AudioQuest Rocket 22 Speaker Cable - 8 Foot - Bi-Wire - Spades to BFA Bananas - Pair

AudioQuest Rocket 22 Blends Two Coppers in a 12 AWG Cable

AudioQuest builds Rocket 22 from a carefully finessed blend of Perfect-Surface Copper and Long-Grain Copper, 12 AWG in all. It is part of AudioQuest's award-winning Rocket Series, and What Hi-Fi? gave it five stars.

The black jacket with blue stripes is rated CL3/FT4 for in-wall use. AudioQuest terminates Rocket 22 with SureGrip 300 banana or multi-spade connectors, in gold or silver plating, as a full-range or bi-wire speaker cable.

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

The Hidden Problem With Ordinary Stranded Wire

In an ordinary stranded cable, each strand shifts position inside the bundle, and AudioQuest says that strand interaction adds distortion. Rocket 22 packs its copper in a semi-solid concentric pattern with reversing spiral forms. The strands keep their fixed places, and contact between them stays steady.

Why AudioQuest Blends Two Kinds of Copper

AudioQuest says the smooth, pure surface of its Perfect-Surface Copper further cuts harshness and adds clarity. Long-Grain Copper, it adds, has fewer oxides, fewer impurities and fewer grain boundaries than ordinary copper.

The two conductors in each half of the cable are twisted around each other. AudioQuest calls this a Double Spiral-Pair layout. PVC insulation minimizes energy absorption for clearer sound, and every conductor is controlled for RF-noise directionality. The cutaway photo in this listing's images shows how Rocket 22 is built inside.

What Reviewers Are Saying

What Hi-Fi? gave Rocket 22 five stars on April 4, 2019, calling it "a flexible, well-balanced cable that should work well in a wide range of systems".

Hi-Fi Choice named Rocket 22 Recommended on December 4, 2018, writing that it "shows off the surprisingly elegant performance of these excellent value cables".

Who Is This Speaker Cable Best For?

• You want Perfect-Surface Copper in an everyday cable — Rocket 22 blends it with Long-Grain Copper, which AudioQuest says adds clarity
• Your cable has to run inside a wall — the CL3/FT4-rated jacket is approved for in-wall runs
• Your speakers have two pairs of binding posts — bi-wire versions let one run from the amplifier feed both pairs of posts
• Your amplifier has isolated, EU-style binding posts — AudioQuest says its banana is the better choice there, since spades can be hard to tighten
• Your speakers have one pair of binding posts — order a standard listing, not a bi-wire one. Bi-wire versions need two pairs of posts on each speaker, so the standard cable is your fit

How Does It Connect to Your System?

Connect the end marked for the amplifier to your amplifier's speaker outputs, and the other end to your speaker's binding posts, red to red and black to black. Do the same for the second speaker.

The Measuring Mistake That Leaves You Inches Short

Speaker cable is cut for one room. Measure the path the cable will really take, around furniture and along the baseboard. 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 runs the same length, as Cardas recommends, even when one speaker sits closer.

Which Connector Holds Up Best Over the Years?

Spades clamp under a binding post and hold tight. Bananas push straight in, so they connect fastest. Bare wire fits almost anything, but we suggest avoiding it. Bare copper oxidizes quickly, and Cardas notes that copper oxide is not a good conductor. If you use bare wire, re-strip the ends when the copper darkens.

Two Pairs of Binding Posts? Here's What That Means

A bi-wire cable has four connectors at the speaker end instead of two. It is made for speakers with two pairs of binding posts. Your speaker's manual shows which links to remove.

AudioQuest adds one tip. If a banana cannot seat all the way into a binding post, use a spade instead.

Tighten the connections, power up, and play something you know well.

When Is It Time to Upgrade?

Speaker cable often stays put for years, so it tends to be the last thing upgraded. Look again when something else changes. Moving from bookshelf speakers to floorstanders is the big one. In our experience, about nine in ten people who make that move keep their old speaker cable. A stronger amplifier, a longer run, or darkened ends are the other signs.

Pairs Well With

A speaker cable joins your amplifier to your speakers. These are the categories on either end of it.

• Floorstanding Speakers — the best time to rethink your speaker cable
• Bookshelf Speakers — the speaker end in a smaller room
• Integrated Amplifiers — the amplifier end in most stereo systems
• Stereo Amplifiers — the amplifier end when you run separates

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Rocket 22 come with connectors attached?

Yes. Every Rocket 22 listing we carry comes ready to connect. Its title names what is on each end.

What gauge is Rocket 22?

It is 12 AWG, a blend of Perfect-Surface Copper and Long-Grain Copper.

Can Rocket 22 go inside a wall?

Yes. AudioQuest rates its jacket CL3/FT4 for in-wall use. Check your local code for what your installation needs.

Which end goes to the amplifier?

The end marked for the amplifier. AudioQuest controls every conductor for direction and labels the ends, so follow the markings when you connect it.

What warranty does AudioQuest give?

AudioQuest backs cable it terminates with a limited lifetime warranty for the original owner, when you buy from an authorized US dealer like us.

Is there a step up?

AudioQuest Rocket 33 is the next step, with solid conductors in a Double Star-Quad geometry 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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