靚聲夢想無極限 Crystal Cable 超級旗艦音響線 Infinite Dream

文｜大草

2024年， 是荷蘭銀線專家「銀彩」Siltech的母公司International Audio Holding（IAH），同一屋簷下另一個銀線品牌「晶彩」Crystal Cable創立20周年的重要年份。

熟悉Siltech與Crystal Cable產品的發燒友都會知道，兩個品牌的線材在導線的結構和線身的設計截然不同，但線芯導體的原材料卻是相同的物料，例如Crystal Cable最早期的Standard與Reference系列是採用G5銀金合金，Dreamline與Diamond系列用上晶體臨界誤差更低的銀金合金，Absolute Dream、Ultimate Dream和Future Dream等都是單結晶純銀，只是不同型號的同軸導線屏蔽層用料和結構，與及同軸導線的數量多寡各有不同而已。通常Siltech每有新旗艦系列登場，隔了一段時間後便會輪到Crystal Cable有新系列面世，這是一個非常合情合理的現象。至於Crystal Cable藝術家系列採用的Infinite Crystal Silver（ICS），則等同Siltech皇家皇冠系列的S10單結晶純銀。

手口雙傳

為了紀念創立20周年這個重要時刻，Crystal Cable首次打破傳統，趕在Siltech於去年年底推出嶄新旗艦線材Master Crown系列之前，在年中搶閘推出比當時的旗艦型號「達文西」Da Vinci更高一個層次的超級電源線 —— 全球限量200條，售價高達22萬港元一條（1.5m）的Infinity。當這條Infinity正式面世之後，立刻在全球的Hi-End音響市場引起極大的迴響，也令到一眾Crystal Cable的擁躉，特別是「達文西」電源線的用家心如鹿撞 —— 究竟「達文西」線材那種訊號傳訊的高速流暢和超低失真境界，還可以提升至一個怎麼樣的更高層次？結果在Infinity首批用家手（斥資購買）口（超讚口碑）雙傳的情況底下，在慕尼黑音響展過後不久便已經售出超過一半的配額，再過多半年，全數200條Infinity宣佈沽清！由此可知Infinity電源線絕對是音效驚人，比起「達文西」明顯高出何止一個層次？那種聲音的清晰度、速度感、動態的對比、音質的密度、高低頻兩極的伸延，特別是那超級寧靜的噪音地台和音色上的那種貴氣，都叫人一聽難忘，插上器材之後便很難換得下來。我在試聽完之後也難逃一劫，把草廬系統上使用的6條「達文西」電源線全部換上Infinity電源線（試聽報告請參閱本刊2024年6月號）。

銷售爆紅

Crystal Cable這一款限量版的Infinity電源線既然叫好又叫座，能夠在短時間內賣個滿堂紅，再加上相同級數的Siltech新旗艦Master Crown系列線材在去年年底推出之後，同樣在高級音響市場上爆紅與及取得廠方意想不到的銷售佳績，一眾Crystal Cable的擁躉便已經在心中盤算，究竟和Infinity電源線同級的新旗艦系列會在什麼時候面世？在今年年中，IAH的主事人Edwin Rynveld在和我通訊的時候告訴我，Crystal Cable的新旗艦系列將會命名為Infinite Dream，設計工作亦正進行得如火如荼，並且預計將會在十月中正式推出云云。結果在十月初，一套全新的Infinite Dream音響線（包括3條電源線，2對平衡訊號線和1對喇叭線）便空運送到「音響技術」的試音室給我們試聽，同時作為本刊11月號的封面主角。

超同軸與超導體

當我收到全套Infinite Dream線材的時候，發覺不論是線材本身，兩端的接頭和金屬部件的外觀設計，製作工藝和接觸到的手感，完全是音響業界最頂尖的水準，它那種銀光閃閃，製作精雕細琢，柔軟易用而又份量十足的質感，散發出一種說不出的貴氣，與Siltech旗艦Master Crown系列那種線身較為粗壯，製作非常精緻和豪華亮麗的外觀，看起來雖然是有點南轅北轍的感覺，但如此正好迎合不同音效品味的音響玩家，仿如金庸筆下的倚天劍與屠龍刀，同樣是音響線材巔峰之作，而且是各有捧場客。

Infinite Dream系列目前設有電源線，訊號線（單端RCA與平衡XLR）和喇叭線三大類別，線芯導體為等同Siltech大師皇冠系列S10 + 單結晶純銀的ICS（Infinite Crystal Silver）單結晶純銀，同軸導線的設計分別為提供訊號線和電源線使用的超同軸（Supercoax），與及喇叭線專用的超導體（Superconductor）。超同軸導線的中央線芯導體為大口徑單支ICS單晶銀，覆蓋Kapton（聚酰亞胺薄膜）和PTFE（鐵氟龍）兩個絕緣層，跟著是覆蓋一層最新一代銀金合金多股線編織網，與及一層ICS單晶銀多股線編織網，跟著再一次覆蓋Kapton和鐵氟龍兩個絕緣層，再來是一層由鍍銀銅線編織而成的屏蔽網，最後一層是透明鐵氟龍外皮，由此可見這條超同軸導線的結構實在非常複雜。

