A
RADICAL PROGRESSION
The most radical progression
in power cord design since Shunyata
Research’s humble beginnings in
1998, has delivered a watershed
level of performance with the
introduction of the SIGMA-X power
cables. Inspired by our well
documented success in medical
imaging and recording industries,
Shunyata Research has continued to
advance the science and technology
of its most successful products. The
SIGMA-X power cables have exceeded
even the highest performance
expectations. The SIGMA-X is second
only to Shunyata Research’s ultimate
Omega power cord within the
“Reference Series”. The Reference
Series X cables represent the
culmination of a 25-year commitment
to produce the absolute finest
performing power cables available.
SIGMA-X QR
The SIGMA-X QR edition is the
highest performing SIGMA-X model. It
includes patented QR/BB technology
descended from the ultimate OMEGA QR
along with Gen3 NR noise reduction
technology. It is particularly
suited to use with high powered
amplifiers but can be used for
source and digital equipment when
only the highest levels of
performance are demanded.
Bringing it Home
Have you ever watched a film that
was so engrossing and captivating;
the performances so real that you
forgot you were watching a movie?
That would be an apt description of
the SIGMA-X power cord’s impact on
sound, recording and imaging. There
is an immediacy to sound, an
immersive rendering of recorded
detail that makes it easy to focus
on the music and to forget about the
recording chain.
The dramatic
performance SIGMA-X power cords
impart is not subtle or amorphous,
it is revelatory and impossible to
dismiss. When the recording calls
for it, SIGMA-X power cords unleash
a perfectly timed storm of
three-dimensional weight and dynamic
intensity – without a hint of
compression or artifice. Perhaps the
signature attribute of the SIGMA-X
performance is its rendering of an
almost gravitational silence within
voice, instruments and images on a
recording. There is a truth and
precision to sound that is
unmistakably free of distortion,
leaving the listener captivated by
an intense connection to favorite
music.
GROUNDBREAKING
TECHNOLOGY
There are several definable advances
to the Sigma-X power cord designs
that will distinguish themselves
within seconds after application,
comparisons and testing. The Sigma-X
QR model is elevated by the
inclusion of our patented QR/BB tech
which has a profound effect on
instantaneous current availability.
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TAPc
The ALPHA-X features the
all-new TAPc technology. TAP
(transverse axial polarizer)
is a patent pending
technology that Shunyata
Research developed to
improve the performance of
its reference signal cables.
The TAPc technology is a
radical advancement of the
TAP technology that enables
a significant reduction in
the size of the modules –
and for the first time
allows this technology to be
applied to power cords. The
sonic results of TAPc
include a cavernous drop in
perceived noise floor,
effortlessly portrayed
dynamics and a superb
rendering of timing and
coherency. The sonic
benefits of the TAPc
technology are quite simply
unique and cannot be
replicated by any competing
product or technology. Even
to an untrained ear, the
effects of the TAPc are
immediately apparent and
repeatable across a variety
of components and systems.
In essence, the TAPc modules
are force-multipliers that
elevate the listening
experience to a level many
would not imagine possible.
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True to
its
reputation
for
migrating
its most
profound
patented
technologies
into
more
affordable
products,
Shunyata
Research
has done
it again.
Previously
found
only in
the
ultimate
Omega
power
cords,
the QR/BB™
module
takes a
wrecking
ball to
power
cord
performance
expectations.
The QR/BB™
module
possesses
the
ability
to act
as an
electric
charge
reservoir,
meaning
it
stores
and
releases
energy
in a
manner
that
improves
a
component’s
access
to
instantaneous
current.
Dynamics
are
actually
improved,
reducing
any
sense of
dynamic
strain
often
heard
from
amplifiers
that are
connected
with
lesser
power
cables.
The
sonic
result
is a
lifelike
presentation
of
timing
and
dynamic
contrasts
in sound
that
cannot
be
replicated
by ANY
other
means.
The
SIGMA-X
QR
creates
an
island
of pure
silence
when
used
with
reference
quality
amplifiers
and
source
components.
The QR/BB
technology
essentially
supercharges
the
component’s
power
supply
with
reserve
levels
of DTCD
energy.
For the
first
time,
this
remarkable
QR/BB
technology
is
available
at a
much
lower
price in
order to
reach
far
wider
audience.
