AudioQuest HDMI Pearl 48
AudioQuest HDMI Pearl 48 | 4K/8K
AudioQuest 18 Gbps high-speed HDMI cables have the bandwidth required for video up to 8K/30 (8-bit, 4:2:0), which is equivalent to 7680 x 4320 resolution (over 33 million pixels) at up to 30 frames-per-second (fps). 24 and 30 fps are the frame rates used for almost all movies and many television shows.
HDMI Active
AudioQuest Pearl, Forest and Cinnamon use HDMI Active Frequency Equalization to ensure full 18 Gbps performance for 4K Ultra-HD at lengths of 10 to 15 meters.
18G
All AudioQuest 18 Gbps high-speed HDMI cables guarantee the required bandwidth of 18 Gbps for attractive features such as 8K/30 video, HDR (High Dynamic Range) images and eARC (Enhanced Audio Return Channel).
Directionality
All audio cables are directional. Proper running direction is determined by subjecting each batch of metal conductors in each AudioQuest audio cable to a listening test. Every single signal conductor is controlled for its digital audio running direction; it is even important to run the conductors used in the audio return channel in the opposite direction to achieve the best possible reproduction here as well. The connectors are clearly marked with corresponding arrows to ensure superior sound quality.
eARC
Until now, the ARC capabilities of HDMI hardware were already fully exhausted with lossy (compressed) 5.1-channel surround sound. All generations of AudioQuest HDMI cables “with Ethernet” support ARC. To ensure outstanding audio reproduction, the ARC channel conductor pair is internally controlled for direction of travel and runs in the opposite direction as the four pairs that transmit information to the TV.
The upcoming HDMI 2.1 hardware supports Enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC), which significantly increases bandwidth and transmits uncompressed and lossless high-resolution multichannel audio, including Dolby TrueHD and Atmos, as well as DTS-HD Master Audio and DTS:X. All AudioQuest HDMI cables “with Ethernet” have the conductors and bandwidth required for eARC as well as its advanced tonal capabilities.
HDR
AudioQuest 18 Gbps high-speed HDMI cables support High Dynamic Range (HDR) and dynamic HDR. HDR content expands the contrast of the image for blacker blacks and brighter whites/glows, and offers higher color saturation and greater brightness. Dynamic HDR (e.g. HDR10+ and Dolby Vision) allows you to optimize HDR for each frame, as opposed to HDR settings that are set once for the entire program.
Polyethylene foam insulation
Any solid material adjacent to a conductor becomes part of an incomplete electrical network. Wire insulation and PCB material absorb energy (losses). Some of this energy is stored and then released as distortion. Therefore, air-filled polyethylene foam insulation is used for both conductors because air absorbs almost no energy and polyethylene is low-loss and has a benign distortion profile. Thanks to the air in the polyethylene foam, it causes significantly less blurring effects than other materials.
High-speed data capacity
Since the days when HDMI began to replace DVI connections, HDMI standards and features have evolved significantly. All generations are backward compatible. However, not all previous HDMI cables are capable of transmitting data at the full 18 Gbps bandwidth to make the most of current HDMI 2.0 equipment. While currently no 4K/60-4:4:4 software requires the full 18 Gbps capability of HDMI, some sources (UHD Blu-ray players) can be set to “upsampling” which requires the ability to transmit 18 Gbps.
Upsampling should be done in the TV rather than in an upstream component – but the decision is yours. The “Exceeds 18 G bps” imprint on the box of AudioQuest HDMI cables guarantees that the cables exceed the requirements for all currently possible HDMI data streams.