Z:Axis Audio

Infinity Mk2 Interconnect Cable 

£760/1.1m

Z:Axis Audio is a niche British hi-fi manufacturer run by 'artisan designer' Paul Stratton, whom you may never have heard of – until now. This new Infinity Mk2 audio interconnect is especially interesting, as it's one of the least expensive ways that I know to own a stereo pair of silver interconnect cables.

Arguments rage about the relative merits of copper, silver-plated copper, silver and other conductor materials – but my thirty year experience of reviewing hi-fi wires tells me they all have a distinct sound, all other things being equal. We'll talk about the latter in a moment, but regarding the former, silver has a very clean, almost 'translucent' quality that can sound revelatory in the right system. It can also sound clangy, shiny and migraine-inducing too – if not done well.

It is unquestionably more expensive to work with than copper – some products from companies specialising in silver conductor cables, such as Siltech, have telephone number price tags. The £760 that Paul asks for a 1.1m RCA unbalanced interconnect (£875 for the balanced XLR equivalent) is peanuts by comparison. This cable features one 99.99% pure, 0.6mm diameter silver conductor per channel, plus one copper radial (spiral) ground.

Teflon (PTFE) is used for the dielectric, which like silver, is not the cheapest material for this application by a long way. This is then threaded through a silicon sleeve, in which the copper round wire return is spiralled around at a pitch of around 10mm. Paul says that this means the two conductors are never parallel to one another but instead are 'semi-perpendicular'; this is claimed to reduce small inductive effects, in which the pitch spacing also plays a part. This is then double-sleeved, firstly in a noise-reducing cover which does not act as a shield, and then the final 'Nomex' covering. “I tend to prefer the open sound of unshielded interconnects wherever possible”, Paul tells me.

The RCA phono plugs are pure silver AECO 4055S types. “I prefer to keep the signal metallurgy consistent whenever possible”, he adds. Mundorf M Solder Supreme 9.5% Ag solder is used for the connections at both ends. Overall, this cable uses lots of expensive bits – more than you might expect at this mid-market price – and has a look and feel of 'affordable esoterica'. A home demonstration as standard; if you don't like it, you can return it within a fourteen-day trial period for a refund.

THE LISTENING

A good quality silver cable is quite a striking thing to hear, especially if you've come from a good cable using copper conductors. It's like taking a pair of sunglasses off on a bright day – there's a sudden recoil while your eyes adjust, but afterwards, you generally see more detail and a bigger all round picture.

If you're running a good system and have a well-balanced source, it's a revelation – the music is better lit but more etched and immediate, and it's as if there's a layer of 'mush' that's suddenly been stripped away. If your source is so-so, it may not be quite such a happy end – as this cable will tell you all about what's wrong with your set-up, higher up the system chain. In my case, thanks to many years of trial and error, my system is pretty well balanced – and here, the Z:Axis Audio Infinity Mk2 interconnect sounded fabulous.

I've been really getting into Fleetwood Mac's eternally unfashionable Tusk album of late, which sounds clinical at the best of times – but I love the lilting Sara. This cable had a dramatic effect after coming from the excellent Chord Company Signature RCA, a silver-plated copper design of a similar price. The former sounded more involving, upfront and intimate; tonally, it was more brightly lit but never harsh. I felt closer to the beautiful, cold but soulful vocals and the crisp, punchy percussion. The latter was just a bit too smooth and sophisticated and lacked focus and dynamic articulation – even if it's still in an impressive listen.

Similar results were derived from a wide range of programme material. For example, this cable put some passion into the slightly cerebral sound of Selling England by the Pound by Genesis, and took me deeper into Kate Bush's dreamy Cloudbusting. It adds a little extra luminance to everything that I've tried, but not harshness. The sound of struck hi-hat cymbals on James Taylor Quartet's Wait a Minute was shimmeringly sweet and lustrous, while the bass line was taut and pliant without being bulbous. Stereo imaging was positively pinpoint!

THE VERDICT

This is a mid-price cable that thinks it's a high-end design. It sounds lovely, providing you've got the system to do it justice – and not everyone has. Adequately matched to a classy source component, it does so much right – painting big, bold, dramatic musical pictures with great get-up and go, plus a silky top end for good measure. I'd call it extremely good value for money and strongly recommend a home trial if you're in the market for your first real 'high end' interconnect.

For more information visit Z:Axis Audio