Glossary Of Terms

99.999% Oxygen Free Copper Conductors

Oxygen content degrades the purity of copper. All QED cables feature Oxygen Free High Purity Copper conductors with purity of at least 99.999%. This gives significant audible improvements over standard grade TPC (Tough Pitch Copper) conductors, which have over 5 times the level of Oxygen found in QED cables.

Aluminium Mylar Screening Foil

Sheet Mylar insulation with an Aluminised coating on one side is wrapped around insulated conductors like tape. It enhances screening by giving 100% coverage. It has high resistance and is difficult to terminate, therefore it is often used in conjunction with braid or drain wire.

Balanced Geometry

Balanced Geometry refers to the signal and return conductors being of the same type and of a symmetrical configuration. The twisted balanced configuration uses two conductors. When conductors are twisted together there is some cancellation of the sound degrading field surrounding each conductor, since the field inducing current in each conductor is flowing in opposite directions.

Foamed Low Density Polyethylene Insulation

Air is probably the most stable and effective insulator known. By introducing air into the insulation, known as foaming, it further enhances it's effectiveness. Foamed Low Density Polyethylene Insulation is utilised wherever possible in the QUNEX ® range to ensure near ideal signal integrity.

All QED cables have `free space' designed into the cable profile. This ensures the conductors are wherever possible surrounded by the least amount of insulation, so sound quality is further enhanced.

Low Density Polyethylene Insulation

Minimising the cable signal losses that occur between amplifier and speaker is crucial. QED Low Density Polyethylene Insulation is proven to dramatically reduce signal leakage.

Quad Balanced Geometry

A quad balanced configuration utilises four separate conductors, two signal and two ground. Using four conductors reduces the resistance and inductance of the cable. The screen is always open ended i.e. not connected at one end, to ensure there is no current flow, causing asymmetry within the cable.

Screening Braid

A screening braid is made up of a number of copper strands woven together to provide a screen against external noise. It can also be used as an effective signal return. This type of screening offers the advantage of a lower resistance but dose not normally give 100% conductor coverage.

Selective Twist Rates

Twist rates are designed to enhance field cancellation, ensure consistent grouping, reduce inductance and minimise proximity effect. They also have a large effect on the flexibility of the cable. Carefully balancing of these elements drastically reduces cable induced distortions and ensures the cable is flexible enough to use!

Silver Plated 99.999% Oxygen Free Copper Conductors

Silver plated OFHPC provides even greater conductivity. Because it is less suspectiable to oxidation it provides long term performance benefits. Sonically it helps to deliver superb resolution and delicacy, especially when used as part of a `high­end' system.

Spiral Lay Stranding

Most cables have bunches of conductors with no defined geometric configuration. They need thicker insulation (dielectric) to allow for the variation in conductor diameter caused by this bunch stranding. QED Silver Anniversary cables feature Sprial Lay Stranding of the conductors which has more consistent shape allowing the use of thinner dielectric. This helps to minimise signal losses into the insulation.

True Concentric Stranding

The Profile Series takes stranding technology a step further. True Concentric Stranding uses hexagonally laid strands which means that only the minimum thickness of dielectric need be applied to maintain integrity of insulation. This further reduces signal losses to vanishingly low levels.