Customer Reviews

AudioQuest HDMI X cable - HDMI plugs 2m (6.56') braided cable

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I bought this cord to see if it was going to make a big difference in my TV quality from the cord I already had, but it was the same.

Yes, it's true that digiatal signals are 1's and 0's when broken down to it's simplest form, but the issue isn't whether the signal gets through (all HDMI cables functioning properly will get the signal through), the issue is HOW it gets through, and what it looks like when it does. Some of the underlying factors that will affect picture quality have to do with signal loss and signal decay (yes, there is a difference), although on cables under 8 ft. it's usually a minimal factor, but still present. The other prominent issue is signal transfer and signal re-production. What normally contributes to good signal transfer and a good signal re-production is build quality. The AudioQuest cables have some of the best build quality I have seen. That being said, I would never pay street retail for them or any other cable, but there is a difference, and when it's this affordable, it's one you should consider if the price is in your range, and the quality is important to you.

I bought my AudioQuest cables at a high end audio dealer with a Marantz blu-ray player. Both were used, "demos" as it were, and I paid $45 at the time for what was probably a $120 6 ft. cable at retail. I then tested 6 cables, including the AudioQuest on the EXACT same blu-ray player and HDTV, with the EXACT same media source(s). The AudioQuest were the best, but only slightly better than the Vizio cables I bought for $35 at the time. The Sony were next, followed by the Mediabridge cables sold here on Amazon for $10, then the Belkin cables, and lastly the Philips. I am NOT an advocate of spending a lot of money on cables of ANY kind, but there is a difference, albeit sometimes only slight, in ALL cables. Decide for yourself, but make an informed decision, and be open minded to what you need, what you want, and ultimately, what you will pay for your choice.

I just bought an Onkyo TX-SR606 and couldn't get it to display on my TV. After a bit of googling and exchange with Onkyo support I decided to try a different cable and that solved the problem. The previous cable I had was an AudioQuest and I'm not particularly shocked to see the price. The one I replaced it with, and which worked, was a Belkin costing $20. The only reason I paid that much is that I needed one today. More expensive doesn't always mean better.

For the connections from my DVD/Roku/AppleTV I used $1.50 3' cables which work just fine. As many people will tell you, if you are paying more than $10 for a cable you are getting ripped off. Unfortunately the sales people at Best Buy have been brainwashed like lots of other people which is why I walked across the road to Office depot for something half the price of their cheapest.

There is also no difference between cables for HDMI 1.1 through HDMI 1.3a. The only difference is the change to the testing procedures that cables need to go through. Here's a nice little write up:
http://www.bluejeanscable.com/articles/hdmi-spec-versions.htm

There are two types of HDMI cables. There are "Standard (or Category 1) cables" and "High Speed (or Category 2) cables". High speed cables handle 1080p/24, 1080p/60 and 3D as well as higher resolutions. Standard speed cables handle lower bitrate items such as 1080i and 720p. Of course high speed can also handle 1080i and 720p.

[...]

HDMI cables are digital cables not analog cables. If a much cheaper high speed cable is sending all of the available bits between your components, adding a more expensive cable isn't going to add any more bits since you're already sending all of the bits. The 1's don't get any straighter and the 0's don't get any rounder with this cable.

AudioQuest also sells a $2200 HDMI cable (39 feet long). Needless to say, this cable doesn't do anything that can't be done with a cable for $2150 less.

This particular cable is less than 7' and does not even list "high speed" in its description. Other vendors have certified high speed cables for less than $10.

AudioQuest and Monster both promise improvements in the A/V experience without any data to back these claims up except for the increased price. Beware...

