Introducing ZenWave Audio Clear Bass Cables!

DaveC

Industry Expert
Nov 16, 2014
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ZenWave Audio Clear Bass Cables


Clear Bass cables offer stunning clarity, dynamics, and definition when used for woofer and subwoofer frequencies. They add less warmth and fullness than pure copper, which results in better resolution and sharper, more defined leading edges. These are a better match for high end systems than similarly priced pure copper cables as the character of the bass will match the mids and highs, without spending big $ on top-of-the-line cables, which are difficult to justify for subwoofer and bass use.

Clear Bass cables use silver-plated copper wire with teflon insulation in a very low-inductance geometry. The connectors used are high quality pro-audio units, such as Switchcraft RCA plugs and Neutrik silver-plated XLR plugs. The AC power cable plugs are Furutech FI-15(R)+ with rhodium plated copper contacts.

I have worked hard to make sure Clear Bass cables don’t add any undesirable artifacts such as brightness, splash, grain, or harshness. This can be an issue with silver plated copper, but it depends on the particular use and design. Clear Bass cables are only clear, no harsh, no splash!

Clear Bass cables are also a great choice for those looking for a very clear and neutral cable that isn’t excessively warm for a reasonable price. These cables are fantastically good for the price if your priority is clarity and resolution.

POWER CABLES

Clear Bass Power Cables are made using wire of excessive gauge for the application to ensure the fastest possible instantaneous current delivery. All three legs of the power cable are 9 gauge. The plugs used are genuine Furutech FI-15+ with copper contacts and rhodium plating.

These are fantastic power cables and I think some folks will prefer them over any pure copper cable, because they add less warmth, allowing the spatial cues to form a more immersive soundstage and the fine detail to produce a more realistic timbre. Out of the entire Clear Bass cable lineup these are exceptional cables for full-range use as well as subwoofer use.

These are very flexible cables that are thin and easy to handle.

Pricing is $299 for 1 meter length and $75/meter for additional length.

INTERCONNECT and REL CABLES

Clear Bass Interconnect Cables are made using 15 gauge legs, which is overkill, but this seems to work very well for line level and speaker level bass performance. There is a lot more energy in bass frequencies, and this applies to the electrical signal in cables as well as what you hear when the music is playing.

Cables are available in several configurations…
  • RCA cables using Switchcraft RCA plugs.
  • XLR cables using Neutrik silver-plated XLR plugs.
  • REL cables, intended for use with REL subwoofers. These are available in:
    • Spade to Speakon
    • Banana to Speakon
    • Speakon to Speakon
REL cables are made using gold plated spades and locking bananas from DH Labs, and high quality metal-body Speakon connectors, which cost 3-4x the plastic plugs REL uses for OEM cables.
The big difference with Clear Bass vs REL is less warmth and better definition. The bass won’t sound as full, but it’s more accurate and defined, with sharper leading edges. The OEM cables sound soft and full in comparison.
Pricing is $199/meter + $50/m for additional length for most cables.

REL cables add $20, Banana to Speakon add $50. Bananas are high quality locking plugs from DH Labs.

TO ORDER: Until the Clear Bass Cables get on the cart system please contact dave@zenwaveaudio.com to place an order. Let us know what you want and we’ll get back to you with a paypal invoice. I can also take credit cards over the phone at 303-437-4581. If you have any questions or want to request a demo please send an email as well. Thanks!





 
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ack

VIP/Donor & WBF Founding Member
May 6, 2010
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Finally, great news!!! Sign me up for a REL 2m please, banana to speakon, with a wide separation between the wires because of my two amps. Please PM details. Been looking for something like this for a long time.
 
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DaveC

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Finally, great news!!! Sign me up for a REL 2m please, banana to speakon, with a wide separation between the wires because of my two amps. Please PM details. Been looking for something like this for a long time.

Great, thanks ack!

I'll shoot you a PM, but for everyone out there, the REL cables from amp to sub can be configured as either 1-pole or 2-pole. 2-Pole is the standard REL cable that has 2 signal legs (right and left) as well as a ground leg. 1-Pole is good for folks who use stereo subs and both right and left inputs are attached to ONE output at the amp. This gives you the same gain you'd have with a 2-pole cable but only carries either right or left signal.

So, for stereo subs you'll want to order two 1-pole cables. For summed mono subs you'll want one 2-pole cable.

If you have monoblock amps going to summed mono subs then you'll need two 1-pole cables, 1 cable for each amp, but they will be terminated into a single Speakon at the subwoofer. Optionally, I can make a cable that would have 2 female speakon inputs with one output containing both right and left signals, this will allow the 1-pole cables to be used in a stereo sub setup as well as a summed mono setup. Finally, if your mono amps are right next to one another we can use a single 2-pole cable with longer "tails".

Lots of details, lots of possible subwoofer configurations, which is why I did not include them all in the intro! I don't want to make things too confusing. Any questions, shoot me a message. :)
 
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ack

VIP/Donor & WBF Founding Member
May 6, 2010
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Which is also why I posted here, for everyone to see the different configs. Thanks
 

hi5harry

Well-Known Member
Sep 11, 2011
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I'm buying a pair also. My custom built JBL 18" subs are really nice, BUT, they are a little muddy and don't keep up with my Evolution MM3's. Can't wait to try them.
 

DaveC

Industry Expert
Nov 16, 2014
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I'm buying a pair also. My custom built JBL 18" subs are really nice, BUT, they are a little muddy and don't keep up with my Evolution MM3's. Can't wait to try them.

Thanks very much Harry! I look forward to see what you think. :)
 

Ron Resnick

Site Co-Owner, Administrator
Jan 24, 2015
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Congratulations, Dave, on the release of these cables! The design is very well thought out, and they look great!
 

DaveC

Industry Expert
Nov 16, 2014
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Congratulations, Dave, on the release of these cables! The design is very well thought out, and they look great!


Thanks, Ron!

On looks, the idea is to be unobtrusive. They are thin, flexible cables. The Interconnect and REL cables will use the fine-mesh techflex shown with the RCA cables and the power cables will use the heavier-duty techflex as shown.

Also, if black doesn't work I can customize! I have carbon in-stock, which looks more silver but is black and clear threads alternating. I can also order anything on the techflex website that is in-stock, 1/4" for IC and 3/8" for PC, but I can use 3/8" on IC too, it would look like the XLR cable pictured above.

 
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DaveC

Industry Expert
Nov 16, 2014
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Here's a pic of some REL cables I made for a customer with multiple subs last year. Not the best pic, at the time they were not for sale publicly. I've been making Clear Bass cables for a long time for my customers.

The current cables would be a little thinner as they would use the fine mesh techflex as standard.

The top cable is the REL "Baseline Blue", which is a std 3-conductor pure copper cable with PVC insulation.

 

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