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Schnerzinger is the best you can get in the area of cables...

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The method of making myself known via the Internet worked for Schnerzinger for me. I had been thinking for a while about which speaker cables I could get to better utilize what my equipment could do. My HiFi dealer had sold me a pair of Burmester B80s (after hearing the Burmester system in my new car, I really wanted some Burmester speakers), I had bought the new crossover and a conversion to "MKII" a few months later to go with it when it was available. It would go even better if I swapped out my Nordost Heimdall for higher quality Nordost cables. I asked my dealer and read on the internet. Someone was offering Nordost Valhalla because they swapped speaker cables for Schnerzinger. Schnerzinger? I then listened to the improvements that the new Nordost series would bring. At the same time, I had sought contact with "Schnerzinger". My dealer had given me in the meantime from the new series Nordost Tyr 2 NF and speaker cables to listen to, as well as the new Frey 2 phono cables. Wow! That was a leap!

Then Schnerzinger answered, telling that a Mr. Brämer would call to offer a listening session in my home. Aha!? This is unfamiliar; normally I’d like to listen on my own for some days. But this is not possible, well, ok. He arrived; and it was really impressive. We didn’t start with speaker cables what I was actually looking for, but with interconnects. What an improvement - unbelievable! Then power cords (??? My Burmesters are fine, aren’t they ???), wow, another improvement. The most significant change made the power Innovator and the power cord at the preamp. Speaker cables – ok, this jump kept within a limit; also after a 4 to 5 hours listening session it also was kind of enough. Nevertheless all in all the performance improvement was much, much more, than I had experienced earlier.

What would it cost? Wow, very lush. The new Nordost cables performed well also… Then when could I get the Schnerzinger cables? 8 weeks minimum, we are busy, etc.

What to do? My dealer has offered me a really good deal, he would accept my Burmester Silver cables as trade-in, also he’s a very nice guy, and the cables are available with no waiting period and performed well also. Mr. Brämer offered “you may do a listening session at Dirk Klocke, the developer of Schnerzinger”.

I drove to Dortmund for the date; very friendly people in a nice atmosphere. Then what I got to hear there is second to none, the system performs simply sensational!!!

Nevertheless first I decided in favor of the Nordost interconnect and speaker cables, the whole Schnerzinger thing was too much – also the costs. Ok, the power distribution seems to be a sensation – here I start with Schnerzinger, others seem to be far behind in this domain, the explanations sound plausible and the performance effect of the power distribution alone was really unbelievable. Power Innovator plus a power cord for the preamp were my first step.

Dirk Klocke is a very nice and exciting person, listening to music with full passion, obsessed to constantly improve his developments. It’s fun to go there and listen to music for one or two hours together with a person who really takes this hobby seriously. I buy another three power cords for power amp, CD player and music streamer, which again yields a big jump. At my third visit to Dirk Klocke I bring along my Nordost Tyr 2 to the listening session, actually being convinced, that they are as well as his cables.

The listening contest was shameful; it took me 5 seconds to clearly notice that the highly regarded Nordost Tyr 2 speaker and interconnect cables got across so astonishingly less sound, that I knew immediately I wanted to use Schnerzinger interconnect and speaker cables also.

Today I do not have these yet, but I’m already looking forward to the listening session (kindly at first special interconnects for the Burmester pin assignment will be manufactured and then demonstrated at my place, before I will have to directly buy these). The previous progress steps - at first power Innovator and one power cord, than another three power cords - were so significant ( any time I thought I had a new and better system!) that I’m convinced, that the progress will again be very obvious.

We will see. I like my Burmester chain very much, but now I know that top cabling is key - or better put - the backbone for a top music performance. The cables are super expensive, but if you have the money to buy such expensive stuff: Schnerzinger is the best you can get in the area of cables – and the service is extraordinary also; it’s well worth to commit to it!!

