THE BIG QUESTION - July issue

[martycaf]

Can changing an HDMI cable make a difference?

The results of the test seem to be not much difference. I upgraded my HDMI cables for Bluray (PS3) and Sky+HD from new, but never actually bothered trying supplied cables.

So what i'm thinking now is, why would the manufacturer supply an inferior cable, if it is going to make their product underperform?

 

[idc]

I wonder if equipment manufacturers have done their own tests, such as blind testing and found that different cables make no difference?

 

[The_Lhc]

The only "manufacturer" I've seen supplying a cable is Sky and you can work out for yourself how they choose their one.

 

[bigboss]

Well, try the supplied cables then & decide for yourself.

Personally, I haven't found any difference between the free Sky HDMI cable, £4.99 HDMI from ThatCable, £40 QED performance HDMI & Chord Supershield HDMI (free gift for subscribing).

 

[martycaf]

i'm looking for an AV receiver, when it arrives the Sky cable and the one I got thrown in with the PS3 will be dug out!

 

[markyd]

bigboss:

Personally, I haven't found any difference between the free Sky HDMI cable, £4.99 HDMI from ThatCable, £40 QED performance HDMI & Chord Supershield HDMI (free gift for subscribing).

I'll second that. The column did make me chuckle to myself slightly. I fully apreciate the merits in higher quality analogue interconnects, but I have always had my doubts over the benefits of digital ones. Perhaps good screening can make a noticibe improvement on a particularily long run such as to a projector - but on short runs I am a complete sceptic.

In the column one of the panelists said he would get a ribbing from the other forum members for not seeing the difference - but I think they should be aplauded for confirming our suspicions!

Shortly after I purchaced a couple of optical cables from pound land (Yes they were £1 each!). Guess what? - they 'sound' the same as my expensive one.

 

[hammill]

the_lhc:The only "manufacturer" I've seen supplying a cable is Sky and you can work out for yourself how they choose their one.My Oppo blu-ray and Humax freesat box both came with HDMI cables. I can't tell them apart from my What HiFi 5* recommended Chord. After the Big Question, I don't feel so bad...