NEW SILTECH CLASSIC LEGEND CABLES INSIGHTS

The new Siltech Classic Legend range of interconnects, loudspeaker cables and power cords delivers exceptional performance for its price. It offers superb value for money thanks to the combination of Siltech’s ultra low loss G9 silver-gold alloy conductors, and an exclusive insulation package using DuPont Teflon and PEEK, for superlative electrical and mechanical noise rejection. The latest in Siltech’s Classic series of cables, Legend represents the culmination of over thirty years of research into conductor and insulation materials. Despite its moderate pricing, it has low capacitance, excellent high frequency characteristics and the lowest possible distortion. This translates to a superbly resolved sound with a smooth, balanced tonality and exceptional stereo imaging properties.

How the Legend began

Back in 1997, the Classic range established Siltech as one of the world’s leading manufacturers of high performance, value-for money cables. The combination of the company’s third generation G3 silver-gold alloy conductors with two layers of DuPont Kapton insulation, made a cable that was a thousand times less noisy than its rivals, according to technical measurements done at the time. Indeed, the noise level at the output of the cable was near zero across the whole audio frequency range, and above. Siltech called it “the first silent cable”, because it was unaffected by surrounding magnetic fields.

The Classic’s shielding system was effective enough to take full advantage of Siltech’s class-leading metallurgy, and the result proved a great commercial success. It put the company on the map as one of the world’s leading cable manufacturers and set a high bar for 2007’s Classic Mk2 to surpass. This introduced an improved fifth generation G5 silver-gold alloy conductor, offering even better conductivity for lower signal loss. It was a significant step up in quality, with a subtly warmer sound and a tauter, more articulate bass.

In 2013 the Classic Anniversary arrived, using a coaxial topology and seventh generation G7 silver-gold conductors, plus a new dual twisted coaxial geometry. The combination of even purer metal and better insulation delivered a significant ratcheting up of performance. The result of decades of accumulated research and development, it had an even purer sound than its predecessor, with lower measured distortion.

Launched in 2021, Classic Legend is the finest value cable that Siltech has ever made. It pioneers the company’s ninth generation G9 silver-gold conductor, using the latest in a long line of special alloys. Taking technology trickled down from the flagship Crown range, its insulation uses a combination of DuPont Teflon and PEEK for exceptional low distortion and unlimited dynamics. It comfortably surpasses all previous Classic cables in technical measurements and subjective sound quality, with an uncannily natural, musical performance.

Siltech conductors

Siltech was founded in 1983, its name an abbreviation of “silver technology”. Since then, the metals used in the conductors have been central to the company’s design ethos – and performance advantage.

Siltech gives each successive generation of its metallurgy a number. G1 referred to the 99.99% pure solid silver wire found in the first cables. Silver boasts the best conductivity of any metal and, unlike copper, doesn’t degrade over time – indeed it actually improves. That’s why it is ideal for audio applications.

In 1988, G2 silver was introduced to the Siltech range, offering a longer crystal length. This reduced the number of gaps between the silver atoms, improving the wire’s electrical characteristics and therefore sound. This conductor was improved in 1993 with the addition of 24k gold wires to the existing silver ones.

G3 saw the first Siltech silver-gold alloy conductor. Released in 1997 with the launch of the first Classic range, it proved hugely successful.

By injecting gold atoms near the crystal boundary of the silver conductor, boundary distortion was dramatically reduced to 20%

of the original amount. These micro cracks were later lessened to 10% by refining the process, and the technology formed the basis of the Classic Legend conductors used today.

The fourth generation G4 metallurgy was a special silver- gold alloy used for recording studio cables where mechanical

strength is very important. It was followed by G5, which appeared in the Classic Mk2 cable. This was a further refinement of the melting process that reduced boundary errors to less than 1%. This in turn noticeably improved the sound of all cables that used it.

