HDMI cables questions.....

It seems some Audioquest hdmi cables are on sale. But all the names are confusing.....
From bottom to top, looks like it's Pearl, Forest, Cinnamon, Chocolate, Carbon and Vodka
But there are also AQ cables sold at BestBuy, such as Ocean and Sky
So simply put, which one would be the best compromise price/quality (for 4k movies)?
Would it be the Forest? How the Ocean or Sky from BB would compare then?

Thanks
RTiA5 + CSiA4 + Jamo SW410E
Yamaha TSR-700 (equivalent to RX V6A)
No surround...yet

Comments

  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 25,434
    edited November 2020
    Cinnamon, Chocolate are the sweet spot for Audioquest HDMI.
    I'd pass on the Best Buy models. They're basically cheaper versions for high profit at best buy. They have just a touch of silver for marketing.

    Cinnamon is a fantastic cable and if you have a bit more money to spend get the chocolate. I've used both and find the chocolate a bit better. I could live with all cinnamon cables.
  • skrol
    skrol Posts: 3,375
    Post resurrection... So I scored some decent HDMI cables at a local thrift store for $3 - $4 each and I'm trying to figure which would be best from my Blu-ray to AVR. Obviously, Mmmmonnnssster has a bad rep for being a rip off but they usually seem to be made decent, just over priced for what they are. However, at $3.99 for their 1000HD Ultra High Speed for a 2M cable the rip-off factor is out the window.

    To come clean, I am actually running MC for many of my audio and HDMI connections already because I grabbed them fairly cheap when Circuit City was going under. I am slowly replacing them as I find deals.

    The other score was an AudioQuest Chocolate 1M cable for $2.99. I am guessing that this would be the better choice given the silver content and I don't need the extra length. Not to mention, I am more an AQ fan. "Chocolate" also sounds much less pretentious than "1000HD Ultra High Speed", which harkens to the "Gillette Mach 3 Turbo" marketing.

    So which would be the better cable? If you believe the numbers, the Chocolate is rated 4K/60fps ?bit 18Gbps vs 1000HD 4K/120Hz 12 bit 10Gbps.

    Ok, maybe I just want to brag about my cable score. Or maybe I want to know if MC are worth buying if the price is right? It seems they must be better than the stuff that comes in the box with TVs, monitors, players, etc.

    Stan

    Main 2ch:
    Polk LSi15 (DB840 upgrade), Parasound: P/LD-1100, HCA-1000A; Denon: DVD-2910, DRM-800A; Benchmark DAC1, Monster HTS3600-MKII, Grado SR-225i; Technics SL-J2, Parasound PPH-100.

    HT:
    Marantz SR7010, Polk: RTA11TL (RDO198-1, XO and Damping Upgrades), S4, CS250, PSW110 , Marantz UD5005, Pioneer PL-530, Panasonic TC-P42S60

    Other stuff:
    Denon: DRA-835R, AVR-888, DCD-660, DRM-700A, DRR-780; Polk: S8, Monitor 5A, 5B, TSi100, RM7, PSW10 (DXi104 upgrade); Pioneer: CT-6R; Onkyo CP-1046F; Ortofon OM5E, Marantz: PM5004, CD5004, CDR-615; Parasound C/PT-600, HCA-800ii, Sony CDP-650ESD, Technics SA 5070, B&W DM601
  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 25,434
    Not a damn thing wrong with monster HDMI cables Stan. I like you bought some upper MC hdmi cables for dirt cheap and I'd be very hard pressed to say they were inferior in any way. Do I like AQ better yep but it's my preference and that doesn't mean jack in the grand scheme of things. If I was to pick one thing it would be that the ends are better on the AQ's. On my older AQ cinnamon cables I did need to take some goo gone to the ends because that rubberized coating got super sticky. I've heard they fixed that.
  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,632
    I use supra in my ht and have no issues

    Agree monster would be fine for hdmi for most people and at 4 bucks, can't beat that!
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.