At the top of Audioquest’s Rocket series, the Rocket 88 DBS brings together the brand’s in-house noise-reduction technologies in a pre-terminated, ready-to-connect speaker cable. Solid high-purity copper conductors, Double Star-Quad geometry, and active dielectric bias under 72 volts: three levers aimed at the same result, a quiet noise floor and detailed sound reproduction. Here’s what lies beneath its braided jacket.
All Rocket 88 conductors are solid, with no strands. This choice eliminates one of the main causes of distortion in a cable: the electrical and magnetic interaction between multiple strands, which can produce a confused or hardened sound. The metal used is Perfect-Surface Copper+ (PSC+), the purest copper in the Audioquest catalog, whose very smooth surface limits distortion related to 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 gauges calibrated below the threshold of audibility. The air-filled foamed polyethylene insulation reduces energy absorption that colors the signal. Each internal conductor is also direction-controlled to reduce radio-frequency noise pickup, which explains the connection direction marked on the jacket.
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 behavior. The crossing reduces time-domain smearing while preserving dynamics and the clarity of the soundstage layers.
This structure opens up a second possibility. When the two halves of the cable are separated on the speaker side, each star-quad retains its magnetic autonomy and the Rocket 88 becomes a true bi-wire set within a single cable. For those who own speakers with dual binding posts, this is a real advantage, without having to double the number of cables.
The Dielectric-Bias System maintains a constant 72-volt charge on the cable’s insulation. Just as the Earth’s magnetic field aligns compass needles, this electrostatic field aligns the insulation molecules in the same direction. The audible result: a quieter background from which details and dynamic contrasts emerge, often masked by non-polarized insulation.
The DBS is powered by a battery pack connected to the cable. A test button and an LED allow the charge status to be checked from time to time, and the battery lasts several years. Since the charge is active from assembly onward, the Rocket 88 requires no break-in period before delivering its full performance.
Around the conductors, alternating layers of metal and carbon-loaded synthetics form shielding that “shields the shielding,” in Audioquest’s words. The idea is to dissipate induced radio-frequency noise before it reaches the ground-connected layer, across a wide frequency band. This dissipation works together with the DBS and PSC+ copper to lower the system’s overall noise floor.
The cable is available with banana plugs or spade lugs, gold- or silver-plated depending on the version. The connection between the plug and the conductor is made using the Cold-Weld process, a cold-pressure weld under controlled pressure that mechanically bonds conductor and connector without heat, preserving the integrity of the copper.
The choice between banana and spade mainly depends on the amplifier’s binding posts. Insulated binding posts compliant with European standards, common on recent amplifiers, do not handle high-torque tightening on a spade lug well: in that case, the banana plug is preferable, sometimes mandatory. On the speaker side, the spade regains the advantage when the binding post does not accept a fully inserted banana plug.
The DBS housing includes a test button and an indicator LED. Pressing the button lights the LED if the charge remains sufficient. The battery lasts several years, and occasional checking is sufficient. If the charge weakens, the cable continues to transmit the signal normally, but without the benefit of dielectric biasing.
No. Since the DBS charge is applied during factory assembly, the Rocket 88 operates fully as soon as it is connected, without the break-in period that some non-polarized cables require.
Yes. The conductors are oriented to limit the pickup of radio-frequency noise, and the jacket bears a direction marker. The cable must be connected following this marker, from the amplifier to the speaker.
Both finishes, gold and silver, cover the same Cold-Weld termination work. The choice mainly comes down to preference and compatibility with your terminals. The connector shape, banana or spade, matters more than the plating metal for contact quality.
Philippe
Real improvement compared to the Rocket 33. The Rocket 88 offers greater transparency and depth to the soundstage. Used in bi-wiring, it's pure bliss.
Comment from January 08, 2025 — Experience from December 28, 2024
