Description
Designed and handcrafted using carefully selected combinations of 5N OCC pure silver and Duelund tinned copper conductors, the Ultimate Silver Series is meticulously fine-tuned to achieve exceptional sound quality, musicality, and overall balance.
Audiolund XLR Balance Interconnect Cable ~ Ultimate Silver Series
Construction & Design
- Improved construction: The XLR cable architecture has been revised and optimized to further enhance sound quality.
- Each positive and negative signal path uses nine solid-core 5N OCC silver conductors in multiple gauges: 15GA + 18GA + 24GA + 26GA + 28GA + 29GA + 29GA + 32GA + 32GA.
- Each positive and negative signal path also incorporates one 16GA Duelund tinned copper conductor, carefully combined with the 5N OCC silver conductors.
- A 1.0-meter stereo pair uses a total of approximately 4m × 9 solid-core 5N OCC silver conductors, ranging from 15GA to 32GA, plus 4m × 16GA Duelund tinned copper conductors and 2m of silver-plated copper wire for grounding.
- Multiple types and layers of shielding materials are used to help minimize noise and RFI/EMI interference.
- A unique damping design incorporates multiple anti-vibration and isolation materials to help suppress mechanical vibration.
- Standard length: 1.0m, with other lengths available.
Conductor Options
1) All OCC Silver Version
- 9 solid-core conductors of 15GA + 18GA + 24GA + 26GA + 28GA + 29GA + 29GA + 32GA + 32GA 5N OCC silver, combined with 16GA Duelund tinned copper.
2) Duelund Silver Foil Version
- Duelund Silver Foil V1 combined with eight solid-core conductors of 18GA + 24GA + 26GA + 28GA + 29GA + 29GA + 32GA + 32GA 5N OCC silver, plus 16GA Duelund tinned copper.
The choice is between the All OCC Silver configuration or replacing the 15GA 5N OCC silver conductor with Duelund Silver Foil V1, while retaining the remaining OCC silver and Duelund tinned copper conductors.
Sound Characteristics
Based on critical listening, adding Duelund Silver Foil V1 appears to bring the midrange slightly more forward and focused, with a subtly warmer and more pleasing vocal presentation.
By comparison, the All OCC Silver version appears to offer a slightly wider and deeper soundstage, with a more organic presentation and marginally greater perceived detail.
The differences, however, are subtle rather than significant. Both versions deliver excellent midrange performance and soundstage presentation.
Both configurations belong to the same Ultimate Silver Series, combining pure silver conductors, either OCC silver or Duelund silver foil, with Duelund tinned copper. As a result, both share a broadly similar sonic character, blending the qualities associated with pure silver conductors with the musical characteristics of Duelund/Western Electric-style tinned copper.
The choice therefore comes down primarily to personal preference:
- Choose Duelund Silver Foil V1 for a slightly warmer, more focused midrange.
- Choose All OCC Silver for a slightly wider and deeper soundstage with marginally greater perceived detail.
XLR Plug Options
Different XLR plug materials can be selected to further fine-tune the presentation according to personal preference and system matching.
- Gold-plated XLR plugs: Tend to produce a slightly warmer tonal presentation.
- Rhodium-plated XLR plugs: Tend to provide a smoother, silkier high-frequency presentation.
- Pure Silver XLR plugs: Can add a greater sense of air and perceived detail, taking the overall performance to another level.
Connector selection is ultimately a matter of personal preference and system synergy. The ideal choice may vary depending on the characteristics of the individual audio system.
These observations are based on critical listening using a balanced system setup. While differences between plug materials can be noticeable, they are generally less significant than the differences between Audiolund’s various cable and conductor series.
Ultimate Silver Series Sound Character
The Ultimate Silver Series is designed to combine key characteristics of both the Xtreme Series and True Silver Series.
Similar to the Xtreme Silver Series, it delivers a natural, smooth, musical presentation with a quiet background, while retaining elements of the classic Duelund/Western Electric character.
At the same time, it incorporates the sweetness, delicacy, power, speed, and dynamic qualities associated with the True Silver Series.
The result is a comprehensive presentation that combines the musical character of Duelund tinned copper with the clarity, speed, and refinement of 5N OCC pure silver.