電源線的結構

Infinite Dream電源線由9條超同軸導線組成，火線、中線和地線各佔3條，每3條導線扭繞成為一組，這3組又再扭繞編織而成為一條厚身得來又非常柔軟的重量級電源線。這種完美對稱的距陣扭繞編織方式是經過精密設計和多次實試之後才定案，除了可以保持線身的複雜幾何結構恒定不變之外，還可以收到防止誘發射頻失真和阻隔電磁波干擾之效。每一條超同軸導線的大口徑ICS單晶銀線芯，會加上銀金合金編織網和ICS單晶銀編織網而成為超低損耗有如超導體般的單一導體，阻抗近乎零歐姆！由鍍銀銅線編織而成的屏蔽網覆蓋整條電源線，但沒有接上兩端的插頭，所以是懸浮的屏蔽。線身除了裝上NFC防偽軟皮標籤之外，還套上一個兩邊都貼上印有廠方商標、產品型號和獨立序號金屬牌的流線型鋁合金圓筒，線身兩端的插頭都是在荷蘭特別訂製的發燒級產品，傳輸電流和地線的金屬片都是用鍍銠的實芯單晶銀製成，鋁合金外殼較為長身，為插頭的接頭部分提供更完整的屏蔽功效。三件鋁合金部件都是以陽極處理成金黃色，有防氧化和不脫色之效。

訊號線的結構

訊號線是由6條超同軸導線包圍著一條鐵氟龍軸芯組成，如果是XLR平衡訊號線的話，2腳和3腳是分別選用面對面排列的超同軸導線。和電源線一樣，超同軸導線的大口徑單支ICS單晶銀線芯，會加上銀金合金與ICS單晶銀兩層編織網而成為單一導體，分別接上2腳和3腳作為訊號的正極和負極。其餘4條導線都作同樣處理，所有導體都連接在一起，並且接上1腳的地極。由鍍銀銅線編織而成的屏蔽網同樣是作懸浮處理。接上2腳和3腳的超同軸導線會分別和一條接上地極的導線互相扭繞而分成兩組，剩下兩條地極導線也是互相扭繞成為一組，這三組又再扭繞編織而成為一條厚身柔軟的重量級平衡訊號線。如果是RCA單端訊號線的話，結構和平衡訊號線差不多，其中一條超同軸導線接上RCA端子中心的正極，其餘5條導線都接上端子的負極，導線扭繞的方式也是相同的2+2+2。XLR端子和RCA端子也是在荷蘭特別訂製的發燒級產品，所有傳輸訊號的金屬部件（包括地極）都是用ICS單晶銀製造，絕緣部件用PEEK（聚醚醚酮）半結晶熱塑性聚合物製成，鋁合金外殼與及接近兩邊端子的兩隻流線型鋁合金圓筒同樣是以陽極處理成金黃色，線身也裝有NFC防偽軟皮標籤。

喇叭線的結構

喇叭線的設計和電源線與訊號線是有所不同，它採用的同軸導線廠方命名為超導體（Superconductor），結構與超同軸（Supercoax）導線略有分別 —— 中央線芯導體同樣是大口徑單支ICS單晶銀，跟著覆蓋Kapton和PTFE兩個絕緣層，接著是覆蓋一層最新一代銀金合金多股線編織網，與及一層ICS單晶銀多股線編織網，跟著便是最後一層的透明鐵氟龍外皮。這條導線的中央單支ICS單晶銀線芯會加上銀金合金織網和ICS單晶銀織網而成為超導體般，阻抗接近零歐姆的單一導體。喇叭線一共採用8條同軸超導體導線，一正一負互相扭繞成為1組，跟著4組又再扭繞編織而成為一條厚身柔軟的重量級喇叭線。喇叭線叉是用銀金合金製造再鍍上一層厚身的真金，安裝線叉的鋁合金部件外殼和接近兩邊線叉的兩隻流線型鋁合金圓筒同樣是以陽極處理成金黃色，線身也裝有NFC防偽軟皮標籤。

深受感動

試聽Infinite Dream音響線的地點是本刊試音室，數碼訊源是CH Precision D1.5 + C10 + T1 + X1五件頭套裝，放大器組合是Dan D’Agostino Momentum C2前級 + Momentum M400 MxV單聲道後級、揚聲器是丹拿鉑金證據。3條電源線分別供電給前級和後級，2對平衡訊號線接上C10和前級，與及前級去後級，後級去揚聲器當然是接上喇叭線了。在草廬，全套音響線都是以Siltech的Master Crown為主，再加上幾條Infinity的電源線和Audio Note的Sootto電源線。雖然說Master Crown線材的柔順度明顯比起皇家三皇冠線材優勝，不過實際在器材背後的狹窄空間舞高弄低來接駁，也真的不是一件易事，現在我把全套非常柔軟的Infinite Dream線材接在器材身上那種輕鬆感覺，竟然令我感到有點幸福的心態。

當我把全套經過Audiodharma煲線機煲煉超過48小時的Infinite Dream線材接好開聲，剛好錢大姐跑進試音室裡，當時播放的曲目是「Heartbreak」內的〈Salut d’amour〉，一曲既終，大姐竟然拍掌讚嘆：「這個試音室設立了廿多年，我從未聽過有一首音樂可以像今次這般動聽，令我深受感動，Elissa Lee Koljonen拉奏那支1787年的Lorenzo Storioni of Cremona古董名琴音色通透亮麗，拉弓按弦、跳弓揉弦等等演奏功架全部清晰動感得有如在眼前演奏，所有細微動靜都無一遺漏。Robert Koenig的鋼琴伴奏鏗鏘悠揚，起落有致，琴音流暢動人，完美演繹綠葉的角色，最重要的是聲音底噪超級寧靜，並且充滿著一種難以言喻的貴氣，像真的感覺令我有如置身錄音場地的紐約Troy Savings Bank Music Hall！」

