Supernova Power Cable: Geometric RF Management for Power Delivery
Supernova applies the same geometric BCS principles proven in our interconnects and speaker cables, but optimized for the unique challenges of AC power delivery.
Power cables face different RF contamination than signal cables:
Bidirectional RF Flow: Equipment switching supplies generate RF (100 kHz – 10 MHz) that flows backward through the power cable toward the wall outlet and forward from the wall toward equipment. The cable must manage RF in both directions simultaneously.
High Current + Low Impedance: Power cables must deliver high instantaneous current (10-20A peaks) with minimal voltage drop while also presenting low impedance to RF (for effective shunting).
Common-Mode Contamination: RF appears as common-mode voltage between hot-neutral pair and ground, requiring different geometric approach than signal cables.
Supernova’s geometry addresses all three through controlled conductor positioning and phase-diverse RF paths.
The Geometry: Hot Inside, Neutral Outside
Supernova’s 3D-printed structure positions:
8 hot conductors (inner circle)
8 neutral conductors (outer circle)
1 ground conductor (off-center, between hot and neutral)
All 16 power conductors twist together every 4 inches while maintaining their radial positions.
Why this specific arrangement:
Magnetic Field Cancellation: Hot and neutral carry equal but opposite currents (at 60 Hz). Arranging them in concentric circles with opposing twist directions causes their magnetic fields to cancel, reducing radiated EMI and inductance.
RF Path Diversity: RF traveling on hot conductors encounters 8 different path lengths due to helical twist and radial positioning. Same for neutral. These path length differences create phase diversity at RF frequencies, RF components arrive out of phase and partially cancel.
Ground Isolation: The off-center ground position provides physical separation from both hot and neutral, reducing capacitive coupling of RF from power conductors to ground.
Low DC Resistance: 16 conductors in parallel (8 hot + 8 neutral) provide low resistance for 60 Hz power delivery, no voltage drop or current limiting.
Why Different Geometry Than Signal Cables
Supernova uses the same construction method (3D-printed skeleton, twisted geometry) for interconnects, speaker cables, and power cables, but the specific geometric parameters differ.
Interconnect/Speaker Cable Geometry: Optimized for differential signal transmission (equal path lengths, balanced impedance, common-mode rejection).
Power Cable Geometry: Optimized for bidirectional RF management while maintaining low impedance for high current delivery (concentric arrangement, specific hot/neutral/ground positioning).
Why they don’t interchange well: A geometry optimized for low-level differential signals doesn’t provide optimal magnetic field cancellation for high-current AC delivery. And vice versa, power cable geometry doesn’t provide the precise differential balance needed for signal transmission.
This is why we use application-specific geometries despite using the same construction technology. Engineering requires optimization for specific requirements, not one-size-fits-all solutions.
What This Geometry Achieves
For power cables, geometric RF management manifests as:
Reduced Equipment Cross-Contamination: RF generated by one component (traveling back through its power cable) is partially canceled by geometry before reaching the wall outlet, reducing contamination of other equipment on the same circuit.
Lower Common-Mode Noise: The concentric hot/neutral arrangement with off-center ground reduces common-mode RF coupling, less RF appears on ground relative to hot-neutral.
Preserved Transient Response: Low resistance (16 parallel conductors) and low inductance (magnetic field cancellation) mean no current limiting during dynamic peaks; amplifiers receive instantaneous current without cable impedance compression.
Reduced Radiated EMI: Magnetic field cancellation means the cable radiates less RF into the surrounding environment, reducing cable-to-cable coupling and airborne RF contamination.
Insulation and Conductor Material Options
Supernova offers three hot conductor configurations:
Enamel-Insulated Copper (Standard)
Thin enamel coating provides electrical isolation between hot conductors while minimizing dielectric thickness.
Bare Copper (Upgrade)
No insulation—conductors physically separated by 3D-printed structure only. Eliminates dielectric absorption (where insulation stores and releases charge, creating time-domain smearing).
Best for: Systems where micro-dynamic resolution is priority. Slight improvement in transient definition due to elimination of dielectric effects.
Bare Silver (Reference)
Silver’s 8% higher conductivity than copper reduces resistance and improves RF skin effect behavior. Combined with no dielectric (bare wire), this provides lowest impedance and fastest transient response.
Best for: Reference systems where conductor purity matters. The difference is subtle, whether it’s worth the premium depends on system resolution and budget.
Neutral conductors: Always enamel-insulated (prevents hot-neutral shorts)
Ground conductor: Always PVC-insulated (safety requirement)
What You’ll Hear
Supernova’s RF management in power delivery allows your equipment to perform closer to its potential:
Lower Noise Floor: Cleaner power and reduced equipment cross-contamination mean background silence, genuinely black. Low-level detail emerges that was previously masked by power-related RF contamination.
Better Transient Response: Amplifiers receive instantaneous current without cable impedance limiting dynamic peaks. Attack transients have the power they need, when they need it.
Reduced Electronic Grain: With less RF traveling between components via power connections, each component operates in a cleaner electromagnetic environment. Your DAC isn’t fighting your amplifier’s switching noise.
Improved Dynamic Contrast: The difference between quiet and loud increases, not louder peaks, but lower noise floor. Equipment with clean power resolves more of its inherent dynamic range capability.
Greater Spatial Clarity: Reduced RF-induced intermodulation in sensitive analog stages means spatial cues are preserved rather than blurred.
These aren’t cable enhancements, they’re your equipment performing as designed when given adequate current delivery and reduced RF contamination.