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INTERLINKS

VAN DEN HUL THE SECOND (BALANCED)

The WHOLE TRUTH ...

Anyone serious about audio - stereo orhome theatre - will have heard of Van den

Hul. The Dutch marque is best known for itsextensive range of interlinks and speaker

cabling, which these days embraces not just

audio, but also video applications.

However, Van den Hul is also renowned for

its superior (if rather expensive) cartridges,

of which the various executions of the Frog

and the Grasshopper are perhaps the best

known.

Under scrutiny here is a balanced, XLR-

terminated example of The Second, arguably

Van den Huls most discussed, and some

would say most sonically successful, interlink. Its been around since 1993, and its one of the interconnects I employ in areference role.

Frankly, the worst part of The Second is its brown jacket, which is hardly inspiring - I couldnt think of a worse colour.

Fortunately, its no reflection on the interlinks sonic character! Construction is exemplary, including the robust XLR-type

termination.

The Second has a linear structured carbon (LSC) construction - a non-metal design pioneered by Van den Hul, and

initially employed in an interlink not surprisingly called The First. The Second is a balanced version of The First, and

employs twin, symmetrical centre conductors and a four-layer shield.

Why produce a carbon conductor-based interconnect? Well, company founder A.J. Van den Hul believes that metal

conductors suffer from a legion of flaws, some of which include the impurities - and associated distortion - caused by

chemical and mechanical processes associated with the manufacture of conventional interlinks.

The LSC alternative took years to perfect, but doesnt suffer any of these vagaries, since carbon is perfectly inert. The

signal does not have to contend with any distortion-inducing impurities, and travels undisturbed from source to

destination.

Since each of the 12,000 individual strands of carbon fibre contained in each conductor is insulated, there is no cross-

talk, and no so-called skin effect. Impedance, at a claimed 36 ohms is very low, allowing very long runs of The Second

without any sonic degradation.

The twin conductors are insulated in polyethylene foam, while the four-layer shield consists of two separate groups. The

first consists of two helically wound layers of silver-coated, oxygen-free copper strands, and the second is made up of two

layers of carbon-saturated foil.

The final touch is Van den Huls Hulliflex halogen-free PVC jacket, in the aforementioned brown colour. It may not be

pretty, but it does offer effective external insulation.

As tested here, The Second is a true balanced interlink, thanks to the symmetrical conductor array. Even so, it can also

be had in RCA-terminated form, in which case the one conductor is connected to the shields at either end of the interlink.

The most difficult part of reviewing an interconnect such as The Second is that there is no particular sonic signature to

discuss - its a completely open, honest and transparent design that somehow does a better job than most as far as

transferring a music signal is concerned, yet refuses to stamp an individual signature on the result.

Thus, youll find the music sounding airier and more accessible, with greater depth and width in staging terms, as well

as displaying an extended, smoother and more linear tonal range. Theres also a sense of natural flow and rhythm so

often absent from other, more self-conscious interconnect designs.

Indeed, flow is a good description in this context, relevant not only to the electronic functionality of this interconnect,

but also to the unencumbered progress of the music. With The Second in the system, the sound has such natural intent

and such smooth dynamics that the electronic element is effectively filtered out.

In other words, what you hear is the music, rather than the audio system and its various components. You certainly

dont hear the interlink, which facilitates the transfer of the music signal so transparently that it never seems to impact

on the nature of the signal in any way.Even so, The Second will not be to everyones liking - and almost certainly not at the first listen. Were so used to

hearing cables that attenuate and emphasise different sonic elements of the signal that to hear an interlink as honest,

open and effective as this one may initially sound almost disappointingly neutral.

Its only when you start with A-B comparisons that you realise how much information is actually on offer - and how

unveiled and unencumbered the resultant performance actually becomes. Harmonious and sonically balanced, the music

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sounds, well, just right.

The Second is arguably one of Van den Huls finest achievements. Its an interlink that doesnt add or subtract, that

exposes shortcomings and enhances quality. It cant be used to correct anomalies, but it does reward a good system with

exceptional clarity, detail, pace and range.

And therein lies its musical magic...

Deon Schoeman

p e a k s

VERDICT

An engaging, honest interlinkthat provides an open window

on the music without

enforcing any particular

character.

PRICE

2485 Rand per 1.0 metre pair

Audio Video South Africa, September 2005

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means that:

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