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Audioquest Red River 2 XLR to 2 XLR Audio Cable Pair
As low as £239.00 £199.17
SKU
AQ Red River XLR
Lifetime
New
24 hours
Red River’s solid Long-Grain Copper allows a smoother and clearer sound than cables using regular OFHC (Oxygen-Free High-Conductivity) copper.
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Audioquest Red River 2 XLR to 2 XLR Audio Cable
North America has two Red Rivers, North and South. Red River South has been home to many peoples; it once was the border between the US and colonial Spain, and today forms part of the border between the rival states of Texas and Oklahoma. Red River North forms in a confluence of rivers in North Dakota and Minnesota, but its history is Canada’s. The Red River North’s early settlers were the Métis, whose ancestry was French and aboriginal Canadian. The Métis in 1869 began an uprising known as the Red River Rebellion, which challenged the Canadian government, eventually leading to the formation of the province of Manitoba.
Solid Perfect-Surface Copper Conductors (PSC) :
Strand interaction is the single greatest cause of distortion in a cable. Semi-Solid Concentric Packed Conductors avoid many strand-interaction distortion mechanisms. Solid-core conductors offer a complete and compelling solution to this problem.
Conductor metal quality is critical for the best cable performance. The conductor surface is the only area of the conductor with 100% current density at all frequencies. The smoothness of the conductor surface is imperative because the surface is a guide rail for the entire energy envelope. The best copper and silver conductor metals have fewer grain boundaries and low oxygen content for low distortion and high performance.
Perfect-Surface Copper has an astonishingly smooth and pure surface. Proprietary metal-processing technology protects the wire’s surface at every stage of drawing and fabrication. When high-purity low-oxide copper is kept as soft, pure and smooth as possible, it becomes a wonderfully low-distortion conductor. For over 30 years AudioQuest has pioneered the use of superior metals; yet even we were surprised by this huge leap in performance. PSC clearly outperforms previous AQ metals that cost over ten times as much. Electrical and magnetic interaction between strands in a conventional cable is the greatest source of distortion, often causing a somewhat dirty, harsh sound. Solid conductors are fundamental toward achieving Red River's very clean sound.
Nitrogen-Injected Hard-Cell Foam Insulation :
Insulation is necessary to keep the positive and negative conductors separate and to give stability to cable geometry. Insulation is also a "dielectric" because it is inside the conductor's magnetic field. Dielectrics absorb energy, which after a delay is then released in the signal, causing smearing and distortion. Better insulation reduces distortion by absorbing less energy.
Red River uses Nitrogen-Injected Hard-Cell Foam insulation and is used exclusively in most of AudioQuest’s video and digital audio cables. Similar to Foamed-PE, it is nitrogen-injected to create air pockets. ‘Hard’ foam is used because the stiffness of the material allows the conductors in the cable to maintain the same relationship with each other along the full length of the cable, thus ensuring that the characteristic impedance of the cable is consistent.
Metal-Layer Noise-Dissipation System (NDS) :
100% shield coverage is easy. Preventing captured RF Interference from modulating the equipment’s ground reference requires AQ’s Noise-Dissipation System. Noise-Dissipation System prevents a significant amount of RFI from reaching the equipment’s ground plane.
AudioQuest’s Noise-Dissipation System (NDS) offers a compelling solution to this challenge by using metal-only or alternating layers of metal and carbon-loaded synthetics to effectively “shield the shield,” absorbing and reflecting the Radio Frequency (RF) energy before it reaches the layer attached to the ground.
Red River ultilises the Metal-Layer Noise-Dissipation System (NDS) to prevent most RFI from reaching the equipment’s ground plane.
Triple-Balanced Geometry :
Geometry is the physical relationship of the conductors to one another within a cable and determines a cable’s most basic electrical values (capacitance and inductance). Different cable applications have different/specialized geometry requirements, and so these applications do not merely follow a ‘one size fits all’ approach. Better geometry leads to lower levels of distortion.
The three conductors in “Triple-Balanced” Red River cables ensure that whether prepared with RCA or XLR plugs, the positive and negative signals have equally low-distortion conducting paths. The 100% coverage shield is never used as an inferior conductor.
Directionality
AudioQuest’s understanding of conductor directionality and its effect on audio performance has steadily evolved, growing stronger and more complete. All audio cables are directional. The correct direction is determined by the arrows on the plugs or cable parts.
