QED Golden Anniversary XT Pre-Terminated Speaker Cable (2m Pair)

The QED Golden Anniversary XT sits within QED's Reference range of speaker cables, marking the British manufacturer's 50th anniversary in 2023. Designed and manufactured in the UK, it represents the culmination of five decades of cable engineering that began with the company's founding in 1973 and the landmark Genesis Report — a research programme that established scientifically-proven principles of loudspeaker cable design still in use today.

X-Tube Plus Construction

The Golden Anniversary XT uses QED's X-Tube Plus geometry, which combines two of the company's core technologies: X-Tube and Aircore. Ten copper strands are twisted around a central hollow polymer rod — the Aircore element — which maintains consistent spacing between conductors. This geometry addresses the skin effect (where high-frequency signals migrate to the outer edges of a conductor) and the proximity effect (where adjacent conductors distort each other's magnetic fields), delivering an even, consistent performance across the entire audible frequency range.

Conductor Blend

Each conductor comprises a hybrid blend of two copper types: nine strands of 99.999% oxygen-free copper (OFC) and one strand of ultra-pure Ohno Continuous Cast Copper (UP-OCC). The OCC strand is produced using the Ohno process, which creates an exceptionally long, single-crystal grain structure for superior signal transmission. The conductor configuration is specified as 9 × 19/0.13mm OFC + 1 × 19/0.13mm UP-OCC, giving a total cross-sectional area of 2.5mm² (14 AWG).

Insulation and Shielding

Each conductor is wrapped with 100% gold mylar tape coverage before being encased in a low-density polyethylene (LDPE) dielectric. LDPE is chosen for its low dissipation factor — measured at 0.0090 at 10kHz — which minimises dielectric absorption and ensures signal integrity. The two conductors are twisted together and protected by a transparent PVC outer jacket with a diameter of 11.5mm.

Airloc Forte Termination

The Golden Anniversary XT is factory-terminated with QED's Airloc Forte banana plugs. The Airloc system uses a cold-weld process that creates a permanent, gas-tight connection between the cable and the plug body, eliminating oxidation at the joint. The Forte plug itself features a spring-loaded connection pin that maintains consistent contact pressure with 4mm speaker binding posts.

What the Press Says

• "A well-made speaker cable that helps deliver high levels of clarity." — What Hi-Fi? ★★★★★ (December 2023)