AudioQuest Wind High-end Cable Review

[audiofooled]

I wonder how much longer would it take for someone to say something like:

"Look, people, common wisdom nowadays would be that the only job a cable has to do is transfer signal from point A to point B and not lose nor add anything along the way. And it can be done for much less than a 1000 per foot."

- Or maybe "You can't put any more money over here and expect to get anything in return. If you still have it, you'd better donate it."

 

[John Galt]

The AQ product introduction doesn't sound like snake oil at all Great review as always @amirm , thank you!

"In the simplest sense, wind is air in motion produced by the uneven heating of the Earth’s surface by the sun. Because our planet is made of various land and water formations, from the severe heights of K2 to the placid Chicago River, it absorbs the sun’s radiation unevenly, creating differences in air pressure and the ensuing movement of air from high-pressure areas to lower ones.

Wind is also one of our most valuable natural resources: As an alternative to fossil fuels, wind is plentiful, renewable, widely distributed, clean, produces no greenhouse gas emissions, and uses little land. While wind power may be more important today than ever before, it is by no means a new concept. Representations of ships under sail date as far back as 5500 B.C., while windmills may have been first used in Persia in 200 B.C. Among the classical elements, wind’s close relative, air, is pure, powerful, and fundamentally important to life. In Japanese philosophy, wind is a symbol of all things that grow, expand, and enjoy freedom of movement, in some ways best represented by the human mind.

People born under the astrological signs of Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius are thought to have dominant air personalities, marked by kindness and social grace. Of course, wind itself may be the most graceful of all elements. It fans the flames of our deepest passions, dances atop the surfaces of our longest rivers, sings in the rustling of the largest leaves, and carves its initials into our mightiest rocks. The physical effect is often astounding: From the forever-swirling formations of Coyote Buttes in Utah, to the sculpted cypress trees seemingly frozen in time along California’s coast, wind holds a place as one of nature’s most masterful artists."

Just in case it sounds like I made this BS up: Wind · Elements Series · Analog Interconnects · Cables · AudioQuest

 

[SIY]

The AQ product description doesn't sound like snake oil at all Great review as always @amirm , thank you!

"In the simplest sense, wind is air in motion produced by the uneven heating of the Earth’s surface by the sun. Because our planet is made of various land and water formations, from the severe heights of K2 to the placid Chicago River, it absorbs the sun’s radiation unevenly, creating differences in air pressure and the ensuing movement of air from high-pressure areas to lower ones.

Wind is also one of our most valuable natural resources: As an alternative to fossil fuels, wind is plentiful, renewable, widely distributed, clean, produces no greenhouse gas emissions, and uses little land. While wind power may be more important today than ever before, it is by no means a new concept. Representations of ships under sail date as far back as 5500 B.C., while windmills may have been first used in Persia in 200 B.C. Among the classical elements, wind’s close relative, air, is pure, powerful, and fundamentally important to life. In Japanese philosophy, wind is a symbol of all things that grow, expand, and enjoy freedom of movement, in some ways best represented by the human mind.

People born under the astrological signs of Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius are thought to have dominant air personalities, marked by kindness and social grace. Of course, wind itself may be the most graceful of all elements. It fans the flames of our deepest passions, dances atop the surfaces of our longest rivers, sings in the rustling of the largest leaves, and carves its initials into our mightiest rocks. The physical effect is often astounding: From the forever-swirling formations of Coyote Buttes in Utah, to the sculpted cypress trees seemingly frozen in time along California’s coast, wind holds a place as one of nature’s most masterful artists."

Just in case it sounds like I made this BS up: Wind · Elements Series · Analog Interconnects · Cables · AudioQuest

I lost ten IQ points reading that!

 

[Katji]

I think I'll always remember this.

But then my wife who was in the kitchen informed me that the dogs had left the patio door open and whether I was OK if she closed it. Once she did, the air factor disappeared.

 

[Katji]

forever-swirling formations of Coyote Buttes

Maybe the most suitable part of that story.

 

[Wes]

The AQ product introduction doesn't sound like snake oil at all Great review as always @amirm , thank you!

"In the simplest sense, wind is air in motion produced by the uneven heating of the Earth’s surface by the sun. Because our planet is made of various land and water formations, from the severe heights of K2 to the placid Chicago River, it absorbs the sun’s radiation unevenly, creating differences in air pressure and the ensuing movement of air from high-pressure areas to lower ones.

Wind is also one of our most valuable natural resources: As an alternative to fossil fuels, wind is plentiful, renewable, widely distributed, clean, produces no greenhouse gas emissions, and uses little land. While wind power may be more important today than ever before, it is by no means a new concept. Representations of ships under sail date as far back as 5500 B.C., while windmills may have been first used in Persia in 200 B.C. Among the classical elements, wind’s close relative, air, is pure, powerful, and fundamentally important to life. In Japanese philosophy, wind is a symbol of all things that grow, expand, and enjoy freedom of movement, in some ways best represented by the human mind.

