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The Denon AK-DL1 is without doubt the winner in the bogus cable category. It's "uni-directional"! http://usa.denon.com/us/Product/Pages/Product-Detail.aspx?Catid=5840d55c-4077-4d9e-9421-36f204fb4587&SubId=85958de8-a123-4213-8ae1-bb6afaee9a97&ProductId=f7d26b3a-05a6-4724-a5c1-2a63642a6206

This is my favorite cable ever. Denon gets it - idiots want to give their money away, why not make it easy for them?

No, no, it's wall to wall Denon AK-DL1.

That's an April Fool's Day "joke page", surely?
Please tell me there aren't people so insane as to believe an error-corrected digital transfer of data is going to sound any different no matter what cable is used between devices, until it is so bad that it can't keep up with the data stream at all ...

No, no, it's wall to wall Denon AK-DL1.

That's interesting! i'm an electronic engineering student and seeing well designed circuits always makes me smile :) I'm sorry you got trolled by the kind of guy that thinks that blowing money on Denon "Ultra Premium" Ethernet cables would produce any measurable improvement XD.

Wow. Considering the prices, I suspect they have some hidden bonus features. How about if the cables also have:

• auto-tuning (yay!), and
• gratis songs on them. After you've finished your playlist, just squeeze the cable really hard so all the other bits can get out!

In fact, I bet they have wireless support as well. :-)

Yea, OK...

On a more serious note, as another poster points out, the original seller is not doing much better in terms of behaviour.

So. Uh. Like, for a minute there, I thought he was using it to connect up an amplifier or something? But no. It's just a SATA cable. There is no possible reason why this would make a difference unless the old cables were incredibly badly-shielded and the sound card was similarly cheap (AND using analogue outputs), especially considering if it's coming from a NAS, the information shouldn't be travelling through the SATA cable at all.

But that's been pointed out to death already.

Hooray for snake oil! Just like the Denon AK-DL1.

My friend, $600 will buy you a lot, but a cable that works with the newest HDMI standards it will not. May I interest you in our $1200 version? It's twice the pri.. quality. And in case you want higher quality YouTube videos, we've got the amazing Denon AK-DL1 Ethernet cable. It will sharpen your web-browsing experience, and make it run faster.

That would be funny if it wasn't true. You can get it from Amazon too.

check out the reviews on the amazon link - hilarious

denon already has it covered man

http://www.usa.denon.com/productdetails/3429.asp

That would be funny if it wasn't true. You can get it from Amazon too.

I'm not sure which is funnier/sadder; That there are almost 400 reviews for this cable or that a "refurbished" one costs $1000.

That would be funny if it wasn't true. You can get it from Amazon too.

Some pretty funny reviews there too :)

Denon already has that, http://www.usa.denon.com/productdetails/3429.asp $499 for the cable.

Maybe not Monster, but Denon already does.

That would be funny if it wasn't true. You can get it from Amazon too.

Monster? those are crap.

I use Denon Directional ethernet cables...

http://www.usa.denon.com/productdetails/3429.asp

Who would use that Monster cable crap, they dont cost 1/2 of what the Denon ones do.

My bits are happier, and they taste better too.

What, you mean the gold plated HDMI cables don't make any difference in picture and sound quality? No way! Monster, Denon, and Belkin wouldn't lie to me! Why would they!? Next thing I know you'll be telling me my $500 ethernet cable was a waste of money too! Don't be ridiculous!!!

That Monster stuff is rubbish. You need this baby: http://www.usa.denon.com/ProductDetails/3429.asp

Or rather you need several of them joined end-to-end since they only come in 1.5m lengths. Luckily you can join them with £0.50 couplers. Denon probably do a more expensive one but there is no need to nuts.

AK-DL1, $499.00

Denon's 1.5 meter (59 in.) proprietary ultra premium Denon Link cable was designed for the audio enthusiast. Made from high purity copper wire and high performance connection parts, the AK-DL1 will bring out all the nuances in digital audio reproduction from any of our Denon DVD players with the Denon Link feature connected to a Denon Link enabled Denon A/V receiver. The AK-DL1 employs high level tin-bearing alloy shielding not typically available in commercial cabling, to eliminate data loss caused by noise.

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

Attention to detail when building this cable was used by employing high quality insulation and woven jacketing to reduce vibration and to add durability. Rounded plug levers help prevent breakage.

The purpose of Denon Link nowadays is to provide a better path to line up the signal and clock on audio it transmits. It's not taking the audio data, converting it into packets, and sending it over something Ethernet-like. As such, some of the criticisms that are based on presuming it operates just like a network cable are misinformed. It's unlikely the cable is anything special, but reasoning about it from the position that it's just transmitting Ethernet isn't appropriate.

Reference for audiophiles

Although I would be the first to agree that there is a lot of snake-oil around in the so-called "audiophile" market, there is a place for everything. Despite the limitations, I do use compressed files on my iPod, simply because I am aware that when used with street earphones in a high ambient noise environment, the defects are much less noticeable.

