Audioquest PR Dragon XLR Interconnect

Overview

Not only is the Dragon the best interconnect cable AudioQuest has ever made, it may be the best the world has ever seen or heard.

With a combination of first-class materials and state-of-the-art noise-dissipation technologies, the Dragon comes as close as possible to AudioQuest's sonic ideal – the completely invisible cable. It has solid Perfect Surface Silver conductors (PSS), ZERO-Tech, FEP air tube insulation, silver-plated, HF-dissipating connector housing and Level 7 noise-dissipation system, in which even the shielding is 100 % consists of PSS.

No effort was spared, no detail was neglected.

The Dragon is a direct descendant of acclaimed designs from our storied past, while being something entirely and distinctively new that, like a true-to-life dragon, reduces its predecessors to ashes.

All Mythical Creature connectors are available with custom RCA and XLR connectors.

US Retail: $9,500/1m (RCA); $11,900/1m (XLR) .
Other lengths available. For more info, view our price book.

Characteristics

ZERO-Tech (No Characteristic Impedance) For Linear Broadband Noise Reduction

The only way to avoid improper matching of the characteristic impedance between the cable and the source connected to it, as well as the load circuits, is to not allow any characteristic impedance in the cable. ZERO-Tech achieves this by eliminating the electrostatic field between low-signal and high-signal conductors. This enables linear noise dissipation (even from octave to octave) of radio frequency (RF) noise as well as uncompressed transients. To maintain full ZERO-Tech isolation between signal conductors, a dual DBS pack is included for XLR cables.

Solid Surface Silver (PSS) Conductors

Solid conductors prevent the electrical and magnetic interference of the individual strands. Perfect-Surface Silver's high degree of purity minimizes the distortions caused by the grain boundaries existing in every metal conductor, almost completely eliminating harshness in sound and greatly improving transparency compared to OFHC, OCC, 8N and other coppers.

FEP Air Tube Dielectric

The positive leads benefit from almost no contact between the metal and the FEP insulation. The latter is characterized by an excellent dielectric constant and minimal signal interference. The negative leads benefit from "intentionally lossy insulation" - the negative lead's job is aided by the absence of air and FEP.

72 V Dielectric Bias System (DBS) with high-frequency noise trap Level X

All insulation is also a dielectric, properties of which compromise signal integrity. When the isolation is unbiased, dielectric interference (absorption and non-linear release of energy back into the signal flow) causes different time delays (phase shift) for different frequencies and energy levels, which is a significant problem for very time-sensitive multi-octave audio.

AudioQuest's multi-patented DBS creates a strong, stable electrostatic field that saturates and polarizes (organizes) the molecules of the insulation. This minimizes the non-linear time delays, resulting in a more transparent sound against a "blacker" background.

The Level-X RF noise trap (a technology developed for the AudioQuest Niagara Series) in the DBS battery pack "pulls" RF noise out of the cable and prevents RF from entering the electronics. The DBS battery packs will last approximately 10 years. Check their condition using the test switch.

Level 7 noise dissipation (connecting cable):
ZERO-Tech + 72V DBS + Carbon/Graphene mesh + Directional

High-frequency noise from smartphones, WiFi and satellites is everywhere. AQ Level 7 Linear Noise Reduction features a carbon and graphene resistive mesh, directional conductors, 72V DBS and Solid Perfect-Surface Silver (PSS) drain wires. This significantly reduces the obscuring effects of RF noise.

Connector From Hanging Silver On Red Copper

The finest connectors in the AudioQuest range feature high quality hanging silver (no drumming) on extremely pure red copper.

Silver-plated, HF dissipative housing

Grounded, silver-plated housings maximize noise dissipation by minimizing capacitive coupling of RF noise to the signal conductors.