Cold-Welded Gold-Plated Plugs :
AudioQuest specifies materials and designs each of its own connectors from the ground up, resulting in the long-lasting quality and exceptional performance you deserve. These components are crucial to the overall performance of a cable.
To provide the best possible performance for each application, AudioQuest designs each of its connectors from the ground up. These components are crucial to the overall performance of the cable. Painstaking care is taken to evaluate the highest quality materials and design for every application.
AudioQuest pays special attention to the plating it uses over its connectors’ carefully crafted base metals. Wherever possible, gold connectors are plated directly over the copper, with no destructive intermediate layer of nickel or alloy, while all silver-plated connectors are Direct-Silver plated.
AudioQuest has incorporated Cold-Weld connection technology into most of their interconnects and all prepared speaker cables..
Joining conductors to plugs requires every bit as much care and precision as any other aspect of cable manufacture. AudioQuest's Cold-Weld System uses several tons of pressure to make a near-perfect connection that ensures that the structural integrity of the conductor and plug is kept completely intact, all without the damaging effect of heat. Cold-Welding avoids the introduction of heat and extra materials like solder, which change the character of the wire at the point of termination.
This plug design allows for a connection devoid of solder, which is a common source of distortion. Because the ground shells are stamped instead of machined, the metal can be chosen for low distortion instead of machinability.
Specification :
- Metal: Solid Long-Grain Copper
- Geometry: Triple Balanced (Separate Ground-Reference Conductor)
- Dielectric: Nitrogen-Injected Hard-Cell Foam
- Noise-Dissipation System: Metal-Layer NDS
- Jacket Colour: Black/Red Braid
- Termination: Cold-Welded, Gold-Plated
About AudioQuest
AudioQuest aims to deliver the most beautiful, durable, and reliable audio/video cables and accessories on the planet, products that don’t only represent the absolute highest value but also exceed any expectations regarding performance. AudioQuest is a premier provider of high-performance audio video cables and accessories sold in hundreds of outlets in the USA, Europe and in over sixty countries. AudioQuest’s products represent both extraordinary value and exceptional performance.
Specification :
- Metal: Solid Long-Grain Copper
- Geometry: Triple Balanced (Separate Ground-Reference Conductor)
- Dielectric: Nitrogen-Injected Hard-Cell Foam
- Noise-Dissipation System: Metal-Layer NDS
- Jacket Colour: Black/Red Braid
- Termination: Cold-Welded, Gold-Plated
UK Delivery
1. We use Royal Mail 1st Class Services as a Standard Postage Option
Orders received before 4.30pm Monday to Friday (excluding Bank Holidays) are usually dispatched the same day by FIRST CLASS post (unless premium postal or timed courier services are selected), subject to stock availability. Over 98% of our orders are usually delivered the next working day including Saturdays.
Standard delivery is usually within 2-3 working days, although 98% of all orders are delivered the next working day including Saturdays . In extreme cases, such as delivery to the Highlands and Islands, this may take 3 days.
All items are fully insured and come with an invoice from Futureshop.co.uk. We use the Royal Mail for delivery of small packages and DPD or Interlink Express for items that weigh over 2KG. Items over 2KG are fully insured and will usually be delivered within 48 hours of placing your order Monday to Friday subject to stock availability. For International orders, we use FedEx Services where customers have selected this option.
Please note, special orders for non-standard cable lengths or custom-made cables may be subject to longer delivery time-scales. This may vary from manufacturer to manufacturer.
We offer 'Free UK delivery on orders over £99' subject to the following terms & conditions:
- Applies only to orders with £99 or more of items (including VAT at the UK rate), at FutureShop.co.uk
- Free Delivery on orders over £99 utilises Royal Mail First Class postal service for items weighing under 2KG. For items weighing over 2KG, we use DPD next working day services which deliver from 9.00am to 6pm within mainland UK (excludes Royal Mail Special Delivery Services and timed next day delivery services by UK Mail).
- Applies only to deliveries to addresses within mainland UK and Northern Ireland addresses. Applies only to orders that are to be delivered to a single Mainland UK delivery address.
- You will not be eligible for free delivery on your order if any items are cancelled or returned for a refund, bringing the total order amount below £99. Where items are returned, the refund due will be the cost of the item less any postage costs.