前所未聞

要認真考驗Infinite Dream的真正實力，當然是聽返我在這套試音室的參考組合聽得熟悉的樂曲。聽「2012原音精選」內的〈骷髏之舞〉，當代表敲響午夜12點鐘聲的豎琴弦聲響起，雖然聲音是轉瞬即逝，但那幾下豎琴琴弦獨特的質感卻真實得令人感到愕然！當死神出現奏起小提琴呼喚墳墓裡的骷髏醒過來為他跳舞，小提琴獨奏時弓弦摩擦的弱音，指法跳動的細節，琴弦的泛音與及琴腔的共鳴，拱托著光輝亮麗的琴音，清晰度和感染力高得驚人，到整個管弦樂團的弦樂、木管樂、銅管樂和敲擊樂各個樂組相繼加入，逐漸掀起舞會的高潮，象徵骨頭在舞動時互相碰擊的木琴敲得清脆利落，動感十足，碰鑔、定音鼓和大鼓奏出澎湃熱烈的氣氛，把一眾骷髏瘋狂亂舞的場景表達得栩栩如生，難得的是在整個既深且闊的音場內，各個樂組的位置和層次感都非常清晰，沒有絲毫紊亂，所有樂器的聲音仍然超級像真傳神，熾熱的音符填滿試音室的每一寸空間，音效之高實在是前所未聞！

再聽「2014原音精選」內的〈Kinderspiele〉，被發燒友稱為猶太妹的Esther Ofarim，以德文唱出我們非常熟悉的旋律（好大可能一句歌詞也聽不懂），她那把有如天籟之音的誘人唱腔簡直是中人欲醉，動聽到不得了。經過全套Infinite Dream音響線的加持，不論是伴奏結他的清脆玲瓏還是Esther從容自然的甜美歌聲，都令人有種「音響本應如此」的完美感覺。

結語

我知道為大多數發燒友來講，Crystal Cable這一套Infinite Dream新旗艦音樂線的售價完全是高不可攀，絕對是夢想無極限，不過它們對音樂訊號傳輸之高速流暢，失真之低，分析力之高和增添重播音樂貴氣的能力，實在已經突破一般發燒友的認知，最低限度會令我們知道，音響線的地位已經真正提升至一個難以想像的高超境界。

Infinite Dream

■電源線 零售價：HK$240,000（1.5m） HK$300,000（2m）

■XLR/RCA訊源線 零售價：HK$340,000（1m） HK$440,000（1.5m）

■喇叭線 零售價：HK$800,000（2.5m） HK$920,000（3m）

■中國（包括港、澳地區）總代理：醇音音響 ＋86 21 6317 2566

■香港及澳門總經銷：絃聲音響 陳列室及試音室 : 香港九龍旺角西洋菜街5號好望角大廈15樓1504室．852-2388 2893

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Never-ending Dream of Beautiful Sound

Crystal Cable

Super Flagship Audio Cable Infinite Dream

Text by | Lincoln Cheng

Translation | Thomas Leung

2024 was an important year, marking the 20th anniversary of the founding of Crystal Cable, another silver cable brand under International Audio Holding (IAH), the parent company of the Dutch silver cable expert “Siltech.”

Audiophiles familiar with Siltech and Crystal Cable products will know that the cable designs of the two brands are completely different in terms of conductor structure and cable body design, but the raw materials of the wire core conductors are the same. For example, Crystal Cable’s earliest Standard and Reference series used G5 silver-gold alloy, the Dreamline and Diamond series used silver-gold alloy with lower Crystal Boundary Error, and Absolute Dream, Ultimate Dream, and Future Dream used single-crystal pure silver. The difference lies in the materials and structure of the coaxial conductor shielding layer, as well as the number of coaxial conductors of different models. Usually, when Siltech launches a new flagship series, Crystal Cable will launch its new series sometime later. As for the Infinite Crystal Silver (ICS) used in the Crystal Cable Artist series, it is equivalent to the S10 single-crystal pure silver of Siltech’s Royal Crown series.

Practical Actions and Word of Mouth

To commemorate the important moment of its 20th anniversary, Crystal Cable launched its flagship model prior to Siltech for the first time. It broke with tradition and launched the Infinity, a super power cable that was one level higher than the flagship model “Da Vinci” at the time, in the middle of the year, before Siltech launched its new flagship cable series Master Crown by the end of last year. It was limited to 200 pieces worldwide and cost HK$220,000 (1.5m) each. When this Infinity was officially launched, it immediately caused a great response in the global Hi-End audio market, and also made the Crystal Cable fans, especially the users of “Da Vinci” power cables. They got butterflies in their hearts – how could the high-speed smoothness and ultra-low distortion of the “Da Vinci” power cables be raised to an even higher level? Based on practical actions (actual purchasing) and excellent word-of-mouth of the first users, over half of the allocated amount was sold shortly after the Munich High End Show. Within half a year, all 200 Infinity cables were sold out! It was evident that the Infinity power cable had an absolutely astonishing sound quality, far surpassing the “Da Vinci”. The clarity of the sound, the sense of speed, the contrast in dynamics, the density of the sound quality, and the extension of both high and low frequencies, especially the super-quiet noise floor and the richness in tone, were all unforgettable. Once plugged into the equipment, it’s hard to switch back. After listening to it, I couldn’t escape the temptation. As a result, I replaced all six “Da Vinci” power cables used in my system with Infinity power cables (see the June 2024 issue of this magazine for the listening report).

