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.
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