The ultimate in internet audio playback. Listen to AIM's "SILVER STREAM [NAX]," a LAN cable for "seekers."

The model that generated the most buzz at this year's Audio Accessory Excellence Awards 2026 was the top-of-the-line LAN cable, "SILVER STREAM [NAX]," released by Aim Electronics.

With very strong recommendations from the judges, it was awarded the highest honor, the "Grand Prix." It is equipped with an unprecedented amount of technology for a LAN cable, including a four-layer shielding structure including Parshut MU, a specially developed inner sheath containing conductive functional materials, the largest class of OFC + domestic pure silver coated single conductor, foam insulation that is as close to air insulation as possible, and an asymmetrical drain wire arrangement.

What about the sound quality? Three judges, including Saburo Ikugata, who strongly recommended this cable for the Grand Prix, Akira Sumiyama, and Shintaro Ohashi, report in detail on its appeal.

Aim Electronics is a domestic cable brand with a history of over 40 years, having started out in 1983 as a manufacturer of transmission cables for the information and communications field.

Leveraging the solid technical capabilities and reliability we have cultivated through our industrial cables, we have expanded our products into the consumer sector. Based on thorough noise shielding technology that suppresses noise interference not only from the outside of the cable but also from inside the cable, the company is a specialist that comprehensively handles everything from high-quality HDMI cables, USB cables, and LAN cables to various digital cables and accessory development. The newly released LAN cable "NAX" is the company's flagship model. Its greatest feature is the use of a newly developed dedicated conductor made of "high-purity oxygen-free copper (OFC) + domestic pure silver coating." The previous flagship model used OFC conductors, but this is the first time the pure silver coating has been used in the series.

Furthermore, this conductor is AWG22, which is unusually large for a LAN cable. The connector is made by Telegartner and is made of die-cast plastic, with a 360-degree shielding structure that makes it less susceptible to electrical interference. The cable structure also follows the thorough shielding structure "Hoplon" that has been used in previous flagship models. Each of the two twisted pair cables is protected by a layer of "Palshut," a non-magnetic noise suppression material based on high-performance nonwoven fabric developed by Asahi Kasei, and an aluminum shielding layer with excellent shielding properties in the high-frequency band.Furthermore, the entire four pairs of cables are wrapped in a copper shielding layer with excellent shielding properties in the audio band and a high-density copper braided shielding layer with excellent low-frequency band characteristics, providing strong protection for the signal lines.

In addition, each conductor is insulated with a proprietary foam insulation called "Air 2," which is designed to closely resemble the insulation provided by air, the most ideal insulator with low dielectric constant and dielectric dissipation factor, resulting in a cable structure that is as meticulous as possible. Another important point to note is that ground loops are avoided by implementing an asymmetrical design in which the drain wires on both connectors have an asymmetrical structure (grounded and ungrounded).

When I listened to the cables, I was amazed at how low the noise floor was - the overwhelming silence allowed the information in the music source to pop out vividly. By removing the subtle background noise that's difficult to consciously detect, the music gains incredible clarity, eliminating the thin, filmy fuzziness that often accompanies streaming playback and bringing the music to life. Looking at the cable's construction alone, one might imagine that its rigidity would cause the music to sound stiff or constricted. This is a common trap when using comprehensive noise shielding, but there is no sense of such tension or constriction whatsoever.

Also, some cables can impart a certain character to the tonal balance, but this cable does not have any such embellishments and provides a truly flat listening experience. Furthermore, perhaps due to the clever tuning achieved through the pure silver coating, the mid-to-high range has just the right amount of presence, which I suspect enhances the clarity mentioned above. The author felt that this created an exquisite balance that avoided the blandness that can often result from the clarity achieved through heavy shielding. Because of the above features, I feel that NAX is the ultimate cable that is truly committed to transparent transmission.

Therefore, rather than giving the cable a distinctive character, I believe it is a cable that brings out the appeal of the components and the music source without any embellishment. I believe that the more transparent the audio system, the more this capability will be fully utilized. With lossless streaming now commonplace, the number of accessories for improving network environments has skyrocketed. Audio network hubs and various isolators are essential accessories for achieving high-quality network playback. However, through listening to NAX, I once again realized that transmission via a high-quality LAN cable is also an extremely important basic element. AIM Electronics' flagship LAN cable, NAX, is the perfect LAN cable for users who demand the ultimate in network audio. by Saburo Ubukata

We tested the sound by connecting a Silverstream NAX (5m) between LINN's network player AKURATE DS/K and the router, and between the NAS and the router. The die-cast modular connector (8P8C) has a sense of precision that sets it apart from conventional general-purpose LAN connectors. You can feel a solid response when mating the connector. The half-gloss black body is AWG22 size. It has a robust four-layer shielding structure, but requires some care when handling. It has an asymmetrical design. The drain wires on both connectors are asymmetrical (grounded and ungrounded), and the direction is clearly indicated on the back of the body near the connector.

The sound field is surprisingly vast. It is crystal clear and there is not the slightest hint of crampedness or spatial distortion. By using PALSHUT MU, it blocks interference from external electromagnetic waves and noise coming from the power source, and also absorbs electromagnetic waves generated from within. The musical sound is smooth and clean, as if it has been washed away. It really makes you realize how much noise pollution caused by various kinds of noise has clung to previous LAN cables. As a result of noise shaping, the resolution is increased and the micro-level expression that captures the moment when musical sounds arise is nothing short of stunning. There is a sense that the number of tones has increased, and the musical tones are supple and not stiff. The depiction of piano and other musical tones as they decay gently, giving a natural undulation, is natural and analog-like. This product shows how the transmission path can affect sound quality, even in digital. It's not cheap, but it's a worthwhile investment that will raise the quality of your system. The critical judging panel shared this recognition of its importance, and the product was awarded the highest Grand Prix at the Audio Accessory Masterpiece Awards 2026. by Shintaro Ohashi

This cable delivers an extremely wide range of reproduction from end to end, without any emphasis, and has an exceptionally good bandwidth balance and a low noise floor. This is an extremely generous cable that truly has monitor and reference qualities.

This cable has a certain frightening quality, acting as a mirror that reflects the inner workings of your own system, but if you install it and the soul of music erupts, filling the room, it's safe to say that the equipment you've carefully tended is at its finest. This is a very reliable cable for advanced users. by Akira Sumiyama