Audio Cables

AudioQuest Rocket 44 Speaker Cable Review

The AudioQuest Rocket 44 loudspeaker cables are the next-to-the-top-of-the-line in AudioQuest’s Rocket series of speaker wiring. They retail for $999.95 per 10-foot pair, terminated with your choice of spades or bananas – silver or gold-plated – single or bi-wire.

AudioQuest, unlike many high-end speaker cable manufacturers, opts for solid-copper conductors rather than the more common multi-strand. The Rocket 44 model under review is the 10-foot, silver banana plug version. So, how does it sound…

The AudioQuest Rocket 44 speaker cables distinguish themselves from other available cables on the market with their high-quality, solid-core construction, their warranty, and their ability to provide bass detail like nothing else. Some might be inclined to dismiss the AudioQuest Rocket 44 loudspeaker cables as “just another over-priced pair of speaker wires.” This might be a mistake. Some other speaker wires may have a brighter sound in the treble, but regardless of the wire gauge, I’ve not found another speaker wire that provides equivalent bass quality, quantity, and clarity.

Highlights

AudioQuest Rocket 44 Speaker Cables Highlights

Nice banana plugs with spring-loaded blades.
No locking mechanisms.
Solid copper core construction.
Attractive cloth sleeve.
Directional markings on wires.
Flexible despite their solid-core construction.

Introduction

The AudioQuest group has a strong market presence with a variety of speaker wire lines including the Rocket series that these Rocket 44 speaker models belong to. AudioQuest products are widely available at Best Buy, on Amazon, and at a plethora of online retailers. The Rocket 44 speaker cables certainly should not be hard to locate. I’ve had the privilege of reviewing a wide variety of AudioQuest products and have yet to run into one that I didn’t respect. Not each and every one of the AudioQuest products has been the very best match for my particular audio system, but every one I’ve encountered has been well made, had a good warranty, and (more often than not) improved the sound of my system.

There is a world of dueling theories about what makes a good speaker cable. Some companies claim that high frequencies only travel along the surface of a wire (and although this is unquestionably true in the radio-frequency range, its application to audio frequencies is in dispute). Some companies claim that multiple conductors are necessary (the finer, the better). Other companies insist that those conductors must be individually insulated and electrically joined only at both ends – this is called “Litz wire.” Yet other companies (and AudioQuest falls in this group, at least with their Rocket series wires) claim that a single, solid conductor is more phase-coherent than using multiple conductors.

Mr. Bill Low, the founder, and CEO of AudioQuest, contends that the four most important principles in cable design are:

Solid Conductors – Strand interaction is the biggest source of distortion in cables. Solid conductors are the best solution to this problem. By using solid conductors in concentric windings, we avoid most strand distortions.

Directionality – Drawn metal conductors have a fish-scale-like grain structure. Because Radio Frequencies (RF) are subject to skin effect and travel on the deformed outer-surface layer of the conductor, there is an increase in RF impedance for one direction versus the other. Induced RF noise takes the path of least resistance. We test every conductor, so it is used in the direction that best drains the induced noise away. This optimizes the cable’s performance.

Noise-Dissipation – Unwanted Radio Frequency (RF) noise is picked up by all cables. This contamination can mask and distort portions of the audio/video signal. Since more RF noise is in our environment than ever (think Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, AM, FM, cellphone frequencies including 5Ghz, etc.) we need a wider arsenal of Noise-Dissipation technologies. AudioQuest uses:

ZERO-Tech (No Characteristic Impedance) – This applies Ultra-Linear Noise-Dissipation across the widest range of frequencies possible. It also enables uncompressed transient current transfer for AC power and loudspeaker/power amplifier applications.

RF/ND-Tech (Patented Radio Frequency / Ground Noise-Dissipation) – This minimizes circuit misbehavior by canceling induced RF noise.

DBS (Dielectric-Bias System) – This has evolved to include RF-Noise Traps that further reduce dielectric distortion and induced noise.

Metal Quality – Higher purity conductor metals with smoother surfaces and finer grain structures reduce noise and distortion. Carefully selected alloy mixes, metal plating, and conductor sizes are used to define each cable’s sonic signature. These are cost-effective techniques for high-performance wiring.

The AudioQuest Rocket 44 speaker cable specifically features:

High-Purity Perfect Surface Copper+ (implying that the wire surface, where the high frequencies travel) is exceptionally smooth.

Fewer grain boundaries to reduce harshness (an aspect of the wire drawing technology).

Double star-quad geometry to control capacitance and inductance.

Carbon-loaded polyethylene insulation on the negative conductors intended to reduce radio frequencies (RF) on the ground plane of the amplifier (in other words, and as I understand it), this helps prevent the speaker wires from acting as an antenna.

This insulation also helps to better isolate the positive and negative conductors.

External carbon noise dissipation insulation shields the conductor pair.

Air-filled foam polyethylene insulation around the positive conductors.

Multiple types of spade terminals or else banana plugs are available in either silver or gold plating.

