AudioQuest Chicago Interconnect Cable - 0.5 Meter - RCA to RCA - Single

Chicago Is the Entry to AudioQuest's Rivers Series

AudioQuest's Chicago opens the Rivers series, the company's line of two-cable analog cables. Each channel gets its own lead, so left and right can reach jacks far apart. The wires are solid copper and the plugs are cold welded.

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

Solid Long-Grain Copper, Direction-Controlled

The wires are solid Long-Grain Copper. AudioQuest says it has fewer oxides and grain boundaries than ordinary copper. The wire is also direction-controlled. AudioQuest listens to each batch, sets its direction, and marks the jacket with arrows so noise drains the way it intends.

The Cold-Welded, Gold-Plated Plug, Explained

Chicago ends in AudioQuest's own gold-plated RCA plug. It is cold welded, not soldered. A press bonds the plug to the wire under high pressure. AudioQuest calls solder "a common source of distortion." The cold weld keeps the wire's character right up to the contact.

The insulation is Hard-Cell Foam. Nitrogen is injected to form air pockets, and the foam is stiff enough to hold the two wires in place. A metal layer around it soaks up radio noise before it reaches the grounded shield.

What Reviewers Are Saying

What Hi-Fi? reviewed Chicago on April 6, 2022 and gave it four stars: "Punchy, smooth and refined – an agreeable choice for any budget hi-fi system." Cello strings had "body and substance in what is a nicely focused and present soundstage."

The same review was honest about its limits. Against class leaders, Chicago was "a little cruder" in conveying rhythms and dynamics, though "controlled with it."

Who Is This Interconnect Best For?

• You want a full-bodied sound on a budget — What Hi-Fi? called Chicago punchy, smooth and refined, so lean gear gains weight
• Your left and right jacks sit far apart — Chicago is two separate cables, so mono amplifiers and wide racks are no problem
• Your sources sit near power supplies — the metal shield and direction-controlled wire drain noise, so the shelf stays out of the music
• You want no solder in the path — AudioQuest cold welds the plug to the wire, so the joint is metal on metal
• You want the last word in detail — What Hi-Fi? found rivals dig out more texture. If resolution is the goal, step up to AudioQuest Red River or call us

How Does It Connect to Your System?

Run Chicago from a line-level output, a DAC, streamer, CD player or phono stage, to a line-level input on your amplifier or preamp. Point the arrows on the jacket toward the amplifier. Push each plug straight on until it seats. Pull it off by the barrel, never by the cable.

Then listen.

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 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. Cardas recommends a matched pair.

RCA or XLR? Check Both Ends

If both components offer balanced XLR jacks, Cardas suggests using XLR. If one has only RCA jacks, use RCA, and skip the adapter. Cardas notes 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, Cardas suggests a long interconnect over a long speaker cable. In its words, "a really long interconnect will affect 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 the cold-welded, gold-plated plug?

AudioQuest's own gold-plated RCA plug. It is joined to the wire by pressure, not solder. AudioQuest names solder as a common source of distortion.

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.

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?

AudioQuest Big Sur is the next rung. It moves to Perfect-Surface Copper+ wires and gold plugs made of pure Purple Copper.

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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