 088/911Mk3 amplifier and ATC SCM50 speakers, to a more price-compatible pairing of Naim Supernait 3 and KEF’s LS50 Metas.

Sound

We have a sample of the previous generation RumourX to hand, but it doesn’t take long to hear the improvements. Listening through either of our systems, it’s clear that the basic character of the cable hasn’t changed. This is still a detailed and dynamically expressive performer that’s unusually surefooted when communicating rhythmic drive. Yet, as we listen to the likes of Olafur Arnald’s Found Songs and Hans Zimmer's Interstellar OST, it is clear that the latest version of the cable is more balanced with a tauter, more controlled bass performance. There is a greater sense of openness about the sound and a little more subtlety in the way it renders dynamic nuances. At the top end, our system sounds just that touch more refined whereas the last generation cable adds a small degree of previously easily-ignored hardness in this region. 

We switch to Carnage by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis and enjoy the 2022 edition’s extra clarity and improved transparency. It feels like the inclusion of ChorAlloy has just increased the RumourX’s ability to pass the signal without messing with it too much. Anything that allows us to enjoy Cave’s heartfelt music even more is just fine with us.

Verdict

We want to make it clear that these aren’t night and day differences. They are relatively subtle, even through a revealing set-up, so if you have last year’s RumourX it isn’t absolutely essential that you get the plugs changed to ChorAlloy. If you do though, the sound will be a little better. 

Review published: 2022. Review updated: November 2024.

SCORES

• Sound 5
• Build 5
• Compatibility 5

MORE:

Also consider the AudioQuest Rocket 22

Best speaker cables: budget and premium audio cables

Love your hi-fi system but feel the need to give it a bit of a lift? If you haven’t already, you might want to invest in a better quality of speaker cable.

AudioQuest’s Rocket 11 – on the budget end of its Rocket range – could just be the thing to give your system a new lease of life.

Build & Compatibility

The first thing we like about the Rocket 11 is how flexible it is. Much like AudioQuest’s previous Award-winning FLX-SLiP 14/4, it’s easy to bend the malleable cable around tight corners to reach your kit without worrying about it breaking or getting damaged.

The cables are handily labelled, too. Not only are the left and right cables marked, AudioQuest has helpfully noted which end goes into the amplifier and which end plugs into the speaker – it’s these little touches that make the Rocket 11 all the more easy and appealing to use.

They’re also designed so that you can use them in a single-wired or bi-wired configuration if your system demands it, with the option to terminate them in banana plugs or spade connectors in store. Our review sample has banana plugs and comes in a smart white finish, though you can get the Rocket 11 in black too.

AudioQuest has taken a lot of care with the configuration and quality of the conductors used inside the Rocket 11. It uses semi-solid true-concentric conductors and long-grain copper – all to improve performance and reduce any interference that might degrade the sound.

Sound

Of course, none of this would make a jot of difference if the Rocket 11 cable didn’t have a positive impact on your system’s performance.

We connect the cable into our main reference system (a formidable ATC SCM 50 speakers, Burmester 088/911 MkIII amplifier and Naim ND555/555PS DR streamer combination) as well as in a more modest system comprising KEF LS50 Meta speakers, Rega Brio amp and Marantz CD6007 CD player – and the effect on our assembled systems is immediate.

There’s a perceptible improvement in the way the systems perform when the Rocket 11 is plugged in, compared with rival speaker cables from Atlas and Chord Company.

We play In The Cold, Cold Night by The White Stripes, and our system sounds stunningly clear, controlled and detailed. Guitar strings are pulled taut, leading edges are wonderfully crisp and clean, and the precise timing propels the song forward with a driving momentum.

Vocals are packed with nuance and emotion, too. The precision of Meg White’s diction comes through with sparkling clarity.

The Rocket 11s also guide our system into performing with a pleasing and punchy sense of dynamism that’s a joy to listen to. Stevie Nicks’s Edge Of Seventeen is delivered with the full, raw power of an air-punching power ballad, with while the playful clubbing rhythm of SBTRKT’s New Dorp New York charges along merrily.

Listening with competitors such as the Chord Company ClearwayX speaker cable (which is slightly cheaper), our system sounds a bit richer, with a weightier emphasis on the basslines. But with the Rocket 11, our system knits musical elements together with more confidence and alacrity. We get a better sense of spaciousness, too.

Verdict

As we said in our review of the FLX-SLiP 14/4 a few years ago, the best thing this AudioQuest cable does is get out of the way and simply let you enjoy the music.

For the money, it might sound a bit steep when you add up how many cables, the length, and the terminations you’ll need. But if you’ve put a lot of care into your hi-fi system, it’s well worth investing in good quality speaker cables that will optimise its performance.

And the Rocket 11 speaker cable is well worth that investment.

SCORES

• Sound 5
• Compatibility 5
• Build 5

MORE:

See all our AudioQuest reviews

See all the What Hi-Fi? Awards 2022 winners

Buying advice: How to choose the right speakers

Speaker cables are a vital part of any hi-fi or home cinema system, but let’s face it, they’re not exactly attractive to look at. Not only that, they can also be a minor tripping hazard. Which is where a cable like the Wireworld Horizon can come in very handy.

Build

Pulled from its packaging, we’ve got mixed feelings. It’s fair to say the Horizon doesn't exactly have the robust feel or look of some rivals we’ve tested at the money, but then again, it looks and feels like that for a reason.

At just 1.4mm thick and 10mm wide, it’s super thin, pliable and perfect for running under carpets and reaching places in your living room or listening room that other cables can’t.

Our review sample is terminated with 4mm Z-type banana plugs which, we can report, won’t slip out of your speaker or stereo amplifier terminals any time soon. They’re a really tight fit with our ATC SCM50 reference speakers and Burmester 088/911 Mk3 pre/power combination, so be careful when pushing or pulling them so you don’t damage the plugs.

Don’t forget that a tight fit is a very good thing: the more contact between the plugs and your speaker/amplifier terminals the lower the resistance and the better the signal transfer. Which is good for sound quality.

Sound

Without any running in, the Wireworld Horizon starts out life with a character that mirrors its design. The general presentation is rather thin, flat and a little insubstantial. On a quick listen, you’d be looking at a so-so three-star rating.

But this is a good example of why it pays to treat your cables like any new component in your system and give them time to run in. We give the Horizon a couple of nights to properly bed in, and notice some of those coarser edges are smoothed out.

Play Kid Cudi’s Day And Night and there’s a more believable texture to Kid’s vocal and less of a rough surface to the track’s synths. The cable just helps to deliver a more satisfying overall sound: bass notes sound fuller and weightier and the song doesn’t sound as tonally grey. There’s more space around the different elements too.

Switch to Moonlight Sonata by Ludwig van Beethoven and the cable helps to communicate the harmonics of the piano and the differentiation between key strokes. The ebb and flow of the track is communicated with greater clarity. Notes sound natural and realistic. The speaker cable doesn’t allow dynamics to shine quite as brightly as the very best at the money, though, and there’s a slight emotional disconnect from the music.

Verdict

The Wireworld Horizon is up against some tough competition at this level, namely the AudioQuest Rocket 11, but it’s still a very capable and versatile performer and could be a smart choice if you want to keep cable clutter to a minimum.

SCORES

• Sound 4
• Build 4
• Compatibility 4

MORE:

Read our AudioQuest Rocket 11 review

10 affordable ways to upgrade your hi-fi system

These are the best speaker cables: budget and premium audio cables

Ecosse is celebrating its 25th anniversary with the release of a new loudspeaker cable, the CS2.15 Mk2, which the company believes is a "world beater".

Priced at £10 (around $12, AU$17) per metre, the CS2.15 Mk2 uses a solid conductor, as opposed to a stranded one, which Ecosse says has been designed to mitigate against unwanted high-frequency attenuation by reducing resistance. While a low DC resistance helps to maintain low-frequency extension and control. 

The conductors comprise two circular cores made of high purity oxygen-free copper that are interlaced with cotton fibres and bound in cotton paper. A high-grade polypropylene forms the dielectric, while on the outside a soft PVC cladding protects the cable.

Ecosse says that the construction of the CS2.15 Mk2 ensures that it has a high rejection of RFI, EMI and ESI as well as being mechanically damp and less susceptible to microphony. 

The result, according to the Scottish company, is "an improved sense of ambience and larger soundstage; vocals are clearer with real presence and natural breath tones; glare and edginess give way to a sweeter and more detailed treble".

MORE

Best speaker cables 2022: budget and premium audio cables

10 affordable ways to upgrade your hi-fi system right now

How to build the perfect hi-fi system

An amendment to the specification for HDMI 2.1a was announced yesterday, which introduced a new feature called HDMI Cable Power, enabling users to use HDMI cables that are much longer than are currently supported, without the need for a separate power connector.

HDMI Cable Power will overcome the limitation of HDMI 2.1's Fixed Rate Link signalling system, which delivers ultra-fast, high bandwidth signals but can only be preserved for short distances, meaning that passive cables are restricted to just a few metres in length.

Previously the only way to overcome this constraint was to use active HDMI cables, which employ an amplifier to boost the signal allowing it to be maintained for longer distances without degradation, and are typically found in professional settings. 

Whereas active HDMI cables require a separate power supply fed from an external source, HDMI Cable Power cables can draw up to 300 mA from the 5V supply of a source directly from the HDMI connector, allowing for less convoluted cable runs in home cinema systems.

