Esprit Eterna XLR 訊號線 / Eterna 喇叭線以創新概念優化永恒設計

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法國Esprit Audio建廠已經超過25年，不過對香港發燒友而言可能依然陌生，要了解總部位處法國Confolens的Esprit Audio的發展歷程，需要把時軸逆轉回到1997年的某時某刻。

由熱愛到生產製造

當年熱愛享受音樂的創辦人Richard Cesari所以從導線製作開始發展Esprit業務，原因他為自己音響系統炮製的不同類型導線製作，吸引到發燒友高度注目，並由朋友圈逐步擴大至整個社區，誘發他在1997年決定投身音響業界，成立專門針對高級音響巿場為主的導線製作公司，把自己獨有製線方法和處理方針公諸同好，製造可以在巿場上銷售的商品。Esprit Audio的建廠宗旨在於確保音樂訊息能夠以最高傳真度發放原始錄音效果，並以呈現最流暢自然音色表現為目標！

超過十個不同級別的選擇

Esprit Audio在這廿多年來不斷發展和擴充後，現在已經相繼推出超過十個系列的產品選擇。今次測試的XLR平衡訊號線和喇叭線來自Eterna系列，表面所見，Eterna導線製作結構完整，插頭處理非常堅固和扎實，最特別的地方是Eterna還在線身上附加一個碳纖維外殼並內藏兩顆12V細型電芯的特別裝置，而且我在接駁Audia Flight Signature前後級配Dynaudio Evidence Platinum揚聲器時，發覺兩組導線的線身其實都標示了箭頭箭尾，代表Eterna是款具方向性的導線設計，因此大家在接駁音響器材時，有需要特別留意方向所示，務把Esprit Eterna所具潛能完全釋放出來！

針對不同環節進行特別研發

為了讓大家可以對今次所試的Esprit Eterna G9有更深認識，以下針對包括導線結構、導體、絕緣、屏蔽、插頭和偏壓處理六個不同環節進行探討，務使大家可以更清楚屬於Esprit在1999年推出的首個導線系列的Eterna，如今在進入第九代改良後的設計特色：

1. 對稱結構：

無論從售價最實惠的Alpha到最昂貴的L’Esprit，Esprit線材基本上均採用導體對稱，絕緣體非對稱的獨特形式處理。簡單而言，導線的正相位線（+）與負相位線（-）一致採用相同導體的對稱設計，因為經Esprit持續研究後，發覺對稱結構相對於同軸線材而言，能夠呈現出更具動態、更細膩且特別寧靜的表現，同時有助於音色平衡與音質表現。

2. 非對稱絕緣：

與此同時，Esprit認為不同絕緣材料具有各自的聲學特性，例如較硬的介電材料（例如高溫聚氯乙烯），通常會呈現稍強的低頻、略微衰減的高頻與及相當強勁的衝擊感，相反，較軟的介電材料（如矽膠）則會呈現更清爽富活力的低頻，同時擁有更細膩的中頻與高頻表現，因此Esprit巧妙地為完全對稱的導體結構，運用兩種不同類型的絕緣材料製作，其中一組導線會以硬質介電材料絕緣，另一組則採用軟質介電材料處理，如此設計能夠融合兩種介電特性，使所製成的導線呈現出更均衡的聲音表現。而且，相同絕緣體會較容易產生相同電荷在導線內部積聚的問題，一旦電荷積聚，往往會導致聲音更為激進，相反，非對稱結構則有助平衡電荷在導線內部積聚現象，從而維持電子設備與揚聲器的音色平衡，這是Esprit導線採用兩種不同絕緣材料製造的另一個原因。

3. 6N純銅導體：

Esprit導線基本上都會使用5N或6N的OCC純銅，其中Eterna所用的是與同廠高級導線相同的6N(99.9999%)純銅，而在導體編排方面，Esprit認為多股線結構始終最佳，因此，Esprit導線全面使用多芯線結構，RCA訊號線與喇叭線都是採用0.08毫米線徑的線芯，當中喇叭線內藏達1440條線芯之多，而XLR訊號線則由0.24毫米線芯結合而成。

