Please only comment if you've actually reviewed the item!
(13 of 30 Found this Helpful)
September 12, 2008
I have to do this review in two parts, as I also need to comment on the previous two reviews. Neither of these two reviewers own the Audioquest HDMI-3 cable they are discussing, so it blows my mind that they should comment on it. Please direct uninformed cable theory propaganda to the forums and allow this area to be used by those of us who have actually used the product. I'll address cable theory at the end of the review for those interested. Now onto the review:
Exterior - This cable is very robustly built, it is thick gauge, has very solid connectors, and a very "visually appealling" (if that matters to you) colored braid. The feel of this cable in your hand is of absolute quality and if you compare this cable length-for-length with Monster, DVI Gear, Acoustic Research and others, you will notice the HDMI-3 is substantially heavier. One thing to note, is that this cable is constructed of heavy-gauge, solid-core conductors, which renders it less flexible than most HDMI cables. Take care in routing this cable, as you want to avoid extreme angles (the cable will fight you).
Sound and picture - This is really the critical part of the review. In the end, it doesn't matter if a cable looks amazing or costs a phenomenal amount if it can't deliver performance. Fortunately, the HDMI-3 delivers big. I directly compared this cable with Monster Cable's top-of-the-line M series HDMI, DVI Gear's Super High Resolution HDMI cable, and some cheap Acoustic Research HDMIs I had lying around. The HDMI-3 delivered richer color saturation, darker blacks and better contrast than with any of the others. It was noticeable even to the untrained eye (my fiance). Sound also had a little tighter bass response and a slightly larger soundstage. This is on direct comparison with the other HDMIs I mentioned. The shielding in this cable is top-notch and the ferrite magnet noise suppressors are a nice touch. I've run this cable parallel along high-wattage power and speaker cables (the worst orientation) without any noticeable interference. I've never used an HDMI cable of this quality before and have since purchased them for my entire entertainment system.
Conclusion: In the end, I highly recommend this cable with a few caveats. First and foremost, you have to keep cable purchases in perspective. Conventional wisdom suggests spending no more than 10% of your budget on cabling. Don't purchase this cable if it costs almost as much as your television. This is what people frequently misunderstand. If you have a $10,000-30,000 carefully calibrated entertainment system, this is the right cable for you and you WILL notice a difference. Cheaper systems will not give you the ability to visually or audibly distinguish this cable from other good quality HDMIs. I repeat, if this cable costs almost as much as your television, you will probably not notice a difference between it and lesser brands. However, please avoid falling into the trap of denying that this cable could make a difference in a system deserving of it. Thank you for reading.
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A bit of engineering cable theory, to refute the incorrect assertions given by prior reviewers: They argued that "an HDMI cable is an HDMI cable, so just get one for $5 and be done." They are mistaken. HDMI cables, are subject to time delay, jitter, interference and signal degradation (not the same signal degradation we think of in analog cables, but some of those digital ones and zeros can and do fail to make it to their destination, based on length of cable, wire gauge, and shielding. This is very evident in the periodic pixelizaton that can be witnessed on satellite and digital cable signals). Most signal loss in HDMI cables occurs when you pass 4m and results in complete signal failure (black screen, no sound), but there is some degradation noticeable at shorter distances with inferior cables, if you have equipment accurate enough to pick it up. Interference from dirty utility power, power and speaker cords in close proximity, and cellular/mobile/microwave signals can cause problems in inferiority constructed and shielded cable. All cable types beside optical are subject to attack from interference, so EMI/RFI shielding is very important. Additionally, larger gauge (smaller AWG number) wire conducts this signal with less change of length-based degradation. This is based mainly on wire resistance and conductance, a factor of metal composition and purity, gauge, and length. Audioquest's use of very high purity copper in thick gauge aids in signal transfer, particularly over longer distances.
unnecessary
(15 of 30 Found this Helpful)
September 2, 2008
HDMI is digital. Any HDMI cable that works with your equipment delivers exactly the same video and audio quality. Buy one for $5.
