Atlas Asimi LUXE 2 XLR to 2 XLR Audio Cable Pair

Atlas Asimi LUXE 2 XLR to 2 XLR Audio Cable Pair

Atlas Atlas Asimi LUXE 2 XLR to 2 XLR Audio Cable is available in four standard Nappa leather finishes;

• Ebony
• Brogue
• Ivory
• Daytona Red

Custom bespoke finishes are available on request. Please contact us on 0800 772 3688 for more details.

The Asimi XLR is a state-of-the-art interconnect designed to be effectively ‘invisible’ in the replay chain and to reveal the entire content and ambience of the recording without any sense of exaggerated detail or brightness. The Asimi XLR is engineered to maximise the performance of ‘high-end’ audio systems by achieving maximum signal transfer.

The original aim of the Atlas Asimi project was to take a completely fresh look at cable design and, where necessary, to develop new techniques to create a cable which would satisfy the most critical listeners for years to come. For this latest generation version, Atlas again went back to basics, re-assessing their existing design & manufacturing processes, exploring different construction methods and experimenting with new materials.

The Asimi XLR features pure silver conductors, manufactured using the highest-quality ‘Ohno Continuous Cast’ technique for drawing pure silver. Silver cables have a reputation for poor sound quality in some quarters, Atlas believe the Asimi definitively shows the problem is with low grade materials and poor manufacture, resulting in a cable with a coarse grainy structure which compromises sound quality. By contrast, in the manufacture of Asimi, Atlas maximise the silver’s conductivity by ensuring that there is typically one grain in approximately 125 metres of conductor, allowing the signal a continuous unbroken path –in effect, the signal has a faster, cleaner and more direct path to follow.

Theoretically, the best dielectric (insulation layer) is air, but realistically a dielectricis needed to protect the conductor – although all conventional dielectric materials impose their own signature distortion and loss on the signal. Atlas developed a new technique, using a microporous PTFE (Teflon™) tape, which is wound around the core conductors, then covered again and stabilised using a protective FPE (Flexible PolyEthylene) dielectric. Atlas' process allows the required conductor geometry to be maintained and offers greater manufacturing consistency.

tlas use cold-weld terminations wherever possible, including their current generation ‘dark Chrome’ XLR connectors. By reducing the number of materials and break points in the signal path, Atlas' objective is to minimise discontinuity and loss in the signal path, resulting in more consistent construction and improved audio performance. 

Features :

• Atlas XLR Plug 
• OCC Silver Conductors 
• PTFE Dielectric 
• Twin Multi-Core Construction 
• Dual Drain Technology

Atlas XLR Plug

The Atlas XLR combines a lightweight aluminium alloy body with precision-fit OFC/OCC connectors and solder-free construction.

Ohno Continuous Casting Silver (OCC Silver)

The Ohno continuous casting method re-heats the extrusion as the molten copper is forced out of the mould and very slowly and gradually draws the grain or crystal down the conductor''s length, creating a ‘single crystal structure.’ The benefits are obvious, with almost no crystal boundaries, the audio signal is no longer impeded down the copper wire and more information and detail is delivered faithfully to the receiving equipment.

Silver, with its lower resistivity, is a better conductor than copper, but any conductor, whether silver or copper, must have a reasonable cross-sectional area when used for audio applications. Silver is much more expensive than copper and, in order to keep costs within reason, the cross sectional area of silver audio cables are often compromised and the resulting sound is ‘bass light.’ Good silver cables are, however, fast, dynamic and seamless through the audio spectrum and provide exceptional detail and instrument resolution. The Atlas Asimi cables employ OCC silver conductors and in the case of the Asimi speaker cable, these are a substantial 3.5 sq mm in overall size in order to provide wide bandwidth and superior definition.

PTFE Dielectric 

PVC (Poly Vinyl Chloride) is cheap to produce and, as such, is the most commonly used insulation in AV cables. However, PVC is the worst quality insulation a Hi-Fi or AV signal can encounter as its high loss causes a significant reduction in signal velocity. PVC is better suited to power cables and should be avoided in Hi-Fi and AV signal cables.

Other dielectrics in common use are Polyethylene, Polypropylene and Polytetrafluoride Epoxy (better known as PTFE (Teflon™) or Teflon,) and the new and unique Atlas (PTFE).

Microporous PTFE (Teflon™) is a unique, low density dielectric material, phase stable at room temperature, which offers significant performance improvements over solid PTFE (Teflon™) dielectric designs.

The table below shows the properties of a selection of dielectrics. Though not used as a dielectric in Atlas' cables, PVC is included for comparison purposes.

Twin Multi-Core Construction

A pair of identically matched conductors (one for signal path, the other acts as the return conductor) enclosed within a non-conducting screen. Combined with Atlas' dd (dual drain) system which avoids distortion of the screening braid during assembly – this can change the impedance and therefore the performance of the cable.

Atlas DD (Dual Drain) System

Normally screened cables suffer from screen distortion when they are prepared for production. (If you've ever wired a plug or connector which uses a screened cable, you've done this yourself, cutting back and probably twisting the screening braid for termination). This distortion of the screen has a measurable impact, effectively changing the impedance and therefore the performance of the cable.

Atlas' ‘dd’ configuration is based on a simplified version of the techniques they developed for their top-of-the-range Mavros and Asimi interconnects. Twin symmetrical drain wires (each attached to 180° segments of the plug) are inserted between a 100% copper/Mylar™ foil and screen. The unique dd system connects the screen effectively to the cable return/plug interface, meaning the cable can be terminated without distorting, twisting or mechanically stressing the precision-laid screen. The benefits are in maintaining a consistent low impedance load to the plug, and a total 360° screening against noise and signal loss caused by RFI (Radio Frequency Interference).

Specification :

• Construction : Twin multicore dual drain 
• Material : OCC pure silver 
• Dielectric : Microporous PTFE (Teflon™) 
• Screen : Braid SPC + Cu Mylar™, 100% 
• Capacitance : 50.17 pF/m 
• Inductance : 0.7162 µH/m 
• Resistance : 0.0181 Ohms/m 
• VOP : 0.81 
• Outside Diameter : 8.5mm

About Atlas Cables 

Atlas Cables are a major producer of interconnects and cables in the United Kingdom of Great Britain. All products are researched, developed and most are assembled in the Atlas purpose built factory in Scotland.

Many of these products are unique and use advanced techniques of production or manufacture in order to bring to the user the very finest quality products. With each new model we continue to push the boundaries of reliability and performance. It's little wonder then, that Atlas Cables have had so many mile-stone advances in the past and that Atlas Cables have secured so many awards in comparative tests against other products.