AudioQuest NRG-Y2 Power Cable (C7)

The AudioQuest NRG-Y2 is a power cable with a two-pin C7 coupler and a grounded mains plug that connects small source components to a drain-capable ground.

This combination is the actual trick behind the cable, and the reason it ranks above the NRG-X2: at the device end sits the narrow figure-eight, while at the wall sits a three-pin plug. The third conductor carries no operating current — it acts as a drain path for high-frequency dirt.

Why the NRG-Y2?

Because small digital sources need little current but generate and pick up plenty of radio-frequency noise. A two-pin cable has nowhere to send that dirt; it stays inside the device. The NRG-Y2 gives it a way out. Add to that direction-controlled Long-Grain Copper conductors in a semi-concentric arrangement, shielding, and AudioQuest's ZERO-Tech, which doesn't impose a characteristic impedance on the cable. Cold-welded contacts are a given at this level anyway.

What you hear

Mostly, what you no longer hear. The noise floor under the music gets thinner, voices separate more clearly from the background, and details that used to sit in fog gain contour. The effect is greatest where small digital devices sit close to power supplies and routers — in other words, in just about every real living room.

Who is the NRG-Y2 for?

For streamers, compact DACs, CD players, and digital radios that carry a C7 socket and whose sound is a shade too restless for your taste. Honestly: if your device has a three-pin C13 input, the Y2 is the wrong order — then reach for the NRG-Y3 instead. And if you're just looking for the cheapest alternative to the bundled cable, the NRG-X2 is the more sensible choice; the Y2 is worth it when noise dissipation matters to you.

Our verdict

A clever cable for a problem many people don't even have on their radar. A grounded feed to an ungrounded device sounds like a contradiction at first, but it makes technical sense — and an audible one too. For small sources, the NRG-Y2 is our tip whenever the X2 falls short and the Y3 is out of reach for lack of a C13 socket.

Technical data

• Type: power cable, AudioQuest NRG series, C7 coupler with grounded mains plug
• Conductor: Long-Grain Copper (LGC), direction-controlled
• Geometry: semi-concentric (Semi-Solid Concentric), shielded
• Gauge: 1.31 mm²
• Technology: ZERO-Tech (no characteristic impedance), high-frequency noise dissipation via the ground conductor
• Current rating: max. 2.5 A (limit of the C7 coupler)
• Mains-side plug: Schuko (CEE 7/7, three-pin, grounded)
• Device-side connector: IEC C7 (figure-eight, two-pin)
• Termination: cold-welded plug contacts
• Available lengths: 1 m, 2 m, 3 m
• Included: 1 power cable in the length selected

Frequently asked questions

Why does the cable have three pins on the plug but only two at the device?

Because the third pin isn't meant to ground the device, but to carry interference away. The extra conductor serves as a drain path for high-frequency dirt that your streamer would otherwise have to keep to itself. Nothing changes at the device end — it still takes the ordinary two-pin C7 coupler.

Is this safe from an electrical standpoint?

Yes. The cable is factory-terminated and routes the ground conductor to the shield, not into the device chassis. Your device continues to run electrically exactly as the manufacturer intended. You're simply plugging a better-built cable into the same socket.

Is the extra cost over the NRG-X2 worth it?

If your device sits in an electrically noisy environment, yes. Nearby routers, power supplies, and dimmers are good indicators. If the system instead sits alone on a clean line, the difference is smaller — then the X2 is often enough. We're happy to help you sort that out.

What length should I choose?

As short as makes sense, but without any pull on the plug. One to two meters covers most setups; you'll need three meters if the outlet sits behind the sideboard. Power cables run too taut are mechanically the most common cause of loose contacts.

Why get the NRG-Y2 at HD Zürisee?

Because before selling it, we check whether your device even has a C7 socket — otherwise that mix-up costs you a return. Add to that years of experience with where in a system a cable actually makes a difference. Wädenswil: 044 680 22 00 · WhatsApp 076 534 22 00 (text only, no calls) · shop@hdzuerisee.ch.

Pairs well with

C7 sockets sit almost always on small sources — take a look at the Streamers, DACs, and CD Players. Anyone wanting to catch interference right at the inlet will find the right thing under Mains Filters & Power Conditioning; all power cables are under Power Cables.