4. 漸進式屏蔽：

Esprit導線使用漸進式屏蔽技術處理。屏蔽設計發燒友聽得多，但究竟甚麼是漸進式屏蔽技術呢？以今次所試的Eterna G9為例，也就是導線在前三分之一段不設任何屏蔽，中段則設有單層屏蔽，末段更加倍採用雙層屏蔽。據稱這種設計兩者兼得，能夠完美融合屏蔽線與非屏蔽線兩者優點，同時又可以完美阻隔外部干擾，這點與任何屏蔽措施所得效果截然不同。不過由於導線存在三分之一段不設任何屏蔽層，線材接地處於空置狀態，考慮到這個問題，Esprit導線在進入第九代(G9)時，終於在這方面作出改變，優化成採用銅線連接屏蔽層與輸出端子地端之間的革新設計，這樣便能夠把雜訊進一步杜絕，使Eterna G9聲效比前代產品更加純淨自然。

5. 純銀包覆純銅插頭：

在導線插頭設計方面，據悉Esprit曾逐一測試所有常見供應商的製品，甚至接觸幾家非一般人所知的廠商，最終成功打造出特別訂製的厚實純銀包覆純銅自家插頭。採用這種方式的原因是考慮到純銀導電性較純銅更為出色，屬於所有金屬中最佳導體，因此，Esprit特為銅插電鍍5-40微米的鍍銀層，因為唯有如此，才能打造出最接近實心銀的連接器，而這種非一般解決方案，有助呈現純淨自然的音質，且不會引發高頻上升或能量損失。喇叭線所用的香蕉插和叉插本體同樣採用純銅，並同樣交由專業電鍍廠在表面進行多重處理，鍍上厚達5-40微米的多層銅銀複合層，幫助提升訊號傳導效能。

6. 偏壓極化處理：

Esprit於1999年便在他們的導線設計上採用極化技術處理，這種技術的核心原理，在於透過兩顆12V電池，把電壓主動施加到獨立於音頻訊號之外的電壓，對介電材料進行電荷填充，透過DC直流供電方式，為導線的介質進行極化處理，只因為極化處理透過主動電池供電方式，幫助降低音樂訊號在傳送過程中的噪音與電磁/射頻干擾（EMI/RFI），同時減少震動現象出現。不受訊噪干擾的更寧靜運作，意味著音響系統能夠藉此呈現出更豐富的微動態細節，同時亦使動態表現更均稱地分布於整個頻寬範圍。勇於嘗試的Esprit同樣為他們的Eterna導線應用了這種獨特技術，幫助抵禦各類干擾，他們的特殊設計還能夠在訊號傳送過程中產生強而穩定的靜電場，使絕緣體分子飽和並極化，避免電荷在導線內部積聚等問題，從而讓音樂訊號能夠在更純淨背景中呈現出更清晰細緻的聲音。

渾然天成的表現力

由於聲效表現更加精準有力，聆聽不同類型音樂，作品中的感情發放得以有效彰顯，就好像是重播《The Best of Groove Note》中由Eden Atwood演唱的一曲〈Blame It On My Youth〉，Eterna能夠把歌者獨特歌藝充份表達和發揮，感情抒發渾然天成，且無論是作品中的細節刻劃還是由低頻弦音營造出來的獨特氣氛，都因為使用Esprit Eterna導線而得到完滿舒展，這既是偏壓極化技術產生作用，更與Esprit針對性地向六個不同環節上施展獨特處理技術關係密切。主要由人聲配上低音提琴和小號的〈Blame It On My Youth〉在絕佳聲音分隔度的聲音再現下，樂器和人聲立體感玲瓏浮凸，且每種聲頻都以極高還原度呈現。就拿Eden Atwood首半分鐘的清唱為例，當中恰到好處的回響聲表達，便恰如其份地把現場空間感有效刻劃，歌者嗓音在口腔齒舌間和胸腔持續流轉的各種細節變化，亦絕不遺漏地完完全全透析出來，隨後低音提琴加入，反映Eterna感性爆燈之餘，其聲音柔韌性亦十足，所帶不亢不卑的彈跳力，令作品更能觸動人心。當歌者稍作停頓並改由小號取代位置，悠揚的銅管聲與低音提琴同樣緊密交織得水乳交融，最後Eden Atwood再以扣人心弦的醉人歌聲把作品沁人心脾情調推上另一個層次，緩急有序的瀟灑流暢完滿表現讓人讚嘆不已！

