AudioQuest FireBird XLR to XLR Cable
FireBird may sit in the middle of AudioQuest's Mythical Creatures family, but there's no Middle-Child Syndrome to be found here. This cable is a beautiful destination in its own right, drawing remarkably close to the otherworldly performance of AudioQuest's Dragon flagship but at a much lower cost.
Like ThunderBird, FireBird features ZERO-Tech, FEP Air-Tube insulation, and Level-6 Noise-Dissipation, but ups the ante with AudioQuest's finest conductor metal — Perfect Surface Silver (PSS) — and drop-dead gorgeous Silver-Plated RF-Draining Barrels.
Solid Perfect-Surface Silver (PSS) Conductors: Solid conductors prevent electrical and magnetic strand-interaction. PSS Solid-Silver minimizes distortion caused by grain boundaries and maximizes linear RF Noise-Dissipation.
Level 6 Noise-Dissipation: Radio-Frequency Noise from cellular, Wi-Fi, and satellites is everywhere. AQ's Level 6 Linear Noise-Dissipation includes a carbon & graphene resistive mesh-network, direction-controlled conductors, and Silver-Plated drain wires, significantly minimizing RF Noise masking effects.
ZERO-Tech for Linear, Wide-Bandwidth Noise-Dissipation: The only way to avoid characteristic-impedance mismatch-effects between a cable and its attached source and load circuits is to prevent the cable from having a characteristic-impedance. ZERO-Tech succeeds by eliminating the electrostatic field between the cable's high and low signal conductors, enabling linear (consistent octave to octave) Radio-Frequency (RF) Noise-Dissipation, and uncompressed transients. In order to preserve ZERO-Tech's complete isolation between signal conductors, a Dual-72v DBS pack is included with the FireBird XLR cable.
72v Dielectric-Bias System (DBS): Insulation is also a dielectric that can act like a shunt-filter. Biasing minimizes dielectric-noise and linearizes the filter, significantly improving wide-bandwidth dissipation of induced RF noise.
FEP Air-Tube Insulation: Positive conductors benefit from almost no contact between metal and its FEP insulation, which is notable for its superior dielectric constant and minimal signal interference. Negative conductors benefit from intentionally "lossy insulation" — no air and no FEP helps maximize the negative connection's different job.
6% Silver-Plated RF Drain-Wires: Direction-Controlled Silver-Plated RF Drain-Wires further ensure the proper and efficient dissipation of induced radio-frequency noise for clearer, more natural sound.
Copper-Plated RF-Draining Barrels: Grounded Copper-Plated Barrels maximize Noise-Dissipation by preventing a metal barrel from capacitively coupling RF to the conductors.
Hanging-Silver over Red Copper Plugs: AudioQuest's finest plugs feature superior Hanging-Silver (not tumbled) directly over extreme-purity Red Copper to ensure uncompromised signal transfer.
Our Take
The AudioQuest FireBird XLR to XLR Cable represents a minor miracle of engineering within the Mythical Creatures series, delivering near-Dragon flagship performance at a more accessible price. Leveraging advanced technologies like ZERO-Tech, FEP Air-Tube insulation, and Level-6 Noise-Dissipation, it ensures unmatched signal integrity and noise rejection. The use of Perfect Surface Silver (PSS) conductors minimises distortion and enhances clarity, while Silver-Plated RF-Draining Barrels and Level-6 Noise-Dissipation technology mitigate pervasive RF interference. AudioQuest's signature Dual 72v Dielectric-Bias System further reduces dielectric noise, and the Hanging-Silver over Red Copper plugs ensure flawless signal transfer. FireBird is not just a mid-range option; it's a benchmark in performance and design for audiophiles seeking uncompromising sound quality.
FireBird is in the middle of the top tier of AudioQuest interconnect cables and should be at or near the top of your list if you have a suitable system.
Main Features & Specifications
- Design: Stereo Analogue Balanced XLR Interconnect Cable
- Sold as a Stereo Pair - 2 Individual Cables
- Conductor Metal: Solid Perfect-Surface Silver (PSS)
- Noise Dissipation: Graphene/Carbon Mesh-Network + Dual 72v DBS
- Geometry: ZERO-Tech
- Insulation: FEP Air-Tubes
- Terminations: Hanging-Silver over Red Copper XLR Plugs
- Jacket: Red on Black Braid
- Available Lengths: 0.5, 0.75, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5 & 6 metres
- Manufacturer's Warranty: 5 Years - Does not cover misuse or abuse
- Learn more about AudioQuest
Note: Features & Specifications Subject To Change Without Notice. E&OE.