Certainly a good investment for the TV that you watch the most. Expensive, but worth it if the price is right.

audioquest is a superior cable manufacturer. I do think that once you get past a price point like 400.00 for six feet of cabling or speaker cable then you are ripping yourself off. studies show that it is the diminished return factor. And that it's all in your head after that level of expense. There is a difference in a well made 100 cable and a 20.00 one but little real advantage with one over 400.00 and a 100.00 one. However with a digital cable there may be no reason to get a better one than a forty buck one but audioquest makes a classy cable with top notch preformance. And it must be 1.3 standard to be read on alot of new receivers , tv's and old receivers are fine with a 1.2 hdmi cable though. 1.3a or b make little difference if you have a fine 1.3 cable that can carry the upcoming signals and this one does that fine. I could have got a good hdmi cable that is built well but I wanted the best around so I went with a audioquest cable. It is coated with silver that makes the higher signals travel alot easier as well. Buy this cable if you want the best around. I don't think you need a more expensive one but I would say that if don't want to spend alot go for a lower price hdmi cable but skip the super cheap ones.

I bought this cable at Vann's through Amazon, for a price of U.S. 30. For that price, this cable has no competition, is definitely the best. The shipment was prompt and the product of excellent quality. Hopefully a similar offer again, because at that price, this cable is a gift.
PD: Very solid construction!!

Background:

High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) is the best audio / video (a/v) digital interface ever made. It achieves superb a/v performance at a reasonable cost compared with other digital cables such as Toslink (Toshiba Link) & S/PDIF (Sony / Philips Digital InterFace). The HDMI standard / version is also improving with time & this digital interface is here to stay for a very long time to come.

I'm tired of reading about 1's & 0's digital theory that's been beaten to death by consumers & critics alike. There are many things that may be theoretically correct but practically it proves out to be otherwise. In my experience, the quality of materials used / implemented does have an impact on performance with all digital cables & components. It comes down to one's budget, expectations & understanding of electronics.

Over the years, I have tried / used many branded & non-branded HDMI cables. The following are a few branded HDMI cables that I currently use in my a/v system:

1) Monster MC 1000HD, priced @ USD59/2m Monster MC 1000HD-2M Ultra-High Speed HDTV HDMI Cable (2 meters),
2) Pangea Audio HD-24PC, priced @ USD70/2m Pangea Audio HD-24PC HDMI Cable 4% Silver Plated (2 Meter),
3) AudioQuest X Cable, priced @ USD30/6.5ft AudioQuest HDMI X cable - HDMI plugs 2m (6.56') braided cable &
4) Mediabridge Ultra Series, priced @ USD10/6ft Mediabridge Ultra Series - High Speed HDMI Cable with Ethernet - Category 2 Certified - Supports 3D & Audio Return Channel [Latest HDMI Version Available] - (6 Feet).

I've used the above V1.4 HDMI cables, of different lengths, with LaCie LaCinema Media Player, Pioneer DVD Player, Oppo Bluray Player, HD Cable Box along with a 17in Dell LCD TV, 32in Panasonic LCD TV, 42in Panasonic Plasma & a 50in Panasonic Plasma TV.

Performance & rating:

Here's my take on the HDMI cables listed above:

1) Pangea Audio HD-24PC priced @ USD70/2m:

Rating: 5 Stars.

The good: Build quality is second to none. The cable will surely outlive the components it's being used with. Impeccable black level performance & I'm truly floored using this HDMI on a 50in Panasonic Plasma TV. It truly stands out with it's price to performance ratio. It's a real bargain because of the good discount & free shipping in Amazon.

The not so good: Thick & a lil' stiff just like their power cables, so not very ideal for flush wall mounted displays. Needs ample space behind the TV for cable management.

2) AudioQuest X Cable priced @ USD30/6.5ft:

Rating: 5 Stars.

The good: Very good build quality. A lil' thinner & so easier to handle than the Pangea Audio HDMI. Great performance for large screen displays. Just a tad less impressive with black level performance than the Pangea Audio HDMI. It's a very good purchase especially at the heavily discounted price & free shipping in Amazon. It w'd be hard to find a HDMI cable at this price that can beat the X Cable for build quality & performance.

