Atlas Cables Ailsa with Grun

The job of a cable is to conduct – but when the sign is available in out of kilter, it could possibly throw the entire musical expertise off monitor. With the Grun earthing system, Atlas Cables has added a function to its Ailsa sequence that secures the stability earlier than something can derail.

I’m a fan of easy approaches. Especially in the case of cables, the place esoteric beliefs and pseudo-scientific quasi-facts are sometimes used. The level is: cables undoubtedly impact the sound of a system, however I’ve but to come back throughout a conclusive rationalization as to why or how. So fairly than take heed to flowery drivel, I a lot desire to only take heed to the cables themselves after which resolve whether or not I’m satisfied by the efficiency.

When I just lately had the present Atlas Cables portfolio defined and demonstrated to me by model ambassador Martin McCue on the TAD headquarters in Aschau, I used to be truly pleasantly shocked by the down-to-earth method of the Scottish speaker: No trace of arcane miracle applied sciences, no exuberant guarantees – the truth is, he virtually didn’t even go into what I may or ought to anticipate sound-wise, however as an alternative let the connectors converse for themselves.

No mumbo jumbo

I loved listening to the presentation as a result of it was all in regards to the producer’s design philosophy and the technical construction of the person sequence: the person strains – seven in quantity – differ within the kind and amount of supplies used and the development, whereas the pricing is solely primarily based on price and energy goes into manufacturing. McCue sees 5 areas that decide the sound high quality of cables: Conductor high quality, dielectric, shielding, connectors and at last the development. In this “modular high quality development equipment”, the hierarchy of the sequence outcomes from the mix of kind of advanced and expensive options within the respective areas. For instance, the conductors of the extra reasonably priced cable sequence are made from oxygen-free copper (OFC), whereas long-crystalline OCC (Ohno Continuous Cast) copper is used for the higher-tier ones; the usage of totally different shielding strategies, insulation supplies and connector varieties then yields a extra granular subdivision.

When evaluating the sound, I observed two elements that had a very giant affect on the sound to my ear: Firstly, the soar from OFC to OCC as conductor materials, and secondly, a particular grounding method referred to as “Grun” – and each had been discovered within the Atlas Cables Ailsa sequence, which additionally makes use of foamed PTFE as a dielectric, versus polyethylene within the smaller sequence. These three options make Ailsa the golden imply within the Atlas vary: nonetheless fairly attainable and on the similar time probably the most reasonably priced line that options a very powerful applied sciences of high-end cabling. With this mix, the sequence named after a Scottish island shortly earned itself the standing of most popular check candidate.

Fast ahead to as we speak, and I’m sitting within the listening room with a whole Atlas Cables Ailsa set, demoing the rigging to myself. From the interconnects to the speaker and mains cables to the ability strip – in our case with three filtered and three unfiltered sockets – I can wire up the whole setup solely with Atlas Cables. The star of the present for me are the RCA cables with Grun plugs, as a result of I’m curious to see how a lot acquire by way of sound high quality might be achieved with the particular earthing. The foundation listed here are the interconnects with a low-mass aluminum plug that’s truly lighter than the less expensive, plastic-based “Achromatic” model. A Teflon jacket ensures that the aluminum sleeve and conductor by no means discover out about one another, electrically talking. Immediately behind the RCA plugs are two small gold-plated screw contacts; the scope of supply features a matching Y-conductor with a small spade connector on the different finish, which is screwed to the earthing spigot of the mains filter strip. Any potential variations are subsequently not dissipated through the housing of the electronics, however take the direct path to earth – the linked part by no means sees the imbalance within the reference worth. Even if you happen to don’t want gold-plated screw contacts for this – easy lamp wire will do – this resolution is significantly better suited to such pricy cable from a purely beauty perspective, with the added bonus of a completely safe contact.

