The most expensive Ethernet cable I've ever seen

[littlesaint]

I thought this was a joke when I first saw it. Sometimes I think people are a little harsh on Denon. Then I see things like this... AK-DL1

[DL86]

They have seriously lost the plot...

[btf1980]

I don't think it's any different than people who buy "high end" cables. Pure foolishness.

[Hdale85]

There is a huge difference. An ethernet cable cannot really be made any better. Audio cables on the other hand can be in many aspects.

[littlesaint]

I don't necessarily equate it to the "high-end" audio cable debate where certain variables can lead to subjective opinion. This is a simple data cable being masqueraded as an "high-end" audio cable. More so it's an Ethernet cable that at $20 has 10x more bandwidth than Denon-Link will ever need.

[greenhorn]

"high performance connection parts"

Plug looks plastic to me.

[Allegiance]

I am quite a Denon fan, but that is ridiculous. I would never pay that, hell you could get shielded CAT7 ALOT cheaper! :evil:

At least the cable looks nice though :B

[Kevin P]

I guess it depends on what kind of signal the cable is carrying. If it's Ethernet, yes, any old Ethernet cable will work. But if it's carrying audio or SPDIF digital audio, which is susceptible to jitter and other timing issues, a higher grade cable can make a difference (as the Silvercat Digital proves).

[audioqueso]

I guess it depends on what kind of signal the cable is carrying. If it's Ethernet, yes, any old Ethernet cable will work. But if it's carrying audio or SPDIF digital audio, which is susceptible to jitter and other timing issues, a higher grade cable can make a difference (as the Silvercat Digital proves).

Digital signal is not susceptible to jitter at the media level (cable).
Go to Amazon and look up that Denon cable. The reviews are funny.

[impala454]

But it's not an ethernet cable... it's a "Denon Link" cable... gah

:roll:

[PewterTA]

I'm buying two JUST in case I ever get anything Denon and in case one of them isn't high enough of a performance cable. :T :rofl:

[Kevin P]

I suppose the million dollar question is, has anyone used a regular Ethernet cable in place of a Denon Link cable, and does it work?

[impala454]

well if you look at the zoomed pics on their site, you can see the wire order is the same on both ends... so unless they recolored one end just to throw people off it's just a straight ethernet cable

[mjb]

Additionally, signal directional markings are provided for optimum signal transfer.

mmm, I'll have to start drawing arrows on my cables so the electrons know which way they're supposed to go - except the arrow on Denons cable is pointing in both directions. Of couse, an ethernet cable needs to send AND receive.

[dknightd]

They probably are making it due to customer demand. Some people like to use expensive cables, it makes them happy

Edit: If it really is just an ethernet cable, maybe I should get one
for my computer - it would probably make web browsing more enjoyable,
and my posts more intelligible.

[impala454]

HD Internet!

[littlesaint]

I suppose the million dollar question is, has anyone used a regular Ethernet cable in place of a Denon Link cable, and does it work?

I haven't done it myself, but I have talked to people who do use a CAT6 cable. I will say that at longer distances and in areas with a high amount of EMI, cheap CAT5/6/7 can have reduced performance, but I'm talking about 10s of meters of distance. Considering the 1.5M length of this cable, I can see no performance advantage over cheap category cable.

[Kevin P]

Maybe a new market opportunity for CAT Cables. High-end Ethernet cables for Denon equipment (and 'puter networks too!)

[peterS]

someone will buy it, hence Denon makes it. probably something that gets thrown in with a package deal by sales people anyways

[wettou]

someone will buy it, hence Denon makes it. probably something that gets thrown in with a package deal by sales people anyways

They are customers for everything, that is why it is a free economy

[littlesaint]

NetworkWorld has a blurb about this, and the link has made the front page of Digg. At least Denon will get some free advertising out of it, though from the comments, not very good advertising.

[impala454]

Well this really isn't any different than a lot of companies do. Like Best Buy trying to push off a $150 monster power strip when a customer buys a $400 HTIB. Pushing expensive accessories has become the boon of CE it seems.

[Kevin P]

Maybe I should get into the "high-end ethernet cable" business. I already have much of the raw materials, just would need to get the fancy jacket material and custom plug covers, and then I could enjoy huge markups too.

50 cents worth of raw materials, charge $200 for it (have to undercut Denon's price somewhat), and get rich. :lol:

[H.T.C]

Maybe I should get into the "high-end ethernet cable" business. I already have much of the raw materials, just would need to get the fancy jacket material and custom plug covers, and then I could enjoy huge markups too.

50 cents worth of raw materials, charge $200 for it (have to undercut Denon's price somewhat), and get rich. :lol:

Thats not an implication also of highend audio cables reviewed in stereophlie which may also overpriced ?

[Kevin P]

Thats not an implication also of highend audio cables reviewed in stereophlie which may also overpriced ?

Audio != Ethernet. Besides, a lot of highend audio cables really ARE better (silver conductors, gold plated plugs, etc. Try CAT Cables and you'll know.) This Denon Link cable appears to be nothing more than an ordinary $1 Ethernet cable with "fancy" plastic covers on the plugs. Basically a "Monster" Ethernet cable.

This is more analogous to a company putting fancy plug covers on a 50 cent "pack-in" audio cable and then selling it for $500.

[Kevin P]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B000I1X6PM/ref=dp_olp_2

You can buy a "refurbished" one for $999. :B The comments (spelling errors are as-is): "I bought one, and then upgraded it by wraping the whole cable in platnum foil. In fact I used the excess foil to make this nifty listening hat that also improves sound quality. Hat is optional." :rofl:

[pbarach]

DenonLink **is** just an ordinary ethernet cable

I got a Dlink III cable in the box with either my Denon 3805 receiver or Denon 3910 player, I can't remember which. It's an ordinary piece of ethernet cable, and the digital sound transmitted over the cable sounds exactly the same as the digital sound transmitted over a coaxial cable connecting these two pieces of equipment. The only advantage of DLink over coaxial is that you can send SACD and DVD-A signals digitally to the receiver, which allows you to use the receiver's RoomEQ feature on hi-rez sound. If that feature is turned off, there is no detectable (to me) difference between the DLink and coaxial connections on any disc that I've played.

[Alaric]

They probably are making it due to customer demand. Some people like to use expensive cables, it makes them happy

Edit: If it really is just an ethernet cable, maybe I should get one
for my computer - it would probably make web browsing more enjoyable,
and my posts more intelligible.

Gonna take a helluva lot more than a cable to make my posts intelligible.

[tomagardner]

I like the special tin coating!

[wettou]

Expensive cables are not new,

Check this out: Speaker cables, $6750 per eight-foot pair.:nono:

http://www.soundstage.com/revequip/crystalcable_ultra.htm