Inakustik - Referenz NF-404 Micro AIR - Interconnect Cable

The best cable isn't the one that squeezes the most out of your system — it's the one that loses the least of the original sound. The in-akustik NF-404 Micro AIR interconnect cable uses air-dielectric Micro AIR technology, Guided Copper OFC construction, and a symmetrical signal path to deliver the music signal as close to the original recording as possible. Available in RCA and XLR terminations, in lengths from 0.75m to 2m. Made in Germany.

Cables Should Just Stay Out of the Way

"Cables can't work miracles. The best cable isn't the one that squeezes the most out of your hi-fi setup, but the one that loses the least of the original sound. Cables should just sound natural and stay out of the way." — Holger Wachsmann, Product Developer, in-akustik

This is the philosophy behind the Referenz NF-404 Micro AIR — and it is a more demanding ambition than it might initially appear. An interconnect cable that truly stays out of the way must overcome capacitance, signal noise, and electromagnetic interference without adding any character of its own. The NF-404 Micro AIR addresses all three with dedicated engineering solutions, and does so in a cable designed and manufactured by hand in-akustik's own factory in Germany.

The result is an open, precise, and detailed sound — not because the NF-404 adds anything, but because it removes the obstacles that stand between the recording and the listener.

The Problem: Capacitance and Its Consequences

The RCA and XLR outputs of hi-fi components transmit very weak signals — and those signals are acutely sensitive to a cable's electrical properties, particularly its capacitance. Every cable stores electrical energy in its dielectric insulation material and releases it again with a time delay — acting, in effect, like a battery that absorbs part of the audio signal and then discharges it slightly late.

This is not a subtle phenomenon. High cable capacitance acts like a low-pass filter — attenuating high frequencies, introducing phase shifts, and degrading the precision of transient reproduction across the entire frequency spectrum. The result is a cable that makes the system sound slightly rolled-off, slightly smeared, and slightly less alive than the recording actually is.

To understand why, consider what happens when you take off a synthetic sweater: the crackling sound you hear is electrical energy stored in the plastic being discharged. The same thing happens in the dielectric of an audio cable — the material absorbs part of the signal like a sponge and then releases it. The ideal dielectric is one that doesn't store energy at all. That material is air.

Micro AIR Technology — Air as the Dielectric

The laws of physics cannot be switched off. But they can be used as ingeniously as possible. In-akustik's Micro AIR technology uses a complex, diamond-shaped insulation structure — a precision geometry that creates tiny air chambers between the conductors. These chambers increase the distance between the conductors, raise the proportion of air in the insulation, and dramatically reduce the cable's capacitance compared to any solid dielectric material.

The NF-404 Micro AIR follows directly in the tradition of in-akustik's acclaimed Referenz AIR Helix cables — applying the same fundamental principles of air-dielectric design in a more compact, versatile form that is equally at home in an entry-level audiophile system or a reference installation.

Guided Copper — A Defined Architecture for a Defined Signal

Conventional cable conductors arrange their individual wires in a loosely controlled bundle — and where wires are in unpredictable contact with one another, micro-distortions occur. These uncontrolled contact points generate signal noise that manifests sonically as an unpleasant harshness in sibilant sounds ("S" sounds in vocals are a common tell), a veiling of fine high-frequency detail, and a degradation of spatial imaging.

The NF-404 Micro AIR's Guided Copper construction eliminates this problem entirely. At the centre of each conductor is a PE wire around which the OFC copper wires are arranged in a precisely defined geometry. Additional PE wires separate and insulate each copper wire from its neighbours. Every contact point is controlled. Every wire is in its designated position. The result is a stable, uniform signal path in which interference and noise are significantly minimised — preserving fine details, improving clarity, and delivering signals with the precise timing that underlies convincing spatial imaging and transparency.

The copper itself is high-purity OFC (Oxygen-Free Copper) — chosen for its excellent conductivity and high signal fidelity.

Symmetrical Architecture — EMI Immunity

The NF-404 Micro AIR's symmetrical signal architecture provides high immunity to electromagnetic interference — the switching power supplies, Wi-Fi routers, mobile networks, and other EMI sources that pervade modern listening environments. Stray signals that enter the cable are effectively compensated for by the balanced layout, producing stable, low-interference transmission regardless of the electromagnetic environment.

This makes the NF-404 Micro AIR a reliable choice not only in dedicated listening rooms, but in any real-world system installation where interference cannot be controlled.

Made in Germany — Manufactured by Hand

Every NF-404 Micro AIR cable is manufactured by hand in-akustik's own factory in Germany — a process that includes complex manual assembly, functional testing, mechanical testing, and live performance verification before any cable leaves the factory. This is not an outsourced product; it is the output of a manufacturing culture defined by a love of music and a passion for precision.

The NF-404 Micro AIR is available in both RCA and XLR terminations and in lengths of 0.75m, 1m, 1.5m, and 2m — a comprehensive range for any interconnect application.

Inakustik Referenz NF-404 Micro AIR Interconnect Cable Features

💨 Micro AIR Technology — Air-Dielectric Insulation

A diamond-shaped insulation structure creates air chambers around the conductors, dramatically reducing capacitance and its low-pass filter effect — preserving high-frequency integrity, transient precision, and phase accuracy across the full audio spectrum.

🔬 Guided Copper — Defined Architecture, Zero Noise

High-purity OFC conductors arranged in a precisely defined geometry by PE wire separators — eliminating the uncontrolled contact points that generate micro-distortions and signal noise in conventional cable construction.

🛡️ Symmetrical Signal Path — EMI Protected

Balanced architecture provides effective immunity to electromagnetic interference from switching power supplies, Wi-Fi, and mobile networks — for stable, low-noise signal transmission in any listening environment.

🇩🇪 Hand-Made in Germany

Designed, assembled, tested, and verified in in-akustik's own German factory — functional testing, mechanical testing, and live performance verification on every cable, before it leaves the building.

Editorial Blockquote

"Cables can't work miracles. The best cable isn't the one that squeezes the most out of your hi-fi setup, but the one that loses the least of the original sound. Cables should just sound natural and stay out of the way." — Holger Wachsmann, Product Developer, in-akustik

Inakustik Referenz NF-404 Micro AIR Interconnect Cable at a Glance

• Referenz Micro AIR series interconnect cable — in-akustik's highest-grade compact interconnect
• Available in RCA and XLR terminations
• Micro AIR Technology — diamond-shaped air-dielectric insulation structure (air chambers)
• Dramatically reduced capacitance — preserves high frequencies and phase accuracy
• Guided Copper construction — OFC copper wires in a precisely defined PE wire geometry
• Eliminates uncontrolled contact points — minimises micro-distortion and signal noise
• Double Mono technology — both RCA and XLR versions
• Symmetrical signal architecture — high EMI immunity
• Shielding: floating shield (RCA) / 2-fold braid + foil (XLR)
• 8.5mm cable diameter — PE network jacket
• Tellurium copper contacts — rhodium-coated
• Pressure-grouted connector assembly (1.5 tonnes) — solid metal housing
• Delivers the music signal as close to the original recording as possible
• Open, precise, and detailed sound — natural, uncoloured character
• Pairs with the in-akustik LS-404 Micro AIR speaker cable
• Available lengths: 0.75m, 1m, 1.5m, 2m
• Custom lengths available on request
• CE, REACH, RoHS compliant
• Hand-assembled and tested in in-akustik's own factory in Germany

Closing Quote

"An open, precise, and detailed sound — not because the NF-404 Micro AIR adds anything, but because it removes the obstacles between the recording and the listener. The best cable loses the least."