Launched in 2006, G6 saw a further boundary error reduction of 0.1%, thanks to the new Siltech Advanced Thermal Treatment (SATT) process. This special heat treatment technology increased conductivity by rearranging metal molecules at high temperature. A high current pulse improves the metal grid before the insulators start to melt.

G7 was developed in 2013, further refining Siltech metallurgy; it was adopted for the Classic Anniversary and Royal Signature cable ranges. G8 followed, introducing a new monocrystal technology that avoided micro cracks altogether. This further enhanced the performance of the conductor, setting new industry standards.

In 2021, G9 improved the silver-gold alloy still further, offering improved cable run-in times. Far less time is needed for the conductors and insulators to achieve their optimum performance. Less than one hundred hours is required, depending on the connectors.

Siltech topology

The best conductors in the world won’t save a cable from sounding bad, if the shielding isn’t right. That’s why Siltech shows forensic attention to detail in its choice of shielding materials and cable topology.

Whereas the Classic range has traditionally used Kapton insulation – a stable polyimide film developed by DuPont, found to provide far better protection for

conductors – the new Legend employs a type of Polytetrafluoroethylene, better known as Teflon. To this is added Polyether ether ketone – a colorless organic thermoplastic polymer called PEEK – to create a three-layer insulation.

Combining different materials can deliver significant improvements to sound, Siltech’s research has found. These multilayers confer unique properties such as superior thermal stability and physical ruggedness, as well as better electrical shielding at audio frequencies and beyond. Due to the widespread use of noisy switching power supplies in the home, this has never been more important. Measurements show how interference induces non-linearity in the current flow, producing distortion and damaging sound quality.

Siltech has carried out exhaustive measurements and subjective listening tests to discover how best to combine shielding materials, and found that it is not good enough simply to use generic versions of these materials. That’s why the purest DuPont-supplied Teflon is specified, which has been found to give the greatest subjective sonic improvements.

Siltech build

Every Siltech cable uses the finest conductors, shielding and connectors that are possible at the price. Additionally, each one is made at Siltech’s purpose-designed factory in The Netherlands, where it is assembled, finished and individually tested against a reference. Some cable ranges are fully made from the ground up by hand, and termination is always done by hand.

Wire twisting and stripping is done by high precision specialist machines. Special tools are used for soldering to ensure a metal-to-metal contact before bonding, preventing signal loss. Engraving is done with Siltech’s own high power precision laser equipment. Every cable is tested on a purpose-designed computer, with all properties of every product measured before it is ready for sale. In addition to this, each cable is auditioned to ensure exactingly high standards.

The result is an ultra-high precision product that’s built to last and give consistent performance over the years. Indeed, the electrical properties of silver and gold improve slowly over time, as the crystal grid structure improves. Thanks to this continuous breaking-in process the cables keep getting better, unlike copper which begins to degrade fairly quickly.

So-called positive ageing is one of the reasons that make Siltech cables highly sought-after second-hand. Model ranges are not regularly changed, and some products have run up to twenty years before being discontinued. All this explains why Siltech has the highest second-hand price of any cable brand.

Classic Legend analog interconnects

Three models of RCA phono cables are offered in the Classic Legend series, the 380i, 680i and 880i. All use Siltech’s latest G9 silver-gold alloy conductors, the company’s best of this type to date. They are all twisted coaxial twin-core designs, to extract the highest performance possible from the metallurgy.

Premium quality triple layer insulation is employed comprising DuPont Teflon and PEEK for maximum rejection of electrical and mechanical noise. Siltech’s proven Super Shielding is fitted for excellent durability and full protection against EMC.

Both cores of the 680i are twice as large as those used in the 380i, and the insulation is sturdier and the shielding is improved. The 880i offers an additional increase in the conductivity of each core, of nearly one and a half times that of the 680i. Again, insulation and shielding are further augmented. A special Zero Ohm ground cable is also offered.

