AudioQuest Rocket 22 Speaker Cable

Key Features

• Primarily Perfect-Surface Low-Distortion Copper (PSC)
• 20% Lower Impedance than Rocket 11
• Ideal for Full-Range and for Single-BiWire
• Semi-Solid True-Concentric Conductors
• Gauge - 2 x 3.31mm
• Direction Controlled for Optimum Noise-Dissipation

LONG-GRAIN COPPER/PERFECT-SURFACE COPPER CONDUCTORS

Rocket 22 uses a carefully finessed blend of Long-Grain Copper (LGC) and high-purity Perfect-Surface Copper (PSC). LGC has fewer impurities and fewer internal grain junctions than standard OFHC copper, while the even smoother, purer surface of PSC further eliminates harshness and improves clarity. All AudioQuest conductors are direction-controlled for optimum noise dissipation.

SEMI-SOLID CONCENTRIC CONDUCTORS

Semi-Solid Concentric conductors are a far-superior performance alternative to typical stranded conductors. Semi-Solid Concentric conductors use fewer, larger strands that do not change position down the length of the cable. The strands maintain their fixed, rigid relationships, reducing distortion, improving resolution and dynamics, and greatly minimizing harshness and confusion due to strand interaction.

IDEAL FOR FULL-RANGE OR SINGLE-BIWIRE CONFIGURATIONS

Use Rocket 11 as a full-range cable, with red (+) and black (-) conductors grouped together, or, when the speakers provide separate bass and treble inputs, further optimize system performance by biwiring.

DOUBLE LOW-INDUCTANCE TWISTED PAIR GEOMETRY

A typical speaker cable with parallel conductors has fairly high inductance, smearing energy across time, which results in sound that is dull and unfocused. In Rocket 11, the two conductors in each half of the cable are twisted around one another, providing lower inductance, greater clarity, and superior bass-to-treble frequency extension

AudioQuest Rocket 22 speaker cable review

A flexible, refined-sounding speaker cable Tested at £20/m / $32/m

By What Hi-Fi? April 04, 2019

OUR VERDICT

The Rocket 22 is a flexible, well-balanced cable that should work well in a wide range of systems

FOR

• Refined and informative character

• Aids an authoritative sound

• Flexible configuration options

AGAINST

• Tough competition

We are careful never to pre-judge the result of a review, but in the case of AudioQuest’s Rocket 22, we had solid grounds for high hopes. This speaker cable is the step-up option to the excellent Rocket 11 – the one that broke Chord Company’s formidable stranglehold to win our Accessories Award in 2018.

Build

The 22’s design mirrors that of the cheaper model, but uses higher quality copper conductors with a polished outer surface that’s claimed to give a ‘sweeter’ high frequency performance. The conductors use strands arranged in concentric layers, where each layer spirals in the opposite direction to the one below it. 

This configuration is claimed to reduce unwanted interactions between the strands and so lower distortion. 

Each pair of conductors is then twisted to improve rejection of external interference. There are four pairs of conductors per channel, and while our sample of the cable was terminated to be single-wired, the construction opens up the Rocket 22 to be bi-wired too.

AUDIOQUEST ROCKET 22 TECH SPECS

Flat No

Diameter 15mm

Directional Yes

Biwire No

he cable also uses AudioQuest’s Noise Dissipation System, which is essentially specially designed layers of shielding that reduce the impact of RF (Radio Frequency) interference and EMI (Electromagnetic Interference).

While this is a chunky cable, it’s also extremely flexible and shouldn’t cause any issues when installed. It’s available in two colour options – black and white.

Compatibility

The ’22 isn’t a cable you should judge on an initial quick listen. Straight out of the packaging it sounds a little thick and murky, obscuring low level dynamics and some higher frequency detail behind an unusually smooth and full-bodied presentation.

But given a few days of use, the Rocket’s sonic presentation opens up considerably. We use it as part of our reference stereo set-up – Naim NDS/555PS streamer, Gamut D3i/D200i amplifier and ATC SCM 50 speakers – as well as with Naim’s Uniti Star and a pair of Dynaudio Special 40 speakers with consistent and pleasing results.

Sound

In both systems, we enjoy a spacious and refined presentation, one that sounds noticeably larger scale than when we substitute similarly priced alternatives such as the Chord Company RumourX and Ecosse ES2.23+.

The sound is impressively detailed, uncovering low-level information and arranging it in a stable and cohesive manner. All that detail isn’t overtly highlighted either; here it exists in an even-handed delivery without emphasis. All of this makes for an easy-going balance that makes the Rocket 22 suitable for a wide range of systems.

Despite its civilised nature there’s still enough in the way of dynamic punch and rhythmic drive to allow the sheer energy and attack of Nirvana’s Nevermind shine through. We play Tchaikovsky’s Marché Slave Op.31 and the Rocket helps our systems render pleasing large-scale dynamics and deliver plenty in the way of authority to the sound.

Substitute Chord’s RumourX (£18/m) into either of our systems and you’ll get more in the way of focus and excitement, but the AudioQuest’s refinement and more relaxed attitude is equally admirable. The choice between the two is more a matter of taste and partnering system than any massive difference in ability.

Verdict

The Rocket 22 continues the fine work of its Award-winning sibling and, in a suitably talented set-up, the difference in price between the two (the Rocket 11 costs £12.50/m) can be justified by the improvement in scale, detail and authority.

SCORES

• Sound 5
• Compatibility 5
• Build 5

MORE:

What Hi-Fi? Awards 2019: Accessories

Best speaker cables

Read our AudioQuest Rocket 11 review