HDMI Cable comparisons


I'm retiring my XBR CRT and installing an Elite plasma very soon. I've gotten mixed suggestions regarding HDMI quality and brand. I'm interested in hearing comparisons of cables you may have upgraded and the differences. Are there any HDMI cable reviews?

It seems like there is a lot going on in such a small package.
vicdamone
I agree with the above statements on HDMI cabling NOT being superior due to pricing or the lableing on them... and true that, online and print mags do seem to side step the direct comparison reviews between them... So what's that say? They've been around now long enough... there does seem to be enough talk about them and certainly enough interest.

...but then as was said, Why cut your nose off to spite your face?

With many audio, and for that matter video component, cabling itterations, there are substantial differences in the materials being used, the amounts of those materials, and how each conductor (s) are both wound or woven, and terminated.

Not so with HDMI. HDMI AWG range in size from 22 - 28. they may be individually isolated further than their applied/coated dialectrics, but usually they are not. otherwise the sheer girth of so many conductors likely would cause issues... though probably not for Virtual Dynamics.;-)

Another point is the compnents to which these cables are attached. Seen any mega dollar sources or preamps, or even amps, for that matter, with HDMI interfaces?

No. you most likely won't either. probably not even with those digital topology based items. of course these items don't require so many single conductors, yet a similarly configured yet lessened conductored cable could be generated... and for far less $$$ too.

You could call it HDMI Lite! ;-))

Until the quality and hence resolution, of the HDMI devices gains a lot of ground and enters the high end arena completely, there won't be sufficiently resolving gear with which to make proper comparisons.

Sometimes things are just what they appear to be, and the less said of them the better for.....??? usually it's not a comsumer friendly, er, wallet friendly affair in the end.

true enough though, my exp with HDMI says one doesn't need to buy into the high ticket HDMI cabling lines, as the diff simply isn't justified.... and I'm not one to penny pinch on cabling, generally speaking.
FWIW, I tried both the economy (28AWG @ $3.96) as well as the thicker gauge(24AWG), higher cost HDMI 1.3a compliant monoprice cable and have to give my nod to the later. Better color saturation, richer, better contrast. Plus it's only $6.97 for a 3ft. Also, if for nothing else, it's much better built and looks the part with a nice mesh jacket. YMMV.

Best,

Kenobi
09-30-08: Pictura
The British What Hi-Fi Sound and Vision magazine has an extensive review of cables including video cables. ... I have experience with component video cables before and I can say that there is an improvement over the original cables that come with the electronics. I am using the Monster Cable Video 3 Component now. I also use a PS Audio Ultimate Outlet for my TV and DVD player and the colors are definitely richer. The best thing to do is to borrow a few cables at different price points and make a value judgement. The Pioneer Elite plasma is a very good plasma. You should be able to see a difference between the cables. You also need a top notch Blu-ray player to get the best out from the Elite.
Anybody can see the difference in component cables. What's interesting in my experience is that when switching to an HDMI upconverting player, the picture is better through a $20 HDMI cable than through a $250 set of component cables.
09-30-08: Kenk168
FWIW, I tried both the economy (28AWG @ $3.96) as well as the thicker gauge(24AWG), higher cost HDMI 1.3a compliant monoprice cable and have to give my nod to the later. Better color saturation, richer, better contrast. Plus it's only $6.97 for a 3ft.
Well, that's understandable. You need at least an acceptable level of mechanical and materials build quality. But would a 2M $375 AudioQuest HDMI-3 be worth the money?

Blindjim: Marantz *does* offer a $2000 Blu-ray player with HDMI output, though I suspect you're talking about much higher priced components. It's not that HDMI is a "mid-fi" interface. It hasn't shown up on the megabuck components because most of them have much longer R&D times to bring something to market. They couldn't afford to "bet the farm" on one format of HD disc over another. The big companies like Onkyo, Sony, Marantz, etc. could throw more people and development money at an HDMI-based product than the smaller upper high end companies can. They'll get around to it eventually.
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