Sorry, don’t have any further recommendations for an HDMI cable, but what are your impressions of using the U18 with your R26 DAC so far as I think you just recently added it?

@soix

I'm very pleased with the addition. I'm hearing a little more detail/clarity and realism.  I've been listening to my familiar music and I'm hearing more of the quiet subtle instruments. There's no additional harshness or edginess that you sometimes get with additional detail like I've experienced with certain cables.

I suck at describing sound. Lol.  

It was a worthwhile addition to my Gustard R26 dac. 

Glad to hear it’s a worthwhile improvement and maybe/hopefully more to come as the U18 breaks in further.  I’d be interested to hear your thoughts if/when you upgrade your HDMI cable as per our prior conversation I’m still rolling with the Monoprice cable.  

@soix

I'm honestly not expecting much, but I figure it's worth a try.  A $110 cable may not be much different than the Monoprice.  What I have now sounds really good. 

@soix

I realized that the Monoprice cable that I'm using is HDMI 2.0 and it works.  Upscale Audio has a DH Labs Silver HDMI 2.0B for $70 with free shipping. I'm going to give it a try.  1/2 meter long. 

@sis883

DH Labs Silver is great! You won’t be disappointed.

I have found that the Audioquest HDMI cables perform very well and have quality connectors that fit snug and make good contact. Mine are all employed as video, but in my opinion, audio or video, it’s all digital. So I doubt it makes any difference, although I am sure there will be opposition to my statement, I am just expressing my opinion based on experience and what I learned at seminars at audio shows. Most dealers will let you take home a cable to try, that would allow you to hear for yourself. 

I have Transparent throughout in my main system. When I added a second system I gave some DH Labs cables a try. Their Mirage USB has got to be one of the better bargains out there. Can't go wrong with DHL at any of their levels...

@curiousjim

Upscale Audio gives a pretty good description of the cable construction. It appears to be a great value. 

@kingbr

I'm currently using an Air Matrix between my dac and preamp. Also between my SACD player and preamp.  I think it's a great cable. 

I use AFTERDARK. BLACK MAGIC MKII CARBON FIBER SHIELDING (CFS) I2S HDMI CABLE between my DAC and transport.  Designed specifically for digital audio.  Hand made in Asia somewhere.  I think it sounds better than an off the shelf do everything HDMI cable but my experience is limited. About $230.00 USD.

Lawrence From MI

I have used the Wireworld $250  hdmi cable , the pin out seems to match the  upsamplers I have used , your equipment may have a protocol to do to match 

the audio signal also ,like Denafrips  .

I switched out my HDMI cables to SVS branded cables a couple of months ago and felt there was a slight difference in my video clarity.  Well made and nice looking products. They now make interconnects and speaker cable as well.  

Try the purist audio hdmi cable at under $300. I use it and it replaced the over $700 tubulus concentus cable without missing a beat. It does require a couple hundred hours of break-in. A bit bright at first and nicely rounded after break-in.

@baylinor

Is that the Diamond Revision cable? 

@sls833

Yes, It connects the Gustard U18 to the Gustard X26 PRO. I placed it on my TV first which my wife runs 24/7 to do the break-in. Huge improvement after a couple weeks of that. Great value for I2s.

@baylinor

Interesting. I have a DH Labs cable ordered. I may give the Purist Audio cable a try. 

I run Audioquest Cinnamon cause they are built well and look cool. Build quality is what counts WRT to HDMI cables. A $5 "Wal-Mart" cable will sound no different than $500 HDMI cable. But the $5 Dollar cable will fall apart over time. The $50 - $500 shouldn't !

I bought a DH Labs cable when I first got my DAC and server.  I then bought a Revelation Audio Labs Prophecy CryoSilver Reference cable.  Both my server and DAC have 2 i2s connections, so it was super easy to A/B them.  I'm a bit of a cable skeptic, but there was a noticeable difference in sound quality between the two with the RAL having a clear edge. 

Every I2s cable I have has a different sound. More power to the people who can't hear a difference.

@big_greg

Did you do any a/b comparisons between a cheap cable like the Monoprice and the DH Labs? 