Successful Sales

Crystal Cable’s limited edition of Infinity power cable had received both critical acclaim and commercial success, selling out quickly. On the other hand, Siltech’s new flagship Master Crown series cables of the same class were launched at the end of last year, they also became very popular in the high-end audio market and achieved unexpected sales results. Crystal Cable fans were wondering when the new flagship series on the same level as the Infinity power cable would be launched. In the middle of this year, Edwin Rynveld, the head of IAH, told me that Crystal Cable’s new flagship series would be named Infinite Dream, and the design work was also in full swing, and it was expected to be officially launched in mid-October. In early October, a brand-new set of Infinite Dream audio cables (including 3 power cables, 2 pairs of balanced signal cables and 1 pair of speaker cables) were air-freighted to the “Audio Technique” audition room and it served as the cover feature of our magazine’s November issue.

Supercoax and Superconductor

After I’d received the complete set of Infinite Dream cables, I found that the appearance design, manufacturing process, and tactile feel of the cables themselves, the connectors on both ends, and the metal components were all at the top level of the audio industry. Its shimmering silver appearance, meticulous craftsmanship, soft and easy-to-use texture, and substantial weight exuded an indescribable air of nobility. This was in contrast with the Siltech flagship Master Crown series, which had a thicker cable body, extremely refined and luxurious appearance. They seemed to be somewhat diametrically opposed. However, this perfectly caters to audio enthusiasts with different sonic tastes, they are both the pinnacle of audio cables and each has its own fans.

The Infinite Dream series currently includes three main categories: power cables, signal cables (single-ended RCA and balanced XLR), and speaker cables. The wire core conductors are ICS (Infinite Crystal Silver) single crystal pure silver, equivalent to Siltech’s Master Crown Series S10 +. The coaxial cable designs are the Supercoax, which is used for signal cables and power cables, and the Superconductor, which is specifically designed for speaker cables. The central wire core conductor of the Supercoax cable is a large-diameter single-strand ICS single crystal silver, covered with two insulation layers of Kapton (polyimide film) and PTFE (Teflon). Then, it is covered with a layer of the latest generation silver-gold alloy multi-strand wire braided mesh, and a layer of ICS single crystal silver multi-strand wire braided mesh, followed by another two layers of Kapton and Teflon insulation layers. Next is a shielding mesh made of silver-plated copper wire, and finally, a transparent Teflon sleeve. The structure of this Supercoax cable is indeed very complex.

Structure of the power cord

The Infinite Dream power cord is composed of 9 Supercoax conductors, with 3 each for the live, neutral, and ground wire. Each group of 3 wires is twisted together, and these 3 groups are then twisted and braided to form a thick yet very flexible, heavy-duty power cord. This perfectly symmetrical matrix twisting and braiding method are finalized after precise design and multiple tests. Besides maintaining the constant complex geometric structure of the cable, it can also prevent the induction of radio frequency distortion and block electromagnetic interference. Each large-diameter ICS single crystal silver wire core of the super coaxial conductor is combined with a silver-gold alloy braided mesh and an ICS single crystal silver braided mesh to become a super low-loss, superconductor-like single conductor, with an impedance of nearly zero ohms! A shield woven from silver-plated copper wire covers the entire power cord, but it is not connected to the plugs at both ends, so it is a floating shield. In addition to being equipped with an NFC anti-counterfeiting soft leather label, the cable body is also fitted with a streamlined aluminum alloy cylinder with metal plates at both ends printed with the manufacturer’s trademark, product model, and individual serial number. The plugs at both ends of the cable are specially customized high-end products from the Netherlands. The metal contacts for transmitting current and the ground wire are made of rhodium-plated solid single crystal silver. The aluminum alloy casing is relatively long, providing more complete shielding for the connector part of the plug. The three aluminum alloy components are anodized to a golden yellow color, which has the effect of preventing oxidation and colour fading.

Structure of the signal cable

The signal cable is composed of a Teflon core surrounded by six Supercoax conductor. For XLR balanced signal cables, pins 2 and 3 each uses ultra-coaxial conductors arranged face-to-face. Like the power cord, the large-diameter single ICS single crystal silver wire core of the ultra-coaxial conductor is combined with silver-gold alloy and ICS single crystal silver braided mesh to form a single conductor, which is connected to pins 2 and 3 as the positive and negative poles of the signal, respectively. The remaining 4 wires are treated in the same way, and all conductors are connected together to pin 1, the ground. The shield net woven from silver-plated copper wire is also treated as a suspension. The ultra-coaxial conductors connected to pins 2 and 3 are twisted with a wire connected to the ground to form two groups, and the remaining two ground wires are also twisted together to form a group. These three groups are then twisted and braided to form a thick, soft, heavyweight balanced signal cable. For RCA single-ended signal cables, the structure is similar to that of balanced signal cables. One of the ultra-coaxial conductors is connected to the positive pole of the RCA terminal center, and the remaining 5 wires are connected to the negative pole of the terminal. The way the wires are twisted is also the same 2+2+2. The XLR terminals and RCA terminals are also specially customized audiophile-grade products in the Netherlands. All metal parts that transmit signals (including the ground) are made of ICS single crystal silver. The insulating parts are made of PEEK (polyether ether ketone) semi-crystalline thermoplastic polymer. The aluminum alloy shell and the streamlined aluminum alloy cylinders near the two terminals are also anodized to golden yellow, and the cable body is also equipped with an NFC anti-counterfeiting leather label.

