AudioQuest Vodka 48 HDMI Cable

The AudioQuest Vodka 48 is a passive 48 Gbit/s HDMI cable that raises the conductors' silver plating to 10% while keeping the Carbon 48's Level 3 noise dissipation. It's the silver stage of the range – here the lever is turned on the conductor material, not on the shielding.

Why the Vodka 48?

AudioQuest deliberately shifts the lever at this point. The silver plating doubles compared to the Carbon 48 to 10%, while the carbon-metal sandwich around the four FRL pairs and the eARC channel stays at Level 3. For the transmission, that means: the conductor surface, where the 48 Gbit/s actually travel, consists to a considerable extent of the best conductor the periodic table has to offer. Fewer losses along the way, more headroom at the end of the run.

What you get

A terminated HDMI cable from 0.6 to 3 metres in the range's high-end execution. Picture up to 10K, 8K/60 and 4K/120, HDR and Dolby Vision, an eARC return channel in the same quality as the picture pairs, and all 19 conductors direction-controlled.

Who is the Vodka 48 suitable for – and who isn't it for?

For installations where the projector, processor, and sources all play in the top league and the cabling shouldn't be the weak link. Honestly: if you're here, you usually already know why. For a living room with a TV and a soundbar, on the other hand, the Vodka 48 is clearly more cable than the system can make use of – the Carbon 48 or Cinnamon 48 are then the smarter stages.

Our verdict

The Vodka 48 delivers the same shielding construction as the Carbon 48, but double the silver plating on the conductors – a clearly defined step rather than a vague price increase. Whether your home cinema exploits that, we're happy to check together: HD Zürisee in Wädenswil, 044 680 22 00, WhatsApp 076 534 22 00 (text only, no calls), or shop@hdzuerisee.ch.

Technical data

• Type: passive HDMI cable per HDMI 2.1, Type A connector (19-pin)
• Bandwidth: 48 Gbit/s over 4 FRL pairs at 12 Gbit/s each
• Conductors: Long-Grain Copper with 10% silver plating
• Noise dissipation: Noise-Dissipation Level 3, carbon layer between two metal layers around the FRL and eARC pairs
• Directionality: all 19 conductors direction-controlled
• Resolution: up to 10K, 8K/60 and 4K/120, HDR and Dolby Vision
• Gaming: 4K/120, VRR, ALLM, and QFT
• Audio return channel: eARC in Level 3 execution
• Lengths: 0.6 / 1 / 1.5 / 2 / 3 m

Frequently asked questions

What distinguishes the Vodka 48 from the Carbon 48?

The silver plating: 10% instead of 5% on the same Long-Grain Copper conductors. Noise dissipation stays at Level 3 for both, so carbon between two metal layers. The step is therefore pure conductor quality and no additional shielding.

And what does the ThunderBird 48 offer more?

The ThunderBird 48 has the same 10% silver plating but raises noise dissipation to Level 5: graphene is worked into the carbon layer, plus a global carbon layer wraps all conductors. The difference lies in interference dissipation, not in the silver.

Does an expensive HDMI cable make the picture sharper?

No. HDMI transmits digitally, so the picture is either correct or disturbed. What better cables bring is error headroom: no sparkle, no brief dropouts, no handshake problems at 4K/120 or 8K. That's exactly what the effort is for.

Is there an eARC Priority version of the Vodka 48?

Yes, AudioQuest offers an eARC Priority variant in which the audio return channel gets the cable's highest-quality conductors. That's worthwhile if the connection mainly carries sound from the TV to your system. Ask us which version suits your connection.

Why buy the Vodka 48 at HD Zürisee?

Because a cable decision at this level needs context: which devices, which distance, which sources of interference. We go through that with you instead of simply naming the top line of the price list. We're reachable in Wädenswil, by phone and by WhatsApp.

Goes well with

Nearby: all stages under HDMI cables, the matching electronics in the Home cinema section, and the rest of the range in the AudioQuest collection.