Elements Series – Fire

Technically speaking, fire is not an object, but an event: the rapid oxidation of a material in the chemical process of combustion by which heat and light are released into the surrounding environment. What we typically think of as “fire”—the often mysteriously beautiful and strangely hypnotic fireplace flicker of white, yellow, or red-orange glow—is actually just the visible part of the fire’s flame, containing the superheated byproducts of the fire’s incomplete exothermic reaction giving off visible light as excess energy is released. Interestingly, the cherry-red flame of a smoldering campfire measures somewhere around 700˚ Celsius; the deep orange flame of a candle, lit at a bedside or suffusing a living room with gentle aroma, typically burns at around 1000˚ Celsius; and the dazzling white flame created by a meteor as it enters Earth’s atmosphere can often exceed 1500˚ Celsius! While fire is commonly considered to be a destructive event, it can also be a very effective tool for managing and enhancing fields, forests, and wetlands: Native Americans discovered that while fire killed woody plants, it encouraged the growth of fruit-bearing shrubs and forage-producing grasslands. Of course, fire’s unique potential has been known for some time: It’s likely that humans began using fire to heat food approximately 1 million years ago. Among the classical elements, fire is commonly associated with energy, assertiveness, and passion. In Greek Mythology, the cult hero Prometheus defied the gods by providing humanity the gift of fire, thereby enabling progress and civilization. People born under the astrological signs of Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius are thought to have fire personalities: They are enthusiastic, extroverted, and, like our good friend Prometheus, they are rebellious, passionate, brave, and valiant. It’s no wonder that we have for so long been drawn to fire. A thing to be feared, respected, and loved, fire is that which drives us into the unknown, lights our way through darkness, and signals our way back home.

SOLID PERFECT-SURFACE SILVER (PSS) CONDUCTORS: Solid conductors prevent both strand-to-strand contacts and magnetic interaction, major sources of distortion. Surface quality is critical because a conductor can be considered as a rail-guide for both the electric fields within a conductor, and for the magnetic fields outside the conductor. While less perfectly processed silver can have the same irritating tweeter-in-your-face sound as silver-plated strands, PSS Silver’s smooth surface, extraordinarily careful processing, and high purity, deliver sound as smooth and beautiful as our PSC+ Copper, but with significantly higher resolution.

DIELECTRIC-BIAS SYSTEM (DBS, US Pat #S 7,126,055 & 7,872,195 B1): Creates a strong, stable electrostatic field which saturates and polarizes (organizes) the molecules of the insulation. This dramatically reduces dielectric induced smearing of the signal, letting sound emerge from a “black” background.

CARBON-BASED 8-LAYER NOISE-DISSIPATION (NDS): Shields-the-shield, reducing RFI contamination of the equipment ground plane.

FEP AIR-TUBES (FEP IS A FLUORO-POLYMER): Almost no contact between conductors and insulation reduces smearing and preserves dynamics.

TRIPLE-BALANCED GEOMETRY: Proper ground-reference conductor prevents using the shield as an inferior ground-reference conductor.

DOUBLE-CONTACT COLD-WELDED REUSABLE PLUGS, HANGING-SILVER PLATING DIRECTLY OVER MACHINED SOLID EXTREME-PURITY RED COPPER.

DIRECTIONS: Because all drawn metal is directional, all audio cables are directional. AudioQuest analog and digital audio cables are all controlled for correct directionality. Please use the cable with the arrows pointing from source to receiver or component.

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