Audio Power Cable - SoundWire™ - Spectra
Audio Power Cable - SoundWire™ - Spectra
The Spectra audiophile power cable improves sound and picture quality of audio and AV products. Dual layer EMI/ RFI protective screening, 13AWG (2.5mm2) 3 cores of 99.999% OFC pure electrolytic copper, 64 individual 0.2mm strands with 99.9 % Silver layer over the copper. EGM Audio’s 3rd Generation 10A 250V AC AU/NZ Gold plated solid Copper pin male plug top with either IEC C19, C15 or IEC C7 plug ends, Designed & Built in Australia, Limited Lifetime Warranty*
EGM Audio Recommendation: Best performance for medium/ high-end audiophile systems - Power Conditioners, Amplifiers, Mono Blocks & Hi Power Applications. Also suitable for DAC’s, Streamers, CD/DVD players, Projectors, TV, Monitors, etc. Recommend Length 2 metres.
Description
The cores are oversized 13 AWG along with a generous silver plating over the high purity OFC copper wires, just like our better Eclipse & Fusion cables. The Spectra cable has an 8mm outer diameter finished in a smooth purple silicon noise resistant sheaf. Being thinner and easier to bend allows it to be more versatile with its placement. For EMI/RFI screening there is a Copper and Aluminium Hybrid braided shielding with minimum braid coverage of 85%. To ensure long term reliability, the cable ends are enclosed within a thick protective heat-shrink cover that extends for your safety. The AU/NZ wall plug is enclosed in a hefty non resonating black barrel, and the male pins are Gold platted solid Copper and look fantastic.
There’s a wide choice of cable ends available including IEC C19, C15 or IEC C7 plug tops to suit your specific requirement from a projector, amplifier or component device, so we have you covered. Please specify the length of cable that you require. All the cables are hand made to your specific needs in Australia by a licenced electrician.
How does it Sound?
This is likely our best value for money cable in the range, cost vs performance.
We love the Spectra cable; its sound is disciplined and articulate with loads of detail. The tonal balance is very good, with a slightly thinner bass than the upper model cables. Over the Wave cable the Spectra has a quieter background, due to the inclusion of the silver plating, so there is more detail, more air, separation and naturalness. There is also more speed and greater dynamics and slam, more rhythmic drive. But at the same time the treble harshness and glare is further reduced and it’s less tiring to listen to. The soundstage is wider and with a slightly more holographic front to back sense of depth and space around the performers. All these improvements allow you to enjoy your music to a much higher level. You will enjoy hearing all the colour and texture of good recordings.
This Spectra cable and the cables above it in the EGM range are the ones that provide the greatest gains over a standard power cable.
EGM Audio Recommendation:
EGM Audio Recommendation: Best performance for medium/ high-end audiophile systems - Suitable for all audio and AV applications. Recommended Length 2 metres.
Extra Information:
The EGM Family Sound
As is often the case with high-end audio manufacturers, all of the EGM audio grade power cables have a “family sound”. What is it and will it suit you?
EGM specialist power cables are designed to sound smooth, articulate, revealing and with just a touch of warmth. You will hear this with all our power cables, from the entry-level through to our flagship. We believe that you should never experience unpleasant surprises when upgrading cables throughout our range. As you spend a little more and move up the range, you can expect to hear even more from your music, with more detail, quieter backgrounds and a fuller, richer sound. Many notice the improvement to the bass, it becomes more powerful, goes deeper and with greater punch and dynamics.
EGM audio grade cables do not sound artificial, overly bright or harmonically out of balance, but have a lovely smooth top to bottom balance and neutrality that we have become well known for.
Why should I use EGM audio grade power cables?
Many people have asked us what the difference between EGM Audio cables and the thin moulded Chinese is made cable included in the box. It’s the sound quality. Technically both do the job, but only a specialised audio cable allows your audio device to sound the way it was meant to. When you stop to compare the quality of the conductors, the wire diameter and extensive use of electromagnetic and radiofrequency shielding, the 3rd generation cable ends, it’s little wonder that EGM audio grade power cables are superior sounding by a large margin. There is a lot of unseen technology incorporated into the finished cable that is not readily apparent. EGM has spent over 7 years of R&D in their new cable range, with extensive listening tests and prototyping so that you can enjoy world-class products at a reasonable price.
EGM is proud that every cable they manufacture uses the same standard of workmanship, the same high grade of materials, including the same protective heat-shrink covers on both ends of the wires and is hand made by a qualified electrician in Australia. Every cable is individually tested for electrical safety. Every cable in the range is shielded against destructive EMI/RFI and is available in custom lengths and with a wide variety of IEC plug tops to suit almost every audio or AV device.
What is Cable Burn-in?
All cables and especially the highly resolving audio grade cables require a little time to settle and start performing at their optimum. There are many opinions as to why this well-known phenomenon happens, but we won't bore you with it. Although they can often sound good immediately, we recommend that you allow EGM cables at least 48 hrs of constant use before doing any critical listening. This initial period will make the largest difference to the sound quality. For the next week or two the cable will continue to improve, but in smaller increments. Often thicker cables with multiple cores take longer than thinner ones.
A fully burned-in cable will sound smoother and more musical. It will also have better timing, imaging, treble detail, bass power and control as well as being less fatiguing to listen to.
Cable Construction
1. Conductors: Three (3) × 2.5 mm² extra-fine stranded Class 5 annealed Oxygen-Free Copper (OFC 99.9%) conductors with ASTM B298 Class A silver plating. The silver-plated conductors provide excellent conductivity, outstanding corrosion resistance, and optimise high-frequency current conduction associated with the skin effect while maintaining exceptional flexibility and long-term reliability.
2. Insulation: Fluorinated Ethylene Propylene (FEP) insulation, offering one of the industry's lowest dielectric constants and dielectric losses. FEP provides outstanding electrical performance, excellent thermal stability, and superior resistance to moisture and chemicals. Operating temperature range: -10°C to +200°C.
3.Shielding: 100% coverage aluminium/Mylar foil shield providing highly effective suppression of high-frequency electromagnetic interference (EMI) and radio frequency interference (RFI), helping to minimise external electrical noise and maintain consistent system performance.
4. Screening: 99.9% tinned copper braided shield with a minimum 85% braid coverage, providing effective low-frequency electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding, a low-impedance earth path, superior mechanical durability, and enhanced long-term corrosion resistance.
5. Filler/Binder: Mylar (PET) binder tape maintains cable geometry, securely binds the cable core, enhances mechanical stability, and provides a smooth bedding layer beneath the shielding for improved manufacturing consistency and long-term reliability.
6. Outer Sheath: High-flexibility RS-150 silicone elastomer outer sheath, rated to 180°C, providing exceptional flexibility together with excellent resistance to UV exposure, ozone, moisture, oils, acids, and many industrial chemicals. The silicone elastomer also offers excellent vibration damping, helping to reduce the transmission of mechanical vibration through the cable while protecting the internal cable construction. The sheath is halogen-free, flame retardant, and engineered for long-term performance in demanding industrial and high-end audio applications.