Wow, the water gets deeper each time I visit here. I’ve seen AGs recommend i2s / hdmi cables ranging from $8, $150, and $1,750, to now over $2,600 — and that $2,600 cable is being used with audio gear worth $4,000–$5,000.
Go silver or go home!
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I've been demoing many different I2S cables for an upcoming system I'm working on. Already posted this in another thread so I'll just copy/past it here since it feels relevant:
I've been trying out a whole bunch of HDMI cables lately for a dedicated headphone setup I am assembling. Using a Denafrips Gaia I2S out to a Denafrips Terminator 2. So far my results have been very mixed. Tried several more affordable options from Pangea, Kimber, Analysis Plus, didn't care for them. Tried what I call mid priced cables from Wireworld and Cardas, didn't like them either. Tried some more expensive models from Wireworld and Audioquest, not really great or even a big improvement over the others. I was starting to question whether the Gaia was worth using, and thinking maybe I should just go USB from transport to DAC. Then I hit on the DH Labs HDMI which is excellent. Eventually I found that I also really like the Voodoo Cable Silverstream, and both the Vodka and Thunderbird from Audioquest. I'm still experimenting, so far my conclusion is that HDMI I2S cables really matter and some are much better than others, also that price isn't always the main factor.
Since that quote I've learned that Veritas Cables has an I2S model coming at some point, I'll wait for that and then decide. Right now my favorite is probably the DH Labs though. It isn't the best at any one thing but really good all around. The Voodoo is nice too, probably second place followed by the AQ Thunderbird in a close third place. I'll repeat that it really doesn't seem to matter how much you spend in this case, it matters that you find a good match for your system. Maybe the most wildly variable cable comparison I've ever done, completely disconnected from pricing. |
@v-fi , Thank you for sharing your cable comparison. It appears that the DH Labs appeals to allot of people - especially for the money. I have not found much feedback on the Voodoo. Do you recall what your impressions were regarding the Voodoo vs the DH Labs? |
1) If the equipment manufacturer recommends an I2S cable, then you should probably follow their advice. PS Audio is another brand that recommends using an I2S cable for their DAC's. There is a lot of positive comments regarding this subject on the PS Audio forum. 2) Check with both the DAC and Cable manufacturer to be sure that the cable you are interested in has a compatible "pin configuration" before buying the cable in order to avoid buyer's remorse. 3) +1 on the DH Lab I2S able. I find them to be a company that usually offers a "good bang for the buck" product. 4) When in doubt, don't start with an "entry level" product; but, don't start with a "top of the line" product either. Find a middle ground product that suits your budget and then go from there. Best of luck and happy hunting! |
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