Audioquest Thunderbird 48

Description

Sound first. While 8K resolution and other compelling video/gaming features take the HDMI spotlight, AudioQuest’s 48 and eARC-Priority Series HDMI cables stand out as our best HDMI cables in terms of sound quality to date.

The increased precision and stricter manufacturing tolerances required to deliver HDMI cables transferring up to 48 Gbps mean that all of AudioQuest’s proven ingredients and techniques are as important as ever.

ThunderBird 48 features 10% Silver-Plated Copper conductors and direction-controlled drains for optimal radio-frequency noise dissipation. A high-loss graphene layer is added to the carbon layer, sandwiched between metal layers around the 4 FRL + eARC pairs, and a “global” high-loss carbon layer surrounds all conductors.

48 Gbps Bandwidth AudioQuest “48” HDMI cables can transfer professional Ultra-HD videos up to 10K. The 48 Gbps bandwidth is achieved through 4 balanced audio/video pairs, each capable of 12 Gbps. The precision and stricter manufacturing tolerances required to produce HDMI cables transferring up to 48 Gbps mean that many of AudioQuest’s proven ingredients and techniques are more critical than ever.

8K/10K AudioQuest 48 Gbps HDMI cables provide the necessary bandwidth for videos with resolutions up to 10K and resolutions/refresh rates up to 8K/60 and 4K/120. All AudioQuest HDMI cables are fully backward-compatible with existing 4K displays.

10% Silver-Plated Copper Conductors and Drains (HDMI) In AudioQuest HDMI cables, increasingly thick layers of silver plating are applied to AudioQuest’s Long-Grain Copper (LGC) conductors to improve noise dissipation. Placing the superior metal on the outside of the conductor produces the greatest benefit in overall performance—a cost-effective way to maximize a digital cable. ThunderBird 48 uses 10% Silver-Plated Copper for both its conductors and drains.

Level 5 Noise Dissipation (HDMI): Graphene + Global Carbon + Direction-Controlled Traditional “100% shielding” is not sufficient to guard against the increasingly prevalent effects of Wi-Fi, cellular, and satellite radiation. In AudioQuest HDMI cables, all 19 conductors are direction-controlled to minimize RF noise that damages performance by directing or draining it away from the most vulnerable circuits. In Level 5 Noise Dissipation, high-loss graphene is added to the carbon layer sandwiched between layers of metal around the 4 FRL + eARC pairs, and a “global” high-loss carbon layer is placed around all conductors.

eARC: 10% Silver + Level-5 Noise Dissipation Because sound matters, the eARC conductors in AudioQuest’s 48-Series HDMI cables receive equal love and affection, featuring the same superior metals, direction-controlled conductors, and noise-dissipation technologies as the main AV data pairs. In AudioQuest eARC-Priority cables, the main A/V data pairs have Cinnamon-level performance (0.5% solid silver + carbon & Level-3 Noise-Dissipation of Vodka 48), while the eARC data pair and Ground-Reference drain use all the same advanced design ingredients as their “48” counterparts. HDMI’s Audio Return Channel (ARC) sends audio from a TV to a soundbar or AV receiver for greater simplicity and flexibility in system setup. Hardware’s previous ARC capabilities max out at lossy (compressed) 5.1-channel surround sound. Today’s HDMI 2.1 hardware supports enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC), which increases the digital bandwidth dramatically to support uncompressed and lossless high-resolution multichannel audio, including Dolby TrueHD and Atmos, and DTS-HD Master Audio and DTS: X.

Limited Lifetime Warranty AudioQuest HDMI cables are manufactured to exacting standards and are subject to rigorous quality control. However, if your HDMI cable has a real manufacturing defect, AudioQuest’s non-transferable original-owner limited lifetime warranty has you covered for cables purchased through an authorized AudioQuest US dealer. At its option, AudioQuest will repair or replace any defective HDMI cable that has not been abused, for the lifetime of the product. Proof of original purchase is required. This warranty is not an upgrade program for AudioQuest HDMI cables that were designed to meet previous generations of HDMI specifications. Current AudioQuest models are designed to meet HDMI 2.0 (18 Gbps) or HDMI 2.1 (48 Gbps). All generations of HDMI cable will provide some, but not all, of the features made possible by HDMI 2.0 and 2.1. All generations of HDMI cable are backward-compatible – they provide all the capabilities of previous generations. To experience the audio/video benefits made possible by the latest HDMI 2.1 hardware, an HDMI cable must meet HDMI specifications, specifically an FRL-enabled bandwidth of 48 Gbps. Whether using HDMI-enabled gear with Standard Speed, High Speed (10.2 Gbps), 18 Gbps, or Ultra High Speed (48 Gbps), AudioQuest’s HDMI “48” Series provides superior sound and a superior experience vs. even AudioQuest 18 Gbps cables. This warranty is valid in the United States only. For warranty policies in other countries, please contact your local dealer or distributor.