Audio Interconnects
From entry-level to state of the art, you will be able to find a cable that will bring out the best in your system. Regardless of cost, the same attention to detail has gone into the design, construction and testing of all Chord Co cables. Any one of these audio interconnects is capable of bringing a better balance and increased musical enjoyment when fitted to your system.
One of the most commonly asked questions is, "what percentage of the cost of my system should I spend on cables?". The standard reply has always been "Around 10% of the total cost". Over the past few years, the improvements made to audio and home cinema components have made this figure less and less relevant.
The answer: Experiment. This is where your local Chord retailer will be able to help. Having experimented (see What should I listen for? ), the best advice we can give you is to spend as much as you feel is worthwhile.
Chord analogue audio interconnects have been carefully designed to have an even balance of abilities, so as you progress through the range, the improvements you hear will be extremely consistent. You may well find yourself surprised by just how capable your equipment really is.
Home cinema and multi-channel systems will require some form of digital connection. To get the best performance from your system it is important to choose the right digital interconnect. If you are using a separate Digital to Analogue Converter with your hi-fi, choosing the right digital connection will be vital to the overall performance.
Digital and analogue audio interconnects appear to be very similar. However, digital coaxial outputs require a cable with an impedance of 75 Ohms to perform at their best. The two most commonly found digital outputs on CD and DVD players are coaxial and optical. A coaxial signal is transmitted electrically, whilst an optical signal is transmitted via light pulses along a fibre optic cable, fitted with a Toslink connector. As a general rule, if you have the option, the digital coaxial connector produces a better sound than the optical.
The other connection option that is occasionally found on some equipment is called AES EBU. In this case the connection is made with 3 pin XLR connectors and the impedance is set at 110 Ohms.
The same rules that are used to choose an analogue interconnect apply to digital interconnects. Despite the fact that digital connectors are only transferring digital data, the construction and design of the digital cable affects the tonal, rhythmic and dynamic performance qualities every bit as much as analogue interconnects do.
