Van den Hul The Second RCA 1,2m
Overview
Replacing metal with carbon in the conductors of an audio cable is a technical gamble that Van den Hul has upheld since the early 1990s. The Second was born in 1993, as a complement to The First, its coaxial interconnect. This version fitted with RCA plugs uses the same dual-carbon-conductor structure.
Carbon instead of metal
Where most interconnects carry the signal through copper or silver, The Second uses carbon. Each of its two conductors combines 12,000 strands of 7-micrometer Linear Structured Carbon, individually insulated. This strand-by-strand insulation limits electron transfer from one strand to another, which Van den Hul describes as a source of coloration in conventional metal conductors.
Carbon also brings immunity to radio-frequency interference that metal does not possess to the same degree. The trade-off is that its series resistance is significantly higher, on the order of 36 ohms per meter according to Van den Hul, compared with a fraction of an ohm for an equivalent copper conductor. This value has no impact on a line-level connection, where input impedance is measured in thousands of ohms.
Four layers to isolate the signal
The shielding consists of four superimposed layers. Two groups of silver-plated OFC copper strands, wound in a helix, surround two carbon-saturated layers. Van den Hul describes this assembly as a closed envelope, opaque to external signals.
This is what makes The Second a hybrid cable: the signal travels through carbon, while the shielding remains metallic. The combination aims for a very low noise floor, audible above all on quiet passages and note decays, where hum or residual hiss is most noticeable.
A balanced cable wired in unbalanced mode
The Second is first and foremost a symmetrical two-conductor structure, derived from The First, its older coaxial sibling. The version presented here is fitted with in-house C-7.3 RCA plugs, factory-mounted, and operates in unbalanced mode, the standard mode for consumer preamplifiers and integrated amplifiers.
The same cable is also available in an XLR version for balanced connections in hi-fi systems and studios. The choice of termination does not change the internal structure, only the way the signal and ground are distributed across the pins.
The Hulliflex jacket and service life
The outer jacket is made of light brown Hulliflex, a material Van den Hul uses for its mechanical strength and long-term durability. Treated filler fibers resist moisture penetration, which keeps the cable’s capacitance stable. Halogen-free and with a diameter of 7.3 millimeters, the cable remains flexible enough to route behind furniture without putting excessive strain on the plugs.
Technical specifications
Electrical specifications
- Core resistance: 3.6 Ω / m
- Capacitance: 68 pF / m
- Impedance: 75 Ω in digital
Construction
- Conductor type: double conductor (twin core)
- Technology: Linear Structured Carbon (LSC)
- Conductor: 2 groups of 12,000 insulated 7 µm LSC fibers
- Quadruple shielding:
- 204 LSC fibers, in 4 layers
- 2 layers of high-density OFC (oxygen-free copper) strands
- Helically wound strands
- Silver-plated coating
- 2 LSC-saturated layers
- Insulation:
- Polyethylene foam
- Light brown Hulliflex outer jacket, high mechanical strength and excellent durability
Dimensions
- Outer diameter: 7.3 mm
- Length: 2 × 1.2 m
Advantages
- Very high protection against external noise and interference
- Excellent audio signal transmission
- Reduced background noise
- Long service life thanks to the durable outer jacket
- Suitable for high-end hi-fi and professional audio installations
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Second RCA sold individually or as a pair?
The standard packaging is a stereo pair, meaning two identical cables for the left and right channels of an analog connection. For digital S/PDIF use, a single cable is enough, since the connection carries only one channel.
Can this cable be shortened or re-terminated by the user?
No. The plugs are factory-mounted by Van den Hul, because connecting the 24,000 carbon strands of the two conductors requires specific tools and know-how. The cable is also not sold by the meter on a reel. It is better to choose the appropriate length from the outset rather than plan for later cutting.
Is The Second RCA suitable for connecting a turntable?
Yes, between the turntable output and the preamplifier’s phono input, provided it is intended for moving magnet cartridges or high-output moving coil cartridges. Very low-output cartridges require a dedicated lower-capacitance cable and particular attention to grounding.
Does the high resistance of carbon cause a problem when listening?
Not on a line-level connection. An amplifier input presents an impedance of several tens of thousands of ohms, against which the few tens of ohms of the conductor count for almost nothing. This resistance does, however, rule out any use as a speaker cable, where the current involved is on an entirely different scale.
Is a break-in period needed before judging it?
Van den Hul does not specify any particular break-in period for this model. As with most cables, it is better to leave it in place for a few days and judge it using familiar tracks rather than from the very first connection. In any case, the expected differences on a line-level connection remain subtle.
- Eco-contribution included in the sale price.
- Manufacturer reference: B47BA012