We're forever banging on about using quality audio cables, but there's always the fear that, in reality, they don't make any difference. Asterope is the latest name on the radar, and at £89.99 for a six-foot straight-jacked cable (a 30-footer is £169.99) it had better be good.
The result of "decades of research and development across a number of scientific disciplines", says Asterope, which is being distributed worldwide by Fishman, "the ultra-efficient signal flow increases bandwidth and harmonic response, and improves the overall sound of all audio electronics.
"Asterope delivers a broader bandwidth of sound than traditional cables, allowing the listener to actually 'feel' the difference. This phenomenon is referred to as hyper-sonics." Umm...
In Use
Our first audio test was at the 2013 NAMM show with very tired ears, but compared with other high-end cables, we thought we could perceive some subtle additional clarity.
In a more scientific-like environment, yes, compared with a medium-priced big-name cable of the same length, the Asterope is noticeably clearer and slightly 'enhanced'- sounding, with more presence. You can definitely hear it.
This quality directional cable has plenty of scientific voodoo behind it, then, but, to our ears, it also has a noticeable audio improvement over a medium-priced quality cable. But then there's that bloomin' price, of course...