Structure of the speaker cable

The design of the speaker cable differs from power cables and signal cables. It uses coaxial conductors, which the factory calls Superconductor. Its structure is slightly different from the Supercoax cable - the central core conductor is also a large-diameter single ICS single-crystal silver. It is covered with two insulation layers, Kapton and PTFE, followed by a layer of the latest generation of silver-gold alloy multi-strand wire mesh, and a layer of ICS single-crystal silver multi-strand wire mesh, followed by the final layer of transparent Teflon outer skin. The central single ICS single-crystal silver core wire of this cable will be added with silver-gold alloy woven mesh and ICS single-crystal silver woven mesh to become like a superconductor, a single conductor with impedance close to zero ohms. A total of 8 coaxial superconductor conductors is used in the speaker cable. One positive and one negative are twisted to form a group, and then 4 groups are twisted and braided to become a thick and soft heavy-duty speaker cable. The speaker cable fork is made of silver-gold alloy and then plated with a thick layer of real gold. The aluminum alloy component shell of the installed wire fork and the two streamlined aluminum alloy cylinders near the two wire forks are also anodized into golden yellow, and the wire body is also equipped with an NFC anti-counterfeiting leather label.

Deeply moved

We listened to the Infinite Dream audio cables in our audition room. The digital source was a CH Precision D1.5 + C10 + T1 + X1 five-piece set. The amplifier combination was the Dan D’Agostino Momentum C2 preamplifier + Momentum M400 MxV monoblock power amplifier, and the speakers were a pair of Dynaudio Platinum Evidence. Three power cables supplied power to the preamplifier and power amplifier, two pairs of balanced signal cables connected to the C10 and preamplifier, as well as from the preamplifier to the power amplifier. Of course, the speaker cables connected the power amplifier to the speakers. In the studio, the entire set of audio cables was mainly Siltech’s Master Crown, supplemented by a few Infinity power cables and Audio Note’s Sootto power cables. Although the softness of the Master Crown cables was clearly superior to the Royal Triple Crown cables, it was not easy to connect them in the narrow space behind the equipment. Now, I felt a sense of happiness when I connected the entire set of very soft Infinite Dream cables to the equipment.

When I had connected the entire set of Infinite Dream cables, which had been burned-in with the Audiodharma cable burn-in machine for more than 48 hours, and turned them on, Rebecca Chin, our general manager, happened to step into the audition room. The track being played at the time was “Salut d’amour” from 〈Heartbreak〉. After the song ended, Rebecca surprisingly clapped and praised, “This listening room has been established for more than twenty years, and I have never heard a piece of music that could be as moving as this one. Elissa Lee Koljonen’s playing of the 1787 Lorenzo Storioni of Cremona antique violin has a clear and bright sound, with all the playing skills of bowing, pressing strings, jumping bows, and vibrato being clear and dynamic as if being played in front of me, and every tiny movement is not missed. Robert Koenig’s piano accompaniment is crisp and melodious, rising and falling with rhythm, and the piano sound is smooth and moving, perfectly interpreting the supporting role. The most important thing is that the background noise is super quiet and full of an indescribable noble aura, and the real feeling makes me feel like I am in the New York Troy Savings Bank Music Hall recording venue!”

Never experienced before

To truly test the real power of Infinite Dream, of course, I had to listen to the familiar music I’d heard on this audition room’s reference setup. Listening to “Dance of the Skeletons” from 〈2012 The Perfect Sound〉, when the harp strings representing the striking of the midnight clock sound, although the sound was fleeting, the unique texture of those few harp strings was startling real! When the Grim Reaper appeared and played the violin to summon the skeletons in the grave to wake up and dance for him, the soft sounds of the bow rubbing against the strings during the violin solo, the details of the finger movements, the harmonics of the strings and the resonance of the body of the violin, supported the brilliant and bright sound of the instrument, the clarity and infectiousness were astonishingly high. When the strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion of the entire orchestra joined in succession, gradually setting off the climax of the dance, the xylophone, which symbolized the bones hitting each other during the dance, was crisp and neat, full of energy. The cymbals, timpani, and bass drum created a passionate atmosphere, vividly expressing the scene of the skeletons wildly dancing. What’s rare was that in the entire deep and wide soundstage, the positions and layers of each musical group were very clear, without the slightest disorder, and the sounds of all the instruments were still super realistic and expressive. The scorching notes filled every inch of space in the audition room, and the sound quality was unprecedented!

Listening again to “Kinderspiele” from 〈2014 The Perfect Sound〉, Esther Ofarim, known by audiophiles as the Jewish Girl, sang a melody we were very familiar with in German (it was very likely that we wouldn’t understand a single lyric), her captivating voice, like a heavenly sound, was simply intoxicating, and it’s incredibly moving. After being blessed by the full set of Infinite Dream audio cables, whether it’s the crisp and delicate accompaniment of the guitar or Esther’s calm and natural sweet singing, it gave people a perfect feeling that “audio should be like this”.

Conclusion

I knew that for most audiophiles, the price of this new flagship audio cable, Infinite Dream, from Crystal Cable, was completely unattainable, and it was absolutely a dream without limits. However, its high-speed and smooth transmission of musical signals, low distortion, high analytical power, and the ability to add a noble aura to the reproduced music had truly broken through the general audiophile’s understanding. At the very least, it would let us know that the status of audio cables had truly risen to an unimaginably high level.

