Do we need premium HDMI cables?

In today’s digital age, High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) cables have become an essential component in connecting various devices such as televisions, computers, gaming consoles, and audio systems. HDMI cables facilitate the transmission of high-definition audio and video signals from one device to another. The HDMI cable was developed back in 2002 through collaboration of several companies like Panasonic, Philips and Sony among others. While replacing the SCART cable first goals were to bump the video resolution up to 1080p, connect different devices and provide copy protection through HDCP.

HDMI DNA and function

HDMI transports the signals/data in digital form: 1’s and 0’s. This means that the signal is less affected by interference and the quality will remain relatively good. But … HDMI is not completely interference-free. We’ll come back to that later. HDMI also does not contain error correction, unlike networks (computers, servers, etc.). It’s therefore recommended to use HDMI cables with a maximum length of 5 meters. For longer lengths you’d need active HDMI cables with build-in signal amplifiers. An HDMI cable is composed of four shielded twisted pairs, plus seven separate conductors. HDMI cables with Ethernet differ in that three of the separate conductors instead form an additional shielded twisted pair. There are five different HDMI connector types: A, B, C, D and E. HDMI cables have a wide application range: blu-ray disc and HD DVD players (do those still exist?), digital cameras and camcorders, personal computers, gaming consoles, tablet computers and mobile phones.

HDMI versions throughout the years

HDMI devices are manufactured to adhere various versions of the specification, in which each version is given a number or letter. Each version of the specification uses the same kind of cable but increases the bandwidth or capabilities of what can be transmitted over the cable. Throughout the years, we saw a lot of HDMI versions, starting with HDMI 1.0 back in December 2002. At the time of this video release, we’re up to HDMI 2.1 with an “a” and “b’ version. You can explore all the technical advancements of the different versions in the overview table now visible. Just pause the video to dive into the details. HDMI2.1 was officially released in November 2017. It adds support for higher resolutions and higher refresh rates, including 4K/120Hz and 8K/60Hz. HDMI2.1 also introduced a new HDMI cable category called “Ultra High Speed” referring to its 48Gbit/s bandwidth. The following features were added to the HDMI2.1 specification: max supported format is 10K/120Hz, dynamic HDR for specifying HDR metadata on a scene-by-scene or even frame-by-frame basis, Digital Stream Compression, High Frame Rate, Enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC) for object-based audio formats such as Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, Enhanced refresh rate and latency reduction features and Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM).

Standard versus Premium HDMI

In 2004 5 million devices were sold with a least one HDMI connection. In 2017 this number rose to 900 million. A huge opportunity for cable manufacturers. Did you ever look at the back of an AV receiver or processor? This brings us into the grey aria: is it worthwhile to invest in a premium HDMI cable? Cables are always a rather subjective topic. While we do love the exotic stuff that’s out there, we’d rather revert to common sense. This means a budget of 10-15% for cable accessories. So, we looked at the standard HDMI cables that come along with a purchased device (FREE), an Audioquest Pearl (€35/0.6m) and Carbon (€135/0.6m) and an Oehlbach State of the Art Carb Connect Ultra (€200/1.2m). All “Ultra High Speed” cable types at minimum length and cheapest online offering. We looked and listened to the same scene of The Matrix Ressurections (minute 9 until 15) in 4K HDR/stereo, using a FormMovie Theater UST projector, a Lyngdorf MP60 + MXA-8400 combo on Lyngdorf CUE-100 speakers + BW20 woofers in a dark and acoustical treated room. Our source was the Zappiti Signature. It has dual HDMI outputs. This offered the interesting opportunity to evaluate audio and video separate.

Subjective findings

What did we see/hear? This test is by no means scientific. Some say it’s just 1’s and 0’s. The signal arrives or not. How can there be any difference? Things like interference and jitter could be a thing. Whatever the case, you should always test and compare cables in your own system with content you know by hart. Here’s what we found out… Forget the standard issue cable. The image was alright, but it sounded harsh, flat, and presented a small and narrow soundstage with very little attention to detail.

The Audioquest Pearl introduced more audio separation and gave us a nice insight in the different scene venues. Overall, it sounded more refined. It was hard to spot clear differences in picture quality, except from slightly more saturation.

The Audioquest Carbon presented a big step up in terms of audio performance. Acoustically you were there, in the room. You could hear sounds and dialogue in a space. I would label this cable the more analytical choice, offering pin-point accuracy and a very spacious soundstage with increased width and depth. Image looked pristine with a nice saturation, great contrast and extended detail making it look sharper and a little more video-ish.

The picture quality of the Oehlbach Carb Connect Ultra was truly cinematic. Ink-deep blacks and excellent color tones offered a more organic presentation. The sound of the Carb Connect Ultra was more direct with warm and creamy dialogue. Effects and dynamics were more present, focusing a little less on the spaciousness.

Conclusions

All cables were easy to handle, apart from the stiffer Audioquest carbon. All cables could be easily locked in the connecter sockets. The Audioquest cables performed best at this. The Oehlbach left a little wiggle room, but nothing to worry about. In terms of design and finish, the Oehlbach takes it home. It has this nice “goldy” finish and connectors, although it’s said they have no bearing on the sound performance as they don’t make contact with the signal. Yes, you should get premium HDMI cables. Which brand, which budget? That’s for you to decide. But the differences are there. You have the luxury of tuning both sound and image to your personal taste. Get to work !

More details on the Audioquest Pearl HDMI cable.
More details on the Audioquest Carbon HDMI cable.
Visit the Audioquest website.
More details on the Oehlbach Carb Connect Ultra.
Visit the Oehlbach website.