However, like active HDMI cables, HDMI Cable Power cables will be one-directional, with a specified source and output. According to the HDMI website: "One end of the cable is specifically labelled for attachment to the HDMI Source (transmitting) device, and the other end of the cable must be attached to the HDMI Sink (receiving) device. If the cable is attached in reverse, no damage will occur, but the connection will not work."

HDMI Cable Power will be available for all categories of HDMI cable, but for ARC/eARC support, you'll want to look out for cables labelled as Ultra High-Speed HDMI Cable, Premium High-Speed HDMI Cable with Ethernet, High-Speed HDMI Cable with Ethernet or Standard HDMI Cable with Ethernet.

To make use of HDMI Cable Power, you need to have both an HDMI cable and an HDMI source device that supports the feature. We're yet to see any products announced that include it, but it's worth noting that new HDMI cables with Cable Power will ship with a separate power connector, normally a USB Micro-B or Type-C, for use with non-compatible source devices.

More

Any HDMI connection can now be labelled as HDMI 2.1, and that's not okay

This is what HDMI 2.1 meant before all this nonsense: HDMI 2.1 explained

Everything you need to know about 4K/120, VRR and ALLM

Chord's previous generation Clearway was something of a star, picking up a trio of our 'best speaker cable' awards between 2015 and 2017. Winning the award once is hard enough, but holding onto it is even more difficult in the face of ever-newer competition. So it says a lot about the original cable that it remained successful for so long. 

Build

For its latest iteration, Chord has sensibly chosen to build on this solid foundation rather than start with a blank sheet, so much about this new generation feels familiar. We have high purity OFC (Oxygen Free Copper) multi-strand conductors configured in a twisted pair arrangement to improve interference rejection. There’s further protection in the form of two contra-wound high-density foil shields and a soft PVC wrap to hold the conductors, minimise mechanical vibrations and maintain the spacing between those foil shields and the twisted cables.

The big news in this 'X' update is the use of a material called XLPE (Cross-Linked Polyethylene) for the dielectric (the insulation that directly encases the conductor). Chord says that the new material is a cost-effective alternative to the Taylon used in its high-end cables and offers greater phase stability compared to the PTFE used previously, giving a notable improvement in sound.

It turns out that the company is right. We’ve long admired the previous-generation Clearway’s ability to deliver the music signal in an enjoyable and musical way, and none of this has been diluted with this new version. Of course, let's make things clear from the beginning in that a cable is a passive component that just carries the signal from your amplifier to the speakers. It can’t actually make the sound better, so the cable you want is the one that degrades the music signal the least.

Sound

Judged in that way, the ClearwayX must count as a huge success. We use it in our reference set-up of Naim ND555/555 PS DR music streamer, Burmester 088/911 Mk 3 pre/power with ATC SCM50 speakers, as well as with Naim’s more price-compatible SuperNait 3 integrated amplifier and the KEF LS50 Meta standmounters. The results are consistent and positive regardless.

With the Chord speaker cable linking the amplifiers to the speakers, we get an organised and musically cohesive performance. Listening to Hans Zimmer’s Interstellar OST, we can’t help but be engaged by the vivid dynamics and punch on offer. There’s an excellent level of insight and a sense of spaciousness that’s impressive.

Tonally, things are nicely even-handed, with the crisp yet controlled higher frequencies being balanced by a taut and authoritative bass. That feeling of cohesion is helped by a surefooted handling of rhythms and a fine sense of drive. 

These strengths are highlighted when we play Massive Attack’s Heligoland where our systems render the sound with punch and power. We love the way instrumental textures are reproduced and the expressive way vocals come across. There’s plenty of clarity here and enough insight to dig deep into the dense production should you wish. Most importantly of all, we’re having fun.

Verdict

The Chord ClearwayX is up against some tough competition in the form of Audioquest’s slightly cheaper but hugely capable Rocket 11, but its broad range of talents means that it remains an excellent choice in price-compatible systems.

SCORES

• Sound 5
• Build 5
• Compatibility 5

MORE:

Read our review of the Audioquest Rocket 11

Best speaker cables 2022: budget and premium audio cables

10 affordable ways to upgrade your hi-fi system right now

We don’t mean to be antagonistic in saying that cables aren’t the most interesting hi-fi products out there, despite their quality being as important to a hi-fi system as they are necessary in the first place. But to its credit, AudioQuest has done its best to create a narrative around its cables. They're named after geographical elements and we certainly think the company’s inspiration behind choosing Chicago as a name and emerald as a colour for this budget interconnect on test here is worth a read.

The psychology of colour would tell you emerald green (and green in general, really) has positive connotations – growth, rebirth, nature, etc – and that shines through the AudioQuest Chicago’s sonic character. It’s likeably punchy, full-bodied and smooth – good traits generally suited to the budget electronics these cables will likely find themselves between.

Sound

In our system, the Chicago conveys the bluesy instrumental in Melody Gardot’s Amalia with decent helpings of solidity and refinement. The cello strings and ‘humming’ have body and substance in what is a nicely focused and present soundstage, while the shakers and delicate strumming that come in beneath her well-focused vocal all manifest with decent clarity.

Something meatier and more upbeat – we go to the extreme with Eminem – plays into the Chicago’s hands. It's a little cruder than the class-leading competition in conveying rhythms and dynamics but it’s controlled with it.

The Chord Company competition on either side of the Chicago’s price point (namely the C-line and Clearway X) are more astute in surfacing subtle textures and dynamic nuances. This places the AudioQuest interconnect a few pegs further down the ladder than it’d probably like to be. But, that shouldn’t detract from its agreeable balance and otherwise capable nature.

That cleanliness is undoubtedly partly down to AudioQuest opting for a solid core long-grain copper conductor over the more typical short-grain, stranded kind – chosen to prevent strand interaction and reduce grain boundary issues that can cause distortion. The ‘Hard-Cell Foam’ insulation is supposedly stiff, helping ensure stable conductance, and is also nitrogen-injected to create air pockets that are not sensitive to absorbing energy or releasing any into the copper.

To further maximise the purity of the signal as it’s being carried down the cable, AudioQuest has implemented its Noise-Dissipation technology here in a bid to shield the cable from any radio-frequency interference.

The good news continues – that tube-covered, braided emerald green and black finish is immediately striking, and further visual scrutiny and usage over our testing confirms the cable’s quality build. The compact, minimalist plug jacket design isn’t as grippy as some, but unless you plan on unplugging them several times a day (like we do over the course of our testing!), practically speaking this won’t present the slightest of issues.

Verdict

The Chicago might not be the most accomplished performer at this price point, but AudioQuest has created a likeable cable here – one that will simply let your (hopefully entertaining) budget electronics do the talking without losing too much.

SCORES

• Sound 4
• Build 5
• Compatibility 5

MORE:

Check out our Chord Company C-line review

And our Atlas Element Achromatic review

These are the best audio cables you can buy

The Tonik sits on the first rung of Kimber’s analogue interconnects ladder, but that doesn’t stop it from showcasing many of the company’s trademark design touches. The most obvious is the use of braided conductors. This is a type of construction that is good at rejecting electrical noise and interference.

You’ll also find that the conductors differ in terms of thickness, something that’s claimed to cover the frequency range better than just a single size would. There are three conductors in the Tonik, all made of high purity copper and coated in a polyethylene dielectric.

The Tonik also comes with a choice of connectors – RCA and balanced XLR – and a wide range of lengths. We have a 1m pair for this test. It’s a nicely built cable without quite having the quality aura of rivals such as the Atlas Element Achromatic or the slightly pricier QED Reference Audio 40.

Sound

If you feel your system’s presentation could do with an injection of energy this is certainly a good option. Not that a passive component such as a cable can actually add energy to the sound, of course, more that the Tonik is great at preserving the energy already in the signal. It helps our system sound punchy and fast with the likes of Eminem’s The Way I Am, delivering the song with impressive verve. There’s a decent though not class leading level of detail and a good sense of organisation. We like the cable’s ability to make our system sound composed and nicely organised regardless of the genre of music we play.

We notice some shortcomings compared to the very best cables at the price though. Using the Tonik reduces our system’s ability to render dynamic nuances convincingly and its ability to convey changes in rhythmic momentum unambiguously. We also miss the finer points of instrumental textures. Add these things together and we have a cable that doesn’t hold our interest over longer listening sessions as well as we’d hope.

Verdict

If you’re looking for a fast and punchy cable, this one is worth a listen – but ultimately the Kimber Tonik doesn’t have the finesse required to challenge the best in the class.

SCORES

• Sound 3
• Build 4
• Compatibility 3

MORE:

Also consider the Atlas Element Achromatic

Read our review of the Chord Clearway

Our pick of the best audio cables you can buy

It’s a good job for Wireworld that the Victorian attitude towards children – that they should be seen and not heard – doesn’t apply to interconnects today. Going solely on looks, you wouldn’t pick the Luna 8 out of a lineup that also comprises, say, the QED Reference Audio 40 or AudioQuest Chicago competitors at this price level.

But what it doesn’t offer in the aesthetics department it makes up for in its performance – which, considering interconnects are mostly tucked away out of sight, is a skewed balance no other product type could get away with as easily.

Build

The Luna 8 continues Wireworld’s long-standing, near-entry-level interconnect series, following directly on from the Luna 7 that we called “a great option at the money” some years ago. It looks and feels familiar in form to its predecessor, with its thin, grippy, blue rubber cable, which is on the flimsier or more flexible (however you want to look at it) side compared to some. It's terminated with typically on-brand silver-coloured, ribbed RCA plug jackets and silver/gold connectors here, although XLR termination is also available at the usual premium.

