Alain
Very good product, matches the specifications
Comment from 26 August 2025 — Experience from 10 August 2025
Automatically translated — Show original (French)
Très bon produit, conforme aux caractéristiques
Audioquest HDMI Pearl 48Gbps 0.6m
Specifications and features
AudioQuest Pearl 48: 48 Gbit/s HDMI 2.1 cable
Playing in 4K at 120 frames per second on a recent console or sending a Dolby Atmos track from the TV to the amplifier requires an HDMI cable capable of reaching 48 Gbit/s, the maximum data rate of the HDMI 2.1 standard. The Pearl 48 is the first model in AudioQuest’s 48 series. Its conductors are solid copper, and all nineteen wires in the cable are treated against radio-frequency interference, including those that carry sound.
Four pairs at 12 Gbit/s to meet the HDMI 2.1 standard
The picture travels over four balanced pairs. Each carries 12 Gbit/s, for a total of 48 Gbit/s. This data rate supports 4K at 120 Hz, 8K at 60 Hz and professional resolutions up to 10K. It also transmits dynamic HDR (Dolby Vision, HDR10+), whose metadata adjusts brightness and contrast frame by frame rather than applying a single setting to the entire film. The Pearl 48 remains compatible with HDMI 2.0 devices: a 4K Blu-ray player or a set-top box running at 4K at 60 Hz will work without difficulty, even though they use only part of the bandwidth.
A cable does not add any features: it passes through those that the source and display can handle. On many TVs, only one or two HDMI inputs support the full data rate of the 2.1 standard. It is therefore best to check which port to connect the console or amplifier to.
Solid long-grain copper conductors
Most HDMI cables use stranded conductors, made up of many very fine wires twisted together. In the Pearl 48, each conductor is a single solid wire. According to AudioQuest, electrical and magnetic interactions between strands within the same conductor are a major source of distortion in a cable, and a solid wire eliminates them.
The metal is the brand’s Long-Grain Copper (LGC). This copper is treated so that its crystals are longer than those in ordinary copper, reducing the number of boundaries between crystals that the signal must cross. The ground reference wires are tinned copper.
An HDMI signal is digital: as long as the cable supports the required data rate, the pixels arriving at the display are identical to those that left the source. AudioQuest’s material choices target something else, namely the electrical noise that accompanies the signal into the devices’ circuitry.
All nineteen conductors oriented to counter radio-frequency interference
An HDMI connector has nineteen pins, and the cable has the same number of conductors: audio-video pairs, an eARC pair, ground references, control lines and a power line. According to AudioQuest, 100% shielding is not enough to counter the waves emitted by Wi-Fi routers, phones and other wireless devices. The Pearl 48 therefore features level 1 of the brand’s Noise-Dissipation technology: each conductor is installed in a specific direction (Direction-Controlled) so that high-frequency noise is directed away from sensitive circuitry rather than back towards it.
This level 1 is the foundation of AudioQuest’s entire HDMI range. Models above the Pearl 48 add other dissipation techniques and silver-plated conductors.
An eARC pair treated like the video pairs
eARC (enhanced Audio Return Channel) carries sound from the TV to a home theater receiver or a soundbar through the HDMI cable already connecting them. With a much higher data rate than the older ARC, it transmits Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Atmos, DTS-HD Master Audio and DTS:X without compression, as well as multichannel PCM. It is the simplest solution when all sources are connected to the TV and the amplifier receives only the sound.
In the Pearl 48, the pair carrying eARC is made in the same way as the video pairs: the same solid LGC copper, the same conductor orientation. Both the TV and amplifier must still support eARC, on the ports marked as such. If either one only has ARC, sound remains limited to compressed formats.
What the PS5, Xbox Series X and a gaming PC get out of it
The PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X consoles, as well as PC graphics cards equipped with an HDMI 2.1 output, use several features of the standard that depend on the cable’s data rate. VRR (variable refresh rate) synchronizes the TV’s display with the console’s actual output rate, eliminating screen tearing when the number of frames per second varies. ALLM automatically switches the TV to game mode when a game starts to reduce response time. QFT (Quick Frame Transport) sends each frame faster from the source to the display to reduce display lag. The Pearl 48 transmits all three features, as well as 4K at 120 Hz.
