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Model 4AO Highlights
Designed, packaged and tested in Orlando Florida, USA
Machine polished convex lenses
1mm single-core plastic optical fiber
Highly reflective polyethylene cladding
Toslink® SJ15 connector with molded cover
Decorative woven jacket over highly flexible black PVC jacket
Tributaries Series 4 Fiber Optic cables are single mode plastic optical fiber made from 1mm crystal-clear fiber cores surrounded by a highly reflective cladding and a protective jacket. The cladding and jacket are applied in concentric layers during the drawing process to prevent damage to the fiber that may occur during a 2 step process. The constant thickness improves losses due to attenuation. The 4AO has highly polished termination ends that resemble the convex look of a camera lens to ensure maximum signal transfer. This procedure ensures less than 0.1dB loss at each termination
Tributaries cables incorporate a host of patented technologies. Beginning with copper made specifically for audio applications; conductors are multi-gauge in design with individually insulated strands and precision impedance. The Tributaries collection is complemented by painstakingly meticulous hand-craftsmanship.
Copper
One of the most important considerations in developing audio cables is the grade of copper. Typical high quality electrical grade copper has a purity level of 2N and approximately 1500 crystal per foot. Signals crossing thru these crystal boundaries result in loss and distortion. The next level above this is oxygen-free copper (OFC), the purity of OFC varies. Tributaries uses 2 grades: 3N OFC and a high-conductivity oxygen-free copper (HC-OFC) with 4N of purity. Both are extruded in an oxygen-free environment resulting in only 400 crystals per foot. Series 8 cables use copper with purity of 5N called “linear-crystal” copper (LC-OFC). LC-OFC is carefully drawn to produce only 70 crystals per foot, a vast improvement resulting in less loss and distortion.
Insulated Multi-Gauge Conductors
Tributaries uses solid conductors in its audio cable design. Although stranded cables are valued for their flexibility, the signal can jump from strand to strand in an undesirable manner causing distortion. Another undesirable effect is oxidation which can quickly spread between strands and cause a diode effect impeding signal flow. Conductor size also has an influence on sound. Large conductors transmit signals with less resistance than smaller ones and will also more accurately reproduce the lower frequencies; medium gauge conductors, the mid frequencies; and fine gauge conductors the high frequencies. Most theories cite skin effect and flux density as reasons for this phenomenon. Further, insulating gauges from one another result in greater clarity.
Cable Geometry
Tributaries audio cables use a twin-axial design. Twin-axial cables have two equally balanced conductors precision twisted and surrounded by a shield. Conductors are insulated using Polyethylene. Polyethylene is chosen because its transparency is similar to Teflon but without the harshness in the high frequencies. Polyethylene is flexible and has a sound quality that is warm and balanced. The shields have 360° coverage to keep noise from entering the signal path. Series 6 and 8 cables include copper braided shields with lower resistance for trapping induced noise current. In this design the signal and return have dedicated separate conductors and the shield is free to be connected at the source end only eliminating EMI & RFI induced noise from entering the receiver. The best balanced cables are triple balanced with three equally balanced twisted conductors surrounded by a shield. In a balanced system using dedicated conductors for the positive, negative and ground with an additional shield connected only at the source end delivers audible improvements by lowering the noise allowing you will hear more of the recorded music.