Progress has been made where you can’t see it, though. The Luna 8 keeps a copper construction but in a new ‘Tri DNA Helix’ design that comprises more than three times as many parallel strands of flat conductors layered in a bid to carry the audio signal more efficiently and accurately. The insulation Wireworld uses has been upgraded to ‘Composilex 3’, too, supposedly improving tonality and image focus.

Sound

We certainly have no qualms with the Luna 8’s tonal balance or ability to map a precise soundstage. This is a cable that prioritises communicating your system’s sound precisely, in an organised manner and with an appealing finesse. The way it relays Nick Cave and Warren Ellis’s The Road soundtrack can only be called “graceful”. It captures the ebb and flow of the pianos and the texture of the keys and accompanying strings in a way that duly cummunicates the mournfulness of the piece.

The Luna 8’s delivery feels nicely deliberate and there’s enough dynamic variation to keep things interesting, making it great for couriering music that demands it – even if the rival Atlas Element Achromatic takes faithfulness that little bit further. There is opportunity amongst this praise for a wishlist, mind, and that would be a tighter grip on bass notes. Listening to Eminem’s The Way I Am, we find the jaunty bass tab a little droney and ill-defined through the Luna 8. It’s not the end of the world, but it is noticeable and that low-end drive (and general musicality, actually) comes up second best to the Chord C-Line.

Verdict

The budget interconnect market is a competitive one, but the sophisticated Wireworld Luna 8 deserves a place in it – if not for being a class-leading all-rounder then for ensuring your music sounds more precise, organised and refined than through most at this price.

SCORES

• Sound 4
• Build 4
• Compatibility 4

MORE:

Read our Chord Company C-line review

And our Atlas Element Achromatic review

Our pick of the best audio cables you can buy

10 affordable ways to upgrade your hi-fi system right now

Atlas’s entry-level Element interconnect has long been a favourite of ours. It has gone through numerous iterations over the years and never failed to impress. This Achromatic version continues that fine tradition.

Build

The most obvious change over previous generations is in the RCA connector, which is now a low-mass, non-magnetic design that is solder-free and cold-welded to the conductor. Atlas feels that this type of air-tight connection is better at maintaining signal integrity than the more traditional soldering method of joining the plug to the conductor.

The conductor material isn’t typical either, being OCC (Ohno Continuous Casting) copper that stands out for minimising the number of grain boundaries. The thinking goes that the fewer crystal boundaries that the music signal has to pass through, the purer it remains. This conductor is coated with a gas-foamed polyethylene dielectric that Atlas claims is more inert and consistent than standard polyethylene. Lastly, the Element Achromatic is a shielded design in order to reduce noise and interference to a minimum.

Sound

Physically, there’s very little that’s flashy about this cable. It just looks and feels like a high quality but functional design. That’s the way we like it. That dedication to doing the job at hand at the expense of cosmetic embellishment applies to the sound too. Achromatic means ‘without colour’ and that’s pretty much how this cable sounds to us. It doesn’t have much of a sonic signature and just seems to let the music signal pass through relatively unimpeded. 

It starts with an impressively even-handed tonality that avoids the brightly-lit nature of some rivals and continues with a level of sonic precision and composure that’s hard to better for the money. It’s possible to buy alternatives that are livelier and more obviously entertaining – Chord’s Clearway comes to mind – but it’s hard to think of anything that makes our system sound as neutral and pleasingly hands-off as this.

This balanced approach to music replay means that this cable works well across all genres. When plugged into our reference system this Atlas sounds as comfortable replaying Eminem’s classic Marshall Mathers set as it does the slinky jazz of Melody Gardot’s The Absence. This is thanks to a pleasing level of resolution coupled to strong dynamic contrasts and a surefooted way with rhythms.

There’s a good level of refinement for the price point too, with the cable revealing the hard edges in the Eminem set without blowing things out of proportion. This is a clean and precise sounding performer that simply gets out of the way of the music signal, letting the rest of the system take the spotlight.

Verdict

If the rest of your set-up is up to scratch then we have no doubt that the Element Achromatic will impress. If your system’s sound doesn’t involve you in the music, don’t blame this cable. The fault lies elsewhere.

SCORES:

• Sound 5
• Build 5
• Compatibility 5

MORE:

Check out our Chord Clearway review

Our pick of the best audio cables you can buy

10 affordable ways to upgrade your hi-fi system

It’s almost as if the QED Reference Audio 40 is aware it’s the middle child in the company’s analogue interconnect range (between the entry-level Performance and flagship Signature series). Adamant not to be ignored due to its rank order, it demands that your music sound big, clear and imposing. This is no bad thing – the QED does this in a pleasing way, prioritising clarity to help your music sound compellingly front and centre in your system’s soundstage. 

The previous iteration of QED’s Reference Audio 40 was a five-star cable we praised for relaying music with depth and dimension in an expansive soundstage, and those same characteristics certainly shine through here to make a solid first impression. That impression doesn’t waver as we make our way through our playlist – from jazz to rap to classical – over the course of our testing. It’s quite easy to fall for the cable’s showy, brightly lit nature, with the treble frequencies slightly (but not too overly) emphasised, and that’s nicely balanced with a sense that the QED is striving for technical correctness too.

There isn’t quite the same natural approach of the Atlas Element Achromatic, though, and we find the more musical Chord ClearwayX (and, to a lesser extent, even Chord’s more affordable C-line) a better communicator of dynamic expression and rhythmic cohesiveness. It’s fair to say the QED shares more of the talents of a public speaker than a born entertainer, then.

Build

QED can put the cable’s clear, refined and ultimately capable performance down to the upgrades it has made to bring this cable into the next generation. The British brand has built on the success of its first-gen Analoc plug design with what it fittingly calls Analoc2, which promises to quash the detrimental effects of pesky eddy currents more efficiently than in the isolated metal body of the previous plug design. To do this, QED has swapped in thermoplastic material for both the inner support structure and the cable strain relief, while still pairing copper connectors with metal barrels. 

Moving away from the plug and down to the cable, two silver-plated (and supposedly almost entirely oxygen free) copper conductors carry the audio signal, with each a different diameter to, QED says, provide an alternative path for the high frequencies that could become time-smeared within a single pathway.

Polyethylene (LDPE) for the inner jacket is the dielectric chosen to work alongside the conductors and reduce electrical energy loss. And lastly, a Zn/Mn Ferrite jacket has been chosen within the cordage in a bid to absorb unwanted high-frequency noise. Considering the clean, clear nature of the cable, we’d say it's a job well done here.

If the Reference Audio 40’s sonic characteristics sound like just what your system needs, know that nothing about its physical makeup should put you off. You can tell the cable’s high build quality before having to handle it to confirm it, and it’s not only a pleasingly built thing but also an attractive one thanks to its red braided cable inside the translucent jacket.

Verdict

The QED Reference Audio 40 might not tick every sonic box as boldly as its highest-level competitors at the price point, but there’s a lot to be said for a cable that can relay music with class-leading clarity and a stark radiance. And for that reason, it continues the model’s favourable legacy.

SCORES

• Sound 4
• Build 5
• Compatibility 4

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Looking to go big on a home cinema system in 2022? British cable specialist QED can help: the firm has just introduced its Performance Optical Ultra High Speed HDMI cable, designed to transfer a maximum compressed video resolution of up to 48Gb/s 10K@120Hz over long cable runs. And by 'long', QED means anything from 7.5 to 20m in length. 

Billed as the perfect solution for modern day AV installations, this high-performance HDMI 2.1-certified cable boasts the ability to handle all current HDMI standards, including uncompressed 48Gb/s 8K@60Hz video resolution, Dolby Atmos audio and HDR (High Dynamic Range) picture technology.

QED has been designing and engineering premium AV analogue and digital cables for nearly five decades and the Performance Optical Ultra High Speed HDMI cable is, says the firm, the culmination of this expertise.  The company’s innovative Ultra High Speed Active Optical Technology hybrid design combines copper core with optical fibre that boasts the ability to resist data degradation over extremely long lengths – all without the need for an external power supply.

To drill down into what that means a little more, QED tells us that pure copper conductor cables three metres in length or more will cause the 48 Gb/s HDMI signal to break down to the point that it would no longer be reliably decoded at the other end. By replacing four of the 19 copper cores with optical fibre, the company says that data transmissions will be unaffected by losses (due to impedance mismatch) or timing variances (due to crosstalk) over longer cable runs.

Elsewhere, all QED HDMI cables undergo stringent mandatory testing at an HDMI forum authorised testing centre to not only to ensure compatibility with the new 2.1 video standards (the cables are all HDCP 2.2 compliant and with full CEC, DDC, HDR, HEC and eARC compatibility) but also to ensure low levels of electromagnetic radiation, to reduce the possibility of interference with wireless networks, streaming media players, Bluetooth devices and mobile phones.

Professional installers or AV enthusiasts wishing to conceal the cable within the structure of a building can rest assured that the cable’s the Low Smoke Zero Halogen jacket and internal components are all certified and fully compliant with the latest EN 50575:2014 regulations too.

Another nice touch is the clearly labelled plugs. The integrated circuit is built into the plug at each end of the cable to make them easy to run though the fabric of a building. Each plug is clearly labelled ‘DISPLAY’ and ‘SOURCE’ to ensure the cable is always installed correctly.

Need something even longer? For any cable length requirements over 20 metres, QED recommends its Performance Optical HDMI LSZH cable for transmission video speeds of 48Gb/s 8K@60Hz over 30m (£300), 40m (£350) and 50m (£400) runs.

