Hi-Fi Choice recommended｜Chord Company Shawline Streaming cable

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Date: 2024-11-05

Although the factors
affecting analogue and digital signals are different, it is important not to neglect the quality of digital interconnect cables, including those hooking up your streamer to your local area network. A standard Ethernet cable designed for computer applications is most probably not up to the job for audio use in terms of bandwidth and crosstalk between cable pairs. Low bandwidth will result in sloping edges of the digital waveform and crosstalk results in interference. All of this can cause jitter that the DAC then has to try and correct.

The Shawline Streaming cable is part of The Chord Company’s Shawline range, which includes digital and analogue interconnects as well as speaker and power cables. It utilises high-speed, high-bandwidth silver-plated copper conductors that are individually shielded and insulated with an FEP dielectric. In addition, the twisted pairs have an overall shield. The cable is terminated with over-moulded and shielded zinc plugs with 24ct. gold-plated signal contacts. These are fixed to the cable with a non-compression strain relief system. The cable comes in 0.75m, 1.4m, 3m and 5m standard lengths.

Perfect timing
I use the Ethernet cable to connect my Cambridge Audio Azur 851N streamer to my network and play a 24-bit/192kHz WAV of Vivaldi’s RV242 for violin, strings and harpsichord from the digital download of Chasing The Dragon’s recent Vivaldi In London album. The imaging is spot-on, which indicates good timing and negligible jitter. The wide dynamic range of this recording is splendidly transported by the Shawline and the accuracy of the instrument placement within the soundstage is superb.

Next up a 16-bit/44kHz digital WAV file from 1976 of Brasilian Go-Go sung by The Butterflies. The scat singing of this jazz piece swings along clearly and energetically, and has great presence in my listening room. Overall, the Shawline is an extremely well-made cable and does an excellent job of sending clean digital signals to my streamer.