The Artist 500, like all Zaolla Silverline designs, is designed around a solid-silver center conductor. Silver, the most conductive element on earth, is 7% less resistant than copper. This substantial improvement in conductivity is manifest in every aspect of signal transmission. All else being equal, the bandwidth of a silver conductor is greater than that of a copper conductor. Thus, a silver conductor yields greater HF and LF transmission and overall signal clarity.
While it is true that silver is superior to copper as a conductor of electricity, this is not to say that silver is superior to copper in every application. Low-level analog audio signals benefit from the MF boost and "warmth" associated with copper. Thus, The Artist 500 guitar cable features a solid-silver center conductor and an enamel-coated, stranded-copper ancillary conductor in a unique hybrid configuration for the best of both worlds.
A guitar cable is only as good as its signal-to-noise ratio. Zaolla Silverline surrounds the unique hybrid conductor at the core of The Artist 500 with redundant shielding. Conductive PVC combines with a traditional copper braid to provide maximum EMI, RFI, and electrostatic rejection without the added stiffness of a second copper braid. Similarly, foamed polyethylene separates the conductor from the shield without adding stiffness.
Zaolla Silverline focuses on design as much as on materials. The unique features of The Artist 500 coexist in true coaxial cable geometry. This accounts for the unique flexibility of The Artist 500 among boutique guitar cables, many of which are secretly microphone cables terminated for use with a guitar. The Artist 500 is as much at home on the stage as it is in the studio.
The new plugs found on The Artist 500 guitar cable combine the robust design of G&H Industries’ Show Saver™ plug with the added benefit of a silver core. The straight plug has the same structure as G&H Industries’ ultra-high clarity plugs while the right-angle plug is based upon the traditional Show Saver structure. The copper core in each has been replaced with 99.99% pure silver to increase conductivity and improve sonic responsiveness. These new plugs are the only ones on the market with solid-silver tip connections. Due its low capacitance, low resistance, and high conductivity, it is the best sounding plug available and is the ideal complement to Zaolla Silverline’s cable.
The Artist 500 is manufactured in lengths ranging from 3 to 30 feet, with 6- and 12-inch pedal patch cables also available. Pricing ranges from $55 to $262—depending upon the cable’s length and the types of plugs (straight/right angle). The Artist 500 guitar cable is available now.