AudioQuest ThunderBird
Balanced XLR analogue interconnect cable, 1 metre, featuring AudioQuest's level 6 noise-dissipation system and supplied with its DBS Dual-72V pack.
Description
The ThunderBird is a balanced XLR analogue cable, designed by AudioQuest to connect high-end audio equipment. Positioned in the manufacturer's upper range, just below the FireBird and Dragon references, it employs the brand's most advanced conductor and radio-frequency noise-dissipation technologies.
The cable uses solid-core Perfect Surface Copper+ (PSC+) conductors, with directional control. This solid-core structure, rather than multi-strand, limits interaction between strands and reduces distortion linked to the metal's grain boundaries, promoting more linear dissipation of the RF noise the cable can pick up.
The ThunderBird incorporates AudioQuest's level 6 noise-dissipation system: a resistive carbon and graphene mesh network, combined with direction-controlled conductors and silver-plated drain wires. Together, these aim to limit the masking effects caused by ambient RF noise, notably from cellular networks, Wi-Fi or satellite links.
This cable uses ZERO-Tech technology, which removes the electrostatic field between the positive and negative signal conductors to avoid characteristic-impedance mismatch effects. To preserve this isolation, a DBS Dual-72V pack (dielectric-bias system) is supplied with the cable, a feature shared by the Pegasus, ThunderBird, FireBird and Dragon models in XLR.
The ThunderBird is aimed at demanding hi-fi systems where the link between source and amplification, or between preamplifier and power amplifier, plays a sensitive role in sound reproduction. It suits users seeking a high-end interconnect cable designed to minimise RF noise induced in the analogue signal.
Technical specifications
| Length | 1 m |
| Connectors | XLR |
| Conductors | Solid-core Perfect Surface Copper+ (PSC+), with directional control |
| Noise dissipation | Level 6: ZERO-Tech + carbon/graphene mesh network + direction control |
| Drain wires | 6% silver-plated, direction-controlled |
| Dielectric bias system | DBS Dual-72V |
What to check before buying used
Check the condition of the XLR connectors: pins should insert without play or intermittent contact, and the crimping at the junction with the sheath should be intact. Inspect the ThunderBird's outer braid and sheath, which may show creasing or wear at bend points if the cable has been coiled tightly. As the ZERO-Tech dissipation network and silver-plated drain wires cannot be repaired, a cable with a nicked sheath or a loose connector should be rejected rather than patched up.
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