Fake AudioQuest Dragon XLR cable first look. Surprisingly real Dragon!

I got encouraged by the quality of the AQ fakes I got earlier and so I decided to go big right at the top and get the ultimate monster. My wallet got badly burned in the fight by this fake Dragon, but... it was worth it!
In September I had this long chat over the mail with one of you guys (best regards, Kumar). It's was about the prices and availability of audio gear, especially in developing countries.
So anyway he made me rethink a few things and as a result I will add reviewed speaker/interconnect cable links.
We're all grownups (YT statistics tell me almost all of us are over 40), we make our own decisions.
I'm not recommending these purchases, but I also won't take that decision away from you.
Original cables are way overpriced and not really available to audiophiles not only from developing countries, but to all of us - let's be honest about it. Check the links for the lowest overall price (shipping included) as this will vary from country to country:
XLR:
s.click.aliexp...
s.click.aliexp...
s.click.aliexp...
s.click.aliexp...
s.click.aliexp...
Or here: s.click.aliexp...
And RCA version is available here:
s.click.aliexp...
s.click.aliexp...
There are also some other ali stores but they either have negative revies or customer feedback store rating "below average".

[@calaf_725]

I have a full set of these Dragon cables (ic/speaker/power). They compete with my silly expensive XLO cables.

[@thomprd]

At $250 I'm tempted to buy the power cable.

[@calaf_725]

@@thomprd I must say as good as it is as a standalone cable i still recommend a full cable loom. Synergy is factor. It is smart to try with one cable first though just to see if it is your cup of tea.

[@k4syx]

@@calaf_725 yep, me too. Speaker, XLRs and power: HC and source. Full set.

[@EvenHarmonics]

@@k4syxI got HC and Source

[@gqaeaudio]

😍😍😍😍😍😍😍

[@D1N02]

The pricing would make me fall of my chair even for non fake cables. Any way to go the DIY route the make something like it under a hundred?

[@k4syx]

I know a few guys making cables locally and they all keep their cards close to the chest. It's not magic, the "ingredients" are cheap, the secret lies in recipe. They had experimented with different materials, so they know now which wire and geometry to use for desired knowledge. I'm learning some of it myself via listening to those cables and looking what's inside. There are some patterns!

[@joevrie]

Thank you for this First Look video and thanks for your spoiler alert!

[@k4syx]

Thanks! :)

[@eugenefudge3685]

Are you planning to do a review of the burmister 909 amplifier

[@k4syx]

@@eugenefudge3685 if I'll get one, yes. I want to do this after I've heard 933. I need to create some budget for that first.

[@rontoolsie]

In the last month (I wonder why) the demand for Dragon cables has skyrocketed and most Ali sellers are now out of stock.

[@k4syx]

Which is kinda surprising because my video on these is quite old actually

[@edvdploeg1]

I have one set. They sound fantastic! Best I have had.

[@k4syx]

@@edvdploeg1 just got the second one. Just in case, for future.

[@riccitone]

This is crazy. They really look great. I’m really itching to try either Well fakes or the Nordost Odin 2 12 core from Ali just from your reviews.

[@k4syx]

@@riccitone from this two WEL is better overall, Odin is cheaper thus better value (it's excellent too)

[@gqaeaudio]

Yes ， it is pure silver cable

[@gqaeaudio]

@@k4syx WEL not pure silver ,Odin also is silver plated

[@rontoolsie]

@@riccitone I have some Ali Nordost Odin RCA cables. They are OK, but not great. For instance I preferred the Xangsane silver interconnects ( which are more costly than the Odins). But these Dragon cables are in an entirely different universe in terms of performance.

[@onnonugteren2935]

My problem is I don't have a Dac with xlr's. :-) Can you give me advice there too? 🙂 But as with my headphones I think only xlr or not is not to be or not to be? 🙂

[@k4syx]

There are also RCA versions, look at these: s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_EymtQvX These are the same just RCA version, no need to change full setup for one cable only :)

[@onnonugteren2935]

@@k4syx Hi :-) ah thanks yes, that's true. 🙂 But I have a very good very expensive RCA cable bought second hand. And tested as indeed very good, as good as this one?? Knowing when to stop.... ;-) ... So the difference will be small if I buy these also and what to do with the old one than? 🙂 It was more xlr xlr xlr in your stories. 🙂 to be or not to be. 🙂well not really I believe in this case. 🙂

[@onnonugteren2935]

At all about differences: placing your loudspeakers, your listening room at all and loudspeakers themselves are by far more important than differences between the absolute topcables. Such a pitty and perhaps good :-) is that changing speakers isn't so easy and very expensive.

[@k4syx]

@@onnonugteren2935 XLRs are better when the whole setup is balanced, and that's where they make sense. Single ended can be great too, if the equipment was designed this way. However: for the same quality design, balanced will sound better purely because of greater voltage swing range.

[@k4syx]

@@onnonugteren2935 yes these are like final touch if there is nothing else to improve

[@82ivaylo]

I will never buy again brand new Audioquest cable. Only second hand or fake one. I like their cables but they are super overpriced.

[@Raf90A]

First look is ok but without sound quality not much use.

