Product information "LS-204 XL Micro AIR"

The new Referenz Micro AIR series is a further installment in the success story of the Micro AIR technology: As with the already legendary AIR Helix cables, air is also a central component of the insulation concept in the new Referenz Micro AIR technology. Due to the low speaker impedances, however, low line resistances and a low inductance are also very important for speaker cables. For this reason, the Referenz LS-204 XL Micro AIR uses a total of 6 concentric copper conductors in addition to the air dielectric. Thanks to this multicore architecture, the magnetic fields of the positive and negative conductors overlap and neutralize each other. This significantly reduces the inductance of the cable, which guarantees unaltered transmission of the audio signal over a broad frequency spectrum. Due to our approach, the LS-204 XL has a balanced sound character with precise timing, on top of a solidly controlled foundation. This cable is primarily designed for full-size floorstanding speakers. Sound, of course, is always subjective and depends not least on the overall constellation of a hi-fi system. In the end, the decisive factor is your own personal listening impression.

Application: High-end speaker cable
Cable diameter: 13 mm
Conductor cross-section: 2 x 7.86 mm² (6 x 2.62 mm²)
Conductor design: Concentric copper
Conductor material: High-purity OFC copper
Conformity: CE, REACH, RoHS
Connection type: SW
Connector housing: Solid metal
Contact enhancement: Rhodium-coated
Contact material: Beryllium copper, Brass (cable lug)
Customized assembly: On request
Design: 6-fold multicore
Dielectric: Air chambers
Length: 2 x 3 m
Product group: Loudspeaker cables
Product category: Referenz speaker cables
Quality: Referenz
Technology: Micro AIR Multicore
Connector: Banana Cable lug Easy Plug
Connector highlight: Spring-loaded contact fork
Made in Germany: Yes
Free trial listening: Yes
"If you use the "Micro AIR" cables in an adequate (i.e. high-quality) environment, you get first-class connectors for a reasonable price in both the NF and LS series. Particularly in combination with each other, they can almost be regarded as a "bargain". You can save money in the right place – these cables are definitely not stingy with acoustic details. I wouldn't be surprised if they soon became the unsung stars in the manufacturer's cable portfolio." Hifi-Stars | 05-2020
Go to the test report
"We are delighted to announce that our LS-204 XL Micro AIR speaker cable has been awarded the "Best Buy of the year - 2020" award. The award is presented by the trade magazine HiFi Review from Hong Kong. We would also like to take this opportunity to thank our sales partner Wellwick for their outstanding work." Best Buy | 09-2020
"These cables are 'straight down the line' performers, not tone filters, as illustrated by testing material like Sam Smith's The Thrill Of It All. No less 'thrilling' with the LS-204 XLs in tow, the choral accompaniment on the opener 'Too Good At Goodbyes' burst forth just behind a very close-miked Smith. His voice retained the right amount of 'edge' while the percussion had equal snap, the ensemble maintaining a balance on the civilized side of fierce - a tough ask with these plaintive, slightly sibilant vocals.[...] The percussive intro to Paul Simon's In The Blue Light sounded fresher - thankfully - as this 'reimagined' collection of his lesser-known album tracks was revealed in meticulous detail here. The vibrant take on 'Pigs, Sheep And Wolves' enjoyed a good sense of attack, of expectation and excitement too, all the while avoiding sounding too demanding or, heaven forbid, harsh. This cable is a good choice for big, neutral-sounding systems." hifi news 01 | 2021
“It’s a joy to hear Paul Kuhn and his orchestra really getting into the swing of things. In our group of speaker cables, the in-akustik Referenz LS-204 XL Micro AIR is one of those displaying the greatest sensitivity to the sounds they transport. And it does this in an extremely pleasant and wonderfully balanced way, without showing any particular partiality. in-akustik doesn’t go in for coloration or masking […] The in-akustik Referenz LS-204 XL Micro Air is the most elegant and ‘neutral’ speaker cable in our test, and therefore my top choice."
Go to the test report
"Wir verspürten einen klaren Push gegenüber einer No-Name-Strippe. Heissa – woher kam die Luft, diese neue Kraft im Tiefbass? Diese wundersame Verwandlung müssen wir klar den Kabeln zuschreiben. Abermals staunten wir über etwas, was viele Kenner eher in den Bereich des Homöopathischen verschieben würden. Doch damit läge man falsch: Ein Kabel ist keine austauschbare Strippe, sondern ein ehrlicher Wandler im Klangbild. Harsche Anlagen können mit einem Kabel befriedet werden, schläfrige Ketten hingegen erhalten mit einem passgenauen Kabel neuen Drive. In-Akustik zeigt sich hier wieder als Vorbild-Manufaktur, diesmal ganz human im Preis." Audio | 05-2020
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  • 1 x stereo set Referenz LS-204 XL Micro AIR
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Name
LS-204 XL Micro AIR
LS-404 Micro AIR
LS-104 Micro AIR
LS-20
Rating
Description

