QED Supremus Zr Speaker Cable
Supremus Zr is QEDs next-generation flagship loudspeaker cable. Developed without compromise, Supremus Zr is the result of more than five decades of technological evolution and refinement. Featuring leading-edge QED audio innovations, the new Zr model now boasts high-quality zirconia plugs and barrels. Used in watches and fountain pens and in the automotive and aerospace industries, this advanced ceramic material is prized for its durability and high resistance to wear, temperature, and eddy currents. Its lustrous surface also adds a luxurious finish to the cable. In conjunction with QED’s Aircore™ and Airloc™ technologies and a host of other cutting-edge designs, Supremus Zr represents the most effective way of preserving the integrity and fidelity of the analogue music signal from beginning to end that QED has ever achieved.
Zirconia Airlocâ„¢ Design
The exceptionally high mechanical strength of zirconia, its remarkable resistance to scratches and general wear, and its glossily lustrous finish make it the ideal material for this cable’s barrels and boots. Not only are the Supremus Zr plugs gleaming and tactile, but the electrically inert nature of zirconia also means eddy currents cannot become established and therefore plug-induced distortion remains vanishingly low.
Airlocâ„¢ Cold Weld System
QEDs high-pressure termination process compresses the conductors and plugs together, creating a cold-welded area where conductors and plug effectively become one. Because all the air has been removed from the joint, there can be no oxidization or degradation in conductivity - and that’s true for the entire lifetime of the cable.
Rhodium-plated Locking Design
Aside from its purely decorative properties - which are considerable - rhodium makes the surface of the Supremus Zr connectors very smooth, increasing the contact area and reducing resistance. Designed specifically for Supremus Zr cable, this unique contact expansion system securely clamps the rhodium-plated beryllium copper pins into the speaker terminals, while at the same time increasing the contact area of the plugs, simply by twisting the plug barrel until it is tight. And because it’s so very hard-wearing and resistant to oxidization, rhodium can cope with the extra load exerted by QED’s locking design - which ensures a perfect, maintenance-free connection.
Aircoreâ„¢ Technology
Loudspeaker cables with large cross-sectional areas are prone to skin effects, where high-frequency analogue music signals are forced to the outside of the conductor, and the proximity effect disrupts current distribution. QED’s innovative Aircore technology combines hollow tubular conductors - to minimize the skin effect - with polyester insulation and a special spiral construction to reduce the proximity effect. This highly effective combination evens current density and significantly improves the cable's uniformity throughout the audio band.
6.2 mm² Ultra-low Resistance Conductors
Boasting a large cross-sectional area, the ultra-low resistance, silver-plated, oxygen-free copper conductors effectively bring the amplifier electrically much closer to the loudspeakers, enabling it to exercise better control over them, so the fidelity of the original music signal can be more accurately maintained.
Cryogenic Treatment
Cryogenic treatment improves the microstructure of the copper core by eliminating crystalline dislocations. Numerous brass musical instruments at all points of the frequency range have been found to produce a better, more natural tone after deep cryogenic treatment.
