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Audioquest SKY Interconnects

I see on eBay what I believe are copies of the AQ Sky interconnects for around $150-$200 used USD being sold out of China.  Does anyone have any experience with these cables?  Are they worth a try or would I be wasting my time?  The reason I am asking is that I would be probably using them in Vandersteen MP filters that I build for my Vanderteen speakers which allows me to use higher grade parts in the filters copies.  Previously I used AQ Diamonback ICs with great success but I sold those when I sold my Vandersteen model 5s.

Thanks for your input/advice.     
bigkidz
kijanki's avatar
kijanki
4,428 posts
 
@bigkidz  You said:
I see on eBay what I believe are copies of the AQ Sky interconnects
King Cobra is pretty much the same in character as Diamonback (Viper), but a little more refined (smoother).  It is very neutral, open sounding with nice treble extension.  In comparison Acoustic Zen Absolute is little "faster" with darker background (and more refined).  Absolute is made of zero-crystal pure silver with oversized hollow core foam Teflon insulation.  It results in extremely small capacitance and inductance (6pF/ft, 0.02uH/ft).  It would be pretty easy to make plain cable that just looks the same and sell it on ebay.  Last year I bought pretty nice Hakko soldering iron with station.  There are identical irons on ebay, for much less.  The only difference is slightly different mark on the bottom.  They are cheap Chinese illegal copies.  If they copy $100 soldering iron, wouldn't they copy $2000 cable?  AZ Absolute Silver runs at about $900 used.  It is almost 50% of the new pair.  Sky, at the price you mentioned is 10%
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
Audioquest has always made their cables in Audioquest facilities in the US. Why would they make their cables in China? If it doesn’t make sense it’s not true.

from Audioquest website,

“If you see AudioQuest-branded products being sold for “too-good-to-be-true” prices, the chances are very good that the products are counterfeit. Be particularly wary of AudioQuest-branded cables being offered for unusually low prices from China and Hong Kong, especially on auction or bid sites.

AudioQuest cannot ensure the authenticity of any product purchased from any unauthorized AudioQuest dealer. If purchasing from a marketplace, such as Amazon or eBay, please verify that the seller is authorized. To verify that a dealer is authorized to sell AudioQuest before purchasing via the AudioQuest Dealer Locator click here.”

bigkidz OP
3,381 posts
 

@geoffkait - thanks that is why I posted this as I remembered something about this years ago.  They are not selling the cables as new but used cables.  I emailed the seller and he responded by saying authentic but still probably not correct.  I guess I am better off looking somewhere else.


Thanks

kijanki's avatar
kijanki
4,428 posts
 
Audioquest is made in China.  I've read about it in the interview with the head of AudioQuest, but I cannot find it right now.  I'm not sure if they make all cables in China, but my King Cobra have sign "Made in China".  If you have King Cobra look on the right bottom of the back side of the box.  There is a tiny sign "Made in China" under larger red word "Jaguar".  Also, moving production to China was the reason for renaming cables (lower prices of the same thing).  King Cobra is the newer version of Python that was quite expensive.  Check construction and materials of both.
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
So what? Audioquest cables would be assembled by Chinese workers, but the design and parts and control of directionality, everything else, is Audioquest in an Audioquest plant. That’s hardly the same thing as Chinese products. So give a break. Thats like saying iPad and iPhone are made in China. It’s semantics.
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