AudioQuest Diamond Digital Coax Cable

The AudioQuest Diamond Digital Coax is the reference tier of the coaxial S/PDIF line: a solid conductor of 100 percent Perfect-Surface Silver, six-layer carbon-based noise dissipation, and an active 72-volt Dielectric-Bias System.

Why the Diamond?

Here every adjustment screw in the line is turned all the way. The conductor is no longer silver-plated copper, but drawn entirely from especially smooth-drawn silver. The noise dissipation works with six layers instead of five. And the DBS module keeps the insulation permanently under voltage, so it stores almost no energy and gives less back with a delay. The rest – Hard-Cell Foam, full shielding, cold-welded connectors with silver on pure copper – is mandatory at this level.

What you get

A cable that refuses to leave its own signature. It sounds neither warm nor analytical, but simply like whatever the transport and converter make of it. The effect is paradoxical: the less you hear of the cable, the more you hear of the music.

Who is the Diamond suited for – and who isn't it?

Honestly: in a chain where the converter or transport is the weakest link, the Diamond is the wrong investment – there, a better device brings more, and the Carbon is entirely sufficient. It's rightly placed where everything else already checks out and the connection is the last open point.

Our verdict

The coaxial reference – and a cable we look at closely beforehand to see whether it fits the system. We're happy to work through that assessment together with you: HD Zürisee in Wädenswil, 044 680 22 00, WhatsApp 076 534 22 00 (text only, no calls) or shop@hdzuerisee.ch.

Technical data

• Type: coaxial digital cable, S/PDIF, reference tier
• Conductor: solid, 100% Perfect-Surface Silver
• Dielectric: Hard-Cell Foam, nitrogen-injected
• Shielding: 100%, foil and silver-plated braid
• Noise dissipation: carbon-based Noise-Dissipation System, six layers
• Bias: active 72V Dielectric-Bias System
• Connector: RCA, cold-welded, silver directly on pure copper; BNC on request
• Lengths: 0.75 / 1 / 1.5 / 2 / 3 / 5 m
• Included: 1 coaxial digital cable with DBS module

Frequently asked questions

What's behind Perfect-Surface Silver?

An especially smooth-drawn solid conductor of pure silver. AudioQuest processes the surface so that as few irregularities and grain boundaries as possible remain. Since high-frequency signal portions travel almost exclusively along this surface, its quality directly affects the transmission.

What does the 72-volt DBS do, and do I need to maintain it?

It keeps the insulation permanently electrically biased, so it stores less energy and releases less of it back with a delay. You don't need to maintain anything. The battery in the housing draws practically no current and correspondingly lasts a very long time. An indicator light on the module shows the status.

Is the Diamond also available with BNC connectors?

RCA connectors are standard; BNC is available from AudioQuest on request. This makes sense if your converter or transport has a BNC input, since that connector type holds the 75 ohms more cleanly. Tell us which jacks your devices have and we'll sort out the version.

Why buy the Diamond from HD Zürisee?

Because a reference cable needs a chain that can carry it, and someone who assesses that honestly. We look at the transport, the converter and the power supply before we agree, and technician Mauri stays your contact person afterwards. Reach us on 044 680 22 00 or shop@hdzuerisee.ch.

Goes well with

At this level, good matches are: the other coaxial cables, AES/EBU cables as an alternative, high-quality DACs & D/A converters as well as power cables, and the full AudioQuest world.