AUDIOQUEST Redwood

MJ14.04.2015

Speaker cables

Every great cable I had in my system before the Redwood has a certain feature that made it different from another – a certain quality that made it perfect match for one system and mismatch for another. In this context the Redwood seemed to be absolutely unexceptional. There was a lack of anything that I would call “a certain quality”. It was totally transparent, just invisible for sound.

100% reference

Function and form

76%
Ease of use
89%
Sound
100%
Appearance

Both the Redwood and other Double Counter-Spiral cables utilize an array of different size conductors in order to significantly reduce the character flaws that would be audible if just one size of wire was used. Plus the Redwood (and the Wild Wood too) adds the aforementioned hybrid metallurgy to further eliminate any signature-sound bias. The negative conductors in the Redwood are insulated with partially conductive Carbon-Loaded Polyethylene. This remarkable material damps radio-frequency garbage from being fed back into the amplifier. On its positive conductors the Redwood uses Nitrogen-Injected Foamed-Polyethylene dielectrics in order to minimize absorption of energy that could smear the signal when it is gradually released back with time-delays.

Bass management

Weight
88
Slam
85
Articulation
90

There is a black capsule attached to the Redwood. Called DBS 72V system it does not interfere with audio signal but helps to remove the signal’s external disturbances. Simply put, the DBS creates a strong and stable electrostatic field which polarizes the molecules of the insulation. The insulation that is saturated by the energy from the DBS should lose the capacity of absorbing any additional energy from the propagating audio signal. This prevents parts of the signal’s energy to be stored and released back afterwards, thus reduces the smear of the signal in time. The DBS system is battery powered – a small push button with LED indicates it is on guard and ‘energizing’.

Clarity & delicacy

Detail
85
Air
83
Transparency
88

Yulunga (Spirit Dance) of Dead Can Dance (Into The Labyrinth, 4AD) has been growing with me for many years. It travels with me to hi-fi shows, it passes through different audio systems. Sometimes it lets you explore new details that have not been heard before, sometimes it is just different. Comparing to how I am used to hear this song today with the first playback of it through my Pioneer gear two decades ago seems funny to me. Yet it still can surprise me once in a while. That particular evening the spirits had to be in especially good mood as Lisa Gerrard arrived in person. Her beautiful voice filled my listening room many times before but now it was different – I could see her, she was not just a voice, she materialized in my listening room, perfectly visible...

 

Tonal accuracy

Timbre
93
Dynamics
85
Temporal resolution
85

Since my experience with the aforementioned loom of high end cables I have wished to find one that would combine everything: the imaging, attack, speed, dynamics, timbres and textures, just everything. Is the AudioQuest Redwood such a cable? I do not know. Actually, I do not know what the Redwood excels at. What I only know is that it does not lack anything. For me it comes the closest to the point that I would swear that there is no cable between amplifier and speakers. I see it on the floor - its dark red coils - but I had no idea how it sounds as I cannot identify its imprint.

Spatial resolution

Holography
92
Soundstage width
92
Soundstage depth
92

Beethoven´s Seventh starts with a massive and slow introduction. Ranking at round thirteen minutes it is arguably the longest introduction of any Beethoven´s symphonies. Bernard Haitink´s performance from London´s Barbican Center (Symphony No.7 in A major, Op.92, London Symphony Orchestra, LSO) is seen as if from the conductor´s point of view and that lends the unique quality to it. Instead of being relegated into the audience the listener takes the wand and communicates with string sections from elevated perspective that was absolutely stunning through the pair of the Redwoods. The soundstage was deep and breathing, the voices of flutes coming from the depth of the orchestra did not have to pass through veils but were present and texturally rich. The AudioQuest did not dissect the music into sonic individual elements – quite opposite it managed to capture the essence of the orchestra, its cohesiveness and organic unity, yet with all the internal delicacies. There was a strong sense of nothing between the music and the listener – I did not feel like listening to a superb high end component, I rather felt like being there.

Please read the complete review of the AudioQuest Redwood in the SPECIAL EDITION REVIEWS section of Audiodrom.

Price as reviewed:200 000,- Kč

Recommended resellers

AQ s.r.o., Červenka, tel. +420 585 342 232

Associated components

  • Sources: Van Medevoort CD transport CT460 and DAC DA466, Accuphase DP-78, Accuphase DP-700
  • Amplifiers: Van Medevoort PSQ/CAQ/PAQs, Accuphase A-70, Mark Levinson No.432
  • Interconnects and speaker cables: Tara Labs ISM The 2EX, Stealth Dream Petite, Krautwire Fractal, Nordost Valhalla V2, Cardas Clear, Audioquest Wild
  • Loudspeakers: Bowers & Wilkins 802 Diamond, Revel Ultima Studio2
  • Power conditioning: Nordost Thor (modified)

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