The QED Performance Optical Ultra High Speed HDMI is available now from QED's website and independent retailers priced:

7.5m – £140 (around $190, AU$265)
10m – £160 (around $220, AU$300)
12m – £180 (around $245, AU$340)
15m – £200 (around $273, AU$380)
20m – £250 (around $340, AU$470) 

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Don't want to break the bank for an HDMI cable? Head over to Amazon today and you can score a one metre HDMI 2.1-certified cable for just £8.99. That's a tasty 31% off the £12.99 RRP!

The Sniokco-branded cable supports a ton of sought-after features including 4K@120Hz and 48Gbps high speed data transfer, so it's ideally suited to premium TVs and next-gen games consoles.

The catch? This cheap HDMI cable deal is only for Prime members. But then, that's easily solved with this 30-day free Prime trial (no contract, cancel anytime).

HDMI 2.1 offers increased bandwidth, higher frame rates and/or higher resolution, which is why it's fast becoming the standard for video and audio in everything from TVs to games consoles and PCs. 

If you're thinking of buying a new TV or a games console, it's well worth adding a HDMI 2.1 cable to your basket. Especially now that Amazon has slashed 31% off the Sniokco 1m HDMI 2.1 certified cable.

We've not tested this particular lead, but it offers an upper limit of 48Gbps, which means it can transmit the extra pixels needed for 4@120Hz gaming and 8K video playback. It also supports eARC, which lets you send Dolby Atmos soundtracks from your TV to your audio system in the highest possible quality.

If you're in the market for a cheap HDMI cable deal, we suggest you grab this HDMI 2.1 cable for only £8.99 while stocks last.

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It’s hard to assess the often outlandish claims for high-end speaker cables; it can seem a fairy-tale land where sales patter and snake oil combine to lubricate pricing until it climbs to seemingly outrageous levels for cables that may appear, at least externally, like any number of other cables.

On the other hand you have cable companies that have designs which are entirely unlike any other cables and are clearly highly engineered for their purpose. One such is Inakustik, a German company which has been making cables since 1977, and whose use of ‘air technology’ insulation in its cables delivers a unique take on cable dielectrics. 

The approach – and the resulting cable performance – has convinced Tim Wallis of Inakustik’s Australian distributor Audio Marketing. 

“A cable should not offer anything additional to your system, nor change anything. It should simply reveal the quality of your equipment, and that neutrality is what makes Inakustik’s Air and Micro Air cables perfect for all reference systems.”

• The best speakers we've reviewed: budget to premium

Inakustik’s latest creation is the Reference LS-404 Micro Air speaker cable. The complex manual assembly of each cable is conducted in Inakustik’s German factory, including both mechanical and performance testing quality control conducted on each final cable.

The new designs retain the air-insulation concept from the successful higher Reference Air series, where a three-metre pair of speaker cables can set you back more than AU$10,000. But the new Micro Air configuration allows a more affordable solution. 

The LS-404 Micro Air speaker cables will be available as three-metre pairs terminated with banana plugs for AU$1600, or terminated with spades for AU$1700. Bi-wire configuration and custom lengths will be available as special order.

Despite the more favourable pricing, the new designs maintain Inakustik’s use of air as a central component in the insulation dielectric, which the company claims to reduce cable capacitance. 

Normal dielectrics can increase capacitance many times over, claims Inakustik, with the material that insulates a cable absorbing electrical energy and releasing it later, causing smearing to the music signal. Air does not do this, says the company, and is therefore the ideal insulator. 

The Micro Air cables use a diamond-shaped structure to create chambers that increase the distance between conductors, and so also increase the air content in the insulation.

A total of eight concentric high-purity copper conductors are used in the Reference LS-404 Micro Air in addition to the air dielectric (compared with 24 cores in the Reference Air speaker cable). The multicore architecture allows the magnetic fields of the positive and negative conductors to overlap and neutralise, reducing the cable’s inductance, claims Inakustik.

The surfaces of the banana plugs and spades are finished with a durable rhodium coating, with the contact surfaces and the screw connection of the spades also manufactured from a single piece, thereby avoiding contact resistance.

“The proof is in the pudding with cables,” concludes Tim Wallis. “I strongly suggest an audition.”

• Best speaker cables: budget and premium audio cables

Cable specialist Atlas has just launched the new Atlas Ailsa Achromatic speaker cable. Joining the Ailsa Achromatic interconnect, launched in 2021, Ailsa is pitched between the company’s Hyper and Mavros cable ranges and offers OCC (Ohno Continuous Cast) conductor technology and microporous PTFE dielectrics at a lower price point than previously available. 

Designed from the ground up, Ailsa is aimed at mid to high-end system use, but the proposition features technology deployed in the even higher-end Mavros range.

Kevin Kelly, managing director of Atlas Cables, said, “The Ailsa speaker cable bridges the gap between our Hyper and Mavros range... We have finally managed to successfully trickle down our OCC/microporous PTFE technology and included it in the Ailsa design."

Ailsa Achromatic speaker cable consists of 2 x 3mm OCC multi-stand copper conductors wrapped in a high-efficiency microporous PTFE dielectric. This is enhanced with super stabilised conductor geometry (SSG isolation layer), an extruded outer layer that keeps the multiple strand conductor symmetrical and geometrically accurate. 

The cable is then packed out with anti-vibration cotton filler and finished with a high-gloss grey jacket.

As with all Atlas analogue products, the Ailsa speaker cable is delivered from the factory terminated with the company’s Achromatic Z (4mm plugs) or S (spade terminals). Being low mass and non-conductive, the plug body promises to eliminate the detrimental effects of circulating Eddy currents.

The promised result is minimal discernible character, thus allowing your system to convey its inherent detail, timing and dynamics.

Atlas's Ailsa Achromatic speaker cable is available in pre-packaged lengths with Z or S connections, priced at £1395 for 2m, £1995 for 3m, £3195 for 5m and £4395 for 7m, all inclusive of VAT. International availability and pricing is not yet known, but given the UK prices, they should start from roughly $1900 or AU$2670. 

Custom lengths are also available to order from authorised retailers.

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British audio specialist QED has just introduced a new affordable Connect range of AV cables and adapters. The firm tells us every option has been custom-designed to deliver the best performance at palatable prices. 

Whether connecting to your TV, new hi-fi speakers, home cinema system or mobile device – think smartphones, laptops, tablets or portable DACs – the Connect series covers virtually every audio-visual connectivity base we can think of. And as technology inevitably evolves, the firm assures us any meaningful future connectivity requirement will also be incorporated into the ‘living’ QED Connect family.

Designed in the UK, the entire range boasts a stylish satin black finish wrapped in a soft but durable ultra-flexible PVC jacket, primed for home or mobile use. Each cable (where applicable) features custom-moulded 24K gold plated QED connectors and plugs for noise-free, long-life connectivity and 99.99 per cent oxygen free copper conductors for reliable signal transfer. 

Each QED Connect cable also comes in a variety of lengths and the entire range will arrive in minimal, fully biodegradable packaging.

QED's Connect stereo audio cable, which features HDPE dielectric for improved signal integrity and custom plug design with channel identifier, starts at £9.95/€12.95 for 0.75m length. 

The QED Connect 3.5mm jack to phono cable, 3.5mm jack to jack option and a 3.5mm headphone extension all start at around the £10 mark; QED Connect aerial cables are priced from £18.95/€23.95 and the QED Connect HDMI cable (high speed with Ethernet and fully compliant with HDMI 2.0) starts at just £14.95/€18.95 for 1.5m. 

Optical, subwoofer, speaker and USB cables also feature in the range, as well as a wide selection of stereo audio and video adaptors. 

QED has been designing and engineering AV cables for nearly five decades and is often considered the original cable brand (owing to its QED 79 strand cable, released in 1976, widely recognised as the world’s first “specialist” speaker cable) so it is worth noting these wallet-friendly price points for further investigation. 

The QED Connect range will be available in the UK and Europe by the end of January 2022, from QED's website and at select dealers. 

MORE: 

See our extensive catalogue of QED reviews 

Considering new speaker cables? Here's our roundup of the best speaker cables 2022: budget and premium audio cables

Or peruse our roundup of the best hi-fi systems 2022: micro, vinyl and streaming music systems for the home

So apparently there are no longer HDMI 2.0 ports and HDMI 2.1 ports. According to a recent proclamation by They Who Decide These Things, the HDMI Licensing Administrator, now there are only HDMI 2.1 ports. 

Even if you haven’t a clue what we’re talking about here, you might be thinking this sounds like a good thing. Why confuse the marketplace by having two generations of HDMI port in play when one will do? Unfortunately, though, the decision to state that all HDMI ports on new equipment can call themselves HDMI 2.1 is anything but a good thing, since it doesn’t actually mean that all those HDMI ports really are HDMI 2.1 ports in terms of the features they can deliver. It does not mean that all so-called HDMI 2.1 ports are equal.

In practical terms, whatever they might be called, there really are going to be HDMI 2.0 and 2.1 ports in circulation, with all the differences in supported features these differences entail. So calling them all the same thing looks set to make an already ridiculously confusing situation even more confusing.

Making the right connection

To get a fuller idea of just how unhelpful this is, let’s start by looking back at our established relationship with and understanding of AV connectivity, and the evolution of the HDMI port.

Once upon a time you used to know exactly what a particular connection on your TV could do for you. Composite video inputs gave you crappy composite video feeds. S-Video feeds always gave you cleaner video feeds than composite video. Component video could give you purer colours than S-Video and even – whoot – HD video support. And if a Scart was there, it would usually be able to do lovely RGB Scarty stuff. Albeit only in SD.