- We reserve the right to change or discontinue 'Free delivery on orders over £99 promotion at any time.
- FREE DELIVERY FOR ORDERS OVER £99 OFFER DOES NOT APPLY TO TRADE CUSTOMERS.
Free Delivery on orders over £99 utilises Royal Mail First Class postal service for items weighing under 2KG. For items weighing over 2KG, we use DPD or Interlink Express next working day services which deliver from 9.00am to 6pm within mainland UK.
Free Delivery for orders over £99 excludes Royal Mail Special Delivery Services and timed next day delivery services by DPD or Interlink Express.
2. Special Delivery UK - Guaranteed Next Working Day
We have 99.9% of the UK covered With Royal Mail Next Day Special Delivery. We guarantee delivery to most UK addresses by 1pm the next working day. This includes Northern Ireland, Jersey and Guernsey. Some places take longer to deliver to but we still guarantee delivery within three working days by 5.30 PM.
For the Next Day Special Delivery service, orders must be received by futureshop.co.uk by 4.30pm weekdays. Orders after the 4.30pm deadline cannot be guaranteed for same day dispatch.
Please note, Royal Mail Special Delivery for next working day may not be possible where non-standard cable lengths are ordered. If this is the case, the item will be shipped via The Royal Mail Special Delivery service as soon as the cable is custom made.
For orders weighing over 2KG, we reserve the right to ship items using Next Day Pre-Noon Courier Services where Royal Mail Special Delivery option has been selected.
3. Channel Islands & Northern Ireland
We accept orders from all Channel Islands including Alderney, Jersey, Guernsey and Sark. Unless you select a premium service, Items weighing under 2KG are delivered using our standard UK delivery option above. For items weighing over 2KG, a surcharge may be applied for all deliveries to the Channel Islands as well as Northern Ireland.
European Countries
Deliveries to EU member states are subject to 20% VAT. We offer the following shipping services:
- Royal Mail First Class International Untracked Airmail Services - Items are usually delivered within 10 working days.
- Royal Mail First Class International Tracked Airmail Services - Items are usually delivered within 3 to 7 working days.
- DHL Express International - Items are usually delivered within 24 to 48 hours. DHL orders must be received by 3:30pm for next day service to most destinations in Europe
- Federal Express International Priority - Items are usually delivered within 24 to 48 hours. FedEx orders must be received by 3.00pm for next day service to most destinations in Europe
- Federal Express International Economy - Item are usually delivered within 48 to 72 hours
Worldwide - Excluding UK & Europe
Deliveries outside of the EU are not subject to 20% VAT and so the 20% tax on items is automatically deducted when you login or register.
We offer the following shipping services:
- Royal Mail First Class International Untracked Airmail Services - Items are usually delivered within 15 working days.
- Royal Mail First Class International Tracked Airmail - Items are usually delivered within 10-15 working days.
- DHL Express International - Items are usually delivered within 48 hours. DHL orders must be received by 3:30pm in order to ship items the same day, subject to stock availability.
- Federal Express International Priority - Items are usually delivered within 48 hours. FedEx orders must be received by 3.00pm in order to ship items the same day, subject to stock availability.
Where the actual weight of the package significantly exceeds the shipping cost charged on orders, we may write to you for an additional shipping charge. For larger orders, items may be shipped in multiple packets.
Enhance Your Experience: Free Cable Burn-In Service with Nordost VIDAR Machine
Please take note of the following details regarding our cable burn-in service:
- Cable Compatibility: We regret to inform you that we cannot burn-in cables with stripped bare ends or BFA plugs. In order for cables to undergo the burn-in process, they should be terminated or have connectors.
- Timing: Cables will be burnt in for the selected period after processing your order. For custom-length cables, the burn-in process will occur after they have been terminated by the manufacturer or our engineers unless specified otherwise in the product description.
- Availability: Future Shop provides our cable burn-in service free of charge, but its availability is at our discretion. While we strive to fulfil all burn-in requests for the specified time periods, please understand that during exceptionally busy periods, we may be unable to meet the demand due to limited connections on the Nordost Vidar cable conditioning machines.
