Upgrade hdmi cables or not

firsttimer

So I am using mono price hdmi cables. Running lg up970, 4K cable box, all going through Denon avrx 3300w to an lg 4K 65 inch t.v. Speakers are signature s60 towers, s30 center and Polk surrounds. I am looking at audio quest pearl or forest. First question will an upgrade in hdmi cables be noticeable in picture and or sound. Would it be better to go with pearl or forest? Not wanting to create a debate just looking for opinions. Thanks.

Clipdat

@Manticore has an AQ Forest HDMI, maybe he can chime in.

rpf65

Recently upgraded my B.B. HDMI cables to Shuntaya Venom, on sale. Very noticeable SQ, and slightly noticeable PQ on my plasma.

You will see and especially hear a difference with better cables.

mlistens03

I thought that with digital signals it didn’t matter, but I am still kinda new to this whole hobby... analog cables I know for a fact can improve your sound system.
Just wait till your handing over the big bucks for a 3 foot power cord.

alucididea

firsttimer wrote: »

So I am using mono price hdmi cables. Running lg up970, 4K cable box, all going through Denon avrx 3300w to an lg 4K 65 inch t.v. Speakers are signature s60 towers, s30 center and Polk surrounds. I am looking at audio quest pearl or forest. First question will an upgrade in hdmi cables be noticeable in picture and or sound. Would it be better to go with pearl or forest? Not wanting to create a debate just looking for opinions. Thanks.

If you’re looking for a quality cable, I happen to just notice Music Direct is selling the Shunyata Venom HDMI for 50% off at the moment. 2m ends up being $75. It’s such a steal I’m going to grab one for myself...

https://www.musicdirect.com/cables/shunyata-venom-hdmi-cable

firsttimer

In Canada so looking for something I can get locally which are the two audio quest I mentioned

afterburnt

Next cable on my list but just for SQ. Not necessarily the Shuyata just a quality HDMI for my spinner.

rpf65

Denied a few AQ cables a while back, pre 4K. PQ didn’t get any better after the cinnamon line, at least to my eyes.

Personally I didn’t feel price for performance was worth it after cinnamon, so I would call that the sweet spot.

Went with the Shuntaya, because they have a good reputation in the cable, and the were about $50 cheaper, on sale to what I needed versus AQ.

Performance wise, from what I remember, it’s about even between the AQ Cinnamon and the Shuntaya Venom.

Nightfall

I didn't notice much going from pack in HDMI cables to Wireworld. That isn't to say anything against Wireworld though, I'm doubtful of a huge improvement with any HDMI cable personally. Not a good bang for buck if you have a lot of other upgrades waiting on the bench. What you will get, though, is a much better build quality. With the pack in cables you'll eventually get problems with the picture flickering in and out, etc because of how cheaply they are made. More expensive HDMI cables will last a lot longer.

Joey_V

@sgmsmg

He bought my AQ Diamond HDMI, if there's any improvement he would know, he's got the best AQ has to offer.

mdaudioguy

Nightfall wrote: »

With the pack in cables you'll eventually get problems with the picture flickering in and out, etc because of how cheaply they are made. More expensive HDMI cables will last a lot longer.

I don't believe you can say that with that much certainty. I have used a LOT of inexpensive, no-name HDMI cables and have yet to have one spontaneously fail. If the cable gets plugged in and remains untouched, hard to see how it could just fail. Now, if you're constantly messing with it, maybe build quality comes into play. Not arguing against better cables, though.

Jimbo18

You might find this post interesting from @DarqueKnight

http://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/177963/audioquest-cinnamon-hdmi-cables-vs-the-cheap-stuff-review

EndersShadow

I spent about 50 bucks a pop for my AQ Cinnamon HDMI cables, each one is about 2m (10 feet).

Thats a pretty good deal compared to retail (you just gotta be reaaallll careful who you buy from).

Did it change the picture? Not that I can tell, but I figured for the prices I got em for, why not. I spend a lot more than that a month on other stupid things..

sgmsmg

AudioQuest HDMI cables are 15% off at Best Buy right now.

firsttimer

Thank you all for your posts and comments I think at this time I will keep using what I have thanks again

halen

EndersShadow wrote: »

I spent about 50 bucks a pop for my AQ Cinnamon HDMI cables, each one is about 2m (10 feet).

Thats a pretty good deal compared to retail (you just gotta be reaaallll careful who you buy from).

Did it change the picture? Not that I can tell, but I figured for the prices I got em for, why not. I spend a lot more than that a month on other stupid things..