The arrival of digital video, though, and the HDMI connector introduced to carry it, made things simpler in one way but a whole lot less straightforward in many others. With HDMI you’ve got a connection that as if by magic can keep evolving to take on new video and sound-carrying properties without having to change its essential design.

From the early HD, SDR days of HDMI, for instance, we now have HDMI connections that can handle 8K resolutions at 60Hz refresh rates, 4K with 120Hz refresh rates, all sorts of high dynamic range formats (HDR), variable refresh rates (VRR), automatic low latency mode switching (ALLM), lossless Dolby Atmos sound… Basically, HDMI has proved to be the ‘Mary Poppins’ bag’ of the connection world.

While this sounds great on paper, though, its evolution over the past couple of decades (yes, it really has been around for that long, and you really are that old) has been an increasingly complicated mess that has consistently caused confusion for consumers and a depressingly long list of issues for manufacturers. And the core reason for all this confusion has just been laid bare by the new ‘all current HDMI 2.0 ports will henceforth be called HDMI 2.1 ports’ proclamation. 

The first thing to understand is that HDMI’s long evolution has seen it accompanied by various version numbers, introduced to mark moments of major advancement. So we’ve had, for instance, HDMI 1.4, HDMI 1.4b, HDMI 2.0 and the latest HDMI 2.1 ‘variant’.

This weird mix of decimal and lettered labelling systems over the years already feels more complicated than it needed to be. But what’s really kicked the confusion into overdrive with the move from HDMI 2.0 to 2.1 is the latter’s support for now key next-gen gaming features that 2.0 can’t manage.

Next-gen gaming features

While you could get lost for days in some of the technical differences between HDMI 2.0 and 2.1 (something we’ll be coming back to later), the really key stuff for most consumers now relates to gaming. Specifically the ability or not of an HDMI port to handle the 4K at 120Hz outputs now possible from the Xbox Series X, PS5 and high-end PC cards, the variable refresh rates now supported by the Xbox Series X and latest PC cards (the PS5 is supposedly set to join the VRR party soon, too) and the automatic low latency mode that enables compatible TVs to detect when compatible sources (such as the Xbox Series X again) are playing a game rather than video source, so that the TV can switch into its fastest response mode accordingly.

Until now, the main problem for consumers trying to figure out exactly what features a particular TV can or can’t support has been that while a true HDMI 2.1 port capable of supporting bit-rates of 40 or 48Gbps per second is needed to enjoy all of the latest gaming features (along with the ability to pass Dolby Atmos and DTS:X soundtracks via eARC technology), much lower bandwidth HDMI 2.0 ports could claim HDMI 2.1 support even if they supported just one or two of the HDMI 2.1-associated features – typically eARC and ALLM. For instance, many TVs with HDMI 2.0 ports have in the past supported eARC, even though eARC was introduced with the HDMI 2.1 spec. 

This complication has simply been compounded by the decision to allow brands to say that HDMI 2.0 ports are, in fact, HDMI 2.1 ports, even if they don’t necessarily support any HDMI 2.1 features.

Making you work for it

So why has the HDMI Licensing Administrator done it? The most likely argument is that product manufacturers are supposed to make information about each product’s HDMI features obvious in their specifications, while we consumers need to rethink our old ideas about different connections being needed to achieve different results and see HDMI as effectively a menu from which different features can be selected by a particular product manufacturer for a particular product. In other words, we must accept that we need to put in more research ourselves to confirm what an ‘HDMI 2.1’ product actually can and can’t support. 

Aside from making the consumer work harder, the need for extra information sharing and gathering created by rolling two HDMI generations into one still doesn’t perhaps sound too onerous. Maybe it actually is better for consumers to be able to see on a TV’s spec sheet that it supports 4K/120Hz, or VRR, or ALLM, rather than just seeing what generation of HDMI it carries and having to figure out from that what gaming features it likely supports. 

There are actually two big problems with this, though. First, the 4K/120Hz, ALLM and VRR features associated with the latest gaming consoles are actually only the tip of a far more complicated and convoluted iceberg when it comes to the potential final quality of the experience you might get. Other factors such as compression systems, bit depths and chroma subsampling are also in play – all a factor, fundamentally, of the many data transmission rates different HDMI implementations can support. Check out the table of HDMI capabilities below to see just how complex everything can get (you might need to zoom in – that's how bad it is).

Clearly expecting most consumers to understand the full implications of all the HDMI intricacies we have today is wholly unreasonable. In fact, even top manufacturers have fallen foul of it, leading to a number of serious HDMI connection screw ups where products as diverse as consoles, AVRs, soundbars and TVs have run foul of compatibility issues with other devices they thought ahead of launch they would be compatible with. 

The biggest problem with the whole HDMI situation now, though, and that thing that’s most exposed by the new ‘everything can say it’s HDMI 2.1’ move, is enforcement. There really hasn’t been any attempt by the HDMI Licensing Association or any other consumer technology body to regulate how, or even how honestly, products’ HDMI features are explained to consumers. 

While we couldn’t say for certain that brands have deliberately used this lack of ‘policing’ to deliberately mislead consumers, it seems pretty reasonable to assume that brands might not be keen on advertising HDMI-related features a product might NOT have unless compelled to do so. And in these circumstances, consumers not having even the ability to know at a glance any more where a TV is using an HDMI 2.0 port with a limiting maximum bandwidth of 18Gbps or an HDMI 2.1 port with a potential maximum bandwidth of 48Gbps is a big deal.

In the end, the recent decision to supposedly ‘simplify’ an HDMI numbering system that if anything could/should have been used more (or at least more effectively) over the years to define very specific levels of functionality actually has exactly the opposite effect – leaving consumers and potentially also manufacturers with even less idea about what’s going on than they had before.

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It can be difficult sharing a name with someone else, not to mention confusing for others. Imagine the travails of trying to be taken seriously while going about your daily life as Alan Partridge or David Brent, for example.

The biggest problem facing the Chord Clearway Analogue RCA, in fact, is stepping out of the long shadow cast by the excellent speaker cable with which it shares its name.

It’s not that we think it will have too much trouble in doing so, rather that it, as a 2021 Award-winner, deserves its own share of the limelight.

Build and compatibility

The Clearway actually takes the basis of its design from another Chord product – the Award-winning C-Line stereo interconnect. 

In this revised version (launched in 2018), the Clearway uses an improved version of its Tuned ARAY conductor geometry technology.

Originally developed for digital cables, it is preferred for its increased transparency and has previously only been included in products aimed at the more high-end hi-fi customer.

Each of the Clearway's material elements has been upgraded over the previous C-Line.

Insulation has been upgraded to FEP (fluorinated ethylene propylene - upgraded from the C-Line), the shielding is a dual-layer counter-wound heavy gauge foil design, and the cable is fitted with Chord’s silver-plated VEE 3 RCA plugs.

For this version, the Clearway not only has a different shade of blue for its outer jacket, its conductors are now a bespoke tri-core design that has an additional high-frequency shield inside the main foil wrap. It claims to reduce noise interference.

That might mean little to those who aren’t savvy in hi-fi engineering, but rest assured any confusion over its technology is completely at odds with the Clearway’s influence on your system’s musical performance.

At roughly double the price of the C-Line, it would perhaps be sensible to assume the improvements would only be discernible after a relative upgrade to the rest of your components. But thankfully that isn’t the case.

Performance

We begin our test using the Marantz CD6006 UK Edition, the current version of the same affordable model we used when introduced to the C-Line over two years ago.

We play a 2009 remaster of Kraftwerk’s The Man-Machine, and the improved transparency and precision of the sound coming from our system with the Clearway plugged in is significant.

The synthesizer pattern that opens the first track, The Robots, stabs through the speakers, timing immaculately and opening the curtain wider to reveal space we may never have known was there otherwise.

The performance is richer in detail as well, revealing earthy textures to synth motifs and vocoder-treated vocal lines - even the difference better dry signals and those dosed with a modicum of reverb is more pronounced.

If Chord found it difficult to come up with an original title for its new stereo interconnect, it is easy to see why the company chose to reuse Clearway.

The C-Line’s true forte is the way it allows us to hear the real musicality in a piece, allowing the system to knit it all together. This new interconnect goes further: performance is truer when using the Clearway – it’s a little like everything has been cleaned.

The extra analytical insight you're after when you spend really significant money on a system is there, but also even more in terms of dynamics and organisation.

Take The Model, for example, the track on this album that probably sounds least like it was devised and performed by a group of automatons.

The way the Marantz emits Ralf Hütter’s vocal when it's pouring through the Clearway is still pristine, but tinged with the blithe nonchalance that elevates the performance from cold appreciation of said model to more understated aching.

If there is a choice to be made between transparency and expression further down the hi-fi food chain, Chord has shown that for this kind of money you are more than welcome to both.

Verdict

Having spent time using the Clearway, it is really quite unsatisfying to listen to the same songs with anything else of a similar price.

The price tag might weigh heavy on many listeners’ wallets – and the cheaper C-Line remains a class leader we can still get behind.

But for those who can justify the outlay, and who have a system to justify it too, the Clearway is brilliantly capable of letting you hear where your money has gone.

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Chord Company’s recent track record has been little short of astonishing. We’ve had a stream of interconnects and speakers cables over the last few years and none of them have disappointed, each securing a place at the top table at their respective price point.

Along with all the five star verdicts, the company has dominated our cable awards too – and the newly introduced Rumour X isn’t going to buck that positive trend.

