Audioquest Rocket 88 DBS (2 x 5m)

Audioquest Rocket 88 DBS, premium speaker cable

At the top of Audioquest’s Rocket series, the Rocket 88 DBS brings together the brand’s proprietary noise-reduction technologies in an already-terminated speaker cable, ready to connect. Solid high-purity copper conductors, Double Star-Quad geometry, and active dielectric bias at 72 volts: three levers all aimed at the same result — a silent noise floor and detailed reproduction. Here is what lies beneath its braided jacket.

Solid PSC+ copper versus distortion

All conductors in the Rocket 88 are solid, with no stranding. This choice eliminates one of the main sources of distortion in a cable: the electrical and magnetic interaction between multiple strands, which produces a confused or hardened sound. The metal used is Perfect-Surface Copper+ (PSC+), the purest copper in the Audioquest catalogue, whose highly uniform surface minimises distortion caused by the metal’s grain boundaries.

The skin effect, which pushes the signal toward the outer edge of the conductor at high frequencies, is kept outside the audio band thanks to conductor cross-sections calibrated below the threshold of audibility. The air-filled expanded polyethylene insulation reduces the energy absorption that colours the signal. Each internal conductor is also directionally oriented to attenuate radio-frequency noise pickup, which is why the direction of connection is marked on the jacket.

Double Star-Quad geometry in practice

Eight solid conductors arranged in two crossed star-quads: it is this layout, more than capacitance and inductance values alone, that shapes the cable’s sonic behaviour. The crossing reduces temporal smearing of the signal while preserving dynamics and the clarity of soundstage layers.

This structure opens up a second possibility. When the two halves of the cable are separated at the speaker end, each star-quad retains its own magnetic independence, and the Rocket 88 becomes a genuine bi-wiring solution within a single cable. For those who own speakers with dual binding posts, this is a tangible advantage, without having to double the number of cables.

The 72-volt DBS system in everyday use

The Dielectric-Bias System maintains a constant charge of 72 volts across the cable’s insulation. Just as the Earth’s magnetic field aligns compass needles, this electrostatic field orients the molecules of the insulation in a single direction. The audible result: a quieter background, from which details and dynamic contrasts emerge that an unbiased insulator often masks.

The DBS is powered by a battery pack connected to the cable. A test button and an LED allow the charge level to be checked from time to time, with the battery lasting several years. Since the charge is active from the moment of assembly, the Rocket 88 requires no break-in period before performing at its best.

Carbon-based noise dissipation

Around the conductors, alternating layers of metal and carbon-loaded synthetics form a shield that “shields the shield,” in Audioquest’s own words. The idea is to dissipate induced radio-frequency noise before it reaches the ground-connected layer, across a wide frequency range. This dissipation works in concert with the DBS and PSC+ copper to lower the overall noise floor.

Bananas or spades — how to terminate

The cable is available with banana plugs or spade connectors, gold- or silver-plated depending on the version. The contact between the plug and the conductor is made using the Cold-Weld process, a cold pressure-bonding technique that mechanically bonds the conductor and connector without heat, preserving the integrity of the copper.

The choice between banana and spade depends primarily on the amplifier’s binding posts. Insulated binding posts compliant with European standards, common on recent amplifiers, do not handle high-torque tightening of a spade connector well: a banana plug is therefore preferable, and sometimes the only option. On the speaker side, spades regain the advantage when the binding post does not accept a fully inserted banana plug.

Technical specifications

Design and technologies

• Conductors: solid Perfect-Surface Copper+ (PSC+)
• Geometry: Double Star-Quad
• Directional conductors: signal direction control to reduce noise
• Noise reduction: carbon-based noise dissipation system
• Dielectric biasing: 72 V DBS system (Dielectric Bias System)
• Insulation: optimized materials to reduce dielectric distortion

Audio performance

• Clearer, more detailed sound
• Improved soundstage and spatial imaging
• Reduced RF noise and interference
• Better dynamics and tonal accuracy
• Faithful reproduction for hi-fi music and cinema

Key features

• Very low distortion
• Advanced noise-reduction technologies
• Excellent channel separation
• Great sonic transparency

Connectivity

• Available terminations
  • Banana plugs (gold- or silver-plated depending on version)
  • Spade lugs (spades)

Recommended use

• High-end stereo hi-fi systems
• Home theater installations (Dolby Atmos, DTS)
• Amplifiers, passive speakers, compatible soundbars

Construction and durability

• Robust cable designed for long-term use
• High-precision assembly
• Premium materials for mechanical and electrical stability
• Simple installation despite an advanced technical architecture