Does Excellent HDMI Video Performance Equate to Similar Audio Performance

musicfirst1

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I'm looking to buy a quality HDMI Cable to use in my HT setup.
I currently have a SONY UBP-X800 feeding 4K HQR signals to my beloved 65" SONY 4K HDR OLED TV.
I've tried and liked the AQ Diamond, but would like to audition others in the $1500 or lower price range.
Eventually I'll install my legacy ONKYO HT Receiver down the road.
Any recommendations and comparisons to the AQ diamond would be appreciated.

Does Video and Audio performance go hand in hand with HDMI cables?
 

DonH50

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I can't speak to the "sound" of an HDMI cable and have no experience with "high-end" HDMI cables. The audio (up to 192k/24b per channel) is embedded in the digital data stream (it is all digital "bits") so in general a cable that passes the (much higher bandwidth) video should handle the audio just fine. Based on that, my answer would be a qualified "yes" in that the audio bandwidth is much lower than the video but audio data is part of the data stream.

FWIWFM/HTH - Don
 
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Lampie519

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If the HDMI cable has the specs you need then you are fine. If however there are too many errors detected then the data rate will be reduced (as in HDMI there is biderectional communication via a seperate connection). This will not effect the embedded audio as that is just a tiny part of the entire signal.
What audio signal is actually communicated is also communicated (via Infoframes) and a data analyzer is required to see this. We are able to inluence this by offering the correct EDID information (demanding a certain protocol).

In my experience there is no High End HDMI cable (bad cables do exist), as long as we use high speed ones we are ok (at HDMI.org you will find all info)

If you want to have the best HDMI cables.... go Pro !
 

Kal Rubinson

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I agree but another factor is that the rate that audio is transmitted is determined by the video rate/resolution. So, if you are using HDMI just for audio, set the default video resolution to 720p or higher.
 

Lampie519

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The sink device must be able to accept this otherwise nothing will be transmitted at all (again EDID and Infoframes are key here).

Naturally most receivers and de-embedders will do so.

The funny part is that even you selected 720p it does not mean that this is what you get.

That is what i wanted to say...
 
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dan31

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HDMI and jitter. Oppo has the option of audio only HDMI for two HDMI outputs.

 

Lampie519

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If this is standard HDMI then it is still embedded (a black image is still an image).

Quote from Oppo:

In order to further remove the dependency of the audio signal to video, the UDP-205 utilises a special video pattern generator chip to create a video stream with full black content and sends the black video with the high quality clock to the downstream audio processor or receiver.

Best to test this with an analizer.

Testing HDMI Repeater Devices with Quantum Data 780 Handheld Test Instrument - YouTube
 

DonH50

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AFAIK the audio in an HDMI bit stream is always embedded in the video data; there is no way (outside of the separate ARC connection) to get audio without sending video. A number of BD players (including the no-longer-sold Oppos) include a second "audio" HDMI output; my Oppo does, as well as a little Sony I bought as a fill-in when my original Oppo died. I think they all use a "dummy" (black) video stream, probably as much because it is a cheaper chip as for reducing video activity on the audio link. DACs these days generate their own clock so do not depend upon the incoming data stream.
 
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Kal Rubinson

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HDMI and jitter. Oppo has the option of audio only HDMI for two HDMI outputs.

Don is right that the inclusion of a video signal is necessary, whether that signal is live video or a blank fixed screen. What makes the HDMI Audio output of the Oppo 205 unique is that it runs as quasi-video frequency more suitable to the audio bitstream rather than the range of standard video frequencies: "148.5 MHz video clock frequency also has a rational relationship with all common audio clock frequencies." Whether this makes an audible difference is for users to decide.
 
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Billinge

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Hi just found this forum. I have a Panasonic setup, FZ952 (2018 model) with blade removed into a B&O Beosound Stage. UB9000 4k player and its brother the DMR-BWT850EB pvr/blu-ray recorder for TV recording etc

I added a HDFury Diva to get LLDV Dolby Vision from the UB9000. I'm using a Wireworld silver hdmi from the Diva to TV. I recently added second hand Nordost Blue Heaven as the ARC cable to the B&O, there is a Belden from UB9000 audio out to the second HDMI out on the B&O. The Diva is acting as a splitter for UB9000, Apple 4K, BWT8500. I paid about half retail for the Nordost

I recently replaced a cheap basic '8k hdmi' cable with a second hand Nordost Heimdall 2 on the BWT850 to the Diva input- both made an obvious difference IMHO which means I have to start replacing the cheaper cables with Heimdall (eg UB9000 to Diva - currently using cheap amazon 8k)

The components are powered by MCRU power leads

Both sound and video were improved with better hdmi leads and definitely power. You can't directly compare ARC audio with direct feed audio, they are very different, ARC only supports compressed formats. The ARC is clearer in mid-range & treble and taughter in bass whereas the direct is louder at the same setting but still slightly flabby in bass via Belden (the one Apple recommends). I'm on the lookout for a decent replacement for the direct audio feed (amazing how many people seem to bid on used cables that you want)

So I'm on the lookout for a 1m Heimdall 2 and 2m Audioquest Carbon/Coffee or Nordost Blue Heaven for audio plus I need a new lead for the FZ952 TV (it came hardwired so I will need to cut it)
 

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