Infinite Dream

■Power cord retail : HK$ 240,000 (1.5m) HK$ 300,000 (2m)

■XLR/RCA Signal cable retail : HK$ 340,000 (1m) HK$ 440,000 (1.5m)

■Speaker cable retail : HK$ 800,000 (2.5m) HK$ 920,000 (3m)

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Crystal Cable

Infinite Dream

發燒友的終極夢想

文︱Kelvin

Crystal Cable，天花板級的高級音響線材，最新推出的旗艦Infinite Dream系列，包括電源線、訊號線和喇叭線，相信只有極少數有能力的發燒友可以擁有，對於我等平民百姓，只是一場夢，不過俗語有云，做人最緊要有夢想！此等級數的線材，也需要一套極高級的音響系統才能夠展現它的能耐與魅力，本刊試音室應該是一個絕佳的環境，在一個陽光燦爛的週末下午，我踏入試音室……

室內柔和的燈光之下，是一對高䠷的 Dynaudio Evidence Platinum，機架中央的 D’Agostino Momentum C2 前級背後，好幾條亮麗的銀白色線材流向後方的 Momentum M400 單聲道後級，仔細觀察之下，前後級的電源線和相連的訊號線，連接CH解碼的訊號線，以及喇叭線通通都是Infinite Dream，這堆線材的價值已足夠購買一套相當不俗的高級音響了，真是一次難得的機會可以親身體會夢一般的線材在頂級音響系統的表現。訊源方面，有駐場的CH SACD機和測試中的Clearaudio Master Jubilee黑膠唱盤，試音室中收藏了豐富的CD和黑膠唱片，不難揀選一些自己熟悉和喜歡的音樂去試聽。

高貴動人的飄逸色彩

《Heartbreak - Romantic Encores for Violin》這張小提琴專輯一直受到發燒友的追捧，由美女小提琴家Elissa Lee Koljonen用一把1787年由意大利克雷莫納製琴大師史托里昂尼（Lorenzo Storioni of Cremona)所製，價值連城的名琴，拉奏十七首古典美樂，都是小提琴家喜歡用來當encore演奏的曲目，旋律動人，加上超靚錄音，發行CD和SACD之外，還有黑膠，今次用CH聽SACD，甫一開聲，柔韌的琴聲已經將我俘虜，逼真的擦弦加上細膩的感情演繹，聽到有點毛管戙，彷似不食人間煙火的仙音，雖然很想一首首聽到尾，時間關係只好選聽幾首，當然包括《沉思曲》（Méditation）和《流浪者之歌》（Zigeunerweisen），真的有種「心醉」的感覺，或者有好一段時間都不會用自己的音響重播這張專輯了。

活靈活現的現場感

在Momentum C2前級的右邊，擺放了一台Clearaudio頂級黑膠唱盤，令人眼前一亮，原來是Clearaudio周年紀念版Master Jubilee，既然已經調校好，沒理由不試聽我喜歡的黑膠唱片吧！環顧四周的黑膠唱片，發現一張我最近常聽的專輯《The Paul Sawtelle Big Band - Live at Pacific Audiofest》（2022年及2023年The Paul Sawtelle Big Band在西雅圖Pacific Audio Fest的現場表演錄音），錄音非常出色而且模擬味十足的45轉大碟，聽完令人「心醉」的小提琴，轉一轉氣氛，休閑的週末應該來點輕鬆愉快的音樂，唱針落下，第一首《In The Mood》已叫人腳䟴䟴，室內立時洋溢起熱鬧的氛圍，第三首《Big Spender》是有女歌手獻唱的，包括樂手總共17人的大樂隊（big band），右邊是Saxophone, Trombone和Trumpet, 左邊是由鋼琴、低音提琴和鼓所組成的「節奏組」，人聲和各種樂器的質感很高，定位又清晰，整隊big band歷歷在目，「鬆化」又自然的音色加上熟悉的節奏，聽得非常過癮。

除了以上分享的專輯，另外還聆聽了一些流行歌曲、爵士和古典音樂，沉浸在如仙音的樂韻之中，兩個小時轉眼已過，能夠用頂級器材配搭超級靚線去聆聽自己喜愛的音樂，的確是難得的機會，同時也令人產生無限的夢想（或幻想）……

感想：

一套音響有沒有終極或最好的表現呢？當你以為已經玩到盡，已經調校到最靚聲，但有時換上更好或更合適的線材時，你又會有另一番滋味，洞見另一更高境界；這也許就是Crystal Cable對夢想的追求吧！最新旗艦系列Infinite Dream，令我再次慨嘆線材對音響器材發揮的影響，音效上的提升是可以預期的，但那種高貴迷人的音色，或者只能在夢中重遇吧！

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Crystal Cable

Infinite Dream

An Audiophile’s Ultimate Dream

Text by | Kelvin Wong

Translation | Thomas Leung

I believe only a very small number of audiophiles can own the latest flagship Infinite Dream series from the ceiling-level high-end Crystal Cable, including power cables, signal cables and speaker cables. For us ordinary people, it’s just a dream. But as the saying goes, the most important thing is to have a dream! This grade of cable also requires a very high-end audio system to show its ability and charm; our audition room should be an excellent environment. On a sunny weekend afternoon, I stepped into the audition room...