蘊藏激盪人心的充沛能量

與此同時，我發覺使用Esprit Eterna導線後所現聲音變得份外圓潤甜美，其總體設計似乎有助高頻圓滑自然地緩緩往上伸展，分析力充裕卻又不會過分強調，潤澤得體的亮麗聲效，令到作品氣質清新地倍覺格調迷人。就拿《Heartbreak》的小品曲目為例，碟中所現小提琴聲倍覺輕鬆純淨，和諧自然的弦音表現與鏗鏘有力的鋼琴聲互相輝映，親暱妥貼的旋律融合美妙絕倫，令到作品動感變化和感性情懷相映成趣，且由此構築出來的音場條理分明，底噪極低的表達讓聲音流露出絲絲貴氣，質感和美感渾然天成。也由於底噪被降至低不可測程度，完全靜止的寂寥背景，讓風雨欲來效果特別强烈，Jacqueline du Pré演奏的一首艾爾加大提琴協奏曲特別能夠帶動這種風采和特質，大提琴質感和動態變化美不勝收，張力無窮的澎湃情緒表達翻天覆地。而且，在滿載訊息量的音樂重播下，管弦樂團的規模感得到忠實反映，紛然雜陳的各類樂器磊落分明，而絕不過份飽滿的雄渾聲音，則讓營造出來的整體聲效更覺波瀾壯闊，沒息止的場面感鋪天蓋地而來，可見大型音響系統在Esprit Eterna導線正確訊息傳遞下，滿載無邊無際的表現力，充沛能量，讓激盪人心的高潮浪接浪地覆蓋整個聆聽空間！

總結：

從Esprit導線結構和製作特色可見，這間法國公司針對性地從多方面向導線作出確保訊號精準傳遞的種種有效措施，部分別豎一幟的技術應用，更配合人耳實際聆聽才決定實施，並且還在線身上加入磁環的抑噪結構，加上Esprit再為Eterna導線添加極化處理設施，讓Eterna導線可以透過偏壓形式，進一步抵禦電磁和射頻干擾，深思熟慮的多重處理，為旗下導線帶動出更趨高度傳真的音響效果。

Esprit Eterna XLR訊號線規格：

■結構處理：對稱結構■絕緣處理：非對稱電介質■偏壓極化處理：有■屏蔽：漸進式屏蔽■售價：2,700歐元(1.8m)

Esprit Eterna喇叭線規格：

■結構處理：對稱結構■絕緣處理：非對稱電介質■偏壓極化處理：有■屏蔽：漸進式屏蔽■售價：2,550歐元(3m)

■香港、澳門地區代理：Audio Exotics御品音響．查詢電話：9181 8291．www.esprit-audio.fr

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Esprit Eterna XLR Interconnect / Eterna Speaker Cable

Innovative Concepts Optimizing a Timeless Design

By Chung Kai-Yuen / George — Audiotechnique Senior Editor

Esprit Audio, based in Confolens, France, has been in operation for over 25 years. Yet for many Hong Kong audiophiles, the brand remains relatively unfamiliar. To understand Esprit’s development, we must rewind to a certain moment in 1997.

From Passion to Production

Founder Richard Cesari, an avid music lover, began by crafting various cables for his own audio system. His handmade creations drew increasing attention from fellow enthusiasts, expanding from his circle of friends to a broader community. This prompted Cesari to establish Esprit Audio in 1997 — a company dedicated to producing high-end audio cables based on his proprietary design philosophy. Esprit’s founding principle has always been to ensure that musical information is reproduced with the utmost fidelity, delivering natural tonal fluidity and sonic realism.

Over Ten Product Tiers

Through more than two decades of continuous development, Esprit Audio now offers over ten distinct series. The XLR interconnects and speaker cables under review belong to the Eterna line. Outwardly, the cables show impeccable build quality, with extremely solid connectors and a robust construction. A unique feature of the Eterna design is a carbon-fiber housing integrated into the cable body, containing two 12V mini batteries. When connected between the Audia Flight Signature pre/power amplifiers and Dynaudio Evidence Platinum speakers, directional arrows on the cable jackets indicated that Eterna cables are designed with a specific signal flow orientation — something users must pay attention to for optimal performance.

Specialized Research Across Six Key Aspects

To understand the Eterna G9 design — the ninth generation of Esprit’s very first cable series introduced in 1999 — we can examine six crucial aspects: structure, conductor, insulation, shielding, connectors, and bias polarization.

1. Symmetrical Structure

From the entry-level Alpha to the flagship L’Esprit, all Esprit cables employ a symmetrical conductor / asymmetrical insulation approach. Both positive (+) and negative (–) signal paths use identical conductors in a balanced configuration. Esprit’s research found that symmetrical structures outperform coaxial types, providing more dynamic, refined, and quieter playback with improved tonal balance and overall sound quality.

