AudioQuest Golden Gate Interconnect Cable - 5.0 Meter - RCA to RCA

Golden Gate Brings Perfect-Surface Copper to the Bridges & Falls Series

AudioQuest's Golden Gate is the first Bridges & Falls cable to use Perfect-Surface Copper. Like the rest of the series it is one cable with a single conductor body that splits at each end into the left and right RCA plugs, carrying both channels; it is not sold as a single-RCA cable. It ends in AudioQuest's cold-welded gold plugs. Stereophile lists it among its Recommended Components.

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

Solid Perfect-Surface Copper in Foamed Insulation

The wires are solid Perfect-Surface Copper, which AudioQuest calls PSC. The wire is drawn with a very smooth skin. AudioQuest says this cuts the distortion that grain boundaries cause. Each wire sits in foamed plastic that is mostly air, so little of the signal is stored and let go late.

The Cold-Welded, Gold-Plated Plug, Explained

Golden Gate 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.

Golden Gate uses Direction-Controlled Conductors, with each conductor set to run in one direction. The layout gives the ground path a lower impedance than the signal path, which AudioQuest says makes the sound richer.

What Reviewers Are Saying

Golden Gate is listed in Stereophile’s Recommended Components. Moving up the line, the listing says, Stephen Mejias heard improvements in image focus, tone color, drama, and overall clarity and extension.

Yagiz, reviewing the RCA version for Headfonia on June 5, 2022, wrote that "compared to Tower, the Golden Gate sounds more refined," with dynamics and layering improved.

Who Is This Interconnect Best For?

• You want the budget sweet spot — Headfonia called Golden Gate the point where price and performance meet
• You listen for refinement — reviewers heard a more refined, layered sound than Tower, so instruments separate
• Space behind the rack is tight — one slim cable carries both channels, so it bends where a pair will not
• You want no solder in the path — AudioQuest cold welds the plug to the wire, so the joint is metal on metal
• Your left and right jacks sit far apart — both channels share one conductor body that splits at each end. For mono amps or a very wide rack, call us and we will help you choose the right cable

How Does It Connect to Your System?

Run Golden Gate from a line-level output, a DAC, streamer, CD player or phono stage, to a line-level input on your amplifier or preamp. Keep left to left and right to right. 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 audio legend George Cardas puts it, "A cable that's just long enough usually turns out to be just not long enough."

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, or a better amplifier.

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

Is this one cable or two?

One cable. It has a single conductor body that splits at each end into the left and right RCA plugs, carrying both channels. It is not sold as a single-RCA cable.

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.

What does Perfect-Surface Copper mean?

AudioQuest's name for solid copper drawn with a very smooth skin. AudioQuest says the smooth skin cuts the distortion that grain boundaries in the metal cause.

What warranty does AudioQuest give?

Limited lifetime warranty with proof of purchase from an authorized 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 up to Perfect-Surface Copper+ (PSC+) conductors and gold-plated Pure Purple Copper plugs.

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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