AudioQuest’s Evergreen RCA cable uses Asymmetrical Double-Balanced geometry and solid Long-Grain Copper (LGC) conductors. It is part of the Bridges & Falls series, named after the Evergreen Point Bridge linking Seattle to Bellevue. The cable features cold-welded connectors and a metal-layer Noise-Dissipation System. Its outer jacket uses a black-and-green braid for quick visual identification.
Technical architecture and materials: where physics meets acoustics
The Evergreen cable uses solid Long-Grain Copper (LGC) conductors. Unlike multi-strand conductors, where each strand can generate electrical interactions, a solid conductor avoids this phenomenon. LGC copper has an elongated crystalline structure that reduces the number of grain boundaries—areas where conduction can be locally disturbed. By comparison, standard OFHC (Oxygen-Free High-Conductivity) copper has shorter grains, multiplying these interfaces.
The insulation is made from foamed polyethylene, a material with a high proportion of micro air bubbles distributed throughout the polymer mass. Since air has a low dielectric constant, this structure limits losses and energy storage compared to solid polyethylene. It helps reduce phase shift effects introduced by the absorption and delayed release of electromagnetic energy within the dielectric.
The cable employs Asymmetrical Double-Balanced geometry. Unlike conventional unbalanced cables where ground and shield share the same conductor, the Evergreen separates the return conductor from the shield. This separation reduces the shield’s influence on the signal path and helps limit the pickup of electromagnetic interference.
Cold-welding: an age-old technology in the service of high fidelity
Unlike traditional soldering, which uses heat and a tin-lead or silver alloy as filler, AudioQuest’s “cold-weld” method relies on the application of high mechanical pressure. This creates a direct bond between the copper conductor and the gold-plated RCA plug, without interposing a solder alloy.
With a traditional solder joint, two dissimilar metals meet, introducing a transition zone with electrical properties different from copper’s. Cold-welding, on the other hand, relies on plastic deformation of the metal to promote a continuous metallurgical contact between the conductor and the plug. The RCA ground shells are produced by stamping, allowing the use of metals chosen for their electrical or mechanical characteristics rather than their machinability.
Noise dissipation: a shield against modern electromagnetic pollution
The Evergreen cable incorporates a metal-layer Noise-Dissipation System designed to reduce the impact of radio-frequency (RF) interference. With the growing presence of wireless devices, switching power supplies, and variable-speed drives, signal conductors can be exposed to a dense domestic electromagnetic spectrum. The metal layer acts by absorbing and reflecting interference before it reaches the conductors.
The shielding is asymmetrically designed and connected to ground only on the source side. This configuration creates a one-way drain path for interference, limiting ground loops between components. The cables are marked with an arrow indicating the recommended signal direction, corresponding to this shield orientation.
Practical applications and positioning in a hi-fi chain
The Evergreen cable is designed for systems where signal fidelity is paramount. It is often used to connect turntables to a phono preamp, where reducing background noise can be particularly helpful for low-level signals. It can also be used between a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) and an amplifier, helping to limit loss of detail and precision in spatial layering.
The Evergreen’s RCA plugs are joined under a single jacket, with a maximum spacing of about 7.6 cm. This may require adjustment on some equipment with more widely spaced inputs. It results from grouping both channels under a single jacket—a compromise aimed at optimizing electrical performance while keeping manufacturing costs in check.
The cable is available in several standard lengths from 0.6 m to 20 m. Shorter lengths have lower total capacitance and lower series resistance. Lengths up to 3 m maintain performance suitable for most home systems. Beyond 5 m, the cable’s characteristic impedance becomes a factor to consider, especially with sources that have a high output impedance.
