Description Atlas Element Mezzo 2 XLR to 2 XLR Audio Cable - Pair Based on Atlas' highly regarded Element XLR interconnects, the Element Mezzo XLR has been designed to meet the increasingly popular requirement for a cost-effective balanced cable with very little compromise in performance. The actual cable itself is identical, but the Mezzo uses a copper alloy body and pins as opposed to the high-purity OFC pins and aluminium alloy-bodied plug of the Element XLR. Features Copper-Alloy XLR OFC Conductors PEF Dielectric 4 Core Screen Construction Copper-Alloy XLR The Mezzo XLR combines a copper-alloy bodied plug with copper-alloy connectors and crimped (solder-free) construction. Oxygen Free Copper (OFC) OFC is produced through an extrusion process which takes place in an oxygen-free-inert-gas atmosphere. This leads to a reduced oxygen content (10 ppm) when compared to Tough Pitch Copper (TPC) and an improvement in conductivity which typically measures in at between 0.5% and 2% greater than TPC. The OFC process therefore produces a much higher quality audio cable than the TPC process. High purity conductors sound clearer than their unprocessed (TPC) counterparts because there are fewer crystal boundaries present to cause signal degradation. Copper Purity Comparison (0.3mm Diameter) TPC OFC OCC Purity >99.9% >99.99% >99.999% Specific Gravity 8.75 8.926 8.938 Gas Impurities (ppm) O2 200~500 <10 <5 H2 <0.5 <0.5 <0.3 Average Crystal Size (Metre) 0.007 0.02 125.00 Crystals Per Metre 150 50 0.008 Polyethylene (PEF) Dielectric PVC (Poly Vinyl Chloride) is cheap to produce and, as such, is the most commonly used insulation in AV cables. However, PVC is the worst quality insulation a Hi-Fi or AV signal can encounter as its high loss causes a significant reduction in signal velocity. PVC is better suited to power cables and should be avoided in Hi-Fi and AV signal cables. Other dielectrics in common use are Polyethylene, Polypropylene and Polytetrafluoride Epoxy (better known as PTFE (Teflon™) or Teflon,) and the new and unique Atlas (PTFE). PEF (Foamed Polyethylene). The foaming process uses a blowing agent, of which there are two types. Atlas use the gas-foamed method which creates a more inert, consistent and higher quality product. The table below shows the properties of a selection of dielectrics. Though not used as a dielectric in Atlas' cables, PVC is included for comparison purposes. Dielectric Material Comparison (0.3mm Diameter) Property Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Foamed Polyethylene (PEF) Polypropylene (P.P) Teflon (FEP or PTFE) PTFE Dielectric Constant (@ 50 -106Hz) 4-8 2.3 2.25 2.1 1.3 Dielectric Strength (kV mm-1) 23-30 30-50 30-50 20-25 N/A Loss Tangent (% @ 50 - 106Hz) 8-15 0.02-0.05 0.02-0.06 (@ 106Hz) 0.02-0.07 N/A Volume Resistivity (Ohms.cm @ 20°C) 1012-15 >1017 6.5x1014 >1016 N/A Tensile Strength (Kg mm-2) 1.0-2.5 1.0-2.0 3.0-4.0 1.9-2.2 1.0 Melting Point (°C) -130 112-120 155-160 275 275 Max. Continuous Operating Temp. (°C) 60 75 90 200 260 Min. Operating Temp. (°C) -15 to -40 <-60 -5 to -45 <-60 -250
