QED Performance Ethernet Cable Graphite (5m)

The QED Performance Ethernet Graphite sits within QED’s Performance range — a step above the entry-level Connect series and below the flagship Reference Ethernet. Designed specifically for networked audio applications, it supports HD audio streaming at resolutions up to 24‑bit/192kHz between Ethernet-connected components such as network music players, NAS drives, and routers.

Construction

At the heart of the cable are eight stranded 24AWG conductors drawn from 99.999% oxygen-free copper (OFC), each comprising seven 0.2mm strands. Each conductor is individually insulated with polyethylene (PE), chosen for its low dielectric absorption, and the four twisted pairs are separated by a polyethylene former that isolates each pair into its own compartment. QED applies asymmetric twist rates to the pairs — varying the number of twists per metre between pairs to reduce inter-pair crosstalk.

The cable terminates in gold-plated 8/8 RJ45 jack plugs. The gold plating maintains low insertion loss and minimises signal reflections at the contact interface, keeping contact resistance consistently low over the lifetime of the cable. The outer jacket is a flexible pearlescent graphite PVC sheath.

Performance

The Performance Ethernet exceeds the CAT 5e specification (100MHz) and meets CAT 6 UTP requirements, delivering a 250MHz bandwidth with a characteristic impedance of 100Ω. QED rates the cable at “Very Low Jitter” with a typical figure of 50 picoseconds — addressing timing errors in the digital signal path that can degrade audio quality in network streaming systems.