Wait. So AQ 2m is 10 feet? Ha. I will need to try out some AQ HDMI cables.

alucididea

halen wrote: »

Wait. So AQ 2m is 10 feet? Ha. I will need to try out some AQ HDMI cables.

lol. I thought that was some pretty terrible math, myself.

EndersShadow

Typed it too fast and hit wrong button. I meant to type 3, as in 3m, which is 10 feet

mlistens03

EndersShadow wrote: »

Typed it too fast and hit wrong button. I meant to type 3, as in 3m, which is 9 feet and a little bit

Fixed*

firsttimer

So I have been recommended to go to cinnamon line if I do anything opinions?

rpf65

Audioquest's cinnamon is a very good cable, and in my opinion, worth the price for preformance. Others may think it is overpriced, while still others think cables make no difference. I don't think anything higher in Audioquest's food chain is worth the price for preformance, but others may disagree.

I think that there are better cables than what Monoprice has to offer, and anything that Audioquest manufacturers would be of better quality, and improve the picture and sound of your system. You may or may not see an improvement, but that shouldn't mean you shouldn't try another cable brand, especially since you seem to be curious about them.

I think the Pearl cable will offer an improvement over the cable you're currently using, and they're not what I would consider expensive. The forest is a very good cable, and, again in my opinion, reasonably priced. Both are good choices.

EndersShadow

Also keep in mind IIRC there IS a lenght after which HDMI cables start to get signal dropout..... That length may be different based on how high quality the innards are.

I've got a 5m Cinnamon I got for a song for my TV connection.

If I had a longer run, for say a projector that went through the wall, I'd also go with a respected brand knowing that I dont want to have to dig it out and redo it later....

But thats me lol...

verb

I recently bought an AQ Cinnamon USB for my DAC and nearfield setup. Major step up from the generic USB. Even with the nearfield, at moderate listening levels, I could hear a significant difference.

I was a cable denier, but now a believer!

firsttimer

Yes I think I am going to give the cinnamon hdmi a try see what happens.

mlistens03

I am so confused now. I always knew that speaker and line level cables made a difference, but then power cords made a difference, and now digital cables make a difference? That doesnt make sense to me. I thought the whole thing with digital was that as long as it gets there the signal is exactly the same. I’m so confused.

Hermitism

mlistens03 wrote: »

I am so confused now. I always knew that speaker and line level cables made a difference, but then power cords made a difference, and now digital cables make a difference? That doesn't make sense to me. I thought the whole thing with digital was that as long as it gets there the signal is exactly the same. I’m so confused.

I think Skip explained it as different digital cables transfer different amounts of noise with the signal. I would have quoted him, but I can't remember what thread it was in.

Hermitism

Here it is, in reference to usb cables...

DSkip wrote: »

It's not about the data - its about the noise that travels through the system. A digital cable is still an analog cable. How the DATA is transmitted doesn't matter as much as how the NOISE is transmitted.

delkal

But the Dac only reads zeros and ones. This is processed and decoded, then a new analog signal makes it out. There is no trace of the original digital signal after processing. Why would you expect a small amount of noise picked up by a digital cable to come thru?

mlistens03

Ooohhh ok. I see now. So it just reduces the noise floor. Interesting.

delkal wrote: »

But the Dac only reads zeros and ones. This is processed and decoded, then a new analog signal makes it out. There is no trace of the original digital signal after processing. Why would you expect a small amount of noise picked up by a digital cable to come thru?

This is what keeps bugging me about digital cables, it’s only 0s and 1s and I don’t think that that noise is gonna be either a 0 or a 1, at least it’s very unlikely methinks. Analog cables yes, it’s gonna reproduce everything but I still don’t totally understand.

pitdogg2

delkal wrote: »

But the Dac only reads zeros and ones. This is processed and decoded, then a new analog signal makes it out. There is no trace of the original digital signal after processing. Why would you expect a small amount of noise picked up by a digital cable to come thru?

Jitter

msg

I just recently decided to try some AudioQuest Forest HDMI and USB cables after reading about Ken's experience with them over the years. I was using Rocketfish and Monoprice HDMI cables before.

When I first swapped in the two HDMIs between the Roku, TiVo and the TV, I thought I noticed a reduction in jaggedness in picture quality. Display seemed a bit sharper, less artifacty, without going soft.

I'd have to make time for a critical comparison session to be certain and offer more information, but I do find myself realizing now from time to time that my picture quality seems particularly nice; just clean and sharp. Been about 3 months now, I think.

I'd venture you'll see at least that and/or better with the AQ Cinnamon.