24. Xtreme Series ~ XLR Balance Interconnect Cable (Duelund Copper)

Important: Due to its extensive conductor count and advanced multi-core construction, the Xtreme Series XLR cable is relatively large and heavy. Please inform us if your equipment has limited XLR connector clearance or space constraints.

• Enhanced design: Revised XLR cable construction, further optimized for improved sonic performance.
• Each positive and negative signal path uses a multi-conductor combination of 12GA + 16GA + 2 × 20GA Duelund tinned copper wire.
• A 1.0-meter stereo pair incorporates a total of 4m × 12GA + 4m × 16GA + 8m × 20GA Duelund tinned copper wire, plus 2m of silver-plated copper wire for grounding.
• Multiple types and layers of shielding materials are incorporated to minimize noise and RFI/EMI interference.
• A proprietary damping design combines multiple anti-vibration and damping materials to suppress unwanted mechanical vibration and enhance isolation.
• Standard length: 1.0m, with other lengths available upon request.

Connector selection provides an additional opportunity to fine-tune the cable to suit individual system characteristics and listening preferences.

• Gold-plated XLR connectors tend to offer a slightly warmer tonal presentation.
• Rhodium-plated XLR connectors tend to provide a smoother and more refined high-frequency presentation.
• Pure Silver XLR connectors can further enhance openness, air, and perceived detail, providing another level of refinement.

Connector selection is ultimately a matter of personal preference and system synergy. These observations are based on critical listening using a well-balanced reference system. While connector differences can be audible, they are generally less significant than the sonic differences between the various Audiolund cable series and conductor designs.

Xtreme Series Sound Characteristics

The Xtreme Series XLR Interconnect builds upon the sonic qualities and design philosophy of the Signature and Reference Series. Its construction is further refined through additional conductors, shielding, damping materials, and carefully selected branded XLR connectors.

It represents one of Audiolund’s most advanced Duelund-based designs, created for audiophiles seeking to maximize the performance potential of Duelund tinned copper conductors through carefully optimized cable construction and high-quality connectors.

The Xtreme Series offers a highly complete and balanced presentation with a distinctive Western Electric-inspired sonic character. Its presentation is natural, detailed, smooth, and musical, complemented by a quiet background and excellent overall balance.

We believe the Xtreme Series delivers a level of performance capable of competing with many established high-end audiophile XLR interconnects.

Conductor Cross-Sectional Area

The estimated conductor cross-sectional area of the Xtreme Series XLR Interconnect is approximately:

5.65 mm² of Duelund copper per meter, per positive/negative channel.

For simplified product selection:

1. Xtreme Series – For enthusiasts who prefer the classic vintage Duelund/Western Electric sonic character.
2. True Silver Series – For listeners seeking the purity, speed, and transparency of modern 5N OCC Silver.
3. Xtreme Silver Series – For those who enjoy the Duelund/Western Electric signature with additional silver-derived refinement and detail.
4. Ultimate Silver Series – For listeners who favor silver performance while retaining elements of the classic Duelund character.
5. Flagship Series – For those seeking an equal balance of both sonic signatures.

The Xtreme Series has a strong Western Electric-inspired character, with a presentation that is balanced, natural, relaxed, and musical.

The True Silver Series offers a distinctly modern silver presentation, characterized by sweetness, delicacy, speed, powerful dynamics, tonal richness, and a full-bodied texture.

From our listening experience, both approaches offer equally compelling performance but with distinctly different sonic personalities. The preferred choice will ultimately depend on your system configuration, musical preferences, and personal taste.

As a general guideline, systems using tube amplification may pair particularly well with the relaxed musicality of the Xtreme Series, while solid-state systems may benefit from the speed, dynamics, and tonal richness of the Silver Series. However, system synergy and personal preference should always remain the primary considerations.

In simple terms:

• Xtreme Series: Classic, natural, relaxed, and musical Western Electric-inspired sound.
• True Silver Series: Modern, dynamic, refined, and richly textured pure-silver sound.

The defining strength of the Xtreme Series is its musicality, while the True Silver Series distinguishes itself through its rich, full-bodied texture, speed, and dynamics.

These complementary qualities inspired the development of the Xtreme Silver Series and Ultimate Silver Series, combining carefully selected characteristics of both Duelund tinned copper and pure silver conductors.

We therefore recommend confirming the required XLR plug orientation before the cable is built.

The standard XLR orientation is suitable for most installations. However, the ideal orientation may vary depending on your equipment arrangement, for example:

• Top to bottom
• Left to right
• Right to left

For custom orientation, please provide a clear photograph of the rear of your equipment showing the XLR connectors and their orientation. This will allow us to determine the most suitable cable and connector alignment for your system.

Most Audiolund cables employ multi-core constructions with multiple conductor combinations, and therefore require an extended run-in period before reaching their intended performance.

OCC Silver conductors use relatively thick solid-core wire and typically require a longer run-in period than Duelund tinned copper, which uses multiple parallel thin strands.

General Run-In Guidelines

• Most Audiolund cables: approximately 100–200 hours
• Xtreme Series: approximately 200–400 hours

These figures should be regarded as general guidelines, as actual run-in time may vary depending on the cable design, system, and usage conditions.