Is the Wireworld Chroma 6 better than the Chord Active HDMI

[ellisdj]

All you disbeliveng HDMI cables people please do not start a silly debate here.

I tried the Chord Active HDMI for a whole day in place of my QED Graphite reference and noticed a significant difference in picture and sound. 2 x 1.5m lengths from Blu Ray to Amp - Amp to Plasma

With the Chord the sound was much bigger and more lively - very enjoyable to watch films with sound like this.

Similar with the picture it was definately more enjoyable to look at - not as thin a picture, but not quite as sharp - more 3D looking with Avatar for example.

These are the best HDMII Cables I have had in my system out of 4 various sets. (ALL QED previous)

I had to give them back, gutted - I am looking at getting some to replace mine - However are the new award winners Wireworld Chroma 6 any better?

I dont care about ethernet or 3D as I have a loved LX5090.

I do care about the sound and picture - Are they going to give me an equally lively sound / but with more finesse and better picture?

Or do they present the sound and picture thin and detailed like the QED

Thanks for your help / input.

 

[Pistol Pete1]

I have not seen/heard the Chroma 6, but I agree with everything you say about the Chord HDMI Active....

It's a fantastic cable.....

As the Chord Active costs much more than this cable, I would guess that the Chord would be the better buy....

And I recently got two 1.5 metre Active's for £52 each....bargain.

 

[Anonymous]

I was using a 3m chord 1.3c active cable based on reviews by What Hifi and was really pleased with the performance, I needed to buy a longer hdmi cable and upon reading the reviews of the chroma 6, I purchased the cable and installed it beween my plasma TV and sky box. All I can say is what a dissapointment the picture is of significantly lower quality. The definition of images is just not comparable. I think people will be mislead by the recommendations from What Hifi and they should clarify that the performance is inferior to the excellent active cable.

Unfortunately I am pretty much stuck with the cable as it was installed under wood flooring and carpets have subsequently been installed.

regards,

A dissapointed long time reader of the magasine.

 

[Pistol Pete1]

Oh, not good!

Glad I've got the Active's, then.....

 

[grdunn123]

rcm:
I was using a 3m chord 1.3c active cable based on reviews by What Hifi and was really pleased with the performance, I needed to buy a longer hdmi cable and upon reading the reviews of the chroma 6, I purchased the cable and installed it beween my plasma TV and sky box. All I can say is what a dissapointment the picture is of significantly lower quality. The definition of images is just not comparable. I think people will be mislead by the recommendations from What Hifi and they should clarify that the performance is inferior to the excellent active cable.

Unfortunately I am pretty much stuck with the cable as it was installed under wood flooring and carpets have subsequently been installed.

regards,

A dissapointed long time reader of the magasine.

Might be because of the length of cable being used?

 

[aliEnRIK]

grdunn123:Might be because of the length of cable being used?

Exactly. Bit of an unfair comparison when digital cables really need to be kept as short as possible

 

[Anonymous]

Look at the way data is transmitted in hdmi. And then look at what might happen with short/long cables.

For short runs (minimal packet loss) -

If there was a fault in the data transfer of video due to packet loss u would see this as individual pixels not looking right. The overall picture will never be brighter, sharper, or whatever else certain reviewers would have u believe.

Likewise the sound will never be brighter, clearer. This is even more certain for sound as audio in hdmi incorporates BCH error correction, and unless u are getting severe packet loss the odd error can be compensated for.

For short runs if a certain lead doesnt meet the specs u might see all of the above, but any decent HDMI that meets the spec will work just fine.

Long runs (potentially large packet loss)

Over long runs signal degradation and therefore packet loss can become severe.High packet loss could overwhelm the audio error correction, and would result in flaws in the video.

This is where u need to spend money on cables with extra shielding, better quality materials and the like.

Some sites say that > 3m can start causing problems - others say 5m or even 10,

 

[aliEnRIK]

edsib1:

If there was a fault in the data transfer of video due to packet loss u would see this as individual pixels not looking right. The overall picture will never be brighter, sharper, or whatever else certain reviewers would have u believe.

How would YOU know if an 'individual pixel' wasnt right when its only on for 1/50th of a second? If many pixels were 'not right' and the screen was randomly showing them would that not look like a less sharp picture?

 

[Cookie Monster]

Length does make a difference.

Otherwise there would be no need for HDMI's boosters and all cables could be purchased over 10 metres.

Look at thatcable review- 1.5m is great, at 10m it starts to suffer with motion. Speed of transfer has to be an influencer.

 

[Anonymous]

I was interested to read that the cables suffer from signal degradation at longer lengths, The chroma 6 I purchased is 9 metres. The picture quality on a good HD channel has really suffered to the point that it does not look much better than normal channels and even the normal channels lack the definiton they previously had.

Would installing a hdmi booster help this and if so can anyone recommend one? It seems a bit odd that companies would produce cables in longer lengths and not specify that a booster would be required.

 

[Cookie Monster]

Hi,

Just found this site with a quick google search, explains distances and effects.

http://www.abccables.com/info-hdmi-max-length.html

Personally i always thought 'longer distance = more chance of added RFI noise' not sure if that is correct, would probably depend on environment. Does mention that many things depend on the quality of the cable.

I use a Lindy Flat 7m cable under the carpet and the only negative i really get is slight motion concerns. Which i guess makes some sense. Big improvments to the stability of my PJ are visable with a shorter HDMI lead, but that could be equally down to cable component quality as i don't have shorter Lindy to compare. Still it was a bargain at £35.

Just wondering, does you're power cable run in the same condiut as your video cables to you're screen?

 

[ellisdj]

Very interesting to read that about the Chroma 6.... as expected really

I played safe and bought the Chord, they are very good cables and make a significant difference to both the sound and picture.

2 things that are interesting - the ones I have bought use 26AWG strands of silver plated copper. The New ones with the blue connector only have 24AWG strands.

The QED Reference I had before only had 24 so I wonder if the new ones will be as good.

I am guessing not maybe?

 

[aliEnRIK]

ellisdj:
2 things that are interesting - the ones I have bought use 26AWG strands of silver plated copper. The New ones with the blue connector only have 24AWG strands.

The QED Reference I had before only had 24 so I wonder if the new ones will be as good.

I am guessing not maybe?

Youve gotten wire gauge the wrong way round

26 AWG is smaller than 24AWG

 

[ellisdj]

Seriously?

How interesting - I am wrong there then - newer cables may be better still lol

 

[grdunn123]

ellisdj:
Seriously?

How interesting - I am wrong there then - newer cables may be better still lol

I wouldn't get too bogged down with your 'awgs'

 

[Anonymous]

I did contact wireworld with regards to the chroma 6 cable, they have suggested that a cable of similar performance to the chord active would be the ultra violet and that length is the problem in this case. Which is ok but its seems a bit odd to produce a product knowing that it has significantly reduced performance to the point where I would say it is unacceptable and defeats the point of having HD in the first place.

It looks like the only option is to replace the cable but I wonder if the chord in a similar length will have simlar problems?

 

[grifz]

I now nothing about these cables to recomend and i dont now your budget but there is a 10m Chord active plus for £149 http://www.hificables.co.uk/11789/Chord-HDMI-Active-Silver-Plus-1-3b.html?referrer=froogle&utm_source=google&utm_medium=froogle&utm_campaign=pid11789