AudioQuest Sydney Interconnect Cable (RCA)

The AudioQuest Sydney is an analog interconnect cable with RCA connectors that runs solid PSC+ conductors inside polyethylene air tubes and dissipates interference through a three-layer, carbon-based system.

Why the Sydney?

Three components set the Sydney apart from the two entry tiers. First, PSC+, an even purer variant of surface-smoothed copper. Second, the Air Tubes: the conductor doesn't run in solid plastic but mostly in air, and air stores practically no energy – so the insulating material interferes less. Third, a three-layer Noise-Dissipation System of metal and carbon-filled plastic layers with full coverage, which intercepts high frequency before it reaches the ground plane of your electronics. The RCA connectors are cold-welded, direct silver-plated and sit on pure Purple Copper.

What you get

A ready-terminated stereo pair in lengths from 0.6 to 20 meters, with direct silver-plated RCA connectors. Special lengths and alternative terminations such as DIN or 3.5 mm jack are possible on request. The price is per stereo pair.

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

Plainly put: on an entry-level system, the Sydney is overkill – there, the Evergreen or Golden Gate capture most of the benefit at a lower price. It gets interesting on a resolving chain where the source and amplifier can already do more than the existing cabling lets through.

Our verdict

The Sydney is the tier at which the construction shifts from copper to complete architecture: conductor, dielectric, shielding and connector all pull in the same direction for the first time. Whether your chain can exploit that, we assess honestly – HD Zürisee in Wädenswil, 044 680 22 00, WhatsApp 076 534 22 00 (text only, no calls) or shop@hdzuerisee.ch.

Technical data

• Type: analog interconnect cable (RCA), unbalanced, stereo pair
• Series: Bridges & Falls
• Conductors: solid, Perfect-Surface Copper+ (PSC+)
• Geometry: asymmetrical dual-balanced (low-impedance ground path)
• Dielectric: polyethylene Air Tubes
• Noise dissipation: carbon-based 3-layer Noise-Dissipation System, 100% coverage
• Dielectric-Bias System (DBS): not present (starts at the Yosemite)
• Connectors: RCA, cold-welded, direct silver-plated on pure Purple Copper
• Lengths: 0.6 / 1 / 1.5 / 2 / 3 / 5 / 8 / 12 / 16 / 20 m (price per stereo pair)
• Included: 1 stereo pair of RCA cables, ready-terminated

Frequently asked questions

What exactly do the Air Tubes achieve?

They keep the conductor surrounded mostly by air rather than solid plastic. Every insulating material absorbs energy and releases it back with a slight delay; air practically doesn't. Less insulating material against the conductor therefore means less of this time smearing in the signal.

Does the Sydney have a DBS like the larger models?

No, the Sydney has no Dielectric-Bias System; that only starts in this series with the Yosemite. Instead, the Sydney works with polyethylene Air Tubes and the three-layer carbon Noise-Dissipation System. So there's no battery compartment to keep an eye on here, which noticeably simplifies handling in the rack.

Why are the connectors silver- rather than gold-plated?

Silver conducts better than gold, and the thin silver layer sits directly on pure copper with no barrier layer in between. Exactly this matters at the transition between cable and socket, because the entire signal energy has to pass through a very small contact area there, and every transition resistance counts double.

Why get the Sydney at HD Zürisee?

Because we know the tiers of this series side by side and can judge from which system class the step actually pays off. We also terminate exactly to your lengths and connections, including for older devices with DIN sockets. Our team in Wädenswil is reachable by phone, WhatsApp or email.

Goes well with

Comparable connections are found among the RCA cables and in the analog cables overview; all series of the brand are in the AudioQuest collection.