• What Hi-Fi? Awards 2018: Accessories

Build and compatibility

The original Rumour was introduced way back in 1996, and at the time was only Chord’s second attempt at a speaker cable. It says much for the original design that, cosmetic changes apart, it has remained pretty much the same until now.

Chord’s development work with high-end ranges such as ChordMusic and Sarum T showed that it was possible to make significant improvements to the Teflon dielectric material that the company used until then. While the subsequent high-end solution of Taylon proved too expensive to use in products such as the Rumour X, a more reasonably priced alternative XLPE (Cross-linked Polyethylene) was found instead. This has been substituted into the Rumour recipe.

The rest of the cable remains much as it has always been. That’s no bad thing. This is a surprisingly thin gauge cable that uses silver-plated high purity copper conductors and measures just 6mm in diameter. The conductors are twisted to improve interference rejection and covered in a flexible white PVC outer jacket. The terminations on our review samples are Chord’s classy-looking silver-plated ChordOhmic 4mm banana plugs.

We try the Rumour X in our usual reference set-up of Naim NDS/555PS music streamer, Gamut D3i/D200i amplifier and ATC SCM 50 speakers as well as a Naim Uniti Star/KEF R3 combination. It performs consistently regardless of partnering system.

Sound

With the Chord plumbed-in, our systems deliver a crisp, clean and dynamic presentation. We’re impressed at the musically cohesive nature of the sound and the way our systems render subtle dynamic shifts with such finesse. There’s plenty of punch to the likes of Queen’s Under Pressure and the ability to latch onto that irresistible rhythm track with unwavering precision.

While rivals, such as Audioquest’s similarly priced Rocket 22, deliver more in the way of sonic refinement and body to the sound, the Chord does enough in both regards to avoid complaint, while adding more in the way of punch and rhythmic drive. Both are excellent cables in their own way.

Tonally, the Chord is well balanced, and as is the company’s way, falls just a little on the lively side of neutral. The important thing is that whatever music we play, from Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony to Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp A Butterfly, our system sounds right at home.

Verdict

While the Chord Company Rumour X can’t take full credit for that balanced and lively sound, it certainly plays a big part.

SCORES

• Sound 5
• Compatibility 5
• Build 5

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Chord Company reviews

British cable specialist QED has just introduced the latest version of its Reference Audio 40 interconnect. We called the original Reference Audio 40 with Analoc "an impressive stereo interconnect that ushers through a high-quality sound" and awarded it a coveted five-star review back in 2014, so this is quite the announcement. 

This updated mid-range model – QED's Reference range sits above the entry-level Performance Audio 40 and below the flagship Signature series – builds on the success of the first-gen Analoc low-eddy current design by entirely removing all conductive material from the plug bodies in a bid for superior transparency, timing and audio-signal integrity. It's a new development that QED calls Analoc2 and, according to the firm at least, it makes the Reference Audio 40 "the ultimate upgrade from budget interconnects for a cleaner, more detailed and dynamic sonic performance".

To drill down into Analoc2 a little more; it still features low-bulk, high-purity copper connectors alongside low-mass metal barrels, but now it substitutes high-rigidity thermoplastic material for both the inner support structure and the cable strain relief. The goal is to eliminate the detrimental effects of eddy currents which, although already smaller than in traditional bulk brass plugs were still, says QED, able to circulate weakly in the isolated metal body of the previous plug design. Now, with the new material in place, these remnant resonant distortions are apparently "completely prevented from adversely affecting the information contained in the audio signal as it travels through the new plug".

To complete the RCA plug’s Analoc2 upgrade, the hollow gold- (or rhodium-) plated high-purity copper signal-pins are retained, while the slip ring which locks the similarly plated, pure-copper ground-terminal in place (as the barrels are tightened) has also been uprated.

This technology promises to improve both timing and detail, but, unlike conventional analogue interconnects, Reference Audio 40 also uses two Silver-Plated 99.999% Oxygen Free Copper (SPOFC) conductors of different diameters to carry the same audio signal. This, says QED, provides an alternative path for high-frequency audio components which might otherwise become time-smeared in a single audio pathway.

Furthermore, a Zn/Mn Ferrite jacket is used within the cordage to absorb very high-frequency noise components outside of the audible band. The company says that, when measured at very high frequencies, Reference Audio 40 cables exhibit a cleaner signal transmission than standard audio interconnects. 

Extra protection for those SPOFC conductors comes in the form of a low-loss, low-density, dielectric foam Polyethylene (LDPE) inner jacket that aims to minimise electrical energy loss in the cable insulation.

The QED Reference Audio 40 interconnect is available now in the UK/Europe and in the US from December, priced £99.95/€125/$139.95 (0.6m length), £119.95/€149/$169.95 (1m length) and £149.95/€189/$209.95 (3m length), meaning prices in Australia should start at around AU$187. 

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Chord Company has announced a "major new development of its proprietary ARAY noise-reduction technology" with the introduction of its GroundARAY family of grounding devices. And you can see a video explaining the products below.

GroundARAY is, says the Wiltshire-based UK audio specialist, a high-frequency-noise-reduction device that connects to unused sockets on A/V equipment. It acts as a low-impedance route for high-frequency noise to pass through and consequently improves the noise floor of the ‘host’ product. 

As you can see, GroundARAY comprises a cylindrical design, which is made from precision CNC-machined thick-walled aluminium – the thick walls themselves are designed to stop the device from contributing high-frequency noise. Each GroundARAY cylinder is filled with a carefully chosen material to deaden noise. 

The connectors, adds Chord Company, are hand-built, with the final assembly then locked into place to reduce any effects from acoustic vibration.

The new clutch of grounding devices follows four years of further research and development by Chord into its proprietary ARAY technology, first seen in 2012 and used in the firm's TunedARAY mechanical tuning system and SuperARAY cable-specific noise-reduction. In 2017, Chord began working on a solution that would operate independently from cables, but work with them in helping to reduce HF noise on the signal ground. The result is the GroundARAY family.

GroundARAY is available in six termination options, including RCA, DIN, BNC, RJ45, USB Type-A and XLR-A for a wide range of digital and analogue components. Furthermore, the GroundARAY boasts five separate noise-reduction systems, all working across different high-frequency noise ranges and operating in parallel to convert undesirable HF electrical noise into heat.

The promise? A low-impedance, high-bandwidth route for high-frequency noise to pass into, effectively ‘pulling’ noise from the signal ground of the host equipment. 

Chord states that GroundARAYs are most effective when used across several devices in an A/V system. They simply plug into existing empty sockets and can be used individually, or in multiples, such as across left and right outputs. With DACs and streamers, GroundARAYs can be used with unused digital inputs. Chord adds that projectors and screens can also benefit from GroundARAY's noise-reduction effects, too.

And the pricing? GroundARAYs are available now, priced at £550 (about AU$1000).

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While wireless audio is likely our future, cables will almost certainly remain part of our audio and home cinema set-ups for years to come. So it pays to know a thing or two about the different types available to you. You’ve seen the sockets, you probably own at least one audio cable of each kind, but which digital audio connection should you use? What are the pros and cons of each, and which gives you the best AV performance? Allow us to present a brief overview.

If you’ve ever owned a TV, DVD/Blu-ray player, set-top box, soundbar or AV receiver, chances are you’ll have come across either a coaxial, optical or, more recently, an HDMI connection. Those of you with a full-blown surround sound system almost certainly will have... unless an installer has up until this point done it all for you!

All three connections are digital, of course. Coaxial and optical can only transmit audio data, while HDMI brings the added bonus of supporting both audio and video. If you aren't quite sure which connection to take advantage of, we hope this page helps...

Coaxial digital connection

Probably the least common connection when it comes to modern AV kit, coaxial digital uses electricity to transmit audio. 

The connector is a standard, circular RCA connector - the kind that’s found at either end of a pair of analogue audio cables (or 'interconnects').

But don’t be tempted to try and use a standard RCA phono cable in place of a dedicated coaxial digital cable. They look similar and can work, but an analogue interconnect has different impedance values from a digital one (50 ohm versus 75 ohm), so won’t work as well. An entry-level cable like the QED Performance Coaxial will do a fine job for most.

Coaxial might not be as widespread as its rival optical connection these days, but you'll still find it at the back of certain AV receivers, integrated amplifiers and TVs.

And, in our experience, compared to optical, a coaxial connection does tend to sound better. That's because it has greater bandwidth available, meaning it can support higher quality audio up to 24-bit/192kHz. Optical is usually restricted to 96kHz.

The main downside to a coaxial digital connection is the potential transfer of electrical noise between your kit. Noise is bad news when it comes to sound quality, but it exists in all AV components to one degree or another. Unfortunately, using a coaxial connection enables noise to travel along the cable from the source to your amplifier.

Also, coaxial doesn't have the bandwidth required to support high-quality surround sound formats such as Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio, Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. So, in a modern home cinema setting, its uses are quite limited.

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Optical digital connection

An optical digital connection uses the medium of light to transmit data through a cable’s optical fibres (which can be made from plastic, glass or silica). An optical cable doesn’t allow noise to pass from source to DAC circuitry like a coaxial can, and so makes sense to use this socket when connecting straight into the DAC of a soundbar or AV receiver.

Traditionally, in a home cinema environment, optical connections tend to be used to transmit compressed Dolby Digital and DTS surround sound. Optical cables with a Toslink (Toshiba Link) connector slot into a matching socket on both source and receiver. Something like the QED Performance Graphite Optical is a good entry-level option.