No Grun …

For a baseline, I go away the piggyback clips open for now to refresh my acoustic reminiscence. While Norah Jones’ debut album was the demo materials of alternative on the TAD screening, this time I alter the artist, however stay kind of in the identical postal code stylistically with Melody Gardot. On “Your Heart Is As Black As Night” (My One And Only Thrill), which is strongly harking back to kitschy movie noir flicks, the dramatically ponderous piano and wistfully lamenting saxophone within the background appear to fill the listening room with a hazy, smoky environment proper from the very first bars, whereas Gardot’s dense and full voice naturally takes the highlight proper in the midst of the stage shortly afterwards. “Balanced” and “naturally natural” are two attributes that come to thoughts after cross-comparisons with a few of the different cables in our listening room – an impression that actually coincides with my reminiscence of the primary contact. They deliver a readability and inside order to the sound picture that doesn’t make them appear misplaced even in a high-end setup: In a mix of Lumin X1, Burmester 216 and Wilson Audio Sasha DAW, you by no means get the impression that any of the parts are driving with the handbrake on. Of course, you may get just a little extra out of it with even larger high quality cables, however the efficiency is greater than spectacular even with out further grounding.

… Yes Grun

The similar experiment, repeated with the earthing wire linked, outcomes above all in higher readability and transparency. Melody Gardot’s voice features much more substance with out dropping contour, vocalist and accompanying devices are as soon as once more just a little higher separated from one another. The distinction turns into even clearer when extra advanced fare is performed: In George Gershwin’s Cuban Overture (Gershwin – Red Classics), the earthed configuration of Ailsa retains the massive orchestral thicket of sound much more so as, whereas on the similar time emphasizing the inner references extra clearly and permitting the person instrumental teams to speak with one another extra bindingly.

We haven’t heard an excessive amount of in regards to the Atlas Cables model just lately, however we’ve one or two pairs of the Scottish cables in our listening room, which have served us for years as dependable and sonically very respectable customary connectors. The Atlas Cables Ailsa sequence is rather more bold by way of each value and sound, however not less than it stays midway on the carpet and delivers a efficiency for the value that’s properly value a pay attention – no unicorn hair or fairy mud required. Welcome again, Atlas Cables!

Accompanying Equipment

CD participant: Ayon CD-3sx, Audio Note CD 3.1x | Network participant/DAC: Lumin X1, Soulnote D-3, Aavik S-580 | Turntable: AVM Rotation R 5. 3 MK2 | Integrated amplifier: Aavik I-580, Line Magnetic LM-88IA | Power amplifier: Burmester 216, Electrocompaniet AW-800, Luxman M-10x | Speakers: Wilson Audio Sasha DAW, Audio Physic Spark, Audio GE Teddy | Rack: Solidsteel, Finite Elemente | Cables: AudioQuest, HMS, in-akustik

LF cable Atlas Cables Ailsa Ultra RCA Grun

Concept: RCA cable with Grun grounding conductor | Construction: 4 cores in woven protecting braid, microporous PTFE dielectric, copper-mylar shielding with twin potential discharge | Conductor materials: OCC (Ohno Continuous Cast) copper | Assembly: RCA with low-mass “Ultra” aluminum sleeves | Warranty interval: 5 years | Price: round € 1750 (1.5 m)

Speaker cable Atlas Cables Ailsa Achromatic Speaker Z

Concept: speaker cable with banana plugs | Material/development: a number of OCC copper strands, microporous PTFE dielectric | Conductor cross-section: 2 x 3.0 mm² | Assembly: 4 mm hole contact banana plug, crimped | Warranty interval: 5 years | Price: round € 4600 (2 x 5 m)

Mains cable Atlas Cables Eos 2.5em/4.0em

Concept: Mains cable with twin earth discharge | Material: OFC (Oxygen Free Copper), PVC dielectric | Conductor cross-section: 2.5 or 4.0 mm² | Plug choices: C13, C15, and so forth. | Warranty interval: 5 years | Price: Eos 2.5em round € 550 (2 m), Eos 4.0em round € 900 (2 m)

Power strip Atlas Cables Eos 4.0em Modular

Concept: six-way energy strip with Grun earthing connection | Internal cabling: Atlas Eos 4.0em | Configuration: both 6 x unfiltered or 3 x filtered/unfiltered | Warranty interval: 5 years | Price: round € 1450 (3U/3F)