AudioQuest Cinnamon Ethernet Cable (RJ/E)

The AudioQuest Cinnamon is a Cat 7 network cable for audio with solid Long-Grain Copper conductors whose silver plating makes up 1.25% of the conductor diameter.

It's the tier where the RJ/E series finds its middle ground: significantly more silver than the Forest, but still far from the Telegärtner models above it. Anyone running a good network player who doesn't want to make cabling a hobby usually ends up right here, in our experience.

Why the Cinnamon?

Two components make the difference. First, the conductor: Long-Grain Copper has fewer grain boundaries than ordinary copper, and the 1.25% silver plating improves exactly the outer zone where the signal travels at Ethernet frequencies. Second, the insulation of solid, high-density polyethylene, which keeps the pair geometry constant over the entire length. Gold-plated nickel connectors with 100% shielding coverage cleanly terminate the run.

What you get

A ready-made RJ45 cable to Cat 7 specification, rated for up to 10-gigabit transmission, in six lengths from 0.75 to 12 metres. The direction of travel is marked on the jacket. We'll order special lengths on request.

Who is the Cinnamon for – and who isn't it for?

Here's the sober assessment you rarely read about network cables: the payload data isn't the issue. Ethernet checks every packet, faulty packets get resent – no cable changes anything about your file. What a high-quality Ethernet cable can influence is the electrical environment: the amount of high-frequency noise travelling towards the streamer via shield, ground, and connector contact. A closed shielding and a stable build reduce that path. Whether and how strongly you notice that depends on how well your streamer decouples its network input – and how much electrical noise sits in your rack. On a compact system, the Cinnamon isn't worth it. On a resolving network player with a good DAC, it's a justifiable investment you only make once.

Our verdict

The Cinnamon is the sensible middle of the series: enough silver to stand apart from the entry level, without reaching the price of a component. Tell us which streamer you have, and we'll tell you whether the step is worth it – HD Zürisee in Wädenswil, 044 680 22 00, WhatsApp 076 534 22 00 (text only, no calls) or shop@hdzuerisee.ch.

Technical data

• Type: Network cable for audio (RJ/E), Cat 7
• Conductor: solid, Long-Grain Copper (LGC), silver-plated
• Silver plating: 1.25% of the conductor diameter
• Insulation: solid, high-density polyethylene
• Shielding: 100% shielding coverage (Cat 7 construction)
• Connector: RJ45, gold-plated nickel contacts
• Transmission: up to 10 Gigabit Ethernet
• Directionality: directional, arrow points towards the receiver
• Lengths: 0.75 / 1.5 / 3 / 5 / 8 / 12 m
• Included: one ready-made network cable

Frequently asked questions

What does Long-Grain Copper mean for the conductor?

LGC denotes copper with especially long crystals and therefore few grain boundaries in the conductor. AudioQuest uses it as the base throughout the series. On the Cinnamon, a 1.25% silver plating is added, which mainly benefits the outer conductor zone. Fewer grain boundaries mean fewer transitions along the signal path.

Where in the network should I use the Cinnamon?

Most effectively on the last stretch, i.e. from the switch or router directly to the streamer. This connection sits electrically closest to the audio chain. A second cable further upstream in the network generally brings less benefit – we're happy to look at your setup together beforehand.

Do I also need a special network switch?

No, that's not necessary. An audio switch pursues the same goal as a shielded cable: less high-frequency junk heading towards the streamer. The two complement each other, and both are optional. Start with the cable – that's the more affordable part of the exercise. A switch can come later, if at all.

Why order the Cinnamon from HD Zürisee?

Because we've been looking after network audio for many years and know where the effort pays off and where it doesn't. We'll work out the length, cable route, and device order with you, deliver to Wädenswil and the surrounding area, and have our own technician in-house for installation.

Goes well with

Around the network run: network players in the streamers section, further LAN connections under network cables, switches and accessories at network, and the rest of the range at AudioQuest.