The AudioQuest ThunderBird XLR Interconnects are high-end analog cables from AudioQuest's Mythical Creature series, designed to deliver exceptional audio clarity and detail. They feature solid Perfect-Surface Copper+ (PSC+) conductors with a proprietary surface treatment to minimize distortion and maximize signal purity. The cables utilize ZERO-Tech technology, which eliminates characteristic impedance to prevent impedance mismatch distortion, ensuring linear and wide-bandwidth noise dissipation.
ThunderBird interconnects also incorporate a 72V Dielectric-Bias System (DBS) to reduce dielectric noise, along with a Level 6 Noise-Dissipation system combining carbon/graphene mesh networks, direction-controlled conductors, and silver-plated drain wires to significantly minimize radio-frequency interference from sources like cellular and WiFi signals. The cables use FEP air-tube dielectrics to minimize signal interference and feature copper-plated plug barrels and silver-over-copper contacts for optimal connectivity.
Praised for their silent backgrounds, precise tonal balance, and detailed, natural sound reproduction, ThunderBird XLR interconnects represent a major leap in cable technology, offering a transparent and musically expressive connection for high-performance audio systems
Solid Perfect-Surface Copper+ Conductors: Solid conductors prevent electrical and magnetic strand-interaction. PSC+ Solid-Copper minimizes distortion caused by grain boundaries and maximizes linear RF Noise-Dissipation.
FEP Air-Tube Dielectric: Positive conductors benefit from almost no contact between metal and its FEP insulation, which is notable for its superior dielectric constant and minimal signal interference. Negative conductors benefit from intentionally “lossy insulation” — no air and no FEP helps maximize the negative connection’s different job.
72v Dielectric-Bias System: Insulation is also a dielectric that can act like a shunt-filter. Biasing minimizes dielectric-noise and linearizes the filter, significantly improving wide-bandwidth dissipation of induced RF noise. Dual-72v DBS packs are used for XLR models.
Hanging-Silver over Red-Copper Plugs: AudioQuest’s finest plugs feature superior Hanging-Silver (not tumbled) directly over extreme-purity Red Copper.
Copper-Plated RF-Draining Barrels: Grounded Copper-Plated Barrels maximize Noise-Dissipation by preventing a metal barrel from capacitively coupling RF to the conductors.