AudioQuest Forest Ethernet Cable (RJ/E)

The AudioQuest Forest is a Cat 7 network cable for audio whose solid copper conductors carry a silver plating of 0.5% of the conductor diameter – the first silver tier of the RJ/E series.

That puts it exactly one tier above the Pearl, for an understandable reason: at the frequencies Ethernet works with, almost everything happens in the outer zone of the conductor. Improve that surface and you improve the run – without having to cast the whole conductor from precious metal.

Why the Forest?

Silver conducts better than copper. It only gets expensive once you make the whole conductor out of it. AudioQuest therefore applies a thin silver layer over solid copper – on the Forest that's 0.5% of the diameter. Because the signal at Ethernet frequencies runs mostly on the outside anyway, the plating works exactly where it makes a difference. Add to that the Cat-7-typical shielding of the wire pairs, an overall shield, and gold-plated nickel connectors with full shielding coverage.

What you get

A ready-made RJ45 cable in six lengths between 0.75 and 12 metres, in a black-and-green striped PVC jacket with the direction of travel printed on it. We'll order other lengths for you through our supplier.

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

Honestly put: a network cable doesn't repair a file and doesn't raise resolution. Ethernet is packet-based and error-checked – what arrives is identical to what was sent. The real lever lies elsewhere: in the interference resistance of the run and in the high-frequency noise that power supplies, switches, and routers constantly generate and that can travel along via shield and ground. A cleanly shielded cable with stable geometry shrinks that path – no more, but no less either. How much of that reaches you is decided by your streamer: devices with a well-decoupled network input show less difference than those without. For the multiroom speaker in the kitchen, the Forest is overkill. For a standalone network player with a decent DAC, it's the first step that's justifiable.

Our verdict

The Forest is the point where silver enters the picture without the price doing somersaults: solidly built, fully shielded, pleasantly unfussy. Whether your streamer benefits from it, we'll assess honestly for you – 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, silver-plated copper
• Silver plating: 0.5% of the conductor diameter
• Insulation: polyethylene
• Shielding: individually shielded wire pairs plus overall shield (Cat 7 construction)
• Connector: RJ45, gold-plated nickel contacts, 100% shielding coverage
• Transmission: Gigabit Ethernet up to 100 m run length
• Directionality: directional, arrow points towards the receiver
• Jacket: PVC, black-green striped
• Lengths: 0.75 / 1.5 / 3 / 5 / 8 / 12 m
• Included: one ready-made network cable

Frequently asked questions

How much silver is really in the Forest?

The silver plating corresponds to 0.5% of the conductor diameter; the core remains copper. That's enough, because at Ethernet frequencies the signal runs almost entirely in the outer zone of the conductor. A solid-silver conductor would cost many times as much – AudioQuest only takes that route with the Diamond, the top of the series.

Is Cat 7 enough for music streaming?

Easily. Cat 7 is designed for 10-gigabit transmission; a high-resolution stereo stream needs only a fraction of that. In audio Ethernet, the category is less a speed feature than a build-quality one: it mandates individually shielded wire pairs and an overall shield. That shielding is exactly the point here.

Forest or Pearl – is the extra cost worth it?

That depends on the device behind it. On a soundbar or a multiroom speaker you'll barely notice anything, so the Pearl is enough. On a standalone network player with a good DAC, the Forest is the more sensible starting point. Give us a call and we'll assess your chain.

Why is HD Zürisee the best place to buy the Forest?

Because with us you get an honest assessment instead of a sales pitch. We've worked with network audio for decades and will tell you exactly where in your system a better cable can actually make a difference. Plus the right length, delivery, and our own technician if the installation gets tricky.

Goes well with

To get the chain right: network players are found among the streamers, the remaining LAN cables in the network cables section, switches and network accessories under network. Everything from the brand is gathered in the AudioQuest collection.