Although HDMI has taken over as the main socket of choice for many manufacturers, optical outputs are still common on game consoles, Blu-ray players, set-top boxes and televisions. Optical inputs are found at the amplification or DAC end, e.g. on soundbars and AV receivers.

Like coaxial, one of the issues with optical is that it doesn’t have enough bandwidth for the lossless audio formats such as Dolby TrueHD or DTS-HD Master Audio soundtracks found on most Blu-rays and 4K Blu-rays. An optical connection also can’t support more than two channels of uncompressed PCM audio. Then there's the threat of damage if an optical cable is bent too tightly.

What about HDMI?

Launched in 2002, HDMI is a one-size-fits-all connection for video and audio. It boasts much higher bandwidth than optical, allowing for playback of lossless audio formats such as Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio. Unlike optical and coaxial, there isn’t really a similar rival out there.

You'll find HDMI inputs and outputs a firm fixture on the best TVs, Blu-ray players, AV receivers and, increasingly, soundbars. An entry-level cable like the AudioQuest Pearl HDMI will suit a wide range of systems.

HDMI is a constantly evolving standard too, with new and improved versions offering more bandwidth and greater capacity to carry more channels of audio, such as Dolby Atmos and DTS:X soundtracks. It also supports new and current video formats – including Ultra HD 4K resolution and the various HDR formats – as well as additional features such as high frame rate (HFR), and eARC (which can deliver up to 32 channels of audio).

The majority of TV and AV products launched over the last five years support HDMI version 2.0, but HDMI 2.1 (which supports 8K resolution content and next-gen gaming features such as ALLM) is becoming more common among modern TVs and AV kit. If you have a TV model from a big manufacturer from the last two or three years, it should sport at least one HDMI 2.1 socket.

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So, which connection should you use?

The answer to this will depend on the kit you’re using. If it’s a straight choice between coaxial and optical, we’d go for the former. In our experience, a coaxial connection tends to produce better audio quality than optical, allowing for a higher level of detail and greater dynamics.

But, we live in an age where convenience is king. HDMI is now the go-to connection for all things AV and it’s hard to argue against it if all the kit in your system chain sports that socket.

HDMI’s feature set, upgradability and the fact it can handle both audio and video means you don’t need to worry about too many wires clogging up your system. And, best of all, you won't sacrifice performance.

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While arguably better known for its excellent speaker and interconnect cables (such as the RumourX and C-Screen), British high-end audio specialist Chord has now released a shorting plug that promises to "reduce high-frequency noise interference in high-performance hi-fi equipment".

The new Chord Company Bridge pledges noise protection for devices with unused power supply upgrade ports (the British firm is quick to list Naim Audio’s NDX and NDX 2 audiophile network music players as top examples), working to reduce high-frequency noise on the critical signal ground. Chord says it will offer an instant upgrade over the basic unshielded shorting plugs supplied with your audio equipment.

Benefitting from a machined aluminium chassis for both acoustic and electrical isolation, the Bridge also offers the Wiltshire firm’s flagship proprietary Taylon insulation material (as found in its flagship ChordMusic and Sarum T cables) throughout the internal wiring. Resin-damped internals further increase acoustic isolation.

Chord says a "strictly limited" number of Chord Company Bridges have been manufactured. How much? £500 – while stocks last.

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Chord Company has upgraded its multi-Award-winning Clearway speaker cable.

The new ClearwayX is a direct replacement for the 2015, 2016 and 2017 'Best speaker cable' What Hi-Fi? Award winner, and has been predominantly advanced with the use of XLPE insulation.

XLPE technology has been rolled out to a number of Chord Company products in recent years, first to the high-end SignatureXL speaker cable and then onto the likes of its more wallet-friendly EpicX, RumourX and ShawlineX models and even its very affordable LeylineX cable. Now, with the ClearwayX, it's available at the £15-per-metre price point too (AU$36-per-metre in Australia).

The company says the XLPE dielectric brings benefits in phase stability over the previously used material – which, in its own testing, has proven to deliver "noticeable" improvements in sound quality.

The two XLPE-insulated conductors are made from multi-strand oxygen-free copper, arranged in a twisted-pair configuration to reduce interference, and protected by a layer of soft PVC to correctly spread the shielding and thus minimise mechanically induced noise. To provide a level of shielding effective to high frequencies, the cable also utilises contra-wound high-density foil shields.

Has the Clearway family spawned another Award winner, then? We hope to find out how it fares against the AudioQuest Rocket 11, our current Award-winning cable, very soon.

The ClearwayX is now available from the Chord Company website.

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Clarus Cables are now distributed in Australia by Global AV Sales Australia, which is the Australian arm of Global AV Sales, which is the International distributor for Tributaries cables.

“With more than 30 years of experience in the AV industry I know a good product when I hear one, and Clarus Cable is exceptional,” said Dave Williams, CEO at Global AV Sales, “and with Clarus having just released new Mk2 versions of two of its ranges, the timing could not have been better".

Williams is no stranger to the brand, because although his company has not previously distributed Clarus in Australia, Global AV Sales has been representing Clarus Cables internationally for more than five years. 

Williams says that a defining feature of Clarus Cables is their multi-gauge design which uses three differently-shaped insulated PCOCC conductors, together with connectors made from high conductivity Tellurium copper and military-grade Beryllium copper.

“These provide very low resistance and superior sound characteristics, resulting in an expanded soundstage as well as improved accuracy of bass, midrange and high frequencies,” he said.

One of the new MkII cables is Clarus Aqua MkII Bi-Wire speaker cable (pictured) which, like all other cables in Clarus’ range, is manufactured using oxygen-free pure copper manufactured using the Ohno continuous casting process (PCOCC).

Prices start at AU$3,798 for a complete set two metres in length. There’s also a new MkII version of the Clarus Aqua Balanced signal cable, which is terminated with XLR connectors. A one-metre long pair sells for AU$1,699 (RRP).

For more information, contact Global AV Sales Australia.

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If there’s one thing hi-fi enthusiasts understand more than normal civilians, it is the value of good cables. Whether it’s speaker wires or the interconnects between your source and stereo amplifier, the difference between a quality pair and those bundled in free of charge at the dealership is chalk and cheese.

Take the QED Reference XT40i speaker cables – for only £11 per metre, they will audibly unlock otherwise unrealised potential in anything from a micro-system right up to the high end. They may also limit the latter quite a lot, but you get the point – if you’ve spent any kind of money on your system, you’ll hear the difference these QEDs make compared with cheap speaker wire.

Any long-term readers are likely to have already come across these cables’ predecessors, with the Reference XT40 having received a What Hi-Fi? Award in 2014. But QED has done more than add an ‘i’ to the name and hit republish.

Build

The nearly 50-year-old British company is introducing its brand new Air Gap dielectric to these 99.999% oxygen-free copper cables, a technology that increases the separation of conductors inside the cable and thus the amount of air between them.

In turn, this halves the dissipation and capacitance characteristics inside the cable and, according to QED, improves the timing and rhythmic accuracy heard through your system, all while retaining the cross-sectional area ideal for long cable runs.

The Reference XT40i also retains QED’s X-Tube formation, where cable conductors are gathered in a tube-like shape around a hollow insulating rod to equalise current densities, delivering low inductance and presenting a consistent and even load to the amp.

Compatibility

QED is even offering pre-terminated lengths of 2m, 3m and 5m Reference XT40i cables for £110, £130 and £170 respectively, which feels like a good deal considering usual market rate for the service.

It feels an even better deal once you’ve heard what the Reference XT40i can do for an entry-level or mid-range system. Even plugged into our reference kit, it is apparent that QED hasn’t abandoned its reputation for helping produce a clean and insightful presentation.

Sound

For anyone whose hi-fi is built upon clarity and analysis, these cables could be just the ticket. At times it is as if our system is begging for granular synthesizer pieces, something into which it can sink its teeth and taste each bold square and sawtooth wave as it passes over its palate.

Or if not, then the creeping of a bow across the strings of a cello, or the excess air as it breezes through the mouthpiece of a tenor sax.

QED simply excels in helping hi-fi equipment describe the shape of an instrument, the room it is in and how its sound has been recorded, and the Reference XT40i in no way bucks that trend.

It speaks about an improved sense of timing as well, and there is a definite eye for accuracy alongside attention to detail about the way our system performs with these cables plugged in. Nothing is allowed to slip, with notes and percussion hit with precision and intention. It isn’t as though previous efforts have been altogether imprecise, but there is an unerring confidence about the way our speakers play here.

In these regards, QED cannot really be beaten for the money. Its fiercest rival around this price is the Audioquest Rocket 11, which was again named our Accessories Product of the Year in 2019. It is marginally more expensive, at £12.50 per metre, but even when using that, our system is reluctant to divulge quite as much information.

But it does offer us more of a musical whole. It is a lot to do with dynamic expression, those leading notes that turn accurate timing into a traceable rhythm, and which help portray a more lyrical, human bent to the music. It’s also a little to do with organisation, and how each instrument is tethered to and interacts with one another – no doubt also aided by a little less space to play in.

The trade-off is that lack of comparative clarity, and that’s the compromise we’d more willingly make. Equally, others will prefer to go the other way, and we can see exactly why. You’d have to spend £18 per metre on Chord Company’s Rumour X to mix the two.

Verdict

If you’re looking to upgrade your system by investing in speaker cables this side of £15 per metre, you should hear what difference each of these can make to your gear. It could be that the QED Reference XT40i is a clear winner in more ways than one.

