AudioQuest ThunderBird 48 HDMI Cable

AudioQuest “48” HDMI cables can transfer up to professional 10K Ultra-HD video. The 48Gbps bandwidth is made possible by 4 balanced audio/video pairs capable of 12Gbps each. The precision and tighter manufacturing tolerances required to produce HDMI cables that transfer up to 48Gbps bandwidth mean many of AudioQuest’s tried-and-true ingredients and techniques are more important than ever before.

AudioQuest 48Gbps HDMI cables have the bandwidth required for video with resolutions up to 10K and resolutions/refresh rates up to 8K/60 and 4K/120. All AudioQuest HDMI cables are completely backwards compatible with existing 4K displays.

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 on overall performance—a superbly cost-effective way to maximize a digital cable. ThunderBird 48 uses 10% Silver-Plated Copper for both its conductors and drains.

Traditional “100% shielding” is not enough 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 the 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.

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 (Forest 48’s solid 0.5% Silver + Carbon & Vodka 48’s Level-3 Noise-Dissipation), 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.

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 cable 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 (18Gbps) or HDMI 2.1 (48Gbps). 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 backwards 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 48Gbps. Whether using HDMI-enabled gear with Standard Speed, High Speed (10.2Gbps), 18Gbps, or Ultra High Speed (48Gbps), AudioQuest’s HDMI “48” Series provide superior sound and a superior experience vs. even AudioQuest 18Gbps cables. This warranty is valid in the United States only. For warranty policies in other countries, please contact your local dealer or distributor.