These are some of my favorite cables, they just work, and do not break the bank. Plus made in the USA.

https://www.bluejeanscable.com/store/hdmi-cables/hdmi-cable.htm

Tubulus makes specific I2s cables. I have the Argentus.

 https://www.tubulus.net/product/tubulus-argentus-i2s-cable/

Tubulus makes specific I2s cables. I have the Argentus.

 https://www.tubulus.net/product/tubulus-argentus-i2s-cable/

We are not playing the same game here, over $1000 for a 2m cable! It better be the best out there for that price. My $25 2m cables will be in the closet hiding in shame. 

From experience with several dcc upsampler the $280 Wireworld 

is a excellent hdmi-IS2 cable and pin match out was spot on.and sounds great.

PS Audio recommend Audioquest Coffee or higher model

2nd-

Wire World HDMI I2S cable.

Happy Listening!

Did you do any a/b comparisons between a cheap cable like the Monoprice and the DH Labs? 

I did not.  It would be easy enough to do though, I have some entry level HDMI cables in the cable closet.

@big_greg

I don't have my DH Labs cable, yet.  Apparently, it's direct shipping from DH Labs.  Upscale Audio sent a shipping notice, but they want me to download an app just to get a shipping date.  I'll just wait for it. 

@mswale  It is my understanding that I2s should be as short as possible and as close to 1 foot as possible. That will bring prices down. 

I recently did an A/B test with the Audioquest Firebird, Dragon, and Wireworld Platinum Starlight.  IMO, the Dragon was #1, Platinum Starlight was #2, and Firebird was #3.  I’m purchasing the Platinum Starlight because the cost difference between the two couldn’t justify how closely they sounded.  

I use an HDMI cable with the I2S connection between my DAC and CD transport. Except for speaker cables, I’ve found that no other cable changes the sound more than digital cables. (Same was true between my DAC and streamer as well, but the streamer does not offer an I2S connection.) I really did not expect digital cables to make as significant a difference as they actually do…

I must have tried about half a dozen various cables until I landed on the cheapest of the bunch - WireWorld Chroma. About $60 for a meter length. Other cables included more expensive WireWorld and AudioQuest models. Of course much depends upon individual system synergies, but the Chroma just has more moxie to my ears. More dynamic and engaging. Makes my ears perk up.

I have not tried DH Labs HDMI cables, but have used their interconnects elsewhere in my system. Definitely a company worth a try and curious about your observations.

Happy listening, all.

I use Wireworld Platinum Starlight 8 with great results. Better than any of the earlier generation AQ cabels I tried--Mocha/Coffee and Vodka...

Wireworld Silver Sphere HDMI made a notable improvement in finer detail and microdynamics.  ...  Great cables and for the Wireworld USB version...

@big_greg

Did you do any a/b comparisons between a cheap cable like the Monoprice and the DH Labs? 

I did this for giggles the other night and could not tell much, if any, difference.  The same happened when I did A/B with the DH Labs vs. Revelation Audio Labs cable. 

I currently have some rather laid back speakers in my system, so it could be that it's a matter of the system not being revealing enough at the moment to clearly delineate the differences, that my ears weren't up to the task, or that when I first bought the Revelation Audio Labs cable, confirmation bias kicked in.  What fun hobby!  

If there's anything you might be able to takeaway, it's that your system needs to be pretty revealing for differences like that to be noticeable.  With my KEF Reference 1 speakers in the system, the difference between the DH Labs and Revelation Audio Labs cables was clearly noticeable, and I did the comparison on more than one occasion.  

@big_greg ​​​​​​

Interesting. Thanks for sharing the results of your experiment.

I'm still waiting on the DH Labs cable to arrive. 

I think my system is revealing enough, but it won't surprise me if I don't hear a difference.  I'm not one to like something just to validate my purchase. I've got a box full of cables that I purchased and didn't like. 

@soix Are you still using the Monoprice cable?

I see that Wyred 4 Sound has their 0.5M cable on sale for $99.  I figure it's cheap enough to give it a try.

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