The new Referenz Micro AIR series is a further installment in the success story of the Micro AIR technology: As with the already legendary AIR Helix cables, air is also a central component of the insulation concept in the new Referenz Micro AIR technology. Due to the low speaker impedances, however, low line resistances and a low inductance are also very important for speaker cables. For this reason, the Referenz LS-204 XL Micro AIR uses a total of 6 concentric copper conductors in addition to the air dielectric. Thanks to this multicore architecture, the magnetic fields of the positive and negative conductors overlap and neutralize each other. This significantly reduces the inductance of the cable, which guarantees unaltered transmission of the audio signal over a broad frequency spectrum. Due to our approach, the LS-204 XL has a balanced sound character with precise timing, on top of a solidly controlled foundation. This cable is primarily designed for full-size floorstanding speakers. Sound, of course, is always subjective and depends not least on the overall constellation of a hi-fi system. In the end, the decisive factor is your own personal listening impression.

The LS-404 Micro AIR is a further installment in the success story of the Micro AIR technology: As with the already legendary AIR Helix cables, air is also a central component of the insulation concept in the Referenz Micro AIR technology. Due to the low speaker impedances, however, low line resistances and a low inductance are also very important for speaker cables. For this reason, the Referenz LS-404 Micro AIR uses a total of 8 concentric copper conductors in addition to the air dielectric. Thanks to this multicore architecture, the magnetic fields of the positive and negative conductors overlap and neutralize each other. This significantly reduces the inductance of the cable, which guarantees unaltered transmission of the audio signal over a broad frequency spectrum. Due to our approach, the LS-404 has an extremely balanced sound character with precise timing, on top of a solidly controlled foundation. This cable is primarily designed for full-size floorstanding loudspeakers. The impression sound makes on the listener is always subjective, of course, and depends in no small part on the overall constellation of a hi-fi system. In the end, the decisive factor is your own personal listening impression.

The LS-104 is an excellent entry-level model to the Micro AIR series. It already stands out clearly from standard cables and demonstrates the acoustic potential of this technology. Sensitive amplifiers in particular harmonize excellently with this cable. The Referenz LS-104 Micro AIR provides an open and relaxed sound. It is also available with BFA bananas or spade lugs and as an Easy Plug version.

The conductors of the LS-20 are made of high-purity copper. Under normal conditions, copper is the next-best electrical conductor after silver. Compared to cheap CCA (Copper Coated Aluminum) in particular, copper has a significantly better conductivity and is also mechanically more resilient.

The stranded wire design is a tried and tested conductor design in the hi-fi sector. Each conductor consists of 50 x 0.25 mm strands that are "twisted" together. The advantage of this design lies in the economical production and the mechanical flexibility, which increases with smaller diameters of the individual wires.

The conductor cross-section of 2x2.5 mm² forms the foundation for a dynamic and powerful sound. The polyethylene (PE) insulation of the LS-40 has very good electrical properties. Compared to PVC, it halves the annoying battery-like capacitance of cables. The reproduction gains in brilliance and spatial quality. The PE network jacket protects against mechanical damage and serves as additional insulation.

Price

€899.00*

€998.99*

€578.99*

€209.00*

Application
High-end speaker cable
High-end speaker cable
High-end speaker cable
HiFi speaker cable
Cable diameter
13 mm
16 mm
8.5 mm
8.2 mm
Conductor cross-section
2 x 7.86 mm² (6 x 2.62 mm²)
2 x 10.48 mm² (8 x 2.62 mm²)
2 x 2.62 mm²
2 x 2.5 mm²
Conductor design
Concentric copper
Concentric copper
Concentric copper
50 x 0.25 mm (2.5 mm²)
Conductor material
High-purity OFC copper
High-purity OFC copper
High-purity OFC copper
High-purity copper
Conformity
CE; REACH; RoHS
CE; REACH; RoHS
CE; REACH; RoHS
CE; REACH; RoHS
Connection type
SW
SBW; SW
SW
SW
Connector housing
Solid metal
Solid metal
Solid metal
-
Contact enhancement
Rhodium-coated
Rhodium-coated
Rhodium-coated
-
Contact material
Beryllium copper; Brass (cable lug)
Beryllium copper; Brass
Beryllium Copper (BFA Banana); Brass (cable lug)
-
Customized assembly
On request
On request
On request
-
Design
6-fold multicore
8-fold multicore
Twisted pair
Twisted pair
Dielectric
Air chambers
Air chambers
Air chambers
PE
Length
2 x 3 m
2 x 3 m
2 x 3 m
2 x 3 m; By the meter
Product group
Loudspeaker cables
Loudspeaker cables
Loudspeaker cables
Loudspeaker cables
Product category
Referenz speaker cables
Referenz speaker cables
Exzellenz speaker cables
Exzellenz speaker cables
Quality
Referenz
Referenz
Referenz
Exzellenz
Technology
Micro AIR; Multicore
Micro AIR; Multicore
Micro AIR; Twisted pair
Twisted pair
Connector
Banana; Cable lug; Easy Plug
Banana; Cable lug; Easy Plug
Banana; Cable lug; Easy Plug
Easy Plug
Connector highlight
Spring-loaded contact fork
Spring-loaded contact fork
Spring-loaded contact fork
-
Made in Germany
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Free trial listening
Yes
Yes
-
-
Jacket
-
-
-
PE network jacket