The result is an analog interconnect of exceptional neutrality, clarity and insight – with ultra-low measured distortion. It has very little character of its own, allowing the full quality of the source, amplification and loudspeakers to be realized. The performance is absolutely exceptional, at the price.

Classic Legend digital interconnects

The importance of a high quality connection between digital source and DAC cannot be overstated. Poor digital cables suffer from electrical interference and jitter that audibly degrades sound. That’s why the three Classic Legend digital interconnects are each designed from the ground-up, specially for the type of connector being used.

The goal was to minimize jitter to ensure the best possible time domain performance, which is particularly important when external clocks are used. Also, very accurate impedance matching was a key design criterion, with each cable carefully measured to ensure the precise and correct impedance.

The range comprises the 75 Ohm 380D coaxial cable with asymmetrical construction, Dupont Teflon isolated cores and a choice of BNC or RCA connectors, and a balanced AES-EBU cable with 110 Ohm impedance plus a separate drain wire and with one total shield.

Siltech also offers a balanced 380 USB cable with 90 Ohm impedance, and the 100 Ohm Network Ethernet cable also uses two coaxial pairs of conductors. All feature Siltech’s class-leading G9 silver-gold alloy cores, with pure Dupont Teflon insulation for maximum stability at high frequencies. Siltech’s Super Shielding is specified for effective protection from external electrical and magnetic induced noise.

Classic Legend digital cables are ideal for audiophiles who are serious about the sound of their digital source. Their ultra low noise and jitter design lets today’s finest DACs do their job properly, resulting in superior subjective performance with a more natural, musical sound.

Classic Legend loudspeaker cables

It has long been understood that speaker cables have a profound effect on the overall sound of a hi-fi system, which is why it’s important to invest in the best ones you can afford. Siltech’s Classic Legend loudspeaker cables offer superb value for money, delivering a technical and subjective performance that totally belies their price.

As with every model in the range, the latest G9 silver-gold conductors are used – here in a twin-core, twisted coaxial pair arrangement. These are contained in a premium quality multi-layer insulation package of DuPont Teflon, PEEK, Teflon and one or two layers of Siltech’s Super Shielding, with floating shield technology.

The cores of the middle range 680L model can handle four times the power of the starter 380L – the latter being recommended for 200W maximum and the 680L 800W – plus the insulation is sturdier and the shielding improved. The top-of-the- range 880L offers an additional increase in power and is recommended up to 1,800W. The interconnect and power cable versions add a double Super-Silent shield, further improving insulation and shielding.

Classic Legend speaker cables deliver a startlingly open and neutral performance which helps the loudspeaker to properly do its job, and lets the listener focus on the beauty of the music itself. Siltech’s legendary tightly controlled yet propulsive bass sound is there in all its glory.

Classic Legend power cables

With the increasing prevalence of switching power supplies, AC mains noise is more of a threat to hi-fi system sound than ever. That’s why it’s important to use high quality mains cables that shield out radio frequency noise pollution. Siltech’s Classic Legend power cables are designed to do precisely this.

There’s a choice of three models – the 380P, 680P and 880P. All use Siltech’s latest G9 silver-alloy conductors, here in a special twin-core configuration with twisted coaxial pairs. DuPont Teflon and PEEK insulation are used for optimum rejection of electrical and mechanical noise, along with Siltech’s proven Super Shielding for ruggedness and durability.

The 680P’s larger conductors quadruple the maximum power compared to the 380P, and its insulation and shielding package is substantially improved. The 880P’s larger conductors allow more than double the power of 680P, and it is recommended for amplifiers with a rated power output of up to 1,200W RMS per channel. Both 680P and 880P employ Siltech’s double Super-Silent shielding.

The result is an exceptionally high performing power cable, which helps to deliver a cleaner and purer sound with less noise, harshness and grit. Any hi-fi system is only as good as the cables that connect it, and Siltech’s Classic Legend series offers exceptional sound at an affordable price.