The Nordost VIDAR cable burn-in machine integrates three key functions into one operation:
- Charge Neutralisation: It eliminates charges that accumulate around the cables and their insulation, ensuring a more balanced electrical environment.
- Deep Conditioning: The machine provides a wide band and deep conditioning process that affects the conductor core, resulting in changes to the signal transmission through the metal. This deep conditioning enhances the cable's performance.
- Ultrasonic Surface Conditioning: The VIDAR machine utilizes ultrasonic waves to condition the surface of the conductors, optimizing their contact and overall conductivity.
The VIDAR employs a proprietary combination of composite and complex signals to condition the cables. These signals comprise ultra-low and ultra-high frequencies, extending beyond the range of video frequencies. The signal moves back and forth along the cable, penetrating deep into the core with ultra-low frequencies and traversing the surface with ultra-high frequencies. This transmission method generates beat harmonics between the two complex waveforms, which permeate all layers of the cable. The circuitry of the VIDAR also drives electrons from the conductor into the insulation area, neutralizing electrical charges.
So, what does this all mean for you?
The ultimate outcome of conditioning cables with the Nordost VIDAR is improved sound staging, increased detail, and an overall more musical presentation in your audio system.
Now, you may wonder why cable burn-in is necessary. During cable manufacturing, gasses become trapped as insulation is applied over the conductors. Additionally, new cables often possess high electrical charges, resulting in a brittle and bright sound that lacks the desired detail and depth for music production.
When cables undergo burn-in, the trapped gasses are dissipated, and small impurities in the conductor metals begin to exhibit diode-like behaviour, favouring current flow in a specific direction.
Here are the physical effects of the burn-in process:
- Charge Neutralisation: The burn-in process neutralizes charges in the conductors and insulation, promoting a more balanced electrical environment.
- Wide Bandwidth Frequencies: The conditioning affects how signals pass through the metal, enabling a wider range of frequencies to penetrate all cable layers.
- Signal Transmission: The burn-in process establishes the directionality of the cable, optimizing signal transmission from one end to the other.
When cables are properly burnt in, you can expect the following audible changes in your audio system:
- Fuller and Natural Sound: Your system should be capable of producing a more immersive and realistic performance with a fuller and more natural sound.
- Increased Detail: You may notice enhanced details and nuances in the music, allowing you to perceive subtle elements that were previously hidden.
- Improved Soundstage: The dimensionality of your system's soundstage can be greatly improved, creating a more spacious and immersive listening experience.
At Future Shop, our goal is to maximise your satisfaction. That's why we offer a free burn-in service on all our cables before they arrive at your door, enabling you to sit back and enjoy the benefits of properly conditioned cables in your audio system.
READ MORE ABOUT THE NORDOST VIDAR CABLE TREATMENT
Customer Reviews
5 /5.0 of 16 Reviews
All good
John Callaghan
22 Apr 2024
Verified Buyer
A sturdy cable that sounds good, improving on my erstwhile Chord C1 RCA connectors from a Gustard R26 DAC to an Acoustic Invader preamp.
I'd say they're slightly more refined, with somewhat meatier tones and more precise imagery within a tad more extensive soundstage .
Whether they're worth three times the price is another matter, but what the heck, I can afford it! :-)
I'd say they're slightly more refined, with somewhat meatier tones and more precise imagery within a tad more extensive soundstage .
Whether they're worth three times the price is another matter, but what the heck, I can afford it! :-)
Great cable
Alexandr
27 Dec 2023
Verified Buyer
This is my first AudioQuest (and a brand name) cable, and it really makes a huge difference in my audio system compared to the generic cables.
The soundstage is bigger, the bass is more prominent, and there is a somewhat warmer tonality!
Very good service from Futureshop, safe package and fast delivery.
Highly recommended!
The soundstage is bigger, the bass is more prominent, and there is a somewhat warmer tonality!
Very good service from Futureshop, safe package and fast delivery.
Highly recommended!
Very good quality cable and is working very well with my MCI
Andrewmacpherson
31 Aug 2023
Verified Buyer
I like the AudioQuest cables. I’m very pleased with the matching with my Mcintosh amplifiers and B&W 802D3s.
The sound stage is excellent, with great overall sound.
The sound stage is excellent, with great overall sound.
