Analysis Plus Copper Oval Interconnect Cable - 1.0 Meter - XLR to XLR - Single

Copper Oval Puts Three Hollow Oval Conductors in a Slim Jacket

Analysis Plus sells this cable as the Copper Oval-In Micro. It packs three 18 gauge conductors of pure oxygen-free copper into a small cross section. Each is braided into the company's hollow oval shape and insulated with FEP. A shield wraps the signal lines. Analysis Plus calls the result super quiet and extremely neutral.

Three 18 Gauge Conductors in FEP

The three conductors are braided from oxygen-free copper in Analysis Plus's hollow oval geometry. The oval keeps the outgoing and return paths close, and the hollow center drops metal that carries little current. FEP is a fluoropolymer insulation related to Teflon. The micro build keeps the cable slim and easy to route.

The Abbatron XLR Plug, Explained

Copper Oval ends in an XLR plug from Abbatron of Meadville, Pennsylvania. The female plug gets beryllium copper sockets. The male gets tellurium copper pins. Abbatron says the pair conducts about three times as well, for a cleaner and fuller sound. A chuck-style strain relief grips the cable where it enters the shell. The plug latches into the jack.

Made by Hand in Michigan

Analysis Plus was founded in 1993 as a scientific research and design company. It still builds its cables by hand at its own shop in Flushing, Michigan. The company chose braided conductors because a woven bundle flexes without the stress cracks a solid wire can suffer.

What Reviewers Are Saying

Audiodrom reviewed the XLR version on March 6, 2013: "a friendly and musical animal that is sonically warm, harmonically rich and timbrally saturated." It added "it is not bright, it does not have boomy bass and it is not overdetailed."

The same review was clear about the limits. The reviewer's far dearer reference cable was "substantially better but also substantially more expensive," and Copper Oval scored in the middle of the magazine's scale for detail, air and transparency.

Who Is This Interconnect Best For?

• You want warmth without mud — Audiodrom heard a warm, harmonically rich cable with no boomy bass, so lean systems gain body
• Space behind the rack is tight — the micro build is slim, so it bends where thicker cables will not
• Your sources sit near power supplies — the shield around the signal lines keeps radio and electrical noise out
• You want a plug that locks — the Abbatron XLR latches into the jack, so the connection stays put and the copper pins stay seated
• Your components have only RCA jacks — the Copper Oval XLR will not fit an RCA jack. Choose the Analysis Plus Copper Oval RCA instead, or call us and we will match the connector

How Does It Connect to Your System?

Run Copper Oval from a balanced XLR output on your DAC, streamer, CD player or phono stage. It goes to a balanced XLR input on your preamp or amplifier. Line up the three pins and push until the latch clicks. To remove it, press the latch and pull by the plug, never by the cable.

Then listen. Other and longer lengths available. Call for prices.

Pairs Well With

An interconnect is one link in the chain. It usually joins these categories.

• Integrated Amplifiers — the usual input end
• Digital-to-Analog Converters — DAC output to amplifier
• Phono Preamplifiers — phono stage to line input
• Speaker Cables — the last link to the speakers

Frequently Asked Questions

What XLR plug does Copper Oval use?

An Abbatron XLR, made in Meadville, Pennsylvania. It has beryllium copper sockets and tellurium copper pins, which Abbatron says conduct about three times as well. Analysis Plus does not say which contact finish it fits.

What is the hollow oval design?

Analysis Plus's own conductor shape. At high frequencies current crowds to the outside of a wire and bunches unevenly. The oval keeps the outgoing and return paths close, and the hollow center drops the metal that would carry little current.

What is FEP?

A fluoropolymer insulation, related to Teflon. Analysis Plus uses it on Copper Oval because it stores little energy from the signal, so less is released late as smear.

Why braid the conductor?

Analysis Plus says a woven bundle flexes without the stress cracks a solid wire can suffer. Its weave also puts every strand statistically as close to the return current as every other strand.

What warranty does Analysis Plus give?

One year against mechanical defects, from the date of purchase, on cables sold as new. Keep your proof of purchase. The warranty is not transferable and does not cover cables that have been altered or misused.

Is there a step up?

Analysis Plus Solo Crystal Oval XLR is the next rung. It moves to Continuous Cast Copper, drawn as a single long crystal, with the same Abbatron XLR plugs.

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