Line Level - Interconnects
Our lineup is very simple with two tiers of cables: the Headwaters and the Wind River. The wire and architecture in the two models differs dramatically, with the Wind River being a complex construction that's configured in-house.
Deny this if you will, but connectors are a major contributor to the "sound" of cables.
For our Headwaters and Wind River cables, we're offering two interpretations: ETI Kryo and Cardas GRMO RCAs.
Cable FAQs
Cables - a Guide
Our cable FAQ covers a broad range of topics. In particular, we've developed a strategy on how to sequence your cable evaluation and selection.
Whether it's cables from Galibier or anyone else, following an auditioning strategy can save you time and money, by preventing costly errors.
Wind River - from $1,095
Wind River Interconnect
Introductory Pricing (includes 72 hour burn-in)
RCA Termination with ETI Kryo or Cardas GRMO (shielded or unshielded):
- .5m: $1,095
- 1.0m: $1,195
- 1.5m: $1,395
- 2.0m: 1,695
Specify shielded or unshielded. Maximum length is 2.0m (see below).
XLR Termination: not available
These cables are extremely labor intensive to build and pricing increase by length is not linear due to the increasing difficulty in fabricating these cables.
Building these cables is like building a ship in a bottle.
ETI Kryo
All Galibier designed cables come with a 30-day return policy.
Specifications
- Effective Wire Gauge: 24.5
- Maximum length: 2m
- Capacitance – RCA (unshielded): 17pF / foot
- Capacitance – RCA (shielded): 32pF / foot
Wind River Construction:
- Copper litz wire
- ETI Kryo or Cardas GRMO RCA Connectors
- Cardas solder
- Cotton sleeving for ideal dielectric behavior
- Shielded cables have a braided, tinned copper shield
- 72 hour burn-in on our Cable Cooker
Comment
Most manufacturers blow their horn over the use of Teflon, foamed PTFE, etc. We’re not most manufacturers. The only dielectric in the Wind Rivers is the heat shrink used for strain-relief, and the thin enamel in the litz wire's construction (along with the serving wrapped around the wire).
Choosing cotton for the jacket was based on sonics, and was validated by our beta test group and several local customers.
We manufacture the Wind River in-house, and it is a labor of love - taking about 4 hours to build a 1m interconnect.
Headwaters - $449 (1m)
Headwaters Interconnect
Vintage Modern
Don’t underestimate these cables based on their modest price.
High quality connectors will change your opinion about Mogami!
All Galibier designed cables come with a 30-day return policy.
If we priced them based on their sonics, we’d charge much more, but we’re bringing them to you based on their manufacturing cost. Connectors matter!
If our cables were phono cartridges, the Headwaters would be My Sonic Lab, and the Wind Rivers be a Lyra/Hana/Van den Hul presentation.
Note: the photo above shows ETI Cu LINK RCAs. We are now building them with the more revealing Kryo connectors.
Click here for the full story of the Headwaters cable project.
- 1m (standard length). Add $15 per additional meter.
- RCAs: ETI Kryo or Cardas GRMO
- XLR: Neutrik
- 72 burn-in on our Cable Cooker (as we do all of our cables)
ETI Kryo RCA
Neutrik XLR
Specifications
- Effective Wire Gauge: 22 AWG
- Capacitance: 23 pf/foot
Notes
Shielded? Unshielded?
Click on the link above for an expanded commentary on our cabling philosophy. There’s no one size fits all solution, and we can walk you through the decision making process.
MC Step-up Transformer to Phono Stage
Due to the unpredictability of your step-up’s construction, internal shielding, and grounding scheme, combined with the characteristics of your electronics, this is the one application where we recommend a shielded cable.
The good news is that our shielded cables are still very low in capacitance (see above).
Most noise issues associated with MC step-up transformers are due to magnetic interaction however (where cable shielding doesn’t help), and this is typically addressed by re-positioning and/or reorienting the transformer (laying it on its side, its face, etc.)
While we recommend as short a length as possible, you’ll need to consider the possibility of having to rotate the transformer or move it in order to determine its quietest position. Too short of a cable may restrict you in this regard.
Ideally, we would use a .5m (19.5″) length, but we can adjust it to your requirements.
The reason length is important in this position is because a step-up transformer multiplies the cable’s effective capacitance by 100 (this is for a 1:10 step-up transformer). In other words, a one foot interconnect in this position has the effective capacitance of a 100 foot interconnect!