Under the soft indoor lighting, there’s a pair of tall Dynaudio Evidence Platinum speakers. Behind the D’Agostino Momentum C2 preamplifier in the center rack, several bright silver-white cables lead towards the rear Momentum M400 monoblock power amplifiers. Upon closer inspection, the power cords, signal cables for the pre and power amps, the signal cables connecting to the CH DAC, and the speaker cables were all Infinite Dream. The value of these cables alone was enough to purchase a very good set of high-end audio equipment. This was a rare opportunity to personally experience the performance of dream-like cables in a top-of-the-line audio system. In terms of the source, there’s a CH SACD player and a Clearaudio Master Jubilee turntable under testing. The listening room housed a rich collection of CDs and vinyl records, making it easy to select some familiar and favorite music for listening tests.

Noble, moving, graceful colors

The violin album “Heartbreak - Romantic Encores for Violin” had always been sought after by audiophiles. It featured the beautiful violinist Elissa Lee Koljonen playing seventeen classical pieces on a priceless 1787 violin made by the Italian Cremona master luthier Lorenzo Storioni. These were all pieces the violinist enjoyed performing as encores, with moving melodies and superb recording quality. In addition to CDs and SACDs, there were also vinyl records. This time, I listened to the SACD using CH. Upon the first note, the supple violin sound had already captivated me. The realistic bowing, coupled with the delicate emotional interpretation, gave me goosebumps, like ethereal music untouched by the mortal world. Although I really wanted to listen to every piece from start to finish, I only had time to select a few. Of course, this included “Méditation” and “Zigeunerweisen,” and I truly felt a sense of being “heart-struck.” Perhaps I won’t play this album on my own sound system for a while.

A vivid sense of presence

On the right side of the Momentum C2 preamplifier, there was an eye-catching Clearaudio top-of-the-line vinyl turntable. It turned out to be the Clearaudio Anniversary Edition Master Jubilee. Since it had already been well tuned, there was no reason not to try listening to my favorite vinyl records! I found an album I’d been listening to recently, 〈The Paul Sawtelle Big Band - Live at Pacific Audiofest〉 (recordings of the Paul Sawtelle Big Band’s live performances at the Pacific Audio Fest in Seattle in 2022 and 2023). The recording was excellent and had a strong analog feel, a 45-rpm LP that made you “intoxicated” after listening to the violin. Changing the atmosphere, a relaxing weekend should come with some light and pleasant music. The needle dropped, and the first song “In The Mood” already got people’s feet tapping, and the room was immediately filled with a lively atmosphere. The third song, “Big Spender”, features a female singer. Including the musicians, there was a total of 17 people in the big band. On the right were the Saxophone, Trombone, and Trumpet, and on the left was the “rhythm section” composed of piano, double bass, and drums. The vocals and various instruments showed very real textures, and the imaging was clear. The entire big band was vividly shown in front of my eyes. The “relaxed” and natural timbre, coupled with the familiar rhythm, made it very enjoyable.

Besides the albums shared above, I also listened to some pop songs, jazz, and classical music, immersing myself in the melodious sounds. Two hours passed in the blink of an eye. Having the opportunity to listen to my favorite music with top-of-the-line equipment paired with super high-quality cables was indeed a rare chance and also gave rise to endless dreams (or fantasies).

Impressions:

Did a sound system have an ultimate or best performance? When you thought you’d reached the limit, or you’d tuned it to the best sound, but when you switched to better or more suitable cables, you’d experience a different taste, seeing another higher realm. Perhaps this was Crystal Cable’s pursuit of dreams ! The latest flagship series, Infinite Dream, convinced me once again how great was the influence of cables on audio equipment. The improvement in sound quality was predictable, but that kind of noble and charming sound, perhaps could only be encountered again in dreams!

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將透明化成情感的載體

Crystal Cable

Infinite Dream

文｜祖兒

但凡稱為「旗艦」的發燒線材，似乎外形都會帶點霸氣，不過在 Crystal Cable 最新旗艦 Infinite Dream 系列身上，「霸氣」二字並不適用，它更像是音響系統中的高級珠寶甚至藝術品，其線身散發著瑰麗、純淨的銀白光芒，這種簡單而典雅的外觀與許多旗艦線材的「肌肉感」造型形成強烈對比，流露著一種輕盈而內斂的華貴氣息，教人珍而重之。

我們將全套 Infinite Dream 系列，包括 XLR、喇叭線及電源線全應用到主系統之中，當中有 CH Precision 的一套五件 CD 系統、Dan D’Agostino Momentum C2 + Momentum M400 MxV 前、後級，以及一對 Dynaudio Evidence Platinum 喇叭。播放《Heartbreak - Romantic Encores for Violin》的〈Nocturne in C-Sharp minor, Op. Posth〉，此曲我在這系統上已聽過很多次，但 Infinite Dream 系列竟然還可交出一些我彷彿從未聽過的細節，例如 Elissa 拉奏小提琴時一些細微動作所產生的空氣震動，弓毛與琴弦的接觸、指尖在指板上的微小移動，都像被高倍顯微鏡放大般纖毫畢現。然而 Infinite Dream 系列卻並不因此顯得冷峻或分析過度，反之其聲底流動感十足，音場深闊開揚，有著出乎意料的能量及密度，將歌曲裡的哀傷情感毫無保留地展現，這種滿載情感的高分析力音色著實教人驚訝，將空氣轉化成情感的載體，令人與音樂之間變得毫無隔膜。

