Writing for Part-Time Audiophile, Panagiotis Karavitis goes to Herculean lengths to radically upgrade his digital-audio system, making the important switch from a USB front-end to one employing HDMI to transfer I2S audio data.
For this, he explores a range of HDMI cables at various prices, including three AudioQuest options: Cinnamon 48, ThunderBird 48, and the top-of-the-line Dragon 48.
While Mr. Karavitis admires Cinnamon 48 and ThunderBird 48 for their build quality and overall performance, deciding the latter to be an especially great value proposition, it’s AudioQuest's flagship Dragon 48 that really captures his imagination.
Karavitis writes, “The top-of-the-line AudioQuest Dragon 48 was what I dreamed about when the decision to go I2S was made. Not only did it have a better pace, sense of ease and musicality than my USB cable, but it also made the entire system sound more involving.”
If you, too, are contemplating building or upgrading a audio system employing HDMI to transfer I2S, consider Karavitis' experience. He writes: "AudioQuest has you covered with their vast catalog; I am unaware of another company offering more than a dozen HDMI cables stretching from bloody cheap all the way to expensive, all certified and finished to perfection. The obvious sensible choice among this half a dozen of AudioQuest HDMI cables tested here is the ThunderBird 48, since it packs amazing value."
Reflecting on the topic of performance for money, Karavitis continues: "The Dragon is around $3K, depending on length. I would file that as a bargain because we are talking about a fraction of what a quality interconnect, speaker cable, or power cord would set you back and you are getting one of the best HDMIs the sector has to offer. Here’s a little confession–my intention is to forget to ship it back to AudioQuest with the rest of the lot. It’s that good."
We're delighted to now be a long-term part of Panagiotis Karavitis' listening experience and evaluation process. He was so impressed by Dragon 48 that he purchased the review sample, making it a PTA Reviewers Choice.
Read the complete review and enjoy a Qobuz playlist comprising tracks from Panagiotis' evaluation.
