Atlas's high-end Ailsa Achromatic speaker cable offers flagship tech at lower prices

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A speaker cable to join the Ailsa Achromatic interconnect

Atlas Ailsa Achromatic
(Image credit: Atlas)

Cable specialist Atlas has just launched the new Atlas Ailsa Achromatic speaker cable. Joining the Ailsa Achromatic interconnect, launched in 2021, Ailsa is pitched between the company’s Hyper and Mavros cable ranges and offers OCC (Ohno Continuous Cast) conductor technology and microporous PTFE dielectrics at a lower price point than previously available. 

Designed from the ground up, Ailsa is aimed at mid to high-end system use, but the proposition features technology deployed in the even higher-end Mavros range.

Kevin Kelly, managing director of Atlas Cables, said, “The Ailsa speaker cable bridges the gap between our Hyper and Mavros range... We have finally managed to successfully trickle down our OCC/microporous PTFE technology and included it in the Ailsa design."

Ailsa Achromatic speaker cable consists of 2 x 3mm OCC multi-stand copper conductors wrapped in a high-efficiency microporous PTFE dielectric. This is enhanced with super stabilised conductor geometry (SSG isolation layer), an extruded outer layer that keeps the multiple strand conductor symmetrical and geometrically accurate. 

The cable is then packed out with anti-vibration cotton filler and finished with a high-gloss grey jacket.

As with all Atlas analogue products, the Ailsa speaker cable is delivered from the factory terminated with the company’s Achromatic Z (4mm plugs) or S (spade terminals). Being low mass and non-conductive, the plug body promises to eliminate the detrimental effects of circulating Eddy currents.

The promised result is minimal discernible character, thus allowing your system to convey its inherent detail, timing and dynamics.

Atlas's Ailsa Achromatic speaker cable is available in pre-packaged lengths with Z or S connections, priced at £1395 for 2m, £1995 for 3m, £3195 for 5m and £4395 for 7m, all inclusive of VAT. International availability and pricing is not yet known, but given the UK prices, they should start from roughly $1900 or AU$2670. 

Custom lengths are also available to order from authorised retailers.

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Becky Scarrott

Becky has been a full-time staff writer at What Hi-Fi? since March 2019. Prior to gaining her MA in Journalism in 2018, she freelanced as an arts critic alongside a 20-year career as a professional dancer and aerialist – any love of dance is of course tethered to a love of music. Becky has previously contributed to Stuff, FourFourTwo, This is Cabaret and The Stage. When not writing, she dances, spins in the air, drinks coffee, watches football or surfs in Cornwall with her other half – a football writer whose talent knows no bounds. 

10 Comments Comment from the forums
  • Combat
    Do you really still support snake oil like this? I have to say that in this day and age where all if the top reputable reviewers on YouTube have distances themselves from cables it's really disappointing to see What HiFi continue to advertise cables when all of the blind testing evidence points to their being no improvement in sound.
    Reply
  • super
    Combat said:
    Do you really still support snake oil like this? I have to say that in this day and age where all if the top reputable reviewers on YouTube have distances themselves from cables it's really disappointing to see What HiFi continue to advertise cables when all of the blind testing evidence points to their being no improvement in sound.
    It seems to be the way hi fi has gone more so in recent years in trying to get you to spend money in things like speaker cables, mains cables and even cable lifters. I saw something the other day where you get a clamp for your vinyl records for about £5000 claiming improved audio, you couldn't make this up. You can now spend as much on things like this or more than the actual hi fi equipment.
    Reply
  • Friesiansam
    Well my Pathos DAC/headphone amp, Focal headphones and alternative headphone cable cost me £2250 but, for £255 less I could buy a 3 metre pair of these speaker cables...

    Oh BTW, Atlas's Asimi Luxe Transpose speaker cables can be had for £17,800 for a 3 metre pair, from Peter Tyson.
    Reply
  • davidpurton
    What utter unsubstantisted pseudo science snake oil garbage! A cable has three things...resistance, inductance and capacitance. I'm not seeing any measurements because we know a decent low resistance cable costing a few quid a meter will do just as well. "Skin effect" is total nonsense at audio frequencies and the cable is just a part of a circuit anyway, amp to speaker. If changing your cable really does sound "different" you need to bin your rubbish amp! Sane people know all this of course, only the gullible who wear the cost of this garbage as a badge of honour will be taken in...the same people who are generally clueless, or don't care, about accurate sound reproduction..something I have been involved with since the 70's...
    Reply
  • Friesiansam
    davidpurton said:
    What utter unsubstantisted pseudo science snake oil garbage!
    I wouldn't argue with that.
    Reply
  • Johan Bottema
    Its a shame that WH is letting themselves down by promoting fraudulent products. But when I read the background of the writer it all makes sense.
    Reply
  • Stujomo
    davidpurton said:
    What utter unsubstantisted pseudo science snake oil garbage! A cable has three things...resistance, inductance and capacitance. I'm not seeing any measurements because we know a decent low resistance cable costing a few quid a meter will do just as well. "Skin effect" is total nonsense at audio frequencies and the cable is just a part of a circuit anyway, amp to speaker. If changing your cable really does sound "different" you need to bin your rubbish amp! Sane people know all this of course, only the gullible who wear the cost of this garbage as a badge of honour will be taken in...the same people who are generally clueless, or don't care, about accurate sound reproduction..something I have been involved with since the 70's...
    Yep hifi is really has been ruined by snake oil companies and mags that supports this rubbish.
    Reply
  • Stujomo
    super said:
    It seems to be the way hi fi has gone more so in recent years in trying to get you to spend money in things like speaker cables, mains cables and even cable lifters. I saw something the other day where you get a clamp for your vinyl records for about £5000 claiming improved audio, you couldn't make this up. You can now spend as much on things like this or more than the actual hi fi equipment.
    If I sold a cable for the kettle and claimed the tea would taste better people would laugh and call it out for what it is. If I sold a usb cable and claimed the inkjet prints would be better people laugh and call it out for what it is. For some reason these companies get a free pass.
    Reply
  • T h e J u d g e
    I have to say that articles like this completely removes any credibility this magazine might have had. Speaker cables are low frequency relatively high current items and can be made of pretty much anything conducting without any issues. No audio cables operate at high enough frequency for any dielectric or other effects, this is just ridiculous.
    Reply
  • T h e J u d g e
    Stujomo said:
    If I sold a cable for the kettle and claimed the tea would taste better people would laugh and call it out for what it is. If I sold a usb cable and claimed the inkjet prints would be better people laugh and call it out for what it is. For some reason these companies get a free pass.

    It's because some people like to think they are superior and can detect differences that mere mortals with sub-£50,000 hifis cant resolve.
    Reply