QED Performance XT25 Speaker Cable (Pair) (2 metres)

Product Information

In loudspeaker cables high pitched sounds are forced to travel towards the outside of the conductor and so are able to use less and less of the available cross-sectional area as the pitch increases. This is called the “Skin Effect”. It means that for high frequencies the resistance of the cable appears to be much higher than it does for lower pitched sounds. Eddy currents in one conductor can affect the current flowing in an adjacent conductor so that currents flowing in the same direction move away from each other. This “Proximity Effect” also increases resistance as frequency increases. These phenomena have a detrimental effect on the fidelity of the sound you hear. The XT25 variation of QED X-Tube™ Technology solves these problems by creating a hollow tubular conductor geometry out of individual conductor bunches through which each frequency can pass with equal ease when compared to traditional solid or stranded conductors. As a general rule of thumb, we'd recommend setting aside 10-15 per cent of the total cost of your system for all cables. In the case of a hi-fi set-up, you'll be looking at analogue interconnects, speaker cables and, potentially, a digital optical or coaxial cable depending on the sources you're using. So you'll want to dedicate a share of this to a pair of suitable speaker cables. I have also prepared a list of the top five audio cables, alongside a detailed FAQ section where you will learn how to buy audio cables. Let’s get started. Cables Elsewhere XT40i's 4.0mm² cross-sectional area lowers loop resistance, while its 99.999% oxygen-free copper construction offers improved conductivity over standard copper. QED Performance Audio 40i We know QED for sensational levels of clarity and detail, and, even at this lower price, it doesn’t disappoint. This kind of transparency is difficult for rivals to match." (Read More)

In common with all of QED's cables, XT25 Bi-Wire’s design was informed by the lessons learned during their exhaustive research into loudspeaker cable design, which began in 1995 and detailed in the recently updated Genesis Report. This report sets out the design principles to which QED have adhered ever since and which resulted in the development of QED Supremus speaker cable – the ultimate expression of sound through science without compromise. Each QED cable in the range is based on this unique concept and although their designs may be variously influenced by price, size or ease of use, each retains the basic original features of the flagship model. This gives even the base-model cables a sonic advantage over their similarly priced competitors. XT25 Bi-Wire, for example, is essentially a scaled down version of the top-of-the-range Genesis Bi-Wire cable sharing many of its geometrical features but having a smaller cross-sectional area and using 99.999% oxygen-free copper conductors in place of the more expensive silver-plated variety.

2. X-Tube™ Technology....but with a twist

For use with Laptops/Computers and portable headphone amps/dacs, the QED reference USB A-Micro B uses our Ferrite insulation to reduce Jitter, as well as isolating the data and power lanes for a cleaner overall signal.

Before I describe the sound of the Linton Heritage, I want to talk about some of the acoustical challenges of speakers, like this one, shaped like models from the 1960s and ’70s, and why you don’t see many of them nowadays. First is their wide front baffles. Most speakers today have fairly narrow baffles, to reduce the amount of surface area that can reflect soundwaves produced by the drivers -- a kind of interference called diffraction. This is one of the things that helps modern speakers get out of their own way, to produce a more open and boxless sound. In 1973 Bob Abraham and Ian Vine founded QED Audio Products and changed the way people think about hi-fi cables. By the time QED 79 strand speaker cable was launched in 1978, it wasn’t looked upon as ‘just another speaker cable’ but was instead regarded as a serious hi-fi component, making a fundamental change in the way people thought about cables.Ferrite insulation technology has been retained from the Performance Audio 40 to absorb high frequency noise and decrease timing errors and deliver a cleaner signal, while the use of QED’s Anamate RCA plugs means a reduction in “eddy currents” and an improvement in high frequency detail. On the flip side, If you own a high-end set-up, we'd suggest looking at price-comparable cables to get the most performance out of your system.