App. 6 months later:

Now I’m fully equipped; I also got a set of speaker cables, the system was optimized with cleaners and the result is an incredible surprise:

I’ve never listened to music so relaxed. Clarity, spatiality and musicality is outstanding, I have lots of fun with my system.

Indeed there is no better way to optimally take advantage of a system. I’m very happy that I have decided for Schnerzinger and to any ambitious listener I can just recommend to simply give it a try.
(Translated from the German original)

— Ulrich S. —

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IMAGE HIFI 06/2021 TESTBERICHT
SCHNERZINGER ESSENTIAL LINE (CABLE)
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Schnerzinger GmbH & Co KG
Heinrich-Sträter Str. 15
44229 Dortmund

Contact
Telefon: +49 (231) 133 850-15
Mail: info@schnerzinger.com

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© 2024 Schnerzinger

BETTER SKIN - time-correct signal transport without electronic carry-over effect

The BETTER SKIN technology ensures an almost uniform flow of all frequencies due to the special surface coating within the SCHNERZINGER ATOMIC BONDING process, thus combining the advantages of different designs without accepting their disadvantages.

SKIN EFFEKT- Frequency-dependent signal transport in the conductor

An important sound-relevant factor is the so-called skin effect. This can be explained in a very simplified way as follows: High frequencies flow near the surface, medium and low frequencies are oriented more towards the center of the conductor.

For a nearly lossless transport of high frequencies, often flat wire resp. foil conductor, hollow conductor or litz wire (often several distinct isolated strands with very small width) are disposed.

These constructions– having a large surface and a small core portion - favor the transport of high frequencies; but from our experience just this characteristic complicates the desired uniform transmission of low, mid and high frequencies. However or because of that, at first these constructions are often perceived as being more open and having with a higher resolution. In our book for a time correct, natural and not artificially accentuated presentation of the upper spectrum it’s of elementary importance, that all frequencies will be transported holistically. A few of these cable designs also tend to higher capacitance, whereon certain equipment combinations respond with unpredictable performance.

A performance displaced to higher frequencies may be perceived – as mentioned above – as more dynamic and three-dimensional and having higher resolution, but from our experience this is accountable for the so-called hyper hi-fi sound; soon the listener will be stimulated to yet another compensating action and so forth. 

DIE VORTEILE DES SCHNERZINGER DIELEKTRIKUMS

SCHNERZINGER uses a special, air-filled material as dielectric, which - unlike PTFE or Teflon, for example - is applied to the wire while avoiding structurally damaging temperatures and yet is completely stable. Combined with the special SCHNERZINGER process of DIELECTRIC CHARGING, it shows better dielectric and sound properties than pure PTFE, FEP, cotton, linen, silk or even air.  In addition, it is absolutely leak-proof and thus offers reliable long-term protection of the conductors against oxidation....

  • Combination of air-filled material & DIELECTRIC CHARGING process.
  • Pristine sound & better dielectric properties than air
  • Unrestricted signal flow due to significantly minimized electronic memory effect
  • Production without material-damaging high-temperature processes
  • Absolut stabile Isolierung und dauerhafter Oxidationsschutz ("Insulation, not oxidation")

DIELECTRIC

To prevent electrical short circuits between the wires, they must be insulated. The insulation material, also called dielectric, has an enormous influence on the transmission quality of audio cables. Pure air is theoretically the best dielectric, but it does not insulate. However, in the case of cables marketed in the audio sector with air or AIR insulation, for example, the individual conductor wires are provided with an insulating layer of varnish, which has significantly poorer dielectric values than PTFE, for example. In addition, this insulating layer is often applied using structurally damaging high-temperature processes, which often negatively affect the quality of the conductor's material structure. This is clearly not the case with SCHNERZINGER.

Our test runs utilizing various isolators – starting with best polyethylene PTFE, FEP, across foamed material, natural fabric, like unbleached cotton or silk up to extremely expensive and exotic approaches with costly inert gas and specifically deployed battery voltage - confirm the enormous importance of the often underestimated dielectric.  