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Micro AIR technology

We are not able to switch off the laws of nature, so the best we can do is use them as ingeniously as possible. Due to the laws of nature, every cable exerts so-called parasitic effects. These include capacitance – the capacity to store energy like a battery and release it again with a time delay. This effect has a considerable impact on the transmission of audio signals and is therefore unwelcome. Capacitance is a physical property, and its value depends on a number of different factors, one of the most important of which is the insulation material used, also known as the “dielectric”. The dielectric material can considerably increase the capacitance of the cable. Because air doesn’t do this, it’s ideal for insulation purposes. One of the insulation elements in the Micro AIR technology is a complex, diamond-shaped structure. The tiny chambers created by this structure increase the distance between the conductors and raise the air content of the insulation. This method reduces troublesome capacitance effects and optimizes the cable’s transmission characteristics for the sensitive audio signals it needs to transport.

Concentric copper

Unlike the sometimes chaotic arrangement of individual wires in conventional conductor designs, concentric copper conductors are arranged in a precisely defined multi-layer pattern. This design reduces irregular contact points between the wires, which harmonizes the signal flow and minimizes runtime differences. Impulses can be reproduced with pinpoint accuracy and the spatial information of the music is retained. A thin layer of polyethylene protects the high-purity copper from oxygen and thus from oxidation.

Copper is the best electrical conductor after silver under normal conditions. Compared to cheap CCA (Copper Coated Aluminum) in particular, copper has a significantly better conductivity and is also mechanically more resilient. The conductors of the Miro AIR cables are made of high-purity OFC (Oxygen Free Copper).

  • "If you use the Micro AIR cables in an adequate (i.e. high-quality) environment, you get first-class connectors for a reasonable price in both the NF and LS series. Particularly in combination with each other, they can almost be considered a 'bargain'. I wouldn`t be surprised if they were the secret stars in the manufacturer`s range."

    HiFi Stars | Micro AIR cables
  • "In our group of test cables, the in-akustik LS-204 XL Micro AIR is one of those displaying the greatest sensitivity to the sounds they transport. And it does this in an extremely pleasant and wonderfully balanced way, without showing any particular partiality. There is no discoloration or overlapping with in-akustik."

    HiFi IFAs - Bernd Weber | LS-204 XL Micro AIR

Electrostatics and capacitance

It’s something we’re all familiar with: when you take off a sweater with a high synthetic content you hear a crackling sound. The reason for this is that the integrated plastic material stores electrical energy, and then discharges it again. The same thing happens in the dielectric material of a cable. It “absorbs” electrical energy like a sponge and then releases it again. In the case of an audio cable, however, this electrical energy is part of the audio signal.

This problematic storage capacity of a cable is referred to as its “capacitance”. While capacitors intended to store energy should have a correspondingly high capacitance, the capacitance of a cable should be as low as possible. If this is not the case, it can have a serious detrimental effect on the transmission characteristics and also lead to interactions with connected electronic devices. The ideal solution is therefore air insulation such as that implemented with the Micro AIR (and previous AIR technology), reducing the capacitance to an absolute minimum.


Cables should not make any sound

The Referenz AIR series cables have already caused something of a sensation in the world of high-end connections. And we have used the very same principles of physics to develop our Referenz Micro AIR series. As the name suggests, air as insulation also plays a key role with these high end connections due to the excellent dielectric properties.

Cables in general don’t make any sound; they have a filtering effect and interact with the devices. We believe audio connections should be as unobtrusive as possible and cause no sound coloration. These would perhaps be astonishing to hear the first time, but they actually distort the original, and eventually are annoying. The trick is to adapt the physical filter effect through the architecture and choice of materials so that losses and interactions are reduced to a minimum. This was our goal when developing the Referenz Micro Air series – and we believe we have achieved our goal once again.

