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Favorite HDMI cable under $100/M?


What's your favorite HDMI cable for under $100/M? Please note your equipment (source and display), as well as other, if any, HDMI cables you've compared. Don't just say "this cable is the best" and that's it. Back it up.

I bought WireWorld Silver Star 5/2 2-3 years ago and that was my only experience until recently when I had sold them due to system changes an needing different length. I'm regretting that now since I didn't need to sell them after all. I haven't found a replacement as of yet. I did however try AQ. Started with Forest and didn't care for it. PQ was notably off. Then Chocolate. A good improvement, but still nowhere near what I was used to with WW SS 5/2. Then Carbon. Better. But still not quite there. Not the same color punch, vibrancy, clarity, dimension/depth,..etc. Then I picked up some cheap Dynex $30/1.8M cable at Best Buy to hold me over in the meantime. And I have to say, I was surprised by how decent it looked. It challenged the very foundation of pricey high-end cables, or at least those priced not much higher. It still doesn't have the PQ of the WW, although during true HD broadcast and Blu-ray the line between them starts to get blurred. I would need the WW SS 5/2 to know for sure. But having only this to use I could be satisfied. But I'm not. So I'm trying to find the best HDMI cable for under $100/M (higher if discount or used).

Front Runners:

WW Ultraviolet 6
Furutech HDMI-N1

Equipment:

Marantz BD8002
Motorola HD-Dual Tuner DVR Cable Box
Pioneer Elite PRO-FHD1
sakahara

Showing 6 responses by sakahara

sakahara OP
181 posts
 
Transnova: Components? I didn't care for AQ though.

Raks: I'm aware of the closeout pricing for WW SS 5/2. What cable did you replace?
sakahara OP
181 posts
 

Transnova: No, I meant what components do you have? I wanted to know what cables people compared to and the HT gear being used.

Audiojedi: Thanks. I haven't heard of Neotech. I'll check it out.

Hifisoundguy: WW got it right when they made the SS 5/2. Btw, I use PS Audio PW AC3 and Jewel power cords with all HT gear, plus a PC. Big improvement. HiFi Tuning SilverStar fuses also made big difference with BDP.

I'm going back to WW SS 5/2. Already ordered. It'll be interesting to see what changes, improves. Sometimes it helps to downgrade so you can appreciate what you had and see/hear what's been missing.
sakahara OP
181 posts
 
And I didn't buy from CJ's Audio Video. :p
sakahara OP
181 posts
 

I'm already noticing an improvement with PQ from the single WW SS 5/2 HDMI cable, even downstream between A/V Rcvr -> Plasma (still using cheap $30 Dynex cable between Cable Box -> A/V Rcvr, also BDP-> A/V Rcvr). It took a couple hrs to start settling in, but already I noticed this liquidity to the image, more dimensional, better depth, stillness, focus, and clarity, also colors are more saturated, vibrant. Much more pleasing to the eye. Order another one for BDP->A/V Rcvr.
sakahara OP
181 posts
 
Both 5/2 versions are silver-clad OFC, but it's the cable design and 16 vs 24 conductors. Given the price for Silver Starlight 5/2 right now, yes, it's worth it. But Starlight would be fine if you haven't seen the Silver Starlight, or for HD Tuner.

I just received my third and final SS 5/2. Now my HT system is complete. The PQ is incredible. Much better then I remember. It really came together after I installed the second one between the HD Tuner->A/V Rcvr to complete the video chain from source to plasma. The picture looks so much more cohesive compared to the other cables. It looks stunning. Unreal. Hard to describe. You have to see it yourself. And much better then AQ Carbon. This cable still holds it's own.

Big thanks to Dave at Apollo A/V.
sakahara OP
181 posts
 
I am still elated over being back with the WW SS 5/2 HDMI cable after a few weeks (previously owned about 3 years ago). The PQ has improved. It's incredible with both HD broadcast and Blu-ray. I watched a BD which I had viewed with previous setup/cables and it looked much better then before. AQ Carbon can't touch this. No comparison. I haven't tried others, but I'd put this up against almost any other HDMI cable at any price. Of course the quality level of the source equipment matters too. No sense using with outclassed gear.
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