Review Driade Flow Reference 808 speaker cable – The Flow Master

Intro

That speaker cables make a difference, we have now proven in two major tests – here and here – with measurements. In short: if you are not yet convinced: read those stories. We can now move on to a new product made by – for us – the now well-known brand Driade: the Flow Reference 808. Does it completely crush its ‘little brother’?

We have been using the Driade Flow 405 speaker cable for some time now. A very fine cable with a smooth and ‘relaxed’ character. A cable that will not easily pull the balance out of a system; just like the Grimm interlinks. And YETI power-cables. And that’s exactly why we use them. Are they the best cables on earth? Probably not. But we can work very well with them. And that’s what matters to us.

Driade Flow Reference 808

The new Driade Flow Reference 808 is a cable that has basically doubled everything internally. There are twice as many (copper) conductors internally and the jacket has been modified. That shiny black jacket is the same as that of the interlinks – though thicker in design – that we also have in our range of reference cables.

Because the number of conductors has been doubled – 8 bundles of 100 strands which in turn are divided into 4 bundles of 25 stands, or 800 strands total (and not 808 :-)), (this instead of 3 bundles with a total of 405 strands: 3 x 135 strands), it should in theory double the conduction and thus halve the resistance. Whether this is the case, we will see in our measurements. (That doesn’t say anything about the reproduction, by the way, but it may be an indication).

The finish and jacket are also different from the normal Flow. We know that this has an impact on playback quality from a test with five identical prototype cables with the only difference being the jacket. Bizarre but true: it is audible, but barely measurable. See below the measurements of these prototypes:

Looking at the cable as a whole, it is a fine finished cable with nice plugs that clamp well. Around all the conductors we see a glossy black finish. The old one was matte gray, which we also think is fine.

The price has doubled compared to the 405, so don’t be shocked when you go through the price list. That doubling is explainable: the number of conductors has doubled from the 405, as previously reported. These bundles consist of numerous insulated strands. An expensive process. And it doesn’t make assembly any easier, either. It is a delicate process if Arnold Heres is to be believed.

In particular, connecting the strands to the ultralight plugs is not easy. As such, Arnold advises against repairing it yourself should they become loose or break off. Something that has not yet happened to us after two years of intensive use.