However, the contradiction between high insulation on the one hand and lowest storage capacity on the other hand could not be solved so satisfactorily with any of these approaches that it did not lead to a limitation of the performance potential of the SCHNERZINGER SIGNAL CONDUCTOR.

DIELECTRIC CHARGING

A time consuming production process, DIELECTRIC CHARGING, counteracting the adherence ("parking") of the electrical charge at the dielectric, provided SCHNERZINGER the crucial progress and breakthrough.

To better illustrate this sound-degrading memory effect, one can imagine that the individual signals flowing through a wire are attracted to the dielectric, "park" there, and are carried away again by subsequent signals.

SCHNERZINGER research shows that this effect results in a slowed down, time-delayed electron flow, counteracting the crucial target of time correct and integrated signal processing.

Therefore an ideal isolation material is a dielectric without both attractive and buffer effect; a requirement profile, many manufacturers work on with major effort.

The production process of the DIELECTRIC CHARGING works quasi directly against the memory effect and thus ensures a timely and unrestrained signal flow, which is essential for an unimpaired playback quality. Even wires operated without dielectric, i.e. surrounded by pure air, were at a disadvantage sonically compared to DIELECTRIC CHARGING!

For a simple understanding of DIELECTRIC CHARGING, you can imagine a road with many intersections: 

It is not by improving the road surface, but by reducing the number of intersections that one achieves significant progress toward unimpeded traffic flow.

BACKGROUND 

In theory electrical signal propagates in vacuum with the speed of light (c). Cable connection limits the speed, copper conductor for example to about 9/10 of the speed of light. The ration of actual speed to speed of light is known as speed factor VOP (Velocity Propagation Factor). This number describes the transmission speed of a material compared to the speed of light in vacuum in percent.

Here even foamed PTFE reaches 85% only.

Material                                 VOP

Geschäumtes PTFE                85%

FEP                                         69%

Silikon                                53-69%

TFE                                         69%

Polyethylen                             66%

PVC                                   35-58%

Nylon                                 47-53%

ATOMIC BONDING vs. Monocrystalline OCC und UPOCC Leitermaterial

In contrast to the often only temporarily effective advantages of established treatment and manufacturing processes on the reproduction quality of high-quality audio cables, e.g. cryogenization or OCC or UPOCC casting processes, SCHNERZINGER cables with ATOMIC BONDING conductors enable an audibly purer and unrivaled true-to-life signal transmission - and this permanently! 

In order to recognize the essential advantage of the SCHNERZINGER ATOMIC BONDING technology compared to conventional methods, some background knowledge about the industrial processing of wires used as conductor material in the audio sector is required:

CONVENTIONAL CASTING METHODS:

To manufacture the conductor material in most audio cables, thick copper or silver strands are repeatedly drawn through so-called drawing dies until the wires are thin enough for further use. Every drawing process means enormous mechanical stress, which causes the crystalline grain structure of the wires to disintegrate into many crystals. In a sense, the audio signals have to find their way through many of these grain structures. The flow through the grain boundaries from grain to grain creates an enormous resistance potential every time, which is known to cause slowed signal transport.

The more complex casting process is therefore often used for higher-quality audio cables. Here, liquid copper or silver is continuously poured into molds, which results in longer grain structures. In the even more complex monocrystalline OCC or UPOCC (Ultra-Pure Ohno Continuous Casting) process, the molds are even heated and slowly cooled to prevent the material from solidifying too quickly. This process was developed by Prof. Ohno in the 1980s for industry so that fewer cracks occur in the sheet metal when the copper strands are rolled out

INNOVATIVE APPROACH WITH ATOMIC BONDING:

SCHNERZINGER ATOMIC BONDING, on the other hand, takes a completely different approach:

To easily get the idea of the innovative development approach ATOMIC BONDING, simply envision a conducting wire as a pipe filled with ice cubes, whereby the ice cubes symbolically illustrate the inner grain structure of the wire.

