Cables & Accessories

Applying Chord’s unique Tuned ARAY conductor technology to a digital interconnect, the Epic Digital Tuned ARAY has the correct characteristic impedance for a digital interconnect. An analogue RCA cable is not really suitable for use for this job as it will not have the required 75ohm characteristic impedance and so will result in reflections of the signal within the cable. Also, if the bandwidth of the interconnect is not wide enough for the digital signal, the digital pulses will have sloping edges – which can result in timing errors. These issues can lead to jitter, which the digital processor in the DAC then tries to correct. All of the above can degrade the audio signal.

The cable contains two 75ohm silver-plated, oxygen-free copper conductors with PTFE insulation. It is screened with a high-density, silver-plated combination braid and foil shield, which is designed to offer effective protection from high-frequency interference. The RCA cable is terminated with Chord’s ChorAlloy-plated connectors and connector pins. The ChorAlloy plating technique is intended to overcome the negative intermodulation effects at high frequencies that can be produced by standard silver-plating materials. It comes supplied in 1m lengths as standard, with custom lengths available to order.

To test out the Epic Digital Tuned ARAY cable, we connect it between our PrimaLuna ProLogue Eight Mk.2 CD player and a Furutech ADL Stratos acting as an external DAC. We then play a CD of Vivaldi’s Double Concertos by The Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields. The music flows really beautifully and the strident trumpet blasts are not at all harsh. Overall, the performances are really elegant and refined.

We then play a lovely CD of Lyn Stanley singing It’s Impossible. The soundstage is very believable, with excellent positioning of Stanley in front of her backing musicians.

Although costly for a single cable, the Epic Digital Tuned ARAY does an excellent job and will be very much at home in high-end audio setups. NR    

Read the full review in  Issue 526