Snake oil? Nonsense.

http://www.usa.denon.com/ProductDetails/3429.asp

employs high level tin-bearing alloy shielding not typically available in commercial cabling, to eliminate data loss caused by noise.

I know my cat 5 is losing bits all the time..

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

Also one time I accidentally plugged it in backwards and all my bits _fell out_.

Don't forget your 1.5M ethernet cable for $499!
http://www.usa.denon.com/ProductDetails/3429.asp

On occasion? Ha, that is the funniest thing I have ever heard.

Pretty much.

but we're *much* more beholden to actual proof of ability and less likely to have corruption when purchasing such expensive tools.

Across the street they sell tap water in a bottle for about $3. Further up the road you can buy anti-aging cream and various weight loss solutions that don't do either.

Granted its not 16,000. But its only because the average joe's budgets are simply too constrained for that scale of excess. In other words, if the average joe had access to military scale funding, he wouldn't blink at spending it. And of course, their are perfectly ineffective anti-aging creams in the thousands of dollars too... aimed at the discerning idiot.

And let us never forget our beloved cable vendor "Monster" where you can get $4 worth of wire and plastic for $140 ... or my personal favorite... the $500 ethernet patch cord from Denon.

http://www.usa.denon.com/ProductDetails/3429.asp#

If the higher compression audio had simply used this $500 Denon ethernet cable, the results would have been different:

http://www.usa.denon.com/ProductDetails/3429.asp

But seriously, can you make a sweeping statement like "People can't tell 48k audio from 160k" if you're also switching compression technologies? OGG vs. AAC is a whole article on it's own, you just muddy the waters by making this about the compression rate.

This is just a new version of the old megahertz myth of the CPU wars. Two different 2GHZ processors from different manufacturers are not equal, we all finally figured that out for the most part, right? Now we've moved onwards... to the Kbps myth?

Denon cables are a cheap joke. If you're serious you'll use dancable Anjou speakers cables from Pear Cables and wooden volume control knob from Reference Audio Mods.

"Audiophiles" are the type of people who buy this kind of cables in the hope it'll improve the sound of music. Totally unreliable, I say.

But this "study" isn't very good either, since they compared two wildly different codecs in what doesn't look like a controlled double-blind study. 16 people from "around the office" isn't a scientifically, statistically significant sample, and the rest of the methodology sounds iffy too. They were also missing the "no difference" choice which might have changed things quite a bit.

I seriously don't care about which is better, since I don't intend to use these services, but it does appear the conclusions reached in the news post are not clearly shown in the article to be factually, scientifically proven.

If the higher compression audio had simply used this $500 Denon ethernet cable, the results would have been different:

http://www.usa.denon.com/ProductDetails/3429.asp

But seriously, can you make a sweeping statement like "People can't tell 48k audio from 160k" if you're also switching compression technologies? OGG vs. AAC is a whole article on it's own, you just muddy the waters by making this about the compression rate.

This is just a new version of the old megahertz myth of the CPU wars. Two different 2GHZ processors from different manufacturers are not equal, we all finally figured that out for the most part, right? Now we've moved onwards... to the Kbps myth?

You see this in other high end audio all the time. Cables would be the best example.

My favorite example: Denon's AK-DL1: "Ultra Premium", a $499 5-foot Ethernet cable. It's so premium that "signal directional markings are provided for optimum signal transfer" -- presumably the electrons read the markings to figure out which way to go, because moving under a voltage is just so out of style.

Actually, the Monster Cable would be much more.

And the Denon cable makes that look cheap: Denon AK-DL1

But which of the lossless codecs will support my Denon Ethernet cable? I can't just let any old codec provide a jittery bitstream that's worse than a cheap Ethernet cable would produce.

who've spent "tens and hundreds" of dollars

Did they by any chance get one of these?

Psh. My Denon Link cable is better.

http://www.usa.denon.com/productdetails/3429.asp

Hey, I just spent $100 on a 3ft gold-wired Cat6 cable, and I can tell that my bits are coming in cleaner.

I hate to tell you, but the gold plated wire is doing nothing for you. The secret is in the directional indicator. That's where the magic happens.

...sold by Denon. I kid you not.

http://www.usa.denon.com/ProductDetails/3429.asp

$500 for a 1.5m Ethernet cable? The cables even have signal directional markings ;-)

I'm in the wrong business. I think I can make an Ethernet cable that performs just as well and is twice as long and sell it for half the price and still make a killing.

Sadly, I do own some Denon audio gear and like it. After seeing the $500 network cable I'm reevaluating whether I want to give the company any more of my business.

You can certainly screw it up if you do it yourself, for example you could forget the signal directional markings and then the signal would not know which way to go. Why do you think there are Ethernet cables at $500/1.5m? You think respectable companies are just trying to steal your money?

Of course they wouldn't. They have only our best interests at heart.