AudioQuest recommends cable risers for their speaker cables. When I asked why, they replied “Cable risers reduce the amount of RF noise that capacitively couples into the speaker cables through all solid flooring materials. Successfully designed and properly used, cable risers will preserve valuable low-level detail for more natural, dynamic, involving performance.”

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As I interpret this, your speaker cables are always, at least to some extent, radio antennas. As with old rabbit-ear antennas, you could improve the reception by touching the antenna. Having your speaker -cables on the floor is essentially the same as touching the antenna. AudioQuest contends that contact with the floor increases the RF reception in the speaker wires. Therefore, preventing the speaker cables from touching the floor (using non-conductive risers) should, at least theoretically, drop the RF reception levels dramatically.

You don’t have to buy boutique risers to accomplish this, either. I went to Lowes and bought 20 black plastic rebar chairs for 68 cents each. The propylene risers are stable, have clips on top to secure the speaker wires, and (most importantly) are non-conductive.

How did cable risers sound? My room has hard floors – I heard no difference between the speaker wires on the floor and up on risers. But my audio amigo has a thickly carpeted room with a thick carpet pad below the carpet. This would theoretically act as a huge capacitor. He reports that cable risers made an audible improvement for his system. Depending on your speaker wires’ susceptibility to RF and the insulating effects of your carpet and pad, you may find cable risers worth investigating.

AudioQuest Rocket 44 Speaker Cables Specifications

Conductors:

Solid Perfect-Surface Copper (PSC) + and PSC

Gauge:

13 AWG

Geometry:

Double Star Quad

Dielectric:

Foamed Polyethylene (for positive conductors)

Noise-Dissipation:

Carbon-based

Jacket:

Silver / Black braid or PVC

Terminations:

AudioQuest 500 Series Multi-Spades or Bananas

MRSP:

8’ – $879.95, 10’ – $999.95, 12’ – $1,119.95, 15’ – $1,299.95, custom lengths on request, 164’ bulk spools available

Warranty:

Limited Lifetime to the original purchaser

Website:

www.audioquest.com

Company:

AudioQuest

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audioquest, rocket44, cables, interconnects, speakers, speaker cables review, speaker cables review 2023

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But pretty is as pretty sounds…

Design

The AudioQuest Rocket 44 speaker cables are part of a large family of AudioQuest wiring products. As with all Audioquest products, the Rocket 44 speaker cables are high quality, consistently produced, and come with a reassuring warranty. As mentioned in the introduction section of this review, AudioQuest maintains a slightly unusual design philosophy. Rather than using a multi-stranded connector, the Rocket 44s use solid-core wire. Does this work? I’d have to say that, at least with some speakers, it does.

Upstream Equipment Used for this Review:

Roon music player running on a NUC10i7FNH with a Seagate external music library drive.

AudioQuest Pearl USB cable connecting the library drive to the Roon server.

AudioQuest Carbon USB cable connecting the server to…

Topping D10s USB DAC.

AudioQuest Carbon RCA interconnect from DAC to amplifiers.

At various times:

Black Ice Audio F22 tube integrated amplifier (EL-34 outputs & connected directly to DAC).

Sonance Sonamp 260 Mk. II solid-state stereo power amplifier with Emotiva PT-1 preamplifier.

Emotiva PA-1 solid-state, Class-D, monophonic power amplifiers with Emotiva PT-1 preamplifier.

Crown PSA-2 solid-state stereo power amplifier with Passive volume attenuator.

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I used the AudioQuest Rocket 44 speaker cables with two pairs of speakers that I had in-house:

GoldenEar Triton Three+ towers (with self-powered woofers).

Klipsch RP-600m bookshelf speakers (modified with GR Research internal damping).

I compared the AudioQuest Rocket 44 speaker cables with other speaker wire sets on hand:

Canare Star-Quad 4S11 bi-wire speaker cables (with the Klipsch speakers).

Belden 5T00UP 10-AWG bi-wire speaker cables (from Blue-Jeans Cable).

StraightWire Expressivo II bi-wire speaker cables.

16-AWG Marine-grade side-by-side wire.

All wire sets (including the AudioQuest Rocket 44) were 10 feet in length  1 foot. All sets were terminated with banana plugs.

In Use

Music used in listening tests included:

Parov Stelar live at Sieget – Downloaded from YouTube – converted via dBPoweramp to wav format – Separated by Wave Pad Audio Editor into multiple files.

This is a dynamic performance with thunderous bass in certain segments. The AudioQuest Rocket 44 speaker cables seemed to enhance this. With these wires in my system, the music was tonally balanced and exceptionally dynamic – but what set the AudioQuest Rocket 44 wires apart from my normal wiring was the depth and tightness of the bass.

I’m aware that many of my audio amigos disdain the idea that speaker wires can affect the music at all. And I will agree that differences can be subtle on some systems and even inaudible on others. However, if you have a high-resolution system (I do) and are attuned to its sound (I am), then EVERYTHING makes a difference (including speaker wires).

