Clarus Launches AQUA Mark II Cables

NEWS
by TAS Staff
Sep 16, 2019

The following is a press release issued by Clarus.

September 16, 2019 — Clarus®, the high-end audio cable brand that is a “sister” company to Tributaries A/V cables, is introducing new versions of their popular AQUA Cables. AQUA Mark II Balanced Audio, Single-Ended RCA Audio and Speaker cables feature a multi-gauge design using three different shaped insulated ultra-low distortion PCOCC conductors. The new AQUA Mark II cables are now terminated using connectors made with high purity and high conductivity Tellurium (TE) copper providing very low resistance and superior sound characteristics.

The new male pins of the RCA and XLR have been changed from a solid design to one that is hollow. This new design helps to reduce eddy currents that can slow signal transfer. The female XLR is designed with pin 1 (the earth pin) forward in the connector. With the ground connection established before the signal lines are connected, the insertion (and removal) of the XLR connectors in live equipment is possible without hum or buzz induced from picking up external noise.

The RCA’s grounding sleeves as well as the BFA Banana Plugs and the female XLRs are made from military-grade Beryllium (BE) copper. BE copper has a physical “springiness” characteristic that makes it ideal for use in the RCA ground sleeve, female XLR pins & BFAs.

Even more exciting is the new patented “Spring-Tension” (ST) Spade Lugs. Most high-end speaker binding posts that are designed for use with spade lugs are difficult to tighten by hand. Not only can this lead to insufficient contact that will degrade sound quality but there is also danger that the connection will vibrate loose over time. The Clarus Solution is a one-piece construction that reduces transmission resistance and improves signal flow while the spring tension ensures a long-lasting, high-integrity connection.

The result of the AQUA Mark II cables superior terminations is an improved high-quality sound and long-term reliability.

As with all Clarus products, these entirely new designs are evaluated with test instruments, but final decisions are made only after they are subjected to extensive listening tests and comparisons with reference designs, keeping firmly in mind the sound of live music. It’s no coincidence that the designer is a renowned engineer and life-long Audiophile as well as a musician who frequently attends a wide variety of live performances.

Jay Victor, the renowned engineering expert behind the development of Clarus’ new power product line is also the engineer that developed all Clarus and Tributaries audio, speaker and power cables. Holder of 50 patents, Jay has managed the design and implementation of numerous products for high-profile manufacturers serving the high-end audio market. He is also a musician, playing piano, guitar and bass guitar, and enjoys live concerts whenever possible.

His prior background included 12 years of intensive engineering work as a Mechanical Design Engineer for X-Ray cables and wire harnesses, proprietary connectors and scientific test instrument designs. His Electrical Engineering counterparts, as it turned out, were often audiophiles, and coincidently led to many audio-related “side projects”.

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