Are WHITE ZOMBIE AUDIO cables directional?

   No.

What's the Difference Between EL CHUPACABRA, LA CACANYA and NOSFERATU CABLES?

     1) NOSFERATU CABLES are a full-coverage cross-layered mylar braid shielded version of our Tribraid design. They are designed for use around extra noisy components like computers or TV monitors. In most applications, the extra shielding is not necessary and the EL CHUPACABRA CABLES are your best buy.
     2) EL CHUPACABRA CABLES are self-shielding. They are recommended for all but the noisiest environments and applications.
     3) LA CACANYA CABLES are basically a NOSFERATU CABLE extra shielded with an additional layer of silver metalized polypropylene braid then covered with a carbon infused poly TechFlex braid. The shielding is perfect for tube amps or environments where microwave signals might be high (like radio station studios). LA CACANYA CABLES have matte black connector barrels with gold laser etched logos.  (See PRODUCTS page for photos).

What makes Teflon® so special?

     Teflon ® (TF) is used in electronic and mechanical applications when chemical resistance, almost zero capacitance and very high temperature resistance are significant factors. The properties of Teflon make it the ideal choice for audio signal insulation applications where maximum signal transfer and integrity are critical. In addition to its use as an insulator in audio cables, TF tubing is often used in vital aerospace, plenum and military applications. TF is fully RoHS compliant.
     Since it's accidental discovery in 1938, Teflon has emerged as one of the most useful polymers in existence. Teflon is inert to virtually all chemicals and is considered the most slippery material on the planet. These properties have made it one of the most valuable and versatile technologies ever invented, contributing to advancements in areas such as aerospace, communications, electronics, industrial processes and architecture.
     One of Teflon's most unusual properties was only recently discovered. When strands of PTFE are pulled, they actually get fatter rather than thinner! This makes the polymer incredibly hard without being brittle.

To shield or not to shield?

     IT'S NOT NECESSARY IN MOST APPLICATIONS! Unless your room is within the line of sight of a radio transmitting tower, most sources of RFI (Radio Frequency Interference) are likely to be localized within the room itself.  Power cords, AC wires inside nearby walls and under the floor, or your components' power supplies are the big culprits and the cable that is more susceptible is the run between your turntable and phono preamplifier. It can act as an antenna and the poor unamplified phono signal is easily overwhelmed by interference from the outside world. 
     Personal experience suggests that finding and shielding the source is often better than shielding the interconnect.
     One note: Cables longer than 10 feet should be shielded with an outer metal shielding material like braided copper.  We do not make component interconnect cables longer than 60 inches. We only make our SUBSPECIES SUBWOOFER CABLE in longer  lengths because it is a double-shielded coax design cable which can be used as a digital video cable it is so protected.  TIP: Keep your interconnects short and use longer speaker cables to get the best sound quality. (We know some of the boutique hi-fi stores suggest just the opposite. We suggest that they may be incorrect).

Won't the silver oxidize inside the Teflon tubing?

     NO, IT WILL NOT!  Some customers have expressed concerns about the silver wire oxidizing inside the Teflon tubing. Silver doesn't oxidize at room temperature.  The culprit is sulfur, which reacts with silver to form the tarnish that silver polish removes.  Yes, there will be air between tubing of any kind and the wire, but to cause serious problems a fresh and ready supply of air is needed.  Otherwise sulfidation will cease as soon as the local supply is used up.  How much air flow is there likely to be between wire and tubing?  Problems might arise from extra contact resistance of sulfurized silver in regions of contact with other conductors in the chain, but a thin layer of sulfide on the surface of silver wire won't cause any harm, at least to the conductivity of the wire.  Concerns of silver oxide contaminating the sound are completely unfounded.

SILVER is the best conductor of electricity, as shown by the following chart of bulk resistance measured in micro-ohms/centimeter: Silver 1.59 Best Copper 1.72   Gold 2.44   Aluminum 2.84   Zinc 5.8   Platinum 10.0   Steel 10.4   Tin 11.5 Worst

Why use silver wire instead of copper?