2. Asymmetrical Insulation

Esprit believes dielectric materials possess distinct sonic characteristics. Harder materials (e.g., high-temperature PVC) often yield stronger bass and punch but slightly attenuated highs, while softer dielectrics (e.g., silicone) deliver livelier bass and finer mid/high detail. Thus, Eterna cables combine both — one conductor uses a hard dielectric, the other a soft one — balancing both traits for a more even tonal response.

Additionally, identical insulators tend to accumulate static charge uniformly within the cable, which can make the sound aggressive. Esprit’s asymmetrical approach helps neutralize charge buildup, maintaining tonal integrity between components and speakers.

3. 6N OCC Copper Conductors

Esprit employs high-purity OCC copper of 5N or 6N grade. The Eterna series uses 6N (99.9999%) copper identical to that found in Esprit’s top models. All conductors are multi-stranded — a structure Esprit considers optimal. The RCA and speaker cables use 0.08 mm strands (the speaker cable contains 1,440 strands per conductor), while the XLR interconnect uses 0.24 mm strands.

4. Progressive Shielding

The progressive shielding technique used in Eterna G9 is particularly noteworthy. The first third of the cable is unshielded, the middle section has a single shield layer, and the final third employs dual shielding. This hybrid structure aims to capture the benefits of both shielded and unshielded cables while effectively blocking external interference.

In the ninth-generation G9, Esprit further improved grounding by linking the shielding directly to the output terminal’s ground via a copper wire, thereby reducing residual noise and producing a purer, more natural sound.

5. Silver-Plated Copper Connectors

After testing countless connectors from both well-known and obscure manufacturers, Esprit developed proprietary connectors made of thick silver-plated pure copper. Since silver is the most conductive of all metals, a 5–40 μm silver layer is electroplated onto copper to achieve near-solid-silver performance — providing a pure, natural sonic character without excessive brightness or energy loss.

The speaker cable’s banana and spade connectors are also pure copper with multi-layer silver–copper plating for superior conductivity.

6. DC Bias Polarization

As early as 1999, Esprit implemented polarization technology in its cables. By applying a small DC voltage (via two 12V batteries) across the dielectric — separate from the audio signal — the dielectric becomes continuously polarized. This lowers EMI/RFI interference and mechanical vibration, producing a quieter noise floor and enhancing microdynamics.

The resulting stable electrostatic field saturates and polarizes the dielectric molecules, preventing charge accumulation and allowing the musical signal to pass through an exceptionally clean, low-noise medium.

Natural Expressiveness

The Eterna cables exhibit superb tonal accuracy and emotional articulation. Playing “Blame It On My Youth” by Eden Atwood from The Best of Groove Note, the singer’s vocal nuances are rendered with organic ease and heartfelt expressiveness. The interplay between vocals, double bass, and muted trumpet achieves remarkable spatial realism and texture.

The cable’s sensitivity to microdynamics, aided by its bias polarization design, captures ambient detail and vocal resonance faithfully — from Atwood’s opening a cappella phrasing to the rich timbre of the accompanying instruments.

Abundant Emotional Energy

The Eterna’s sound signature is smooth, full-bodied, and sweet, with extended yet refined highs. Resolution is plentiful without aggressiveness, and the tonal richness imparts a sense of sophistication. On “Heartbreak,” the violin’s purity and the piano’s percussive clarity intertwine harmoniously, yielding a coherent and elegant soundscape.

The extremely low noise floor enhances dynamic contrast, particularly evident in Jacqueline du Pré’s performance of Elgar’s Cello Concerto, where the cello’s tonal depth and the orchestra’s grandeur unfold with breathtaking emotional intensity and scale.

Conclusion

Esprit Audio’s meticulous design philosophy ensures signal accuracy through a multi-layered approach — symmetrical conductors, asymmetrical insulation, progressive shielding, DC bias polarization, and noise-suppressing ferrite rings. The result is an exceptionally transparent and natural sonic presentation with heightened realism and musicality.

Esprit Eterna XLR Interconnect:

■ Structure: Symmetrical design ■ Insulation: Asymmetrical dielectric ■ DC Bias Polarization: Yes ■ Shielding: Progressive ■ Price: €2,700 (1.8 m)

Esprit Eterna Speaker Cable:

■ Structure: Symmetrical design ■ Insulation: Asymmetrical dielectric ■ DC Bias Polarization: Yes ■ Shielding: Progressive ■ Price: €2,550 (3 m)

■ Hong Kong & Macau Sole Distributor: Audio Exotics．Phone: 9181 8291．www.esprit-audio.fr

※ 本文輯錄自【音響技術】2025年10月號第529期 ※