Made in Germany

Just like the AIR Helix cables, the Referenz high-end cables with Micro AIR technology are also manufactured in our own factory in Germany. Along with the complex, manual assembly of the cables, this of course also includes the corresponding quality control. Every cable is put through its paces after production. Both functional tests and mechanical tests are carried out. And of course we also check the live performance as part of product development – for maximum precision and low-loss signal transmission.

Cable manufacturing unit

The beating heart of in-akustik is our manufactory. This is where our success story is rooted – permeated by a congenial working atmosphere, a love of music and a passion for detail. At in-akustik, we believe musical enjoyment stems from a listening experience that remains as close as possible to the original recording and the artist’s interpretation of the piece. That’s why we boast a committed workforce that combines curiosity with a keen sense of precision. With a fascination for music and things that are really special – like the development of our complex AIR cables.

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NF-204 Micro AIR | RCA
Referenz MICRO AIR Quality: Referenz Air dielectric
Length: 1 m
Because the outputs on hi-fi devices only supply extremely weak signals and are sensitive to high cable capacitance, the capacitance of a cable plays a significant role when connecting components together. A “low-pass filter” can be created that cuts off high frequencies and also causes phase shifts. This is the reason why RCA and XLR audio cables are ideal companions for the air-based insulation used in the MICRO AIR technology. Another special feature of the NF-204 Micro AIR is its symmetrical architecture, which guarantees high immunity to EMC radiation. Alone or in combination with the LS-204/LS-204-XL, the NF-204 Micro AIR opens up the connection floodgates and allows your components to perform at their very best.

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€389.00*
Phono-202 | RCA - RCA
High-end phono cable Quality: Referenz Double shielding
Length: 1.5 m
Precisely because audio signals are so sensitive, we have equipped our Referenz NF-202 phono cable with some extremely effective technologies: Optimum DUO-PE II insulation, air-filled PE tubes, an innovative GAP connector and, above all, extremely fine, solid conductors made of high-purity OFC copper guarantee uniform runtimes and crystal-clear signal transmission. The ground and signal conductors are the same size and arranged symmetrically. The PE network jacket prevents micro-vibrations.

€379.00*
AC-1502
High-end mains power cable Quality: Referenz 3 x 1.5 mm² | Dense foil shield
Length: 2 m | Connector: SCHUKO> C13
The mains cables (power cables) play a really special role within the hi-fi system. They need to manage the impulsive power consumption caused by dynamic music passages on integrated amplifiers, power amplifiers or active loudspeakers. In addition, the extreme current peaks, amplified in the devices during conversion from AC to DC voltage, must be passed to the individual hi-fi units without delay or loss. Any "inhibited" current flow leads to high power losses at line and contact resistances, and has a negative effect on the sound of the hi-fi system. For this reason, the AC-1502 was developed with very low transition resistances. In addition, high-density shielding protects the neighboring components from strong magnetic fields and interference caused by the rapidly changing current increases and decreases in the power cable. The result is a hi-fi mains connection cable with an outstanding price/performance ratio that raises your system to a higher sound level in terms of dynamics and reproduction of detail. However much we focus on high-end sound, safety plays a particularly important role in this cable category. For this reason, every AC-1502 mains cable undergoes exhaustive tests. In addition to the functional testing, each cable is subject to an insulation and high-voltage test. The results are documented, and each power cable is given an individual serial number.

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LS-404 Micro AIR
Referenz Micro AIR Quality: Referenz Air dielectric
Connection type: SW | Length: 2 x 3 m | Connector: Easy Plug
The LS-404 Micro AIR is a further installment in the success story of the Micro AIR technology: As with the already legendary AIR Helix cables, air is also a central component of the insulation concept in the Referenz Micro AIR technology. Due to the low speaker impedances, however, low line resistances and a low inductance are also very important for speaker cables. For this reason, the Referenz LS-404 Micro AIR uses a total of 8 concentric copper conductors in addition to the air dielectric. Thanks to this multicore architecture, the magnetic fields of the positive and negative conductors overlap and neutralize each other. This significantly reduces the inductance of the cable, which guarantees unaltered transmission of the audio signal over a broad frequency spectrum. Due to our approach, the LS-404 has an extremely balanced sound character with precise timing, on top of a solidly controlled foundation. This cable is primarily designed for full-size floorstanding loudspeakers. The impression sound makes on the listener is always subjective, of course, and depends in no small part on the overall constellation of a hi-fi system. In the end, the decisive factor is your own personal listening impression.

€908.99*