Proburn
Cable burn-in: an acknowledged problem in need of a better solution.
It is a well-known fact that high-quality audio and video cables improve over time when used in a hi-fi or home cinema system. A hard, closed-in sound with a distinct lack of bass are the qualities most noted when a cable is new; a cable that has been ‘burned-in’ will sound more open, extended and three-dimensional, with a more natural, less sterile performance overall.
Unfortunately, most high-quality specialist cables only get close to realising their full potential after months of use. Playing wide-bandwidth music gradually improves the performance of speaker and interconnect cables, yet technically they will never reach optimum performance with music signals alone.
The problem is quite simple. Real music has very little high-frequency energy, and thus will have a limited ability to improve a cable. Research shows that musical instruments may produce energy above 20kHz, but there is little sound energy above 40kHz. Also, most microphones do not pick up sound at much over 20kHz.
Furthermore, even the best burn-in CDs have a limited effect, owing to the limited frequency range of a CD player. A typical CD player has a sampling rate of 44.1kHz (Red Book standard). Digital theory (Nyquist) suggests a maximum frequency of 22.05kHz; the highest frequency is always half the sampling frequency. In reality, 20kHz is about the maximum because of the need to filter within the replay device.
Therefore, while it is accepted that sound, be it composed music or carefully generated frequencies played through an audio system, will improve a cable’s performance over time, it must also be accepted that the overall effect is limited technically. Cables conditioned in this way will never reach their true performance potential. Thus, an alternative method is required.
The challenge is two-fold: burn in time and burn in effectiveness. How can a cable be fully conditioned, and the time required to undertake this conditioning decreased from several months to just one day?
CleanIT
The mission of Blue Horizon is to provide class-leading products that enhance the performance of audio components, thereby maximising the end-user’s musical enjoyment.
In high-end audio, it is vital to maintain the integrity of the signal by making the best-possible connection between components. By simply removing oxidation and contaminants from cable connectors, sonic performance is significantly improved.
Key Features
- Cleans all contaminants between on sockets and connectors used in your audio system
- Safe to use on all metal surfaces
- Stabilizes similar and dissimilar metals to guarantee best possible contact and signal transfer
- Applicator brush, and cleaning cloth supplied
Clean-IT is an electrical contact enhancer that has been specially developed for use with audio and AV equipment. It features a fast-acting deoxidizing solution that cleans, conditions, lubricates and preserves, improving the conductivity of all metal connectors and contacts.
Clean-IT is recommended for use on all surfaces that are susceptible to oxidation or corrosion. Even brand-new hi-fi and home cinema components benefit from their contacts being cleaned, as the connectors are often machined using silicon oil, which is left to dry on after the manufacturing process – this has a degrading effect on conductivity.
Clean-IT outperforms ordinary contact cleaners due to its unique formulation, which has been specially developed for audio use. Clean-IT boosts the performance and reliability of all audio and AV equipment, improving conductivity and thereby reducing noise, interference and distortion, leading to greater definition and improved dynamics. Clean-IT is suitable for use on all metals that are used to make electrical connections, including gold, silver, rhodium, copper and nickel.
Record Mat
This high-performance record mat is made from a unique composite of India rubber, cork and leather. Its fine, granular composition keeps firm hold of every record played, whilst suppressing the resonance generated during playback. The mat's dual-layer design makes it easy to adapt to different record thicknesses without needing to alter tonearm height (VTA) – use the first layer for audiophile-grade vinyl, add the second for standard records. The result is the perfect coupling between record and platter – an utterly silent foundation, ensuring every drop of musical detail within the groove is delivered with unfettered clarity.
The Blue Horizon Record Mat will improve the sound of any turntable, high end or entry level, delivering clearly audible improvements that other mats can’t match. The sound gains greater resolution and focus, with enhanced detail and improved bass definition; music sounds more real, more vital, and hence the listener’s enjoyment is significantly heightened. For any vinyl lover, the Blue Horizon Record Mat is a must.
Key Features
- Unique composite in India Rubber, cork and leather holds firmly whilst suppressing resonance generated during playback
- Dual-layer design makes it easy to adapt to different record thicknesses without needing to adjust the VTA
Pro Level
If a turntable is to perform at its best, it is vital that the platter is absolutely level. A number of bubble-level devices are available to assist with turntable leveling, but none deliver the unerring accuracy of the Blue Horizon ProLevel.
Most bubble-level devices simply rest on the platter, acting like a regular spirit level. To ensure maximum precision, ProLevel slips over the spindle and, uniquely, grips it via a patented clamping mechanism using spring-loaded plungers situated within the main aluminium housing.
As a result, the level indication provided by ProLevel always relates to the spindle’s vertical axis and thereby the horizontal level of the turntable, no matter what the diameter of the spindle. The accuracy of this method is greater than relying upon the surface of the platter on which the bubble-level rests, making ProLevel the most precise turntable leveling tool available.
Key Features
- Central cavity slips over the turntable's spindle
- Main housing fashioned from aluminium
- Spring-loaded plungers physically grip the spindle, ensuring unerring accuracy
Spike Shoes
Blue Horizon’s Ultimate Spike Shoes are designed to sit beneath the spikes that support floorstanding speakers and speaker stands. They serve a dual purpose: firstly, they protect flooring and secondly, they enhance sound quality by suppressing resonance that leads to sonically damaging microphony in audio components.
It is the second of these functions that sets them apart form other spike shoes on the market. Uniquely, the aluminium outer casing of each spike shoe is filled by a combination specially chosen materials. The first of these is an extremely dense material placed directly beneath the indentation in which the spike sits, allowing spike loading of up to 100kg.
This is surrounded by a proprietary mixture of materials at opposite ends of the elasticity spectrum. The differing resonant frequencies of these materials ensure that resonance is damped equally across the audio band, rather than simply delivering a tonal shift. The combination of improved coupling and effective resonance control delivers clearly audible benefits, opening up the sound and improving definition from bass through to treble.
Key Features
- Alluminium outer casing
- Reinforced metal plate allows spike loading of up to 100kg
- Extremely dense material which is a proprietary mixture of materials at opposite ends of the elasticity spectrum damps resonance equally across the audio band