QED Reference Audio 40
- 0,60m - QED

• QED Reference Audio 40 - 0,60m - QED

Reference Audio 40 - Anniversary Edition

The Reference Audio 40 RCA cable is part of the exclusive anniversary edition launched to mark QED's 40th anniversary. This outstanding cable sets new standards in the audio world and is based on the special design of the first Analoc™ generation, which is known for sustainably reducing eddy currents.
A unique feature of the Reference Audio 40 is the elimination of all conductive materials in the connector bodies. This innovative design ensures outstanding transparency, precise timing and interference-free transmission of the audio signal. The result is unparalleled sound quality that will satisfy even the most discerning audiophile.
The Reference Audio 40 offers a cleaner, more detailed and dynamic reproduction that will make your music collection shine in new splendor. It is the ultimate cable for those who demand the highest fidelity and authentic reproduction. With the Reference Audio 40 you will experience your music like never before - clear, precise and full of life.

• Analoc2™ connector with high-strength thermoplastic inner material
• Silver-plated 99.999% oxygen-free copper conductors (SPOFC) with LDPE dielectric
• Asymmetrical twisted pair geometry
• 100 % electromagnetic OFC shielding
• Zn/Mn ferrite sheath
• Gold-plated QED Analoc2™ RCA connectors
• Parallel capacitance: 76 pF/m
• Inductance: 0.37 μH/m
• Loop resistance: 0.072 Ω/m
• Dissipation factor: 0.0059

How the Analoc™ RCA plugs work

The Reference and Signature Audio 40 analog cables are equipped with Analoc RCA plugs that have an integrated locking mechanism. When the sleeve is tightened, the clamping force increases, ensuring an absolutely firm and secure connection.

To fit the Analoc plugs correctly, proceed as follows: Turn the outer locking sleeve of the plug forward until the lamellae around the center contact loosen. Now place the plug on the socket of the hi-fi device. Then screw back the plug sleeve to lock the plug firmly into the socket. This procedure ensures a stable and reliable connection and should be followed for every assembly or disassembly of Analoc plugs.

 

Special features of the Audio 40 cables

The QED range includes three RCA cables, which are marketed under the name "Audio 40" and belong to the Performance, Reference and Signature series. These series correspond to the established product hierarchy "good, better, best". Developed according to QED's top-down philosophy, the three cables have an almost identical design and geometry, but differ significantly in terms of material and transmission quality: the Signature Audio 40 represents the current state of cable technology regardless of cost, the Performance Audio 40 is the price-conscious alternative, and the Reference Audio 40 offers a perfect balance between performance and cost.

 

All cables are primarily designed for low capacitance, as the QED engineers have identified this as an essential requirement for true hi-fi reproduction with tight bass and preservation of the original sound character. In addition, any timing errors occurring in the cable have been permanently eliminated: All three cables have a new complementary conductor geometry in which the audio signal is transmitted simultaneously via two conductors of different diameters. As a result, the high-frequency components of the signal reach their destination without the time delay that can occur in conventional cables.

Another innovation that benefits all "Audio 40" cables is the specially impregnated PVC sheath with a ten percent zinc-manganese ferrite content. This absorbs very high-frequency interference signals and components of the audio signal that could negatively affect the microtiming of the audio signal. Materials with a low dielectric constant such as foamed polyethylene or Teflon prevent losses in the signal level due to excessive cable capacitance. These sound-improving measures were developed in consultation with leading industry experts and their effectiveness was proven in our state-of-the-art measurement laboratory.

With the self-locking QED Analoc RCA plug, we have succeeded in maintaining the low jitter and low susceptibility to interference of the cable. The new Analoc plug produces extremely low eddy currents by using small, high-purity copper conductors instead of a large-volume brass body. This reduces the tendency of the constantly changing magnetic field in the conductor to induce eddy currents that affect the microtiming of the audio signal. In conjunction with the hollow center pin of the connector, which reduces the skin effect similar to the X-Tube speaker cables, the QED Analoc connector ensures that the sound characteristics of the audio signal are maintained along the entire transmission path.

 

Traditional RCA plugs, as they were developed in the 1940s and are still used today for unbalanced cable connections, are usually made of solid brass. Brass is an inexpensive material that is easy to work with and offers numerous possibilities for individual shapes. Unfortunately, the use of brass entails problems, above all the lower conductivity compared to pure copper. Pure copper connectors would be extremely expensive, but if only the pins and small contact surfaces are made of pure copper, the production of such connectors is economically viable.

QED's innovative Analoc connectors follow this approach and offer a high-purity copper connection without bulky brass bodies. The hollow pins are made of high-purity copper and have only two lamellas for the ground connection, which offers two major advantages: A low-resistance transport path for the audio signals and a compact connector body that offers no opportunity for eddy currents to form.

Eddy currents are circular currents that occur in any conductor through which alternating current flows and induce a constantly changing magnetic field. They consume energy proportional to the square of the conductor diameter, which causes losses. A smaller cable cross-section therefore reduces the influence of eddy currents on the audio signal.

In addition, eddy currents can persist for a short time due to self-inductance, even if there is no longer a magnetic field. The reduction of eddy currents therefore leads to a better transmission of audio signals, especially in the area of the smallest timing effects. The skin effect, which causes the current to flow on the outside of the conductor as the frequency increases, is also reduced by the hollow pins.

 

The Analoc plugs have an integrated locking mechanism that automatically locks the plug firmly into the RCA socket when the plug sleeve is tightened, ensuring an interference-free connection.

 

The high-purity copper conductors of the Analoc plugs are gold-plated in the Reference series cables and coated with rhodium in the Signature cables. The resistance of these metals ensures low contact resistance over the entire service life of the cables. Although copper is the second best electrical conductor after silver, it reacts with oxygen and can tarnish, which increases the contact resistance. Rhodium is an ideal coating material due to its high degree of hardness. The QED Analoc connectors are part of all "Audio 40" cables and can also be purchased separately to equip other cables with them.