For example, the cable you referred to is one of the best in the industry. Having problems with packet loss? Probably due to excess vibrations shaking all of your bits off the wires.
But they are prepared, for this cable also includes high quality insulation and woven jacketing to reduce vibration.

If you make them yourself, how will you know how to apply the directional markings?

You can certainly screw it up if you do it yourself, for example you could forget the signal directional markings and then the signal would not know which way to go. Why do you think there are Ethernet cables at $500/1.5m? You think respectable companies are just trying to steal your money?

If that gets you going, then have a look at this little diamond:

"the AK-DL1 will bring out all the nuances in digital audio reproduction" - a USD500 CAT5 cable!

http://www.usa.denon.com/productdetails/3429.asp

Yeah, those are great...

sadly you have to to unplug & replug them if you want to transfer data in the other direction =( At least it reduces vibration !

http://www.usa.denon.com/AK-DL1-OM_002.pdf

(boy oh boy)

I think his problem was that he didn't have a network cable with arrows painted on it to guide the electrons to their source. That's where his slowdowns were coming from.

Rather than standard cat6, get Denon's super high fidelity cable. http://www.usa.denon.com/productdetails/3429.asp

"AK-DL1

$499.00

Denon's 1.5 meter (59 in.) proprietary ultra premium Denon Link cable was designed for the audio enthusiast. Made from high purity copper wire and high performance connection parts, the AK-DL1 will bring out all the nuances in digital audio reproduction from any of our Denon DVD players with the Denon Link feature connected to a Denon Link enabled Denon A/V receiver. The AK-DL1 employs high level tin-bearing alloy shielding not typically available in commercial cabling, to eliminate data loss caused by noise. Additionally, signal directional markings are provided for optimum signal transfer. Attention to detail when building this cable was used by employing high quality insulation and woven jacketing to reduce vibration and to add durability. Rounded plug levers help prevent breakage.

For operational and technical assistance 24/7, use our self help Online Support Center, where answers to many common questions can be found."

If it's good enough for high fidelity audio reproduction, it should be good enough for our crappy data only needs. /smirk

To Dennon proprietary ultra premium Denon Link cable. Made from high purity copper wire and high performance connection parts, the AK-DL1 will bring out all the nuances...The AK-DL1 employs high level tin-bearing alloy shielding not typically available in commercial cabling, to eliminate data loss caused by noise. Additionally, signal directional markings are provided for optimum signal transfer. Attention to detail when building this cable was used by employing high quality insulation and woven jacketing to reduce vibration and to add durability.

In fact most computer problems come from running data the wrong way along cables. At $499 for each 1.5m length this cable is a steal. I insist on dennon link cables for a truly nuanced web experience!

For best performance, replace it with a genuine high performance cable like this: http://www.usa.denon.com/productdetails/3429.asp

And make sure you follow your $500 Ethernet cable's directional markings to allow for optimal signal transfer!

Yes, you can. You need to use the correct ethernet cables with high-level tin alloy shielding and vibration elimination: http://www.usa.denon.com/ProductDetails/3429.asp

Gold is passe now.

Platinum coated Low Oxygen titanium with iridium tips are what is needed now.

Also be sure that your Ethernet cables are of quality. http://www.usa.denon.com/ProductDetails/3429.asp# is the only cable that is worthwhile for any performance computing.

using a lesser cable will cause muddyness.

Agreed. It is also very important to ensure you use teh uni-directional Ethernet cable properly. It uses a special extruding and annealing process to line up all the electronic data pipes properly so that you get maximum data throughput in the download direction while limiting upstream traffic within ISP limits. If you install it backwards, as one of my cow orkers did, you'll severely limit your connection speeds since you are now throttling the download speed. His connection went from 2400 baud dialup speeds to past T1 after I simply reversed the cable. Don't bother to buy any of the special oxygen blocking gels that people tout for covering the connectors to prevent corrosion and maximize conductivity. They actually are harmful - you need a little bi-metallic corrosion between the connectors to ensure a nice, tight electrical bond; that's why your speeds go up after you've warmed up the cable and let it break in. I never disconnect my Ethernet cable from my MacBook for that very reason. I always disconnect at my router and carefully wrap the cable around my MacBook for travel. I hope this helps. HAND.

Gold is passe now.

Platinum coated Low Oxygen titanium with iridium tips are what is needed now.

Also be sure that your Ethernet cables are of quality. http://www.usa.denon.com/ProductDetails/3429.asp# is the only cable that is worthwhile for any performance computing.

using a lesser cable will cause muddyness.

I could have sworn that ethernet's next big step was going to be home audio. Doh.

Why did I buy this http://www.usa.denon.com/ProductDetails/3429.asp then? >

If you don't care how much you pay, Denon makes a decent Ethernet cable at a Rolls Royce price:

http://www.usa.denon.com/ProductDetails/3429.asp

Check out the Amazon reviews!

http://www.amazon.com/review/product/B000I1X6PM/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt/105-8770533-9603641?%5Fencoding=UTF8&showViewpoints=1