The AudioQuest Pearl 48 is the entry point to AudioQuest’s 48Gbps HDMI cable range, sitting below the Forest 48, Cinnamon 48, Carbon 48, Vodka 48, ThunderBird, and FireBird in the lineup. Certified Ultra High Speed by HDMI Licensing, the Pearl 48 delivers the full 48Gbps bandwidth required by the HDMI 2.1 specification, supporting 4K at 120Hz, 8K at 60Hz, and professional 10K video formats.
Construction
The Pearl 48 uses solid Long-Grain Copper (LGC) conductors throughout. Solid conductors eliminate the strand-to-strand interaction that occurs in stranded designs, where individual strands make and break contact with each other, creating a source of both electrical and magnetic distortion. Long-Grain Copper reduces the number of grain boundaries within the conductor, resulting in fewer interruptions to the signal path compared with standard OFHC copper.
Noise Dissipation
AudioQuest applies Level 1 noise-dissipation techniques to the Pearl 48. All 19 conductors — carrying A/V signals, eARC audio, ground-reference drains, and control and power lines — are direction-controlled to reduce the impact of radio-frequency interference from sources such as Wi-Fi, cellular, and satellite signals. AudioQuest argues that conventional shielding alone cannot adequately guard against these ambient RF sources, and that controlling the direction of each conductor provides an additional layer of noise reduction.
Audio & Video Features
The Pearl 48 supports Dynamic HDR for compatible high-dynamic-range formats and includes the bandwidth required for eARC (enhanced Audio Return Channel), allowing compatible AV receivers and soundbars to receive lossless, object-based audio formats from a television’s built-in streaming apps without a separate connection. Gaming features include support for 4K at 120fps, Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), and Quick Frame Transport (QFT), making the cable suitable for use with current-generation consoles including the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. The cable is fully backward-compatible with existing HDMI devices.
| Cable Type | HDMI 2.1 |
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| Certification | Ultra High Speed (HDMI Licensing) |
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| Bandwidth | 48Gbps |
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| A/V Conductor | Solid Long-Grain Copper (LGC) |
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| eARC Conductor | Solid Long-Grain Copper (LGC) |
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| Ground Reference | Tinned Copper |
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| Noise Dissipation | Level 1 — all 19 conductors direction-controlled |
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| Resolution Support | 4K/120Hz, 8K/60Hz, 10K |
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| HDR | Dynamic HDR |
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| eARC | Yes |
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| Gaming Features | 4K120, VRR, ALLM, QFT |
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| Jacket | Black with White Stripes, CMG (CL3/FT4) PVC |
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| Length | 0.6m |
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| Also Available As | 1m, 2m, 3m, 5m |
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