AudioQuest Black Beauty Interconnect Cable - XLR to XLR

Black Beauty Is Where AudioQuest's Mythical Creatures Begin

AudioQuest's Black Beauty opens the Mythical Creatures range, the family that runs up to Dragon. It is a two-cable design with one lead per channel. ZERO-Tech, a carbon and graphene mesh, and Hanging-Silver plugs over Red Copper all arrive here.

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

Solid Perfect-Surface Copper+, Direction-Controlled

The wires are solid Perfect-Surface Copper+, AudioQuest's highest grade of copper. AudioQuest says the ultra-smooth surface cuts distortion from grain boundaries. Solid wire removes strand interaction. Each wire sits in Hard-Cell Foamed Polyethylene, which is mostly air.

The wire is also direction-controlled. AudioQuest says drawn wire has a grain with a direction. It listens to every batch, picks the direction, and marks the jacket with arrows. Point the arrows at the amplifier and noise drains where AudioQuest intends.

ZERO-Tech and Level 6 Noise-Dissipation

ZERO-Tech is AudioQuest's name for a cable with no characteristic impedance. AudioQuest says it removes the electric field between the two signal wires. So there is nothing to mismatch with the gear at either end. Radio noise drains evenly from octave to octave.

AudioQuest calls the shield Level 6 Noise-Dissipation. A mesh of carbon and graphene, direction-controlled wire and silver-plated drain wires work together. AudioQuest says this cuts the masking that radio noise lays over fine detail.

The Hanging-Silver Red Copper XLR Plug, Explained

Black Beauty ends in what AudioQuest calls its finest plug, in XLR form. It is Hanging-Silver over extreme-purity Red Copper. The parts hang in the plating bath instead of tumbling, for a more even coat. The barrels are copper plated and grounded, so they cannot couple radio noise into the wire. The plug latches into the jack.

What Reviewers Are Saying

Mark Blackmore reviewed Black Beauty for The Audio Beat on December 5, 2024. The cables "certainly live up to their name," he wrote, with "the most luxurious look and feel of all the wires sent in for review."

He reviewed the RCA version and placed Black Beauty one step above Yukon in AudioQuest's range. AudioQuest lists the same wire, shield and Hanging-Silver plugs for the XLR version.

Who Is This Interconnect Best For?

• You want AudioQuest's upper-range design — ZERO-Tech and the carbon mesh come from the same family as Dragon, so the ideas are shared
• Your home is full of WiFi — AudioQuest built the Level 6 shield for a world of cellular and WiFi, so radio noise drains before it masks detail
• Your left and right jacks sit far apart — Black Beauty is two separate cables, so mono amplifiers and wide racks are no problem
• You want AudioQuest's finest plug — Hanging-Silver over Red Copper with copper-plated barrels, in an XLR that latches into the jack, so the last inch matches the rest
• Your components have only RCA jacks — the Black Beauty XLR will not fit an RCA jack. Choose the AudioQuest Black Beauty RCA instead, or call us and we will match the connector

How Does It Connect to Your System?

Run Black Beauty from a balanced XLR output on your DAC, streamer, CD player or phono stage to a balanced XLR input on your preamp or amplifier. Point the arrows on the jacket toward the amplifier. Line up the pins and push until the latch clicks.

Then listen.

One caution: AudioQuest says its ZERO-Tech interconnects, Black Beauty included, are not suitable for use from a turntable. Use Black Beauty between line-level components.

Measure the Path, Then Add a Little Slack

Measure the route the cable will really take between your components, around shelves 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." Keep the left and right cables the same length. We recommend a matched pair.

XLR on Both Ends, or Not at All

Balanced XLR works when both components have XLR jacks, and we recommend using XLRs whenever they do. If one component has only RCA jacks, use an RCA cable instead of an adapter. You only get the possible benefits of a balanced output with a pure XLR-to-XLR connection.

A Long Run Between Components?

If your amplifier and speakers sit far from your source, we recommend a long interconnect over a long speaker cable. A really long interconnect affects system performance less than a really long speaker cable.

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 phono stage, a better amplifier, or a move to components with balanced XLR jacks.

Pairs Well With

An interconnect is one link in the chain. It usually joins these categories.

• Integrated Amplifiers — the usual input end
• Digital-to-Analog Converters — DAC output to amplifier
• Phono Preamplifiers — phono stage to line input
• Speaker Cables — the last link to the speakers

Frequently Asked Questions

What is ZERO-Tech?

AudioQuest's design for a cable with no characteristic impedance. AudioQuest says it removes the electric field between the signal wires. Nothing then mismatches the source or the load, and noise drains evenly across the band.

What XLR plug does Black Beauty use?

AudioQuest's Hanging-Silver XLR over a body of extreme-purity Red Copper, with copper-plated barrels. The parts hang in the plating bath rather than tumble, and AudioQuest says the result is a more even silver layer.

Does Black Beauty XLR include a DBS pack?

AudioQuest fits the Dual-72v pack to the XLR versions of Pegasus, ThunderBird, FireBird and Dragon. Black Beauty is not on that list. It relies on ZERO-Tech and the Level 6 shield.

Which way do the arrows point?

Toward the component that receives the signal, normally the amplifier or preamp. AudioQuest sets the direction of the wire and says the arrows let noise drain the right way.

Can I use Black Beauty from a turntable?

No. AudioQuest states that its ZERO-Tech interconnects, Black Beauty and Pegasus, are not suitable for use from a turntable. Use it between line-level components such as a DAC, streamer, CD player or phono stage output.

What warranty does AudioQuest give?

A limited lifetime warranty to the original owner, for cables bought from an authorized US dealer. AudioQuest will repair or replace a defective cable that has not been abused. Keep your proof of purchase.

Is there a step up?

Not in the AudioQuest XLR range we carry. Black Beauty is the top of that ladder. If you want to go further, call us and we will talk through the whole system.

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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