     IT'S A BETTER CONDUCTOR OF ELECTRICITY!  Material quality dramatically affects the performance of cables and their terminations.  By material quality we mean both the intrinsic quality of the metal, such as gold, nickel, brass, aluminum, copper or silver, and we mean the way the metal has been refined and processed.  Pure silver is the very best performing material for audio, video or digital.  However, if silver is not carefully processed, even low grade copper will sound better.  The conductivity improvement of silver over copper is audibly evident in a LOUDER signal! 
     Silver has also earned a confused reputation because sometimes the term "silver" is used to describe silver-plated copper.  When carrying an analog audio signal, silver-plated copper causes a very irritating sound, sort of a "tweeter in your face" effect.  That's why we only use the best quality 99.99% pure solid core silver we can find in our EL CHUPACABRA CABLES.  Some cable makers claim purities as high as 99.9999% pure silver.  Don't be mislead!  Such claims for purity are total BS! Even if the wire is that pure (which is very unlikely), it is scientifically impossible with present day testing methods to prove it so.
     One more thing:  We occasionally receive requests for a so-called "Certificate of Purity" for the silver we use in our cables.  We don't offer such documentation because it is worthless.  We buy our wire (drawn to our specifications) from a major precious metals manufacturer in business since 1975!  We test each order in house for purity.  We have NEVER found a discrepancy in quality; often the purity is BETTER than we paid for.  A "Certificate of Purity" can be easily forged on any computer, or be from an entirely different batch of wire, making them absolutely worthless. They're no different from most of the COAs (Certificates of Authenticity) being offered on eBay for autographs of famous and important people. Worthless! So, be warned!
     Eager to cash in on what is perceived as an easy and lucrative business, part-time hobbyists posing as "cable companies" continue to flood the internet and classified adds with "sensibly priced", home-made silver cables. Prospective buyers need to read advertisements very carefully since it is often not very apparent that many of these "bargain silver cables" are actually only made with silver plated copperwire, not solid silver.
     We experimented several years ago with such wire and could never get ANY of it to sound acceptable. The reality is silver-plated copper wire is simply a mass-produced staple of the commercial cable industry. It is far less expensive than solid silver wire. The pervasive use of silver-plated copper conductors is nothing more than a marketing ploy to seduce naïve consumers into thinking they are getting the sound of solid silver for the price of surplus copper wire with a micro-thin silver plate on it. Again: It sounds like %*@#$!

Do my new cables really need to be "burned-in" to sound their best?

     ABSOLUTELY!  As with all audio components, audio cables require an adjustment period.  A cable’s performance takes time to optimize because of the way a dielectric behaves (the way the insulating material absorbs and releases energy), changes in the presence of a charge.  Cables will continue to improve in sound over a period of several weeks.  This is the same reason amplifiers, preamplifiers and CD players also require an adjustment period.
     The run-in time is essentially the same for all cables.  However, the apparent need for run-in varies wildly.  We do not recommend any special burn-in procedure and discourage the use of burn-in devices.  Simply play the music you like.  Intense music like rock and metal will get the job done faster but play whatever you enjoy.  On average, 400 hours are required for complete burn-in. You will begin to notice an overall improvement within 48 hours of use.
    Recommendations: Interconnect either the analog source and preamp or preamp and amp with the new WHITE ZOMBIE AUDIO cables.  While the load side of the cables needs to be connected with the receiving gear, the loudspeaker amplifier does not need to be powered up in order for the WHITE ZOMBIE AUDIO interconnects to burn.
     Most listeners will notice the following audible changes as the cables burn-in:  Initially they will sound a bit hard in nearly all well assembled systems and rooms.  This upper midrange and treble hardness will rapidly diminish during the first few days of play.  As the interconnects smooth out, resolution will also improve.

SHIPPING AND REFUND POLICIES

Because each order is custom hand made, we will only exchange or replace the item of equal value. Buyer must return the defective item at their own expense and we will refund the shipping cost through Paypal. We will pay the return shipping on defective items. No exceptions. Orders are shipped using USPS Priority Mail, including International orders. We highly recommend you also pay for delivery confirmation so you have a record that we actually received your return. If you own Denon equipment: Be aware that Denon (most all newer models) uses non-standard sized inputs for RCA connections. The LOK connectors on some of our models may or may not make a solid connection. If this happens to you: You may return the cables and we will carefully expand the positive split pins on the LOK connectors for you. If we should break the pins, we will replace the connectors. You may expand them yourself, but if you break the connector's pin, there is a $25 per cable replacement charge to repair the cables. If you need tips on expanding the pins, email us at sales@whitezombieaudio.com and we'll send you detailed instructions on how to expand the pins. Orders returned to us as unclaimed, undeliverable or for any other reason will be resold unless the buyer pays return postage and a phone number. We have NO CONTROL over shipping issues. USPS does not provide tracking numbers, so please do not email us asking for shipping updates. Foreign customs ca be VERY SLOW. Some countries take up to a month to clear customs. Be warned that you may have to pay an import duty on the value of your order. We do not mark customs forms as "gifts," as this is against the law. We send a delivery confirmation number by email with each shipment. This tracking may or may not show the actual progress of the shipment. We reserve the right to equip your cables with different connectors based on information you may supply regarding your specific equipment. We will always notify you if we are convinced (based on our experience of selling our product to customers in every country in the world) another connector may be better advised for your system. Any changes to the original design will ALWAYS be communicated to the buyer. We want you to be happy with your new WHITE ZOMBIE AUDIO cables. We may be a small company comprised of mostly misfits, gothic types and long-haired ex-hippies, but we know what we are doing and do what we can to provide the best possible analog audio cables at the best possible price. Some models take almost a full day to assemble just one pair, by one individual who has made thousands of our cables. There may be delays if we have an unsual number of orders to be assembled by our small staff of audio experts. We will ALWAYS notify you by email if we encounter any delays in making up your order.

IMPORTANT: We do NOT make refunds. Period! Only in the event that your cable is mechanically defective will it be replaced. NO EXCEPTIONS! This policy carries over to our eBay listings. We do not have an audition period.