I’ve been a skeptic of “wires make a difference” most of my audio career but have had several experiences that have changed my mind. Back in the day, I heard differences at a local audio store between Monster Cable and Kimber Kable; the Kimber was less harsh in the high frequencies. Later, I bought a pair of Nordost Flatline cables and found that they sounded different from my Kimbers; the Nordost had more extended highs. Now, I’m hearing differences between the AudioQuest Rocket 44 and the other cables in my spare drawer; the Rockets are tighter and stronger in the bass.

Now am I saying that you should go out and get some expensive cables with the expectation that those speaker wires will transform your inexpensive components into state-of-the-art performers? No. That is unrealistic. But what I am saying is that if you already have a high-resolution system in a properly acoustically treated listening space, it is possible to fine-tune it with digital cables, analog interconnects, and speaker wires. Don’t expect miraculous differences and remember that the performance-to-price ratio increases exponentially once you’re above a certain level. In other words, small increases in performance often come at exponential increases in price. Many aren’t able or willing to explore the rarified air of high-end cables, and that’s fine. The best value cables are available for reasonable prices, and those value cables offer 80 to 90 percent of the performance of the AudioQuest Rocket 44 cables. But there IS a difference. Is that small improvement worth the difference in price? Only you can make that decision.

Mr. Jaco Pastorius is considered one of the best electric bass players. His bass solos are enhanced by the AudioQuest Rocket 44 speaker wires and sound as tight and vibrant as I’ve ever heard them sound on my system. Some would argue (and rightly so) that there is more variation and nuance in acoustic bass instruments including the cello and acoustic bass than with electric bass instruments, but a good player, such as Mr. Pastorius pushes the limits of his instrument and the Rocket 44 wires let you hear the artistry clearly.

For some reason, I was ignorant of Mr. Pastorius until recently, but having encountered his playing, I’ve gone out of my way to hear his recordings and remain as impressed as when I initially heard his work.

Conclusions

The AudioQuest Rocket 44 speaker cables are the clearest I’ve heard in the bass, and equivalent to all others in the midrange and treble.

Likes

High-quality construction.
Banana plugs generally stay put with their friction spring blades.
Lifetime warranty included.
Attractive fabric wire cover.

Would Like To See

Alternate colors for the wire sleeves.
Trade-in / Trade-up program (some dealers do offer this).
Locking banana plug option.

If your existing speakers are less than enthusiastic in the treble frequencies, the AudioQuest Rocket 44 speaker cables aren’t going to boost your treble.

If your speakers are less than impressively dynamic, the AudioQuest Rocket 44 speaker cables aren’t going to turn your speakers into Klipschorns.

In fact, from the mid-bass on up, the AudioQuest Rocket 44 speaker cables seem absolutely neutral. Clean, clear, and controlled, yes – boisterous, no. This worked just fine for me since both my speakers (the Klipsch RP-600m and the GoldenEar Triton Three+) were already quite dynamic in the midrange and treble.

In the bass, however, the AudioQuest Rocket 44 speaker cables are standouts. No, the wires won’t give your speakers more bass, per se, but they WILL make the absolute most of what bass your speakers are capable of.

Given that set of attributes, are the AudioQuest Rocket 44 speaker cables worth their asking price of $999.95 per pair? That is a question that I cannot answer for you. IF your system is already performing at its best in an optimized room; IF that sum of money wouldn’t be better spent improving another part of your system; IF you can afford a premium product like the Rocket 44s, then maybe. The AudioQuest Rocket 44 speaker wires are some of the best speaker wires I’ve heard (with my speakers, in my room, and to my ears). Will they work their same magic in your system? You’ll have to try them and decide for yourself.

Glenn Young

I learned to play the guitar in high school, hoping to persuade Berma Sanchez to date me, but alas, no such luck! In the late 1970s, a neighbor who was the station engineer for the local PBS network took me under his wing and taught me the electronics of audio reproduction. Throughout college, I used that knowledge to modify Dynaco vacuum tube equipment for friends. After graduation from LSU, I took a job in the chemical manufacturing industry, learning about industrial hygiene and the mechanics of hearing. In the 1990s I learned to write, initially as the newsletter editor for my local Safety Engineering chapter. In the early 2000s, I had my first book published (I’m now working on my third). A few years ago, the Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity website issued a call for authors. I responded and was excited to be selected. Over the years, I’ve published a number of equipment reviews and am honored, in 2019, to be given the title of “Senior Editor.” But none of the above offers the “why” of my interest in home audio. My musical tastes are highly diverse, and my love of music (acquired probably in the church choir of Grace Baptist Church) has been passed on to my daughter, who got her B.S. degree in music and her M.S. in violin performance and music education before being switching gears and then going on to graduate from Harvard Law. Although the majority of my extended group of friends and family prefer hobbies such as hunting, fishing, football games, etc., I’ve found that I still greatly enjoy time with my audio system and discovering new music. At some time in the fairly near future, my hearing will decline and I’ll no longer be able to listen analytically. But so long as my audiograms show acute hearing, I’ll keep doing what I enjoy best - listening to wonderful music and sharing my thoughts and impressions with like-minded friends.