Solid Perfect-Surface Silver (PSS) and Solid Perfect-Surface Copper+ (PSC+) ConductorsSolid conductors prevent electrical strand-to-strand interaction, major sources of distortion. Surface quality is critical because a conductor can be considered as a rail-guide for both the fields within a conductor, and for the magnetic fields that extend outside the conductor. The astonishingly smooth and pure surface of all AudioQuest’s Perfect-Surface metals nearly eliminates harshness and greatly increases clarity compared to lesser materials. The careful choice of the sizes of the PSS and PSC+ conductors ensures that FireBird’s performance is close to using all PSS Silver, but at a much lower cost.Carbon-Based Linearized Noise-Dissipation SystemToday’s environment is saturated with radio-frequency noise that is extremely difficult to filter or reject. The frequencies of this noise from satellites, cellular towers, and Bluetooth, etc., are so extremely narrow that a conventional shield, or a series or shunt filter, is wholly inadequate. Much of the low-level signal that carries the harmonics and spatial cues that define high-resolution audio is masked by induced radio-frequency noise. AQ’s comprehensive Linearized Noise-Dissipation System combines multiple shields and a carbon-based linearized resistive network that turns most of this noise into heat. By "linearized," we mean that the system is equally effective across extremely wide bandwidth, rather than at selected frequencies only, as is more common. The remaining bad energy is effectively drained away from the sensitive amplifier circuits via directionally controlled signal and shield conductors.ZERO-TechThe only complete way to eliminate characteristic-impedance mismatches between a cable and the attached source and load is for the cable not to have any fixed characteristic-impedance value. ZERO-Tech accomplishes this by eliminating interaction between the insulation (dielectric) and the cable’s conductors—enabling uncompressed current transfer. All-important transient current is unrestricted, and RF Noise-Dissipation is linearized (consistent octave to octave).72v Dielectric-Bias System (DBS) with Level-X RF Noise-TrapInsulation is also a dielectric that acts like a shunt-filter. Properly biasing the dielectric linearizes the filter, significantly improving the cable’s wide-bandwidth ability to dissipate induced noise. The DBS pack’s Level-X Noise-Trap “pulls” RF Noise out of the cable, further reducing attached audio circuit misbehavior. TerminationsFireBird cables are Cold-Welded to AudioQuest’s extremely pure Red Copper Spades or Bananas. The bare copper is submerged (hung) in a vat of pure silver instead of being tumbled in a lower-grade solution. AudioQuest speaker breakouts and plug casings are not metal in order not to induce RF Noise into the conductors.Bi-WiringWhen possible, running separate cables to the treble and bass “halves” of a speaker considerably reduces distortion. Bi-Wiring keeps the large magnetic fields associated with bass energy out of the treble cable, allowing the delicate upper frequencies to travel a less magnetically disturbed path, like taking the waves out of the water when you swim. AudioQuest BASS and GND-Tech (patented Ground-Noise Dissipation) attracts RF energy away from the amplifier’s output. When properly implemented, Bi-Wiring has always been a cost-effective way to get better performance for the same or less money. With GND-Tech, the advantage of Bi-Wiring is much more dramatic. FireBird BASS cable is ideal for the Bass input of a Bi-Wire-able speaker in combination with a FireBird ZERO on the treble input. A Bi-Wire COMBO with BASS and ZERO cables joined together at the amplifier is usually the most convenient. When Tri-Wiring, use BASS cables on the Midrange and on the Bass inputs. Caution: Do not Bi-Wire with two ZERO cables. Two or more ZERO cables in-parallel can create a very high-Frequency resonant peak (ringing), and resulting poor sound. On a Bi-Wired speaker, only use ZERO in combination with a BASS cable, otherwise us a single ZERO cable with jumpers.
