Hand-built in France — usually ships in about 2 weeks.
A new Esprit speaker cable begins with patience. Richard Cesari describes the work as testing, listening and starting again, because changing one detail in a speaker cable moves the whole balance.
The Esprit Alpha Speaker Cable is a pair of loudspeaker cables from level 1 of Esprit's nine ranges. Esprit hand-builds the Alpha speaker cable in Confolens, Charente, in 2, 2.5, 3, 4 and 5 m pairs with banana or spade terminations.
An entry point to the range
Alpha is the entry point to the Esprit range, and the Alpha speaker cable carries the same DNA as the cables above it. Esprit sums up that DNA as the quality of its materials, its design and its finish, all present in the Alpha speaker cable. The company conceived Alpha as a gateway, and the Alpha speaker cable is a first step toward its higher ranges. It is a quiet way to begin with Esprit, and the Alpha speaker cable leaves plenty of room for the conversation to continue.
Made in Confolens
Esprit's team designs and assembles the Alpha speaker cable by hand in its workshop in Confolens, Charente. Richard Cesari insists that assembly counts as much as materials, so each Alpha speaker cable is checked at every stage of the work. The first complete check of the Alpha speaker cable is made by the person who built it, and nothing moves on until it has been validated.
The sound, in Esprit's words
Esprit does not give the Alpha speaker cable an imposed signature of its own. The company's view is that a cable should neither color the sound nor compensate for anything, so the Alpha speaker cable is meant simply to stay out of the way.
Esprit explains that a larger conductor section lowers resistance, which matters in an Alpha speaker cable because speaker links carry significant current. In listening, the company says, that lower resistance tends to bring a quieter background, firmer bass and freer dynamics from the Alpha speaker cable. The Alpha speaker cable is insulated in high-temperature PVC, which Esprit associates with a dense presentation and a firm foundation in the bass. Esprit specifies the shielding of the Alpha speaker cable as full shielding with aluminum vapor deposition on Mylar.
Where it fits
The Alpha speaker cable is the first of Esprit's nine levels, the entry point below Beta. Pairs of the Alpha speaker cable come in 2, 2.5, 3, 4 and 5 m, with banana or spade terminations, so measure the run from amplifier to speaker and allow a little slack. To compare the Alpha speaker cable with its neighbors, browse our Esprit collection.
Specifications
| Range |
Alpha, Generation 10 (GenX), level 1 of 9 |
| Type |
Speaker Cable |
| Sold as |
Pair |
| Lengths |
2 m (6.6 ft), 2.5 m (8.2 ft), 3 m (9.8 ft), 4 m (13.1 ft), 5 m (16.4 ft) |
| Connectors |
Banana or spade, by Esprit |
| Dielectric |
Asymmetrical dielectric |
| Dielectric polarization |
No |
| Insulation |
High-Temperature polyvinyl chloride (PVC) |
| Shielding |
Full shielding with aluminum vapor deposition on Mylar |
| Made in |
Confolens, France, assembled entirely by hand |
Questions
How does the Beta speaker cable compare with the Alpha speaker cable?
The Beta speaker cable is the next level up from the Alpha speaker cable. Where it differs from the Alpha speaker cable, the Beta speaker cable uses shielding specified as partial shielding with a silver-plated copper braid providing 100% optical coverage plus full shielding with aluminum vapor deposition on Mylar.
Banana or spade: which termination should I choose for the Alpha speaker cable?
The Alpha speaker cable is offered with banana or spade terminations made by Esprit, at the same price. Choose whichever your amplifier and loudspeaker terminals accept most securely, or send us the model names and we will check them for the Alpha speaker cable.
What does the Alpha speaker cable cost?
The Alpha speaker cable is $499 for 2 m, $599 for 2.5 m, $699 for 3 m, $899 for 4 m and $1,099 for 5 m per pair. Sales tax is included in the price of the Alpha speaker cable, and we deliver it free anywhere in the USA.
Where is the Alpha speaker cable made, and when will it ship?
Esprit builds every Alpha speaker cable by hand in its workshop in Confolens, France. The Alpha speaker cable usually ships in about 2 weeks, with free delivery anywhere in the USA and sales tax included in the price.
From our boutique to your listening room
HiFi Boutique is an authorized Esprit dealer. Delivery is free anywhere in the USA, and sales tax is included in the price. Hand-built in France — usually ships in about 2 weeks.
