AudioQuest Products Named TAS Editors’ Choice
A wonderful array of AudioQuest products have received The Absolute Sound’s 2025 Editors’ Choice Award.
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Dragon 48
Ultra High Speed 48Gbps HDMI 2.1 Cable
SKU:
HDM48DRA060
Amplifier-End Connector: Multi-Spade, Banana, U-Spade, or V-Spade
Often, the choice between terminating your speaker cables with spade lugs or banana plugs will come down to personal preference. However, the EU-compliant isolated binding posts used on some power amplifiers often makes it difficult if not impossible to tighten spade lugs with high torque or pressure. In these applications, the AudioQuest banana connector is the superior choice, and may be the only choice.
AudioQuest has conducted a fairly extensive survey of contemporary amplifier manufacturers to determine whether spades or bananas will be most appropriate for a given brand and model of amplifier. Please contact us, provide the brand and model of the amplifier, and we’ll respond with the optimal connector type.
Given the girth and weight of our Mythical Creature Series speaker cables, a spade may be better capable of fully supporting the cable. This is particularly a concern with binding posts that do not allow a banana connector to fully seat into the post. The EU-compliant posts will neither accept our V-Spade nor allow our Multi-Spade to be fully seated. For these applications (or when you’re not certain), we highly recommend the U-Spade, as it can accommodate any binding post. The V-Spade is a specialty spade connector that works well with large wingnut binding posts (such as the Mundorf ), as it allows extra clearance.
Speaker-End Connector: Spade or Banana
Here we typically recommend the U-Spade or banana connector. However, even though there is less weight and pressure on this side of the cable (particularly for BiWire sets), it is nevertheless important to note the binding post’s design. If a banana connector cannot seat all the way into the binding post, we recommend one of our spade connectors.
Key Features & Technology Explained
Specifications
Specifications
Description
Description
- 8K-10K: AudioQuest Dragon 48 HDMI cables can transfer up to professional 10K Ultra HD video. The incredible 48Gbps data rate is made possible by four balanced audio/video pairs each capable of 12Gbps, enabling a surprisingly stronger audio/video experience.
- 4K Performance: In addition to enabling the 48Gbps data rate, the improved materials and design of AudioQuest Dragon 48 HDMI cables significantly benefit the overall performance of your 4K system. All AudioQuest HDMI cables are completely backwards compatible with existing 4K devices.
- Gaming: Supports enhanced gaming features (4K120, VRR, ALLM, QFT) for optimal performance from Sony Playstation 5 (PS5), Microsoft Xbox Series X, Gaming PCs, etc.
- 100% Perfect-Surface Silver Conductors & Drains: AudioQuest Dragon 48 HDMI cables use AQ’s best conductor metal—100% Solid Perfect-Surface Silver (PSS)—along with PSS drains to further improve Noise-Dissipation and thoroughly defeat both electrical and magnetic strand-to-strand interaction.
- Noise-Dissipation (Level 7): For maximum RF-Noise reduction, Level 7 Noise-Dissipation adds 100% Perfect-Surface Silver drain wires to AudioQuest's 72v Dielectric-Bias System, Graphene/Carbon-Mesh Network, and Direction-Controlled conductors.
- Supports 8K/10K Ultra HD Video: Transfer up to professional 10K Ultra HD video with an impressive 48Gbps data rate for a powerful audio/video experience.
- Enhanced 4K and Gaming Performance: Optimized for 4K systems and supports gaming features like 4K120, VRR, ALLM, and QFT for the best experience on PS5, Xbox Series X, and Gaming PCs.
- 100% Perfect-Surface Silver Conductors: Superior conductivity with 100% Solid Perfect-Surface Silver (PSS) conductors and drains for exceptional Noise-Dissipation and improved performance.
- Level 7 Noise-Dissipation: Advanced dielectric-bias, PSS Drain Wires, and high-loss graphene minimize interference, ensuring unmatched picture and sound clarity.
Sound first. While 8K and other compelling video/gaming features make the HDMI headlines, AudioQuest’s 48 and eARC-Priority Series HDMI cables are the best-sounding HDMI cables yet.
The greater precision and tighter manufacturing tolerances required to deliver HDMI cables that transfer up to 48Gbps bandwidth mean all AudioQuest’s tried-and-true ingredients and techniques matter every bit as much as ever before.
Dragon 48 features 100% Perfect-Surface Silver conductors and drains that have been direction-controlled for the most efficient dissipation of radio-frequency noise; high-loss graphene is added to the carbon layer, sandwiched between layers of metal around the 4 FRL + eARC pairs; a "global" high-loss carbon layer is placed around all conductors; and AudioQuest's patented 72v Dielectric-Bias System further enhances Noise-Dissipation.
| Materials & Design | |
|---|---|
Ground Reference |
100% PSS Silver
|
A/V Conductor |
100% PSS Silver
|
eARC Conductor |
100% PSS Silver
|
Jacket |
Black Nylon
|
| Features & Performance | |
Noise-Dissipation |
72v DBS and Graphene + Global Carbon + Direction
|
Resolution |
4K@120Hz / 8K@60Hz / 10K@30Hz
|
| Manufacturing Details | |
Country of Origin |
|
 Dragon 48From $2,395.00 View details |  Vodka 48From $450.00 View details |  ThunderBird 48From $795.00 View details |  FireBird 48From $1,450.00 View details | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Ground Reference |
100% PSS Silver
|
5% Silver
|
10% Silver
|
10% Silver
|
A/V Conductor |
100% PSS Silver
|
10% Silver
|
10% Silver
|
100% PSS Silver
|
eARC Conductor |
100% PSS Silver
|
10% Silver
|
10% Silver
|
100% PSS Silver
|
Jacket |
Black Nylon
|
Black with Blue Stripes Nylon
|
Black with Blue Stripes Nylon
|
Black with Red Stripes Nylon
|
Noise-Dissipation |
72v DBS and Graphene + Global Carbon + Direction
|
Carbon + Metal + Direction
|
Graphene + Global Carbon + Direction
|
72v DBS and Graphene + Global Carbon + Direction
|
Resolution |
4K@120Hz / 8K@60Hz / 10K@30Hz
|
4K@120Hz / 8K@60Hz / 10K@30Hz
|
4K@120Hz / 8K@60Hz / 10K@30Hz
|
4K@120Hz / 8K@60Hz / 10K@30Hz
|
Country of Origin |
|
|
|
|
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