— Patent
Number:
US
10,031,536
—
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Gen3
NR Perhaps no technology has
been more thoroughly
researched, measured and
third-party tested than
Shunyata Research’s power
line noise reduction
technology. Gen2 NR
technology, as used in the
Gamma and Theta power cord
lines, has been proven
effective in heart surgery
labs across the U.S. and
Europe. Countless iconic
recording engineers,
mastering studios and
musicians have provided
vivid accounts supporting
the efficacy of Shunyata
Research’s NR power cords.
The Gen-3 NR circuit, as
used in the ALPHA-X and
SIGMA-X power cords,
improves upon the sonic
performance of the Gen-2
circuit. Transient speed,
transparency and purity are
all significantly improved
along with an improvement in
micro-dynamics. The new NR
circuit is also more
compatible across a broader
spectrum of electronic
component types; including
preamplifiers and power
amplifiers. Even amplifiers
operating in pure Class A
will realize a significant
benefit when using our Gen3
NR equipped power cables.
(The ALPHA-X XC power cords
are now, primarily,
recommended for use with
power distributors.)
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KPIP
v2™ Shunyata Research’s
proprietary Kinetic Phase
Inversion Process includes
four days of continuous KPIP
v2™ processing which refines
conductor metals at a
molecular level. This
dramatically reduces burn-in
time and significantly
improves sonic performance,
delivering a relaxed and
life-like presentation. When
compared to the original
process, KPIP v2™ represents
a dramatic performance
upgrade on par with a
component-level upgrade.
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NR NOISE REDUCTION
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Shunyata Research’s
exclusive NR (Noise
Reduction) technology is a
multi-stage filter network
that measurably reduces
power-line and
component-generated noise,
producing better purity of
tone and clarity. It
delivers a stunning
background of silence to
recordings, allowing the
listener to hear into
recordings as never before.
Every nuance of meaningful
content is revealed,
bringing to life music’s
most consequential moments
as if the performers are in
the room with the listener.
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Shunyata’s VTX-Ag
cables are uniquely
constructed with both an
inner, center conductor made
of pure silver and an outer
concentric ring conductor
made of pure copper. It’s
made using the finest
fluorocarbon insulation to
minimize dielectric
absorption and re-radiation
which translates to an
improvement in resolution
and clarity. VTX-Ag delivers
the speed and clarity of
silver and the midrange
warmth and three dimensional
power in the lower octaves
of copper without imparting
any of the negatives
associated with either metal.
– The best qualities of
silver and copper combined
OFE 101 |
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Shunyata Research uses only
the highest purity of copper
available for the production
of its wire products. OFE
Alloy 101 or C10100 is
the highest grade of copper
with a minimum 99.99% purity
and a conductivity rating of
101% IACS. OFE stands for
oxygen-free electrolytic and
supersedes the term OFHC (oxygen-free
high conductivity). C10100
is the only grade of copper
that comes with a written
certification of purity.
Certified by ASTM F68
C10100. 2022
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Fluorocarbon dielectrics
are usually only found in
wire used in the aerospace
industry, satellites and
only the most expensive
audiophile cabling. It has
special electrical
characteristics; very low
dielectric absorption, high
dielectric strength and
exceptional heat resistance.
When used in audio and power
cables is reduces the
perception of dynamic
compression and it improves
sonic low-level resolution
and clarity.
Crystal clear transient
detail.
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Many audiophile grade
connectors are made from
brass or bronze. While some
may get a plating of silver,
gold or rhodium, the
majority of the current is
carried by the contact’s
base-metal. CopperCONN®
connectors contain pure
copper contacts which have a
much higher conductivity
than brass. The difference
in performance is clearly
audible.
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Specifications
- Conductors: VTX-Ag
- Gauge: 06
- Construction: 1″ tube
- Dielectric: Fluorocarbon
- Noise Reduction: QR Model: > 6
dB @ 1 MHz, NR Model: > 6 dB @ 1
MHz, XC Model: None
- Tech: QR Model: QRBB, NIC, TAPc
Polarizer 2x
- Tech: NR Model: TAPc Polarizer 2x
- Tech: XC Model: TAPc Polarizer 2x
- AC Connector: CopperCONN™
Carbon-Fiber
- IEC Connector: CopperCONN™
Carbon-Fiber
- KPIP v2 Processing: 4-days
- Color: Black flex
- Standard Length: 1.75 meters
- Safety Assurance: Continuity and
polarity tests – by two technicians
HiPOT tests insulation
breakdown @ 4,500 VAC
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