AudioQuest Diamond Ethernet Cable (RJ/E)

The AudioQuest Diamond is the top of the RJ/E series: a Cat 7 network cable with solid conductors made of 100% Perfect-Surface Silver, an active 72-volt DBS, and Telegärtner connectors.

In all the tiers below, silver sits as a thin layer over copper. On the Diamond, the conductor is silver – entirely, not partially. That explains the price jump, as does the fact that this cable wasn't built for every other household.

Why the Diamond?

Perfect-Surface Silver is AudioQuest's term for ultra-pure silver with an especially smooth surface – relevant because Ethernet signals travel almost exclusively along exactly that surface. Add to that the highest tier of carbon noise dissipation, which AudioQuest calls Level 1, and the Dielectric-Bias System: a battery permanently applies 72 volts to the dielectric to keep it in a defined state. The run is finished off with Telegärtner connectors offering full shielding coverage.

What you get

A ready-made RJ45 reference cable in a silver-black braided jacket with an attached DBS module, available from us in four lengths from 0.75 to 8 metres. We'll order other factory lengths for you on request.

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

Plain talk belongs here, otherwise it would be unfair: even the Diamond changes nothing about the transmitted data. Ethernet is an error-checked packet protocol; your file reaches the streamer unchanged or not at all. The point of leverage for a cable like this is exclusively the electrical environment – how much high-frequency noise from power supplies, switches, and routers penetrates into your device via shield, ground, and contact. Silver conductor, Level 1 dissipation, DBS, and Telegärtner contacts all target this one point. We deliberately give you no numbers here: what ultimately becomes audible depends on the streamer, the network, and the power circuit, and differs from system to system. The Diamond makes sense where the DAC, amplifier, speakers, and room already work at reference level and the network run is the last open link. If a compromise still exists elsewhere in the chain, you'll resolve it more cheaply than with this cable.

Our verdict

The Diamond is built without compromise and priced just as uncompromisingly – a cable for chains that no longer have any open construction sites. Before you order it, talk to us about your system: HD Zürisee in Wädenswil, 044 680 22 00, WhatsApp 076 534 22 00 (text only, no calls) or shop@hdzuerisee.ch. We'll also tell you if a tier below is the smarter choice.

Technical data

• Type: Network cable for audio (RJ/E), Cat 7, reference class
• Conductor: solid, 100% Perfect-Surface Silver (PSS)
• Noise dissipation: carbon-based, Level 1 (highest tier of the series)
• DBS: active Dielectric-Bias System, 72 volts, battery-powered
• Connector: Telegärtner RJ45, 100% shielding coverage, strain relief
• Transmission: up to 10 Gigabit Ethernet
• Directionality: directional, arrow points towards the receiver
• Jacket: braided, silver on black
• Lengths we stock: 0.75 / 1.5 / 3 / 8 m (other factory lengths on request)
• Included: one ready-made network cable with DBS module

Frequently asked questions

What is Perfect-Surface Silver?

Perfect-Surface Silver is AudioQuest's ultra-pure silver drawn to an especially smooth surface. On the Diamond, the conductor consists entirely of it, not just the plating. That's relevant for Ethernet because at these frequencies the signal travels almost exclusively in the outer conductor zone.

How does the 72-volt DBS work, and do I need to maintain it?

A built-in battery permanently applies 72 volts to the cable's dielectric, keeping it in a stable state. Practically no current flows, so the cell lasts a correspondingly long time. You don't need to charge or connect anything – the module works invisibly alongside the cable.

At what point does a cable in this class even become worthwhile?

Only once the streamer, DAC, amplifier, speakers, and room acoustics no longer have any obvious weak point. Before that, you'll invest your money elsewhere with a bigger effect. Once the chain is at that stage, the Diamond is the most consistent solution for the last network run in the house.

Why order the Diamond from HD Zürisee?

Because with a cable of this magnitude, we first go through your system and will advise against it if the money achieves more elsewhere. If you go ahead anyway, we in Wädenswil take care of ordering, delivery, integration into the network, and after-sales service. That way the decision stays comprehensible.

Goes well with

At reference level, the surroundings count: high-quality network players among the streamers, further LAN runs under network cables, switches and network accessories at network. The complete series is in the AudioQuest collection.