Audioquest Pegasus RCA 1.5m

The Pegasus RCA cable from AudioQuest features ZERO-Tech technology, originally developed for the high-end ThunderBird, FireBird, and Dragon models. This analog interconnect thus brings some of the technical advancements from those models into a more accessible configuration.

Sophisticated Construction in a Streamlined Format

Where the Mythical Creatures series cables require two or three separate visible constructions to maintain their flexibility, the Pegasus achieves an engineering feat. It integrates all the complexity of ZERO-Tech technology into a single round cable, more compact in the RCA version than in the XLR. This technical achievement allows for easy handling while preserving signal integrity.

At the heart of the Pegasus are PSC+ (Perfect Surface Copper+) conductors, the purest copper developed by AudioQuest. Each solid conductor is manufactured using a proprietary drawing and annealing process that creates an exceptionally smooth surface. This surface perfection drastically minimizes distortions caused by grain boundaries, a phenomenon inevitable in any metal conductor. Solid conductors also eliminate electrical and magnetic interactions between strands, a major source of distortion in traditional stranded cables.

Insulation is a crucial element of the design. The Pegasus uses polypropylene air tubes, an approach that maximizes the air content around the conductors. Since air is the ideal dielectric after vacuum, this construction minimizes energy absorption by the insulator and the resulting time delays, thus preserving the signal’s dynamics and clarity.

The ZERO-Tech Revolution: Rethinking Impedance

ZERO-Tech technology represents a radically different approach to signal transmission. Rather than trying to match the cable’s characteristic impedance to that of the connected equipment—a never-ending quest given the variability of source and load impedances—AudioQuest has chosen to eliminate the cable’s characteristic impedance altogether.

This feat is accomplished by removing the electrostatic field between the high and low signal conductors. Without this field, the cable no longer has its own characteristic impedance, thus eliminating the impedance mismatch effects that compress transients and introduce non-linearities in RF noise dissipation. The result is signal transmission without compression, with transients fully preserved and linear noise dissipation across the entire frequency spectrum.

The Noise Dissipation System: A Multilayered Approach

The Pegasus incorporates a sophisticated radio-frequency noise dissipation system, which is especially crucial in our modern, wave-saturated environment. Six layers of carbon form a graphene/carbon mesh network that acts as a resistive shield, dissipating RF noise before it reaches the conductors.

The 6% silver-plated drain wires—a significant increase over the 0.5% in the Black Beauty—efficiently channel RF noise to ground. This improvement marks a notable evolution in the AudioQuest hierarchy, bringing the Pegasus closer to the performance of the Mythical Creatures models. Copper-plated drain barrels maximize this dissipation by preventing capacitive coupling of RF noise to the conductors.

DBS 72V: Active Dielectric Polarization

The patented 72-volt DBS (Dielectric-Bias System) is one of AudioQuest’s most significant innovations. Any insulator acts as a dielectric that can behave like a shunt filter, absorbing and releasing energy in a non-linear way. This phenomenon introduces variable time delays depending on frequency and energy levels, compromising the temporal coherence of the audio signal.

The DBS maintains a constant 72-volt electrostatic charge on the insulator, saturating and polarizing its molecules. This permanent polarization linearizes the dielectric’s behavior, drastically minimizing dielectric distortion. The result is a quieter background, increased dynamics, and improved clarity across the spectrum. A single DBS pack equips the RCA version, powered by a long-life battery with a test LED indicator.

Technical Specifications

Construction

• PSC+ (Perfect Surface Copper+) copper conductors
• Air-tube polyethylene insulation
• Cold-welded for optimal connection

Connectors

• Ultra-pure red copper connectors
• Unpolished hanging silver plating
• Type: RCA to RCA analog stereo

Advanced Technologies

• ZERO Technology
  • Eliminates impedance mismatch effects
  • Signal transfer without compression or alteration
  • Linear noise dissipation across all frequencies
• 72 V Dielectric Bias System
  • Maintains a constant charge on the insulators
  • Prevents the dielectric shunt filter effect
  • More natural dynamics and a wider soundstage
• Noise Dissipation System
  • Graphene/carbon mesh network
  • 6 layers of carbon
  • 6% silver-plated RF drain wires
  • Copper-plated drain barrels
  • Directional conductors

Technical Specifications

• Conductors: solid perfect-surface copper PSC+
• Insulation: high air-content polypropylene air-tube
• Bias system: 72 V
• Integrated active RF noise dissipation
• Zero characteristic impedance technology

Advantages

• Exceptionally faithful signal transmission
• Maximum reduction of distortion and interference
• Detailed and deep soundstage
• Pure sound reproduction without interference
• Audiophile-grade components
• Compatible with high-end hi-fi systems, DACs, preamplifiers, CD players