Audioquest ThunderBird 48Gbps 1.5m
Specifications and features
AudioQuest ThunderBird 48Gbps, HDMI 2.1 cable
An HDMI connection links a video source to a television or a video projector, and it must transmit the full bandwidth required by recent formats without loss. AudioQuest’s ThunderBird 48Gbps is an Ultra High Speed HDMI 2.1 cable that carries up to 48 Gbps: it supports high resolutions, dynamic HDR, and the standard’s gaming features, with detailed work on the metals used and radio-frequency noise dissipation.
48 Gbps bandwidth
The ThunderBird 48Gbps reaches a data rate of 48 Gbps, the value defined by HDMI 2.1. This figure comes from four balanced audio-video pairs, each capable of carrying up to 12 Gbps. This bandwidth makes the features introduced with HDMI 2.1 accessible. The cable carries the Ultra High Speed certification issued by HDMI Licensing, a designation that guarantees it delivers the bandwidth and features specified by the standard. A system only uses this capacity if its devices, source and display, are also able to take advantage of it.
Silver-plated long-grain copper
The conductors are made of Long-Grain Copper, plated with 10% silver, and the ground-reference drains are 10% silver. Silver is placed on the surface of the conductor for a specific reason: in a digital signal, very high-frequency components travel mainly near the surface of the wire. Applying the most conductive metal to the outside, where the fast signal travels, is therefore where this choice matters most. The conductors are solid, eliminating strand-to-strand interactions. The connection is HDMI male to HDMI male, with both plugs identical, and the cable features a braided sleeve.
Noise dissipation and conductor directionality
The ThunderBird 48Gbps features Level 5 Noise-Dissipation technology. Around the four data pairs and the eARC pair, a high-loss carbon layer enhanced with graphene is placed between metal layers; a high-loss carbon layer then surrounds all conductors. The role of these materials is to drain radio-frequency noise away from sensitive circuits. The cable’s 19 conductors—audio-video pairs, eARC pair, ground drains, control and power conductors—have a controlled directionality to dissipate this noise as efficiently as possible. Arrows printed on the plugs indicate this direction: they should point toward the television, in other words from the source toward the audio-video receiver. On such a fast digital connection, this shielding supports signal integrity, which arrives intact or manifests itself through dropouts rather than gradual degradation.
Resolutions, dynamic HDR, and gaming features
The 48 Gbps data rate provides access to video up to 10K at 30 Hz, 8K at 60 Hz, and 4K at 120 Hz. The cable supports dynamic HDR, whose metadata adjusts scene by scene. Its eARC (Enhanced Audio Return Channel) pair sends sound from the television to an amplifier or a soundbar in high-resolution audio formats, including object-based formats; this pair receives the same metals and noise treatment as the audio-video pairs. For gaming, the ThunderBird 48Gbps supports 4K at 120 frames per second, Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), and Quick Frame Transport (QFT), with a PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, or gaming PC. It remains backward compatible with existing 4K HDMI equipment, with the connection then adapting to what the connected devices recognize.
Connection and space requirements
The cable connects between a source (player, console, set-top box) and the display, or between the television and amplifier for the eARC function. Since both plugs are HDMI male, only the direction of the arrows matters, pointing toward the television. The thick shielding and braided sleeve make for a firm cable: it is best to allow some clearance behind a wall-mounted screen and monitor the bend radius near the plugs, so as not to strain the connector or the device socket.
Technical Specifications
Standard and performance
- HDMI standard: HDMI 2.1 Ultra High Speed
- Bandwidth: up to 48 Gbps
- Backward compatibility: 4K HDMI equipment
Supported video resolutions
- Maximum resolution: up to 10K at 30 Hz
- 8K: up to 8K at 60 Hz
- 4K: up to 4K at 120 Hz
Audio and video features
- HDR: support for dynamic HDR
- eARC: support for Enhanced Audio Return Channel
- Gaming features: 4K / 120, VRR, ALLM and QFT
Design and materials
- Conductors: 10% silver-plated long-grain copper
- Drains: 10% silver
- Directional conductors: optimized RF noise dissipation
Noise reduction technologies
- Dissipation system: Noise-Dissipation Level 5
- High-loss materials: graphene and carbon
Connectivity
- Type: HDMI male to HDMI male
Applications
- 4K / 8K TVs, video projectors, A/V amplifiers, PS5 / Xbox Series X consoles, gaming PCs
Frequently asked questions
Is the ThunderBird 48Gbps compatible with my TV, projector, and home theater amplifier?
Yes. This is an HDMI 2.1 Ultra High Speed cable that works with 4K and 8K TVs and projectors, audio-video receivers, PS5 and Xbox Series X consoles, and gaming PCs. It remains backward compatible with older 4K HDMI devices. For a specific feature to be active, such as 8K, variable refresh rate, or eARC, both the source and display must support it as well: the cable carries everything the standard provides, but the devices determine what is actually used.
Which way should the cable be connected?
The cable has a specific installation direction: arrows are printed on the plugs and should point toward the television, i.e. from the source to the audio-video receiver. Both connectors are male HDMI and identical, so nothing physically prevents installation in either direction: only the arrow orientation must be respected to benefit from the noise dissipation work.
Is this cable of any benefit to me if my setup remains at 4K and 60 Hz?
Yes. The metals and design of the ThunderBird 48Gbps also benefit a 4K system, and the cable is backward compatible with existing equipment. If your source and display are limited to 4K at 60 Hz, you will not take advantage of 8K, but the cable carries the signal without limiting your setup and leaves room for future upgrades if you update your devices later.
Can I use it to send the TV sound back to an amplifier or soundbar?
Yes, thanks to its eARC pair, which uses the same conductors and the same noise treatment as the audio-video pairs. It sends the TV’s sound back to an amplifier or soundbar in high-resolution formats, including object-based formats. Both the TV and the audio device must support eARC, and this function is sometimes tied to a specific HDMI input on the TV.
Is the cable sold individually?
Yes, it is sold individually, with a male HDMI connector at each end. You therefore need one for each connection to be made: one to connect a source to the screen, and another if you also connect the TV to an amplifier for eARC.
Is the ThunderBird 48Gbps suitable for a PS5 or an Xbox Series X?
Yes. It supports 4K at 120 frames per second, variable refresh rate, auto low latency mode, and quick frame transport with a PS5, Xbox Series X, or gaming PC. These modes are only activated if the console or PC and the display support them, and the HDMI input used on the TV may sometimes need to be set to extended mode in its menus.
- Eco-contribution included in the sale price.
- Manufacturer reference: HDM48TBIRD150
- GTIN / EAN: 92592015913