Since long-chain metal structures are quite sensitive and easily disintegrate again after the manufacturing process, e.g. due to vibrations and bending processes, ATOMIC BONDING is a technologically extremely complex process which does not aim at bonding individual ice cubes to form a closed, long-chain monostructure, but on the contrary at crushing the cubes. This results in the smallest ice structure components, which can subsequently be compressed into a stable, homogeneous ice mass with very high cohesive forces in the tube.

A compacted, fused mass of ice has a closed, extremely stable structure - without any gaps. This fact forms the basis for a highly pure and perfect impulse chain - for a true-to-life signal transmission.

BIDIRECTIONAL BARRIER - KONKURRENZLOSER STÖRFELDSCHUTZ

Each SCHNERZINGER cable is designed to provide unique and effective protection of the signal against both low-frequency and high-frequency interference - without reducing the signal bandwidth and signal speed in the slightest - with its BIDIRECTIONAL BARRIER.

By foregoing the use of compromising dummy solutions such as capacitors, diodes, parallel or series filters, which are often used in common market solutions, SCHNERZINGER CABLES transport the audio signal with breathtaking and hitherto unattained authenticity and information density. Electronic braking and carry-over effects are reduced to a maximum, the bad influence of high-frequency interference fields on the quality of the reproduction is effectively prevented.

The double interference field protection of the BIDIRECTIONAL BARRIER blocks and stops 

  • the introduction of external interference fields radiating via the mains and cables into the signal path
  • the forwarding of internal interference fields caused by the components themselves within the audio chain.
 
Due to the increase in wireless transmission technology and modern media use, e.g. WLAN, Power-LAN, cell phones, etc., increasingly complex high-frequency interference fields are radiating into the wired transmission path of the audio signal. Although shielded audio cables, which are often used, provide protection in the classic AF range, they draw the aforementioned high-frequency interference fields even more strongly into the sensitive signal path ("antenna effect"). Sensitive quality losses in the playback and a limited music enjoyment are the result. 
 

The BIDIRECTIONAL BARRIER enables for the first time a truly contemporary, highly effective interference field protection for the sound information transported in the cable. The pure and unaltered transmission of the signal results in significantly better dynamics, resolution, rhythm and fine detail. 

The full sound potential of the hi-fi components is preserved and the quality and performance of the music system can unfold 100%.

In case of very strong interference field loads, the effectiveness of the BIDIRECTIONAL BARRIER can be increased for the cables of the TS-LINE and the RESOLUTION LINE for the cleaning of external interference fields by an optional power amplifier, the CABLE PROTECTOR

For the RESOLUTION LINE, SCHNERZINGER also offers the optional SIGNAL PROTECTOR, an effective power amplifier for diverting the internal interference fields that have penetrated the signal path to the outside.

BETTER GEOMETRY - uncompromising cable design

In order to take full advantage of close-meshed interlocking constructions - without accepting their electromagnetic problems - SCHNERZINGER relies on a combination of intelligent superstructures and revolutionary technologies.

GEOMETRY - twisting, interlacing or parallel cable constructions

The design of a cable must be mechanically stable, create a homogeneous electromagnetic field between and around the conductors, and ensure the time-correct, and loss-free signal flow.

Efforts to use elaborate stranding and braiding techniques to counteract the problems of mutual interference often fail.

Twisted constructions reduce the susceptibility to interference, and typically result in a low inductance, which is usually targeted. However, as soon as current flows through a wire, its own electromagnetic field is generated. If the cores are twisted, the electromagnetic fields of the individual wires are close together over a large area, acting on each other and impairing the flow of electrons, which is why solid conductors are often used instead of stranded wires.

Braided constructions also typically reduce susceptibility to interference, but accept the effects of a constant but permanent change in the electrical environment of the individual conductors relative to each other, and it is this that leads to electromagnetic clutter, which in turn affects electron flow.