Unmistakable Synergy
Nic Sackman
2 Oct 2021
Verified Buyer
Is the suddenly-discovered aural transparency, rhythmic energy, tonal colour, human physicality, depth and width of the recorded ensemble, etc. etc. simply because these cables are solid core and have gold XLR connectors which match the same on my Benchmark units?
I don't know the answer, but I do know that fitting these cables has set me listening to recording after recording, astonished at what I now hear (and, aged 70+, my hearing is certainly not as acute as it once was). My PMC speakers have never been happier.
An extraordinary product.
I don't know the answer, but I do know that fitting these cables has set me listening to recording after recording, astonished at what I now hear (and, aged 70+, my hearing is certainly not as acute as it once was). My PMC speakers have never been happier.
An extraordinary product.
Awesome XLR cable
Hans Bowen
30 Jun 2021
Verified Buyer
Great quality product! Value for money. Highly recommend! I use it between my DAC D30pro and my pre amplifier Rotel RC-1572.
Sounds more natural vs my Regular RCA output. I got additional dB on vocals.
Sounds more natural vs my Regular RCA output. I got additional dB on vocals.
Excellent
RUSSELL SALTER
18 Jan 2021
Verified Buyer
I have been using Van Damme XLRs for a couple of years, (£40). Running them between a Schiit Freya and 2 Schiit Vidars.
The HF was the main criticism, being harsh and grainy. LF was OK ish. I chose these Red River XLRs as I'm firmly into Solid Core. My RCA's are DIY Solid core and I love them.
The AudioQuest XLRs are simply excellent. Tighter LF, and a much more coherent HF reproduction. The best upgrade in terms of value for money, that I have purchased. Highly recommended.
The HF was the main criticism, being harsh and grainy. LF was OK ish. I chose these Red River XLRs as I'm firmly into Solid Core. My RCA's are DIY Solid core and I love them.
The AudioQuest XLRs are simply excellent. Tighter LF, and a much more coherent HF reproduction. The best upgrade in terms of value for money, that I have purchased. Highly recommended.
Perfect match
Stephen Lloyd
28 Nov 2020
Verified Buyer
I have these XLR cables sitting between a NAD C658 streaming DAC and a NAC power amp.
They are simply a perfect match for this pairing, a large step up from the RCA connections available as an option, the sound different is tangible, and at this price a bargain.
They are simply a perfect match for this pairing, a large step up from the RCA connections available as an option, the sound different is tangible, and at this price a bargain.
Excellent quality cable - not cheap but worth it
Max
4 Sep 2020
Verified Buyer
I use them for connection between a RME ADI-2 DAC FS and a Hegel H120. The difference in sound was, I have to say, astonishing. I am not a big believer in the copper itself making a big difference, but a big believer in quality components and build quality - these cables have both. Excellent
Quality product.
Craig Lewington
12 May 2020
Verified Buyer
Recently purchased to connect an Audiolab amp to a Pioneer DAC and noticed a marked improvement-even with my untrained ear.
Sufficiently flexible for the system layout and great build quality,many thanks.
Sufficiently flexible for the system layout and great build quality,many thanks.
Flexibility was key for me
Ian Berry
25 Jul 2019
Verified Buyer
The position of the inputs on my amp and player meant I needed a flexible cable as the chord one I had was so thick it couldn’t bend enough to fit around the stand.
I spoke to the future salesman and he said this was the most flexible XLR cable also advised on length. Very helpful. Good quality cable. Did the job perfectly.
I spoke to the future salesman and he said this was the most flexible XLR cable also advised on length. Very helpful. Good quality cable. Did the job perfectly.
Efficient and prompt Service well done.
Nick
8 Jul 2018
Verified Buyer
Efficient and prompt Service well done. Whilst I selected this cable without any listening comparisons over the internet. I am familiar with Audioquest, and have had a generally good experience with their products.
I cannot offer any worthwhile product review, apart to say that in adding another component to my system, the Audioquest was not obviously inferior to the solid silver (very expensive) Siltech cabling used in the rest of the system. So job done as far as I am concerned and the purchase and delivery prompt and efficient. So Well Done!
I cannot offer any worthwhile product review, apart to say that in adding another component to my system, the Audioquest was not obviously inferior to the solid silver (very expensive) Siltech cabling used in the rest of the system. So job done as far as I am concerned and the purchase and delivery prompt and efficient. So Well Done!