ThunderBird or Firebird?
Thunderbird
I just ordered the AudioQuest Dragon 48. Yes, it cost a bit more than the RAL, but is it any better? We’ll see when it arrives. The RAL is .75m, so is the Dragon.
I’m betting the farm on a Firebird48. Expecting it next week.
I’ll be most interested in hearing how the Audioquest cables compare to the RAL.
I can’t wait for something to knock off the RAL HDMI cable.
I can’t do AudioQuest though. Nope.
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My choice for HDMI cable between Perfectwave SACD transport and Perfectwave Directstream DAC is Pink Faun IL-1 I2S interlink (HDMI – HDMI) Very good match, the best for me so far. Secondhand… occasion.
Ronald
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Why? Too expensive?
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Exactly right! Fancy cables are a scam!
(Says the guy with so many absurdly expensive cables with more arriving daily)
That Pink Faun HDMI is a really good cable. I also have one of their USB cables and it is also very good.
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I think @aangen is right. It’s a scam. I found out the Dragon I ordered is the same as the Firebird except for the ground wires being silver instead of plated copper and they charged me a thousand dollars more for that. I know the battery pack does nothing for the sound because we tested it extensively with my brother’s AQ Wild Blue Yonder interconnects and heard absolutely no difference with or without the battery. Now when I get the cable and it does not beat my RAL, we’ll know for sure.
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Agree 100% with @aangen about AQ. Bad synergy in my system as well. But that’s just my system and my ears.
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We’ll see if it works in my system, if not I’ll just resell the cable and cross AQ off my list of considerations for future purchases. Their newer stuff is said to be pretty good. Their older stuff not so much. My brother’s Wild Blue Yonder IC costed him $4200, but got trumped by his $3000 WW Platinum Eclipse 7 IC. Not even close.
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Every time my dealer lent me top AQ and WW, WW won and the difference was HUGE. No more AQ in my system.
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WW are hard to beat. Their Platinum Eclipse 8’s IC, I still using. I have not tried anything better except WyWires Diamond which is even more transparent sounding. My brother went and bought 2 more of these WyWires Diamond cables after hearing it in my place.
But for HDMI, RAL’s the King. I’m using it with my server right now and it has never sounded better. and if this AQ is better, I will use it with my server and move the RAL to my DMP which I have the WW PS7 there right now.
EDIT: Just received tracking from FedEx. Expected delivery by Sunday 11 for the Dragon HDMI.
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About 5 years ago I was looking for new interconnects, power and speaker cables. I tried all the brands I could borrow from the dealers, including AQ. The one brand without all the hype easily bested the rest which were the Tress, Urth and Sinew cables made by Totem, the Canadian speaker company: Accessories - Totem
Unfortunately, they don’t make an HDMI cable and @Paul who I highly respect, strongly recommends the Firebird48. Perhaps @Paul can chime in here and ease my/our mind(s), as I’ve ordered an eval of the Firebird48 and don’t want to waste my time.
Try the RAL on the DMP. Had the WWPL7 there and thought I was done, and then Bunny Boy Al got into my head. Haven’t gone back.
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So you also like the RAL over the WW. There was a shootout earlier between the WW Platinum S7 and the AQ Diamond and the WW came out on top. Now the RAL is another step up from that. It’ll really be something if the AQ Dragon can be much better than the RAL. We’ll see in a few days.
You guys suckered me into ordering a RAL. I already have Brad’s version of the umbilical for my Pass preamp, so I know he makes good stuff. I also know how long it takes to get. 
Just gotta sit on my hands and wait. 
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I know, it’s the wait. Brad should just came right up front and tell you the wait will be a few months, then it wouldn’t be so bad that you are looking forward to it every day. Some say it’s still worth the wait though after getting to hear it, it’s really that good.
I don’t have any trouble with AQ though. I just ordered the Dragon and it’s already shipped arriving in a couple of days. I love The Cable Company, they’re super fast, free shipping, good discount, and no sales tax.
I’m really trying to find something better to replace the WW Platinum S7 on my DMP. I did’t want to get another RAL because Brad is such a headache to deal with and besides, I wanted something better than the RAL, and there’s not that much to choose from that can potentially beat the RAL. Hopefully AQ has gotten their act together with these new cables.
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