Parallel constructions with conductors running in parallel are not very resistant to external interference fields and favor the proximity effect, which also impairs the flow of electrons due to eddy currents that are generated.

To realize a full speed and even electron flow, the electrical parameters and the electromagnetic fields should remain constant and homogeneous across the entire cable length. The requirement of a mechanically stable design is often underrated, although this is an important factor in order to adhere to constant conditions.

In order to take full advantage of close-meshed interlocking constructions without accepting their electromagnetic problems, SCHNERZINGER relies on a combination of intelligent superstructures and revolutionary technology:

BETTER GEOMETRY uses a high-tech process to directly absorb electrosmog and virtually neglect resulting electromagnetic problems.

CABLE COATING – static problem catcher

Plastic fabric hoses are used by many manufacturers as outer sheathing. They look fancy, are inexpensive, and make manufacturing easier. But the fact is that the outer jacket definitely affects the sound quality of a cable.
In the case of plastics, for example, static charges can occur that impair electron transport. 

As a so-called "tuning measure", antistatic agents are then often offered as accessories to counteract the inadequacies of these materials.

We therefore deliberately dispense almost entirely with plastic fabric tubes, which may make a cable appear professionally manufactured, but in our opinion do not belong in a sonically consistent development chain.

BETTER FLOW -

The BETTER FLOW principle, through the extraordinary quality of the SCHNERZINGER ATOMIC BONDING conductor material and the consistent use of the highest quality bonding techniques and components, plays a major role in ensuring the unique reproduction quality and special features of SCHNERZINGER CABLES.

CONDUCTOR MATERIAL GRADE

Conventional untreated conductor material consists of many short crystalline grain structures, which furthermore conditional of manufacturing are laying in an inappropriate assembly. So to some extend the information has to find its diffuse way through many grain structures. Flowing through the grain boundary junctions from grain to grain implies an enormous resistance potential und thus causes a slowed down signal transmission. In addition information transmission virtually swirls in the grain boundary voids, so tones belonging together are time delayed and torn apart. Above all grain boundary voids allow deformations of the grain structure. This in turn may result in grain contact points, whose resonances may distort the information.

The SCHNERZINGER ATOMIC BONDING conductor material minimizes these sound-influencing effects by providing a permanently compact and enormously homogeneous microstructure of the conductor.

 

CONNECTOR - COMPONENTS, MATERIAL

Our research shows, that the parts performance potential is primarily determined by the crystalline structure of the deployed material rather than by the material itself. Performance deficits because of a non-optimum crystalline material structure of a connector plug may be compensated via clever actions.
With many connector plugs in the audio domain a layer of gold, silver, rhodium, palladium etc. will be added to the conducting material. This improves electrical contact and - via the distinct character of the particular plating - it furthermore allows for compensation of deficits.

But we strive for the solution, not just a compensation of a problem, so we employ connector plugs that are adjusted to the fabric of the SCHNERZINGER CONDUCTOR via the complex process ATOMIC BONDING. We disassemble all plugs into their individual parts and replace the contact pins by ATOMIC BONDING formatted pins. To perfectly protect the contact pins against interfering fields and to establish double operational reliability, the plug receives a two-shelled housing. To reduce contact resistance, after assembly plugs and conductor together will be ATOMIC BONDING processed once again.

Compared to the complexity and effect of these actions the significance of the original material characteristic is secondary.

The decision in favor of the now employed connector plugs was done after a multitude of comparisons utilizing the best respected plugs and sockets of the world market.

Price and reputation of the tested devices were of minor importance, as the costs of ATOMIC BONDING by far exceed the costs of expensive plugs.

We explicitly indicate, that - because of the structural adjustment of plugs and conductor material - any back fitting to other plugs will drastically degrade sound quality, thus irreparably destroy the SCHNERZINGER original connection.