AudioQuest Big Sur Interconnect Cable - 3.0 Meter - 3.5mm to 3.5mm

AudioQuest Big Sur Moves to Perfect-Surface Copper+ and Purple Copper Plugs

A 3.5mm mini interconnect carries an analog signal between two components using the same small plug most headphones use, so no adapter is needed on gear already built around that jack.

AudioQuest's Big Sur is a 3.5mm mini interconnect with solid Perfect-Surface Copper+ (PSC+) conductors, Foamed-Polyethylene insulation and Metal-Layer Noise-Dissipation. It ends in cold-welded, gold-plated purple copper plugs and has a Brown on Black nylon-braid jacket.

Other length & termination options are available. Call us to discuss your needs.

What the Conductors Do

Perfect-Surface Copper+ is a higher grade of AudioQuest's smooth-skin copper, which AudioQuest says cuts the distortion that grain boundaries cause. Solid conductors also prevent strand interaction, a major source of distortion.

Insulation and Noise Control

AudioQuest says its Foamed-Polyethylene insulation preserves dynamic contrasts.

Noise control is AudioQuest's Metal-Layer Noise-Dissipation, which absorbs and reflects most radio-frequency noise before it reaches the layer attached to ground.

All internal conductors are Direction-Controlled to reduce RF noise. The Asymmetrical Double-Balanced Geometry is built for single-ended use. AudioQuest says it gives the ground a relatively lower impedance for a richer, more dynamic sound.

The Cold-Welded Plug, Explained

Each plug is joined to the wire by a high-pressure cold weld instead of solder, which AudioQuest calls a common source of distortion. The ground shells are stamped instead of machined, so the metal can be chosen for low distortion.

Who Is This Interconnect Best For?

• Your source and your amplifier both use a 3.5mm jack — this is a plain 3.5mm-to-3.5mm cable that fits any such pair of jacks
• You are connecting a portable source to a desktop amplifier — a phone, player or compact DAC feeding an amplifier is the short, single-ended run this cable is built for
• You want no solder in the path — AudioQuest cold welds each plug to the wire, so the joint is metal on metal
• You already own AudioQuest Golden Gate — Big Sur is a step up from Golden Gate in AudioQuest's 3.5mm mini range
• Your gear uses RCA jacks instead of 3.5mm — check your amplifier's actual input type before ordering; this cable only fits a 3.5mm jack at both ends

How Does It Connect to Your System?

Plug one 3.5mm end into your source's headphone or line-out jack, and the other end into the matching 3.5mm input on your amplifier or receiver.

Then power up the system as usual.

Measure the Path, Then Add a Little Slack

Measure the route the cable will really take from your source to your amplifier or receiver, around furniture and behind the rack. Then add a little slack. As audio legend George Cardas puts it, "A cable that's just long enough usually turns out to be just not long enough."

When Is It Time to Upgrade?

An interconnect often stays in a system for years, so it is easy to overlook. Look again when something else changes: a new DAC, streamer or headphone amplifier, or a better amplifier.

Pairs Well With

A 3.5mm interconnect is one link between a source and an amplifier or receiver. It usually joins these categories.

• Music Streamers — many portable and desktop streamers use a 3.5mm output
• Headphone Amplifiers — a common source for a 3.5mm line-level feed
• Digital-to-Analog Converters — some compact DACs use a 3.5mm output instead of RCA
• Integrated Amplifiers — the usual destination for the far end of this cable

Frequently Asked Questions

Does direction matter when I connect this cable?

AudioQuest says all internal conductors are Direction-Controlled to reduce RF noise. Where the cable carries a direction marking, connect it running from source toward amplifier.

Is Big Sur balanced or unbalanced?

Unbalanced. This is a single-ended 3.5mm connection, like a typical headphone cable, not a balanced connection.

What warranty does AudioQuest give?

A limited lifetime warranty for the original owner, when you buy from an authorized US dealer like us.

Is there a step up?

AudioQuest Sydney is the next rung in the 3.5mm mini range. It moves up to Solid Perfect-Surface Copper+ (PSC+) conductors with Polyethylene Air-Tubes insulation and Carbon-Based noise dissipation.

Need a Different Length or Connector?

The most popular configurations are shown on this page. If your system requires a different length or termination, call our audio experts. We’ll help you choose the right configuration and arrange a custom cable for your system.

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Learn More

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