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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
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.
tlg
69 posts
 
Has anyone compared the Pangea HDMI to the BetterCables Silver Serpent HDMI? I have the Silver Serpent, but have never tried the Pangea one. I too am using the Audioquest HDMI-3. Maybe it is time for a switch and save some money.
hifisoundguy
630 posts
 
I replaced my stock power cord with a diy dh labs power plus with wattgate connectors and the silver starlight hdmi 5.2's colors really POPS OUT at me now!...
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.
raks
468 posts
 
I copied the below from my Answer on another Thread (Favorite place on internet to buy HDMI cables).

"When I saw what the Wireworld Starlight 5.2 did for my Pioneer plasma, I immediately ordered a Wireworld Silver Starlight.

I only wish I could find an IC, SP, or PC that could jump-start my stereo like the Wireworld HDMI cables jump-started my picture quality."
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