Conductor Cross-Sectional Area
For the Ultimate Silver Series XLR Interconnect, the estimated conductor cross-sectional area per meter, per positive/negative channel, is:
- 5N OCC Silver: approximately 3.13mm²
- Duelund Tinned Copper: approximately 1.31mm²
Choosing Between Audiolund’s Top Five Series
As a simple guide, each series is designed around a different sonic character:
- If you prefer the classic vintage Duelund/Western Electric sound, consider the Xtreme Series.
- If you prefer a modern 5N pure silver presentation, consider the True Silver Series.
- If you prefer the Duelund/Western Electric character with added pure silver characteristics, consider the Xtreme Silver Series.
- If you prefer the 5N pure silver character with added vintage Duelund/Western Electric qualities, consider the Ultimate Silver Series.
- If you value the Duelund/Western Electric and modern pure silver characteristics equally, consider the Flagship Series.
Both the Ultimate Silver Series and Xtreme Silver Series are designed to combine elements of the classic Western Electric-style presentation with modern pure silver characteristics.
Although their tonal emphasis differs, both retain recognizable qualities of Duelund tinned copper and pure silver. For this reason, both series are highly versatile and can pair well with a wide range of high-end audio systems.
Our Listening Perspective
If you appreciate both the Duelund/Western Electric character and the qualities of pure silver, either the Xtreme Silver Series or Ultimate Silver Series is an excellent choice.
The Ultimate Silver Series has a stronger modern pure silver character. The addition of Duelund tinned copper introduces greater musicality while giving the overall presentation a relatively softer and smoother quality. For listeners seeking the strengths of pure silver without sacrificing musicality, the Ultimate Silver Series is highly recommended.
The Xtreme Series emphasizes the classic Western Electric character, with a balanced, natural, neutral, and relaxed presentation.
The True Silver Series offers the sweet, delicate, powerful, and fast dynamic character associated with modern pure silver, together with a stronger tonal presence and a rich, full-bodied texture.
In simple terms:
- Xtreme Series: Classic vintage Western Electric character, natural, relaxed, and musical.
- True Silver Series: Modern pure silver character, sweet, detailed, dynamic, and full-bodied.
In our listening experience, neither presentation is inherently better. The preferred choice depends on personal taste, system configuration, and listening priorities.
For example, listeners using tube amplification may naturally gravitate toward the Xtreme Series, while those using solid-state systems may prefer the characteristics of the Silver Series. System synergy and individual preference remain important considerations.
One of the most appealing qualities of the Xtreme Series is its musicality, while a particular strength of the True Silver Series is its full-bodied, organic presentation. This complementary relationship inspired the development of the Xtreme Silver Series and Ultimate Silver Series, combining selected characteristics of both conductor philosophies.
1) Default: Gold Foil + Black Stripe on Black Background
- Provides better wear resistance for the red copper and plastic decorative strips.
2) Silver Foil + Transparent Strip on Black Background
- The silver foil has lower wear resistance and should therefore be handled with greater care.
XLR Plugs Orientations
Audiolund cables use substantial multi-conductor constructions and are therefore relatively thick and firm. Although the cables can be bent easily for normal installation, twisting the cable can be more difficult if the XLR plug orientation does not align correctly with the equipment connectors.
The standard XLR plug orientation is shown above. However, the ideal orientation may vary depending on the physical arrangement of your equipment, such as:
- Top to bottom
- Left to right
- Right to left
For the best cable configuration, please provide a photo of your equipment viewed from the rear, clearly showing the XLR connectors. This allows us to determine the most suitable plug orientation before assembly.
Cable Run-In
Most Audiolund cables use multi-core designs incorporating multiple conductor types and gauges. As a result, sufficient run-in time is recommended before making a final assessment of their sound.
The relatively thick solid-core OCC silver conductors may require a longer run-in period than Duelund tinned copper conductors, which use multiple parallel thin strands.
As a general guideline:
- Most Audiolund cables: approximately 100–200 hours
- Ultimate Silver Series: approximately 200–400 hours
The Ultimate Silver Series uses a particularly complex combination of multiple solid-core OCC silver conductors and Duelund tinned copper conductors and may therefore require additional run-in time before reaching a stable sonic presentation.
Reviews
There are no reviews yet