People born under the astrological signs of Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius are thought to have dominant air personalities, marked by kindness and social grace. Of course, wind itself may be the most graceful of all elements. It fans the flames of our deepest passions, dances atop the surfaces of our longest rivers, sings in the rustling of the largest leaves, and carves its initials into our mightiest rocks. The physical effect is often astounding: From the forever-swirling formations of Coyote Buttes in Utah, to the sculpted cypress trees seemingly frozen in time along California’s coast, wind holds a place as one of nature’s most masterful artists."

Just in case it sounds like I made this BS up: Wind · Elements Series · Analog Interconnects · Cables · AudioQuest

That introductory paragraph doesn't address their highest SQ model, the Breaking Wind cable.

 

[Katji]

I dunno , maybe this part: "...creating differences in air pressure and the ensuing movement of air from high-pressure areas to lower ones."
Ok, not exactly air, but the principle is basically the same.

 

[welsh]

Is there a single Audioquest product that is both a) not overpriced and b) not snake oil or mediocre at best?

Yes there is. Their solid 90-degree RCA splitters are very useful. And not expensive.

 

[MediumRare]

Yes there is. Their solid 90-degree RCA splitters are very useful. And not expensive.

If by "not expensive" you mean "6.5x more expensive than alternatives" yes, I would agree.

 

[Chrispy]

Good ol' Fraudioquest.

 

[gvl]

If by "not expensive" you mean "6.5x more expensive than alternatives" yes, I would agree.
View attachment 137226

At least it's built better. I have a version of those cheap plugs on a regular rca cable and the spring loaded ground contacts are very weak.

 

[ahofer]

If by "not expensive" you mean "6.5x more expensive than alternatives" yes, I would agree.
View attachment 137226

Does it ruin the sound to put that inexpensive end on a $1000 unobtanium cable?

 

[Chrispy]

At least it's built better. I have a version of those cheap plugs on a regular rca cable and the spring loaded ground contacts are very weak.

Prove it.

 

[Martini]

Yes there is. Their solid 90-degree RCA splitters are very useful. And not expensive.

A 90° bend in an audio signal is almost the worst thing you can do, the electrons bunch up in a concertina effect or like a kink in a water hose (I'm not sure which analogy sounds more authoritative and understandable to the feeble minded), creating massive distortion.

 

[BlackTalon]

A 90° bend in an audio signal is almost the worst thing you can do, the electrons bunch up in a concertina effect or like a kink in a water hose (I'm not sure which analogy sounds more authoritative and understandable to the feeble minded), creating massive distortion.

Don't let the outside cladding fool you. There are two 45 degree fittings inside to ease the transition.

They also included a clean-out, so if electrons get clogged you can snake out the line.

 

[infinitesymphony]

They also included a clean-out, so if electrons get clogged you can snake out the line.

 

[levimax]

If you are using things like these 90 degree connectors or "Y" connectors beware of high capacitance. For normal line level use it is not a big deal but for phono connections it can be. I bought a cheap "Y" connector to "sum to mono" and it sounded noticeably different and bad. I checked the capacitance and the 3" long "Y" connector had over 400 pf of capacitance .... twice as much as the cables in the tone arm and 4 ft interconnects combined! This much capacitance can really throw off the FR of an MM cart.

 

[Martini]

View attachment 137304

Don't let the outside cladding fool you. There are two 45 degree fittings inside to ease the transition.

They also included a clean-out, so if electrons get clogged you can snake out the line.

I'm sure AQ will market something musical to free the electrons, like this but with a battery -

 

[carewser]

After reading this review i'm sure many people here did the same thing as me and went out and bought one of these cables

Seriously though, if you scroll down to page 5 of this .pdf page of Audioquest's website it actually says, "Doing no harm since 1980"
https://www.audioquest.com/resource/1278/AQ-US-Retail-Price-Book.pdf

Congratulations Audioquest for not raping or murdering anyone in the last 41 years. I haven't done much of that myself in the last 41 years so I guess we have something in common. You know what else I haven't done much of in the past 41 years? Ripped people off by selling them bullshit products that make no sonic difference

They also have a "theory and education" section at their website where i'm sure they try and educate people about their theories of how well their products work in the absence of evidence

 

[Mystical Boar]

I'm ashamed to admin I owned some low tier audiophile cables, one of them being by audioquest. I sold all of these cables - some just a few hours after listing. It feels good not to have them (and retrieve some of the money).