In the hi-fi world, audio cables along with audio tweaks draw the most controversy, no thanks to the claims and counterclaims of at times ‘mystical’ technological advancements to transport the purest signals. It is usually cables that we would skimp on because cables = cables right?
Having some experience in hi-fi, I reckon you would agree that all cables are not made equal and installing better cables can make an already good sounding system to a very good sounding one. But good but affordable things usually don’t meet.
Dynamique Audio (www.dynamiqueaudio.com), a UK cable manufacturer, based in East Sussex, addresses this equation. Unlike many well-known cable brands who spent heavily on glossy print advertisement and packaging, Dynamique Audio chooses to build their brand using only the best materials and attention to details. To begin, Dynamique Audio uses pure silver (99.99%) as their core material for more than half of their models not because of marketing or prestige but because other conductors couldn’t meet their expectations. From cable shielding, mechanical polishing, electroplating, use of anodizing baths, almost all the models are built from ground up. For flagship cables would take up to three days to construct.
How does it sound?
This brand first came to our attention when we were surprised by the results of testing only their basic models and going head to head with some expensive offerings. Knowing silver is well known for its superior speed, expansive sound and high frequency extensions but poorly done ones can often sound lean and harsh. Here, even the affordable range exhibits none of these silver weaknesses.
While every cable manufacturer would like us to know that their cables are the most neutral and purest there is, we know that this is almost impossible to achieve. Each conductor, each connector and wiring etc, would somehow litter itself into the characters of the ‘sound’. Of course, the aim is to add or take away as little as possible from the signal and to impose as little of their own character into the sound as possible.
Having heard the full range of Dynamique cables, we found that they are neutrally balanced and as the name implies, very dynamic sounding. Even for for their basic model like Horizon 2, there is no trace of ‘silver harshness’. In addition, unlike some brands who sprinkle addictive to make the sound more exciting or push for excessive bass, we found none of these attributes here.
What do they offer?
Being a cable-only specialist, Dynamique Audio offers the full range of cable solutions from analogue, digital to even computer and targets at modest systems to very high-end ones. In the high-end world of cables, Dynamique Audio top offerings would be considered a bargain given the top notch sound, reference class construction with no details spared. We know that no reference grade products can be called affordable but what Dynamique offers is reference quality sound and build, at only fractions of what other high-end cable companies would ask for. But of course, you do not get a decorated, handcrafted jewel box (that doesn’t make a sound) to keep the cables.
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