Inakustik Reference AC-1204 AIR IEC/C15 Power Cable

Reference AC-1204 AIR

Music is always very dynamic and when it is being played it produces an extremely variable power consumption at integrated amplifiers, power amplifiers or powered loudspeakers. The rapidly changing increase and decrease of power causes extreme current peaks, which generate strong magnetic fields as well as radiated interference and lead to power losses at cable and contact resistances. However, even these current peaks must be fed to the components quickly and without loss. Any inhibited current flow, no matter where it occurs in the hi-fi/High End chain, has a negative influence on the sound. As is known from physics, electrical conductors not only have a resistance but also capacitive and inductive properties that disturb the flow of energy from the socket to the hi-fi device. Therefore the power line from the wall socket and from the power strip or power station to the hi-fi/High End system plays a very important role. For these reasons, we have developed the AC-1204 AIR mains cables. They are based on the legendary Air technology, which we have already used, for example, for the speaker cables LS-4004 AIR or LS-2404-AIR and which have caused a sensation in the High End scene worldwide. The individual conductors are held at fixed distances by means of the specially developed clips and isolated from each other by air. The "air dielectric" ensures low capacities between the conductors. The multicore design compensates for the interference and magnetic fields caused by the current peaks. This considerably minimises the line inductance. In addition, the skin effect is greatly reduced by the large number of individual wires. This is caused by the steep current flanks that accompany high frequencies. By distributing the current over many wires, the actual usable conductor cross-section is increased, in addition to a general increase in overall cross-section. Thanks to these technical refinements, the AC-1204 AIR mains cables is able to supply the components with power even in extremely dynamic passages, and therefore can unleash the full potential of your electronics. As soon as electrical energy is transported, electromagnetic interference fields are inevitably generated. To avoid this, the AIR cables are shielded with a dense braid of tinned copper. This especially protects the adjacent audio components and cables from radiating interference fields caused by the high current peaks in the power cable. The many special features of the AIR mains cables therefore counteract all undesirable effects extremely well and make them what they are: outstanding energy pipelines for perfect audiophile sounds.

Awards

Features

• Air Helix structure
• Extremely low capacities thanks to air dielectric
• 4 copper wires | total cross-section 2x1,5mm²
• Grounding conductor (protection class 1)
• Individually tested (function, insulation, high voltage)
• Dense shielding braid made of copper with oxidation protection (tinned)

The big challenge

The big challenge for power cables are extreme current peaks. They are caused by the connected devices themselves by the conversion from AC to DC, because the capacitors of their power supply units can only be charged when the voltage applied is higher than that in the capacitors themselves - and that is only a short moment at the voltage peak of the alternating mains voltage. What remains are current peaks up to needle-shaped pulses with a multiple of the rated current of the devices. Because the capacitors discharge again until the next peak, this process is repeated 100 times per second at 50 Hz or 120 times per second at 60 Hz mains frequency. These extreme current peaks cause a whole series of undesirable effects. On the one hand, they cause considerable voltage and thus power losses at line and transition resistances. On the other hand, they cause strong magnetic fields which, due to their steeply rising edges, lead to significant skin effects even at the relatively low mains frequency. These reduce the effectively usable conductor cross section. Furthermore, the magnetic field peaks disturb all other devices in their neighborhood like small pinpricks. Particularly during demanding and dynamic passages in music, the power supply and thus the power cord is subject to high demands.

The Multicore Design

The Reference AC-1204 AIR power cable is specially designed for connecting high-end audio systems and is based on in-akustik's legendary Air Technology. It has many sophisticated construction details that counteract the effects just described. This includes the multi-core structure by which the resulting magnetic fields overlap and compensate each other. The division into several smaller, separate conductors also reduces the skin effect. In this way, the entire conductor cross-section remains usable. In addition, the cable is shielded by a dense meshwork of tinned copper wires. This protects the adjoining audio components from remaining interference fields.

Safety first

For all its love of audiophile sound, safety plays a special role in this cable category. That‘s why every Reference AIR power cord is tested and inspected extremely carefully. In addition to an intensive functional test, each cable is also subjected to an insulation and high-voltage test. The results are registered, and each cable is given an individual serial number.

The AIR Helix Design

The AIR Helix construction is absolutely unique. In order to come as close as possible to perfect air isolation, in-akustik has developed special clips. Inside the cable, a large number of these clips form the supporting framework, which keeps the signal conductors helically free in the air and guides them through the cable at a defined distance.

Handmade in Germany

Like all loudspeaker and audio cables of the reference series, the Reference AC-1204 AIR is completely manufactured in Germany. The clips are assembled and the conductors are threaded by hand with great care in the in-house factory. The resulting AIR Helix is then also manually fitted with the PE network jacket before the high-quality plugs are fitted and the cable is checked for proper function.

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