$1,250 Diamond

At least shipping is free?

AudioQuest has produced an Ethernet cable which is destined to be a lure for the audiophile. The AudioQuest Diamond RJ/E Ethernet cable promises "superior digital audio." On the product page blurb, the company claims that this cable uses the highest quality materials, as well as techno-babble enhancements like "critical signal-pair geometry, Dielectric Bias-System, [and] Noise-Dissipation System." Apparently, these technologies stop your ones and zeros from being damaged. Oh, and it is priced from $1,295.

With its lofty price tag and product name containing ‘diamond’, it is somewhat deflating to study the specifications and see there are no actual diamonds within the product. The aforementioned Noise-Dissipation System (DNS) is said to be carbon-based, though. AudioQuest explains that the Ethernet cable uses metal and carbon-loaded synthetics to shield and protect your wiring from RFI.

While diamonds were obviously beyond budget, AudioQuest uses "Solid Perfect-Surface Silver Conductors" for utmost clarity and dynamic contrast. In its elaborated claims, it says that these PSS conductors will "completely eliminate strand interaction," with the effect of minimizing distortion. Audiophiles listen up, the silver connectors are also useful for outputting "clearer, more dynamic and involving sound," too.

AudioQuest's Dielectric Bias System (DBS) is also worth closer inspection for signs of cod science. This battery powered feature is claimed to prevent signal slowdown, which would be "a real problem for very time-sensitive multi-octave audio," passing through your Ethernet cable. Just in case your ears don't alert you the very moment the DBS battery goes flat, AudioQuest has installed a test button and LED for battery checking purposes.

Last but not least, it is great to see that AudioQuest has directional arrows on its cables, to help with proper installation orientation. "For best results have the arrow pointing in the direction of the flow of music," from router to network player, says the cable maker.

The AudioQuest RJ/E Diamond Ethernet cable is priced at $1,295 for a 0.75 meter length, or $1,995 for a 1.5 meter length. Shipping is free from the source linked, and buyers are offered a 60-day satisfaction guarantee.

While that's a ton of money for an Ethernet cable, there are people out there who will stop at nothing to achieve their dream audiophile PC build, even if that means dropping a lot of money on rather short Ethernet cables. Perhaps it will be used alongside products like the $500 Audiophile SