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HDMI confusion: Monoprice vs. Blue Jeans

So I read the Audioholics 50 cable HDMI shootout, and became convinced that HDMI either passes or fails. That is, it either successfully transmits 1080P data (for example) or it does not.

I happened to have a 6 foot Monoprice HDMI cable and a 6 foot Blue Jeams HDMI as well. For the heck of it, I ran both cables from my cable box (1080i), DVD player (480i), and XBox (1080p) just for the sake of comparison.

The thing is, the Blue Jeans cable definitely had bolder colors, and the Monoprice definitely was a bit more muted but slightly more detailed in presenting images. Another possibility, of course, is that I am clinically insane.

So does this mean that there actually *are* differences among HDMI cables, just as there would be among component video cables (I tried several of those before settling on Tara Labs RSC)? Or am I simply a crazy person who saw non-existent differences and the signal passed (as opposed to failed) on both cables and looked identical, and my eyes simply deceived me.

Any assistance on this issue would be greatly appreciated, especially as concerns other HDMI cables you've tried and loved vis-a-vis others (if indeed such distinctions exist in HDMI cables).

Thanks!
thedautch
hifisoundguy
630 posts
 
The better the TV is the more your see the differences in these really good and much higher priced HDMI cables. We have one of the best TVs that has ever come on the market..The Pioneer krp-500m Plasma and they were the last TVs that Pioneer made and are even better than the Pioneer Elite models! If you don't have a really good TV then NO, your not going to see a big difference in the picture with these much higher priced and better made HDMI cables....
nasaman's avatar
nasaman
459 posts
 
TheDautch, for a fair comparasion, suggested to test all the Hdmi's from the same source.
Anyways, I assum you have read my rating from other thread: http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?fcabl&1247882008&openfrom&1&4#1

- Nordost Silver Screen: 8 (very bright, clean and details. Low noise). Highly recommend for High-end users.

- AQ hdmi-3:............ 8 (very deep, beautiful, and accurate colors. Great details & very low noise). Highly recommend for hi-end users.

- AQ hdmi-1:............ 7.5 (colorful, details, and low noise) Recommend for Hi-end users.

- Supra Cable v1.3:..... 7 (bright, clean, & details. Low noise & decent price). Good for Hi-end users.

- BlueJeanCable:........ 5 (decent colors, somewhat noisy & lack of sharpness. Great price.) Decent for Hi-end users.

- Monster-1000:......... 4.5 (its video quality is, somewhat, equally to BJC)I wouldn't buy it.

- MonoPrice:............ 2 (very dark, nasty, & inaccurate colors. Lots of video noise; it's a VCR's picture quality) Not recommend for Hi-end users.
acurus
140 posts
 
Saying some HDMIs look better than others is something I have never been able to tell. I have tried $5 monoprice cables versus some $200-$300 cables, and sory folks, no difference I could see.
levy03
442 posts
 
i heard a huge difference when i hooked up a high grade silver core hdmi. didn't take but 10 seconds for me to say wow!. did direct a/b comparisons between a moster $25 1.3 hdmi and ps audio's new I2S-12 ($500). detail and sound stage improvements were VERY obvious regarding audio when using my perfect wave transport and dac. remarkable imo.

however....

did the same comparison using my tv too SAT hook-up and noticed no difference what so ever. nothing! hifisoundguy may be right with his comments above. i've got a decent/nice sony bravia xbr tv, but it's nothing special.

not sure what conclusion to draw here, but i'm keeping the pricey psa line.
hifisoundguy
630 posts
 
You really need a really good Plasma to see these differences more. Comparing a very cheap HDMI to a much higher priced HDMI and differences are BIG but when comparing other high priced HDMI's around the same price or higher the differences are SMALL....
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