Supra Ply 3.4mm core (per metre) loudspeaker cable

Supra Ply Concept – ’A logical and scientific design’

The square design, the result of flattened braided cores placed close together, reveals the dynamic and transient potential of your hi-fi system. It also reduces interference and interaction distortion.

When the braid is processed into thin conductor layers, a thin insulation layer is extruded and they are then joined with the flat sides facing each other, capacitance increases considerably. An in-depth analysis requires some mathematical exercise, so let's leave the physical theory aside here and simply state that two conductors of different polarity laid with a large flattened side area facing each other will feel their individual charge and thus act as a capacitor. If we simply stopped there, we would gain nothing, but the real finesse is that capacitance increases at the expense of inductance! And capacitance is sonically less significant in the loudspeaker system. In addition, Supra Ply offers tinned strands that reduce the disturbing electron jumps between conductor strands, which result in a time shift of the signal – a very unwanted distortion when the original holographic 3D soundstage is desired.

Once again, Supra Cables designs a "simple" yet ingenious cable that, thanks to its physical properties, counteracts malicious sonic behaviour, is cost-efficient to produce, and therefore affordable for the customer, and enables a better sound experience. Still. Because this is a fairly old design. What we have done recently, presented in a separate section, is an evolution of this concept with an even wider conductor, flattened in a two-stage process, facing each other, resulting in a further increase in capacitance and thus even lower inductance (Supra Ply Wide).

Supra Ply is available in a number of configurations and conductor areas, without shield, on the reel or in pre-terminated lengths, all with the basic sonic concept and some extra features added. The shielded version, with the drain wire connected to the negative cable, is also a way to further increase capacitance and improve sound quality, but also to protect adjacent equipment against harmful fields and radiation, as well as the human aspect, e.g. EHS – electromagnetic hypersensitivity.

The difference that makes the difference – for you

Unlike many of today's audio cables, the benefits of the Ply are proven by repeated measurements and tests across almost the whole world.

Figure 1: Ply losses

Figures 1 and 2 show our Ply and a generic cable with a large space between the conductors, a fairly common "high-end" design today. We fed both cables with the most challenging signal there is, a square wave, which represents very high frequencies. Every drumbeat, piano attack, classical music, acoustic jazz, etc. is full of ultra-fast transients, best represented by the square wave. The result speaks for itself. While Ply shows only a small loss, the generic cable attenuates the treble up to 20 kHz by as much as 10 dB! That is a major treble roll-off, clearly audible, and will undoubtedly prompt the listener to compensate using the tone control, further degrading sound quality by adding the phase shift of the tone control.

Figure 2: Normal loss

Before buying a cable, visit your local Supra dealer, discuss your equipment level and borrow a few speaker cable sets to make a good listening comparison. Anyone looking for that particular live feeling, when music shows the typical dynamic drive, 3D soundstage, clear bright treble and clean dynamic bass – in fact almost the feeling that the beat is a little faster – will probably end up with a set of Supra cables. It is such fun when music comes alive and your feet keep tapping to the beat!

• Mechanical specifications
• Diameter 3.4 / 12 mm2 / AWG
• Number of conductors 2
• Number of strands per conductor 192
• Strand diameter 0.15 mm
• Conductor material tinned oxygen-free 5N copper
• Insulation and jacket heat-resistant and ageing-resistant PVC
• Outer dimension 7.2 x 7.2 mm
• Weight 97 grams / m
• Electrical performance
• Resistance 5.1 ohms / km
• Inductance 0.20 µH / m

Would you like to hear this first? In our two listening rooms on Hoenderstraat in Maastricht, each with its own acoustics, we will set up the system for you. Make an appointment or call 043-7370028 — we are happy to help you find the right choice and the right placement.