Technical specifications
Video performance and bandwidth
- Bandwidth: 48 Gbit/s
- Four balanced audio / video pairs of 12 Gbit/s each
- Resolution: 8K / 10K UHD, up to 10K Ultra HD
- Video formats
- 4K at 120 Hz: high-refresh-rate display for smoother motion
- 8K at 60 Hz
- Dynamic HDR: compatibility with HDR technologies using dynamic metadata
- Backward compatibility: works with existing 4K HDMI equipment and earlier HDMI equipment
Conductors
- Material: solid long-grain copper (LGC, Long-Grain Copper)
- Construction: solid conductors limiting electrical and magnetic interactions between strands
- Technical benefit: fewer potential sources of distortion and improved audio and video signal transmission quality
Interference management
- Technology: AudioQuest Level 1 Noise-Dissipation
- Architecture: directional control of all 19 HDMI conductors
- Function: limits radio-frequency interference (RFI) generated in particular by Wi-Fi networks and mobile devices
- Objective: reduces unwanted interference that could affect audio, video and control signals
Audio transmission
- eARC: support for Enhanced Audio Return Channel
- Bandwidth: conductors and architecture suited to eARC audio transmission requirements
- Signal quality: design aimed at limiting interference and distortion to preserve audio signal integrity
Gaming features
- Compatibility: key gaming features of the HDMI 2.1 standard
- VRR: variable refresh rate to reduce screen tearing
- ALLM: auto low latency mode
- QFT: Quick Frame Transport to reduce transmission latency
Applications
- Recommended connections
- UHD and 8K televisions
- HDMI 2.1-compatible projectors
- Home theater amplifiers and audio / video processors
- eARC-compatible soundbars
- Game consoles and gaming PCs: including PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and gaming PCs equipped with a suitable HDMI output
Frequently asked questions
Which way round should the Pearl 48 be connected?
Arrows on the connectors indicate the direction: they point from the device sending the image (console, player, AV receiver) toward the one displaying it. Connected the wrong way round, the cable still works, since the HDMI signal travels in both directions on certain lines, but the orientation chosen by AudioQuest to drain away noise is no longer respected.
Why does the screen stay black or get stuck at 60 Hz with a console set to 4K at 120 Hz?
The cable is rarely the issue. On most TVs, you need to enable a setting such as “extended HDMI signal”, “enhanced HDMI” or “Ultra HD signal format” for the input being used, depending on the brand. You also need to connect the console to an HDMI 2.1 port on the TV and enable 120 Hz in the console’s video settings. If an AV receiver is connected between the two, its own inputs and outputs must also support 4K at 120 Hz.
Does the Pearl 48 improve picture quality compared to an entry-level HDMI cable?
If both cables support the required data rate, the pixels transmitted are the same. A visible difference mainly appears when a cable cannot sustain that data rate: intermittent black screens, sparkling white dots, audio dropouts. AudioQuest’s claims concern the stability of the 48 Gbit/s connection and the electrical noise transmitted to devices, not a more colorful or more detailed picture.
What's the difference compared to the Forest 48, the next model up?
The Forest 48 retains the solid long-grain copper conductors and Level 1 noise dissipation, with 0.5% silver plating on the conductors. It is the first step in a progression toward conductors with increasingly higher silver content and higher levels of noise dissipation in the 48 series.
Can you connect a computer to a monitor or TV with the Pearl 48?
Yes, provided that both the graphics card and the display have an HDMI port. To enjoy 4K at 120 Hz or VRR, the graphics card’s output must be HDMI 2.1. The cable is not suitable for a display that only has DisplayPort inputs, and an adapter does not guarantee the highest data rates.
Is the Pearl 48 suitable for a projector?
Yes. Most 4K projectors have HDMI 2.0 inputs, which the cable supports thanks to its backward compatibility. HDMI 2.1 models will benefit from 4K at 120 Hz if the source provides it. The features transmitted depend on the projector, not the cable.
User reviews
Review highlights
- The vast majority of customers are completely satisfied with this HDMI cable, often describing it as excellent and faultless.
- Quality is its most frequently praised feature, with several reviews highlighting its excellent build quality.
- Several buyers say it works well, with impressive performance and excellent picture and sound.
- It meets expectations, with some describing it as matching the advertised specifications and suited to their needs.
Based on reviews from customers who purchased this product, summarised by AI
Alexandra
It is sometimes difficult to find a product that combines performance and ergonomics. This is the case here with its excellent build quality and remarkable performance.
However, it has a major flaw: the excessive rigidity of the cable proves to be impractical. This makes connecting to devices difficult and can even pose a risk of damaging the connection ports, which is particularly concerning.
Comment from 18 December 2024 — Experience from 10 November 2024
Automatically translated — Show original (French)
Il est parfois difficile de trouver un produit qui allie performance et ergonomie. C'est le cas ici excellente qualité de fabrication et ses performances remarquables.
Cependant, il a un défaut majeur : la rigidité excessive du câble se révèle peu pratique cela rend difficile la connexion avec les appareils et peut même entraîner des risques de détérioration des ports de connexion, ce qui est particulièrement préoccupant.
Cependant, il a un défaut majeur : la rigidité excessive du câble se révèle peu pratique cela rend difficile la connexion avec les appareils et peut même entraîner des risques de détérioration des ports de connexion, ce qui est particulièrement préoccupant.
Laurent
Meets my needs.
Comment from 5 November 2024 — Experience from 19 March 2022
Automatically translated — Show original (French)
Correspond à mon besoin.
- Eco-contribution included in the sale price.
- Manufacturer reference: HDM48PEA060
- GTIN / EAN: 92592016361