再播河雲泥的〈漂洋過海來看你〉，人聲的結像非常扎實，口型有著清晰聚焦，唇齒音的細節粒粒分明，呈現出極佳的顆粒分離度。Winnie 的氣息與口型變化立體鮮明，聲音中帶有略微低沉的磁性，讓歌曲的思念情緒更顯深邃內斂。不過，伴奏的鋼琴卻並未有被迷人的主唱聲線搶去光彩，擊弦聲清脆明亮，尾韻泛音悠揚且歷久不散，琴腔共鳴塑造出活靈活現的形體感。而 Infinite Dream 系列最震撼我的是其顛覆固有認知的「透明感」，這不是單純的高頻亮度增加，而是像將錄音現場的窗戶都全部打開，使陽光可以完全穿透進來一樣，音樂中的每點微弱細節都浮現於空氣中，也替聲音賦予了生命力和強烈的真實感。

最後播 Hans Zimmer〈The Dark Knight〉，Infinite Dream 系列最讓人驚艷的是在極致透明度之下仍沒有犧牲任何能量感，即使在大編制的音樂環境都輕鬆自若，應對宏大的動態起伏、大音壓之中聲音絲毫不顯紊亂或壓迫，瞬變仍然閃電般迅捷，將音樂的戲劇張力全然釋放，亦令音樂同時擁有激情與重量，控制力的確匪夷所思。

總結：

Crystal Cable Infinite Dream 系列線材無疑是當今音響線材領域的頂尖代表作，它成功地將品牌獨步天下的晶瑩剔透、零渲染聲音美學，與發燒友渴望的高密度、高分析力及充沛能量感完美結合，是一套富有極致透明度同時又不失音樂性及動態表現的旗艦作品。最令人著迷的，是 Infinite Dream 系列不僅能精確重現錄音中的點滴細節，更以一種充滿生命力及情感的方式來呈現音樂，將聆聽體驗帶入一個真正的「無限夢想」之境。

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Transforming transparency into a medium for emotions

Crystal Cable

Infinite Dream

Text by | Joey Ho

Translation | Thomas Leung

High-end cables that are called “flagship” seem to have a bit of a domineering look, but in the latest flagship Infinite Dream series of Crystal Cable, the word “domineering” is not applicable. It is more like high-end jewelry or even a work of art in the audio system. Its cable body exudes a beautiful, pure silver-white glow. This simple and elegant appearance forms a strong contrast with the “muscular” design of many flagship cables, revealing a light and restrained noble atmosphere, making people cherish it.

We applied the full set of the Infinite Dream series, including XLR cables, speaker cables, and power cables, to the main system, which included a five-piece CH Precision CD system, Dan D’Agostino Momentum C2 + Momentum M400 MxV pre and power amplifiers, and a pair of Dynaudio Evidence Platinum speakers. Playing “Nocturne in C-Sharp minor, Op. Posth” from 〈Heartbreak - Romantic Encores for Violin〉, a song I had listened to numerous times on this system, the Infinite Dream series was able to deliver some details that I had never heard before, such as the air vibrations produced by Elissa’s subtle movements while playing the violin, the contact between the bow hair and the strings, and the tiny movements of the fingertips on the fingerboard, all of which were magnified as if by a high-power microscope. However, the Infinite Dream series did not appear cold or overly analytical because of this; instead, its sound had a flowing feel, the soundstage was deep and open, and it had unexpected energy and density, which fully displayed the sorrowful emotions in the song. This high-resolution sound quality, full of emotion, was truly amazing, transforming the air into a carrier of emotions and making the distance between people and music disappear.

The reproduction of He Yun Ni’s “Crossing the Ocean to See You” was very solid, with a very clear focus on the vocals, and the details of the lip and teeth sounds were distinct and clear, presenting excellent grain separation. Yun Ni’s breath and lip shape changes were three-dimensional and vivid, and her voice had a slightly low and magnetic quality, making the song’s longing emotions even more profound and introverted. However, the accompanying piano had not been overshadowed by the charming vocal line, the sound of the strings was crisp and bright, and the lingering overtones were melodious and lasting, the resonance of the piano cavity created a vivid form. What impressed me most about the Infinite Dream series was its “transparency” that subverted the conventional perception, which was not simply an increase in high-frequency brightness, but liked opening all the windows of the recording scene, allowing the sunlight to fully penetrate, every subtle detail in the music emerges in the air, giving the sound vitality and a strong sense of realism.

Finally, playing Hans Zimmer’s “The Dark Knight,” the most amazing thing about the Infinite Dream series was that it did not sacrifice any sense of energy under extreme transparency, even in a large-scale musical environment it was relaxed and comfortable, coping with grand dynamic fluctuations and high sound pressure, the sound did not appear disordered or oppressive, the transient changes were still lightning-fast, fully releasing the dramatic tension of the music, and making the music have both passion and weight, the control was indeed incredible.

Conclusion

In summary, the Crystal Cable Infinite Dream series of cables is undoubtedly a top-tier representative in the current audio cable field. It successfully combines the brand’s unique crystal-clear, zero-rendering sound aesthetics with the high density, high analytical power, and abundant energy that audiophiles crave. It is a flagship product that is both extremely transparent and does not lose musicality and dynamic performances. What is most fascinating is that the Infinite Dream series can not only accurately reproduce every detail in the recording but also presents music in a way that is full of vitality and emotion, bringing the listening experience into a true “infinite dream” realm.

※ 本文輯錄自【音響技術】2025年11月號第530期 ※

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