The not so good: Nothing at all. Really, it's that impressive for the current listed price.

3) Mediabridge Ultra Series priced @ USD10/6ft:

Rating: 4 Stars.

The good: For the price, one of the best budget HDMIs out there. Very good for small screen displays & surely an upgrade to really cheap freebies that we get with most Bluray players, DVD players, Cable box etc.

The not so good: Cheap build quality when compared to the other HDMI cables that I have. Not recommended with displays larger than 40in as picture quality is a tad less crisp when compared to the other HDMI cables that I have in my system.

4) Monster MC 1000HD, priced @ USD59/2m:

Rating: 3 Stars.

The good: Good build quality, better than the Mediabridge HDMI but falls short in aesthetics & build quality when compared with Pangea Audio & AudioQuest HDMI. Performance is just as good as the AudioQuest HDMI cable.

The not so good: At half the cost the AudioQuest HDMI, with the heavy discount & better build quality, is a better buy / bargain. It's time for Monster to offer better discount on all their cables.

Conclusion:

For display screen sizes below 40in, sources less than 1080p & cable lengths below 2m, a $10/m HDMI is just as good / effective as a $100/m & above HDMI cable. If U are unhappy with a $10/m HDMI only then sh'd U try something a lil' more expensive than that.

For display screen sizes above 40in, the more robustly made Pangea & AudioQuest HDMI cables did make a difference in my system. The blacks were a lil' more well defined. The overall picture quality was a tad smoother, deeper & clearer.

There are some brands of HDMI that are priced @ $100/m & above. At that level, one gets to buy exotic HDMI jewelry. It surely will have great build, finish, EMI / RFI shielding etc but it does not necessarily improve performance under the above conditions of screen size, source strength & cable length. It's surely not for everyone.

The savings made on a `value for money' HDMI cable can be used to buy something else in the a/v system that can actually make a visible & audible difference, such as power cords, power conditioners, interconnects etc, just to name a few components that truly matter to me.

In my experience, Silver is surely the best conductor for a/v, closely followed by Copper. I also prefer to use solid core cables over stranded cables & Silver plating over Gold plating wherever circumstance & budget permit. Gold & Platinum plating is used only because they are noble metals & do not easily corrode (oxidize) like Copper & Silver. Brass is cheap & is 360 percent less conductive than Copper. I'm surprised to see Gold plated Brass connectors still being used in most pro a/v systems & cables including HDMI. I'm sure the use of Brass is the most effective way to keep cable costs low.

The Pangea Audio HDMI uses the best materials amongst all the HDMIs I've used & listed above. It uses 24 AWG (American Wire Gauge) Silver plated solid Copper conductors. Unfortunately, it's terminated with Gold plated Brass connectors. I'm yet to get hold of a HDMI that meets all my expectations & yet be priced sensibly. In a/v U get what U pay for, even then, there is a level after which U reach a point of diminishing returns. That's were good homework / research really helps. Knowing were to draw that line is the key point in this hobby.

If the HDMI requirement is for a screen size above 40in, the source is full HD (1080p) & the cable length requirement is above 2m, then I'd recommend that one tries both - the cheap Mediabridge HDMI & a better grade HDMI from Pangea or Audioquest. Amazon has a very good return policy, so one c'd return the less impressive cable within 30 days of purchase. What more can one ask for?

Just my $0.02.

Brgds.

FOR THIS PRICE YOU WON'T GET ANYTHING BETTER!! THE SILVER IN THIS CABKLE GIVES YOU THE BEST QUALITY, YOU DON'T NEED TO PAY MORE, THIS CHOICE IS YOUR BEST CHANCE TO UPGRADE YOU TV AND HOMETHEATER SYSTEM!! SO GO FOR IT!!!

This audioquest product is top quality and was simple to install as I was setting up my blu-ray player. It delivered a sharp, bright picture and was easy to connect. It's very much worth the purchase price.