SCORES

• Sound 5
• Compatibility 4
• Build 5

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Chord Company has flourished many of its cables with its proprietary XLPE dielectric over the past 18 months – its SignatureXL, RumourX, ShawlineX and EpicX speaker cables – and now the British brand is bringing the cable technology down to a more affordable price point with the LeylineX.

Available from £5 per metre, the new cable moves the Leyline series along with the use of XLPE dielectric over the previously used PVC material. The XLPE is Chord's second-best insulation technology, with the higher-performing Taylon reserved for the company's ChordMusic and Sarum T offering.

The LeylineX builds on the original’s design, which used tin-plated copper conductors to prevent oxidisation and be efficient over long run lengths. It's been designed for AV, hi-fi and custom installations, and to aid in the latter the cable is metre-marked and supplied in a 152m pull-box.

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Chord Company has spent four years developing its ChordOhmic Transmission Fluid, and now, 500 prototypes later, it’s here. The liquid polymer has been designed to maximise the surface area of a variety of plug connections to improve their transfer of music signals.

How? By deploying polymers to fill gaps and imperfections on the surfaces of connections, whether that be a speaker or power cable connection or an interconnect cable plug, creating a greater contact area that lowers that contact’s resistance and thus allows more current (the signal) to flow. As a result, the effectiveness of the connection is improved.

Chord Company says its ChordOhmic Transmission Fluid, which was developed by an acclaimed industrial chemist and Andante Largo in Japan, stands out from other enhancing products as it works at a low voltage threshold. Apparently, the original test cables that were treated four years ago by Chord are still “significantly outperforming” the untreated versions built at the same time.

The solution is available now, priced £200 for a 10ml bottle.

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Chord Company has introduced its first DIN-terminated analogue interconnect for its middle-sitting Epic range.

The new Epic DIN promises a key performance upgrade over the Shawline range DIN it sits above (from £225) but greater affordability over the higher-end Signature Tuned ARAY Analogue DIN it sits beneath (which starts at £800).

Chord Company engineers have developed a new construction which is completely different to other analogue interconnects in the Epic range yet still benefits from the company’s Tuned ARAY conduction geometry.

Epic DIN takes advantage of wide-bandwidth silver-plated oxygen-free copper conductors (the kind normally found in the company’s higher-end cable ranges) as well as multi-tiered foil shielding systems for all conductor pairs. This technique promises reduced interaction between the different signals that DIN cables need to carry. Chord Company has utilised composite-layered PE insulation for the conductors and foiled high-frequency shielding for both signal and ground in the name of improved performance.

The special low-noise wide-bandwidth shielding will, says Chord, ensure that maximum benefit is obtained from Naim Audio’s latest DR amps and upgrades. Chord says that the design has been implemented to deliver the musical characteristics inherent in Naim Audio equipment and bring out the best possible performance from wider DIN-connected devices, including those from Quad, A&R, Leak and B&O.

Epic DIN interconnects are hand-built to order in the Wiltshire factory and available with all common connector combinations including: DIN-DIN, DIN to RCA, RCA to DIN and DIN to XLR. Custom lengths are also available to order.

The new Epic DIN is available now, priced from £500 (1m). 

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EpicX is the latest Chord Company cable to benefit from XLPE insulation

Apple may have to ditch its iPhone connection in favour of a more universal alternative under new EU ruling.

The European Commission is being encouraged by EU Parliament to force electronics companies to adopt a universal charging type, with the USB-C port used by Android phones the probable choice. The date on which the EU will rule on the matter is yet to be determined.

Apple has somewhat committed to the USB-C connector by implementing it on its more recent MacBook and iMac models, as well as its 2019 iPad Pro, but every iPhone since 2012, the most recent being the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro, has stuck with the Lightning port.

If a single charging method does become compulsory, it would seem unlikely that Apple would persist with Lightning in other markets, and would therefore likely mark the death of the proprietary port. 

If passed, the legislation, which members of EU Parliament have been campaigning for for the best part of a decade, would ultimately see consumers needing only one cable to charge their Android and future Apple devices.

'A common charger should fit all mobile phones, tablets, e-book readers and other portable devices, MEPs will insist', says the EU briefing.

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Over the last year, Chord Company has been rolling out its new XLPE (Cross-linked Polyethylene) insulation technology into its speaker cable line-up with the introduction of a handful of new models. The EpicX is the latest, coming in to replace the original PTFE-based Epic that arrived a decade ago.

We can vouch for XLPE to a rather large extent, with the insulation material part and parcel of the RumourX (£18/m) speaker cable we have just dolled out a 2019 What Hi-Fi? Award to. The EpicX sits above it at £60/m, but below the ChordMusic and Sarum T cables that use a higher-performing Taylon insulation instead.

The EpicX is a shielded design based on the company’s Odyssey X (£30/m) cable, with both using the same 12 silver-plated oxygen-free copper negative and positive conductors, which are insulated with XLPE before an outer PVC jacket is applied. But to up the performance and justify its higher price, three additional layers of XLPE are applied to the EpicX over its sibling. 

As is now customary with Chord’s newer cables, EpicX cables come terminated with the company’s silver-plated ChordOhmic plugs. If you want a tailor-made length or jump the build queue at the factory, the cable can also be professionally terminated by participating Chord Company dealers equipped with the new ChordOhmic Hex Gun tool.

EpicX is available now, priced at £60 per metre, with factory termination (banana) for an extra £120.

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We may live in a world that's increasingly wireless this and untethered that, but the humble analogue cable still plays a vital role in connecting traditional hi-fi to ensure music playback sounds its very best. 

QED knows a thing or two about what's required from speaker cables and interconnects to preserve an audio signal – it's been behind many a What Hi-Fi? Award winner and five-star cable, after all, three of which are now being replaced by new and improved versions expected in October.

Up first: the QED Reference XT40i speaker cable. An update to the XT40, winner of the 'Best speaker cable' What Hi-Fi? Award in 2014, it builds on its predecessor’s design with a newly developed Air Gap dielectric construction. QED claims this reduces the cable’s dissipation factor and capacitance by half, promising a wider, more musical and bass-tight performance. Also in the name of improved sound quality, the XT40i utilises QED’s proprietary X-Tube technology, which was first introduced in the company’s Award-winning Silver Anniversary XT cables over a decade ago. 

Its 99.999 per cent oxygen-free copper build offers improved conductivity over standard copper, too, while its significant 4.0mm² cross-sectional area has been chosen to lower loop resistance.

The QED Reference XT40i is priced £11/m, while pre-terminated 2m, 3m and 5m lengths cost £109.95/$129, £129.95/$159 and £169.95/$199 respectively.

The QED XT25 Bi-Wire, meanwhile, is, as its name suggests, a bi-wire version of QED’s XT25 speaker cable. Priced £12/m, it brings the company’s aforementioned X-Tube cable technology and X-Quad geometry (which lowers inductance in an effort to reveal more detail) to an affordable bi-wire or bi-amp speaker cable.

Like the XT40i, it has a 99.999 per cent Oxygen-free copper construction, as well as a low density Polyethylene jacket whose purpose it to minimise electrical energy loss in the cable compared with cheaper PVC alternatives.

Last but not least if you’re in the market for an analogue interconnect, the QED Performance Audio 40i, is a “complete overhaul” of the five-star Performance Audio 40, with improvements spanning most areas of its construction. A QED first, it uses Solid Core Complementary Conductors, which supposedly reduce capacitance by a quarter compared to the original model, resulting in a larger soundstage.

QED has chosen to implement two cables (one Oxygen Free Copper Conductor and one Silver Plated Oxygen Free Copper Conductor) in the design to carry the same audio signal in an effort to reduce the smearing between high and low frequencies. Like its predecessor, the Performance Audio 40i utilises Ferrite insulation to absorb signal noise for a cleaner delivery.

The QED Performance Audio 40i costs £39.95/$49 for a 0.6m length, with 1m, 2m and 3m variants are priced £49.95/$59, £69.95/$85 and £79.95/$95 respectively.

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As the old adage goes: in life, you get what you pay for. It stands to reason then, that when connecting physical digital components like DACs and streamers together – part of any self-respecting music-lover's daily life – the same rule applies. 

Based in Wiltshire near Stonehenge, the Chord Company – purveyor of cables since 1984 – is no stranger to the sentiment. It would argue that its latest digital audio interconnect isn't excessively pricey, at least not by its high standards. 

The new Epic USB cable features the firm's unique Tuned ARAY conductor concept and is built in a very similar manner to its top-of-the-range Signature Super ARAY USB. The main difference is that the Epic is half the price of its big brother, at £400. 

Chord Company says that while the conductors in the Epic are slightly different, in just about every other respect the same design philosophy is applied and the Epic USB's performance is only fractionally behind that of the original Signature USB. 

To get into the design's nitty gritty, Epic USB contains four conductors (two of which are individually shielded), improved silver-plated copper conductors and uprated, high-speed PTFE insulation. The earth shielding connection is yet further protected from high frequency noise with a two-layer braided screen.

The cable also features refined USB connectors (type A and B), silver-plated to UK specs, and all connections are hand soldered by Chord's own engineers.

Yes, it does look like a standard USB cable. But here's another old adage: don't judge a book by its cover. Chord Company's website states humbly: "We don’t produce any product unless it adds to the musical experience, so put any preconceptions to one side, borrow one and have a listen." 

And we can't argue with that now, can we? 

Chord Company's Epic USB is available for £400 (1m) from Chord Company dealers – most of whom offer demonstration cables. US availability and pricing isn't yet known, but we'll be updating you on that in due course. 

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