AudioQuest – Dragon 2.5′ 4K-8K-10K 48Gbps HDMI Cable – Black/Gray

Customer Reviews (5)

1. 

   Intrepid – June 7, 2021

   Rated 5 out of 5

   I have evaluated the performance of Audioquest’s higher bandwidth HDMI cables starting with the Carbon model. I was so completely blown away by the elevated improvements that it makes to video and audio that I became extremely curious what the models above it could do. I tried the Vodka, then the Thunderbird, and found that both are better than the Carbon, especially the Thunderbird. I would even say that if you want to go above the Carbon, skip the Vodka and go straight for the Thunderbird. More bang for the buck.

   Now, I finally had an opportunity to use the Dragon HDMI to see how a top of the line HDMI would compare to the less expensive models. I used it with an Apple TV 4K and a Panasonic 4K disc player. I really didn’t know what to expect and I’m always skeptical, but I gotta say that the end result was extremely impressive. Picture quality is absolutely top notch, whether you’re streaming or watching blu-ray or 4K discs. There is an amazing balance of all the attributes that define the displayed image. I’ve watched everything from 4K BBC nature programs, to new and old films and shows, live action and animated, just so I could analyze the differences. I was never disappointed.

   But the visuals aren’t the only thing that benefit from the Dragon. Audio was taken to a whole new level. The sound mixes for everything I watched were far superior to any of the other HDMI cables that I’ve used. The detail and dynamics are heavenly. I use my Apple TV to listen to live performances and DJ mixes on Youtube and I stream music as well. All of it sounded amazing.

   If you want the very best and you can afford it, don’t hesitate to try out the Audioquest Dragon HDMI. I’m definitely keeping the one I got!

2. 

   User – July 26, 2022

   Rated 1 out of 5

   has 0 impact on your image or sound compared to any other hdmi cables, they all carry digital signals so “gold” or “silver” plating or anything like that make 0 difference

3. 

   MasonStorm – May 23, 2023

   Rated 5 out of 5

   I already suspected that this would make a noticeable difference, but this cable made a dramatic difference in sound quality right out of the box. Over the years, I’ve done enough audio system cable upgrades to know that this effect changes with the duration of use as the cable breaks in. In my system this cable is being used as an I2S cable connecting a PS Audio SACD transport to a Holo Audio May KTE DAC. The previous cable was one of the approximately $40 HDMI cables from Amazon. Simply using the I2S interface was itself revolutionary to the listening experience, but with this cable, one can instantly hear more detail retrieval, and even a little bit more bass.

   On the negative side, right now, less than two hours out of the box, there are some unfortunate moments in which this cable can make the music shrill and unpleasant, but I expect that from a brand new silver cable, and will give it a few hundred hours to burn in before deciding on final judgment.

4. 

   beatnik – June 16, 2023

   Rated 5 out of 5

   This cable does improve the picture. I have experimented with several cables and there is a significant difference between the cables that come with the tv and this cable. However, please keep in mind that the quality will match the equipment. If you have a less than 8k tv set, this cable will not improve the picture. My suggestion is to only invest in this cable if you have high quality equipment already.

5. 

   Mike – September 26, 2023

   Rated 4 out of 5

   There are many reviews listed that I’d wager either haven’t actually used the cable or may not be particular enough to appreciate subtlety. Ironic to their points, they’re spending without a foundation. I will say, the packaging leaves much to be desired… The greatest difference for Dragon is the audio. The picture is improved as well, about as good as I’ve seen for an hdmi so far, with one caveat. The caveat in my experience is that the visuals can sometimes feel somewhat veiled and softer than expected. Sometimes I felt as if I had to take the image holistically rather than my preferred detail analyzed approach. I have yet to understand why as an A/B with the next overall best imo, being Thunderbird, shows improvement in contrast and sharpness…Hmm, perhaps the sharpness is improved enough to where you feel you should get even more? Vodka felt similar, better than Cinnamon & Carbon but let’s say…shifty in presentation. Moving scenes were less clear, clarity in general just felt veiled… At any rate, the greatest jump felt to me was with Thunderbird, especially regarding clarity but Dragon is undoubtably more improved overall. What shines most outside of the overall audio improvement is the close-up parts of a film/presentation. Faces in the right circumstances can evoke a wow factor, light reflections and other coveted minute detail aspects can break through at times. Though, non-close-ups sometimes feel as if a focus filter is applied, when I want to detail peep the whole image. I like to consume the most information possible from each moment but sometimes it feels holistically speed up or too soft to take in every moment. It’s peculiar… in movement or a wide shot, the improvement is not felt as much if not worse than other models. If coming from another higher-end Audioquest Hdmi, I’d say set expectations for greater contrast, sharpness and sound, not so much clarity. Additionally, expect brightness to pop. My OLED is calibrated to reference yet the whites coming from things like lights or the like can almost be interpreted as noisy for a given scene.