[@k4syx]

Well I've done a poll some time ago and like 90prc of viewers were on favor of first look before the full review, as the latter can take sooomeeee time to prepare (I do all of that as a hobby in my free time :) )

[@EvenHarmonics]

@@k4syxwe all thank you for that!!

[@eur1gys]

Thanks a lot for this! Where i can see expanded review on the sound of cables ? this one and others you showed

[@k4syx]

@@eur1gys Soon - stay tuned. This is fresh video and full sound quality video is not ready yet :)

[@marcinwasilewski5414]

I am not a fan of silver plated cables. 20 years ago for the price of these fakes I owned second hand audioquest (audiotruth) diamonds interconnects made from pure silver.

[@k4syx]

I'm sure today these would be worth like 4 times more. I've sold my Yukon's and Water for almost 2x as I've paid for them a few years ago...

[@marcinwasilewski5414]

@@k4syx I wonder whether there are any fake Purist Audio Design cables, probably not. They use some kind of ferrofluid dampening. I love the brand and these are my favourite cables of all time. The idea of "oil dampening" in the cables design is worth trying. It's similar effect to oil capacitors but more subtle.

[@k4syx]

@@marcinwasilewski5414 Does Purist Audio have factories in China? AQ does, and that may explain "fakes" like that...

[@marcinwasilewski5414]

@@k4syx No, they make their cables in USA.

[@k4syx]

@@marcinwasilewski5414 That was the point I was trying to make. Moving production line to China as we can see can have some side effects:)

[@johncallaghan3097]

Your command of English is just fine. "Thingies" is good enough because I can't think of what they might be called myself -- maybe "cable clips"? But I'm just guessing. 🙂

[@rontoolsie]

A native English speaker would call these 'do-hickies' instead of 'thingies'.

[@johncallaghan3097]

@@rontoolsie A native US English speaker, maybe, because this slang term originated in the USA. Over here in England, we're more likely to use "thingy" or "thingumabob".

[@k4syx]

@@johncallaghan3097 cable clips sound professional :) I'm remember that one :)

[@JohnB-pw8wz]

I’m looking for ward to your review of the fake Dragons. I have them and I think they sound better than the real Black Beauty’s I have👍🏻

[@k4syx]

@@JohnB-pw8wz I'm going to do the video soon as last night I was switching between them and wels (for other reasons that reviewing them) but I was very surprised as I had not compared them head to head earlier. And Wels were my king of the hill till now

[@Jade-lb8rr]

@@k4syxso are they dragon power cables your top recommended power cable? What are your top 3?

[@k4syx]

@Jade-lb8rr Dragons, then Silver Cloud and Blizzard. I also own WEL but haven't compared them yet. That's for pure sound quality. For price to value that would be Gold Odin and FP-3TS20 from "fake furutech" ;)

[@Jade-lb8rr]

@ thank you:) I’m a mixing and mastering engineer and have recently gotten into the world of cables and your channel is fantastic

[@k4syx]

@Jade-lb8rr Thanks! I've recently checked how would my Dragons behave in my simple stereo mic setup (I'm working on doing some sound demos in the future) and they mopped the floor with Mogamis, which earlier mopped the floor with Sennheiser stock microphone cables :)

[@cobar5342]

$900 AUD.. wow!

[@k4syx]

Yes - and thats a fake! Take look at the original price and decide if youd rather have a place to live or a set of XLRs :)

[@JorgeCordero]

I celebrate with the chinese that scam you. This happens when you don't have a clue how a low level differential line works. You need the cables to be twisted so when an elecromagnetic interference enter into the cable, it enters into BOTH signals, as they work by voltage differences between them, the induced interference (noise) is cancelled in the receiver end. So, its bad to separate the lines. The receiver usually is high impedance, not need to use super low resistance conductors. Take a look to the cables that are used in recording studios...

[@k4syx]

Wow thank you, I'm certified electronic engineer with masters in that area. I may have a clue or two :) You are speaking about unshielded wires like utp stuff, when you want to achieve (in a way) shielding effect without actual shielding. Best noise resistance without costs, using smart idea. This audio cables work differently, its not about the keeping the cost low. The fact that they are using balanced XLR connectors doesnt mean that they need to be twisted. Also studio stuff is like working horse, you try to achieve the best possible result within the lowest possible budget (which is VERY, VERY valid engineering approach) especially over longer runs of cables that people sometimes literally walk on. Cheers!

[@JorgeCordero]

@@k4syx save the preach I'm an engineer too. So you know there is no special hi-fi physics, whoever claims that, is a certified scammer. Cut a xlr cable from a recording studio and tell me if you find any of this nonsense.

[@k4syx]

@@JorgeCordero Of course there is no special hi-fi physics :) and there is no preaching here :) Just making the point, that balanced connection doesnt mean that you have to twist anything, that if its not twisted, then its not balanced. As you know, balanced connections are (and were) used for many years mainly in many different types of communication/data transfer equipement, using them in audio specifically for noise resistance purposes is imho overkill anyway. So peace & greeteings from Poland - its nice to see someone else from the same trade here :)

[@roxy_xcxc6869]

😅$15,000 AudioQuest Dragon is way way to Ridicules overpriced overcharged buyer again. its time to Tell AudioQuest u r FIRED as Trump say too🤗

[@TuanNguyen-dn9mb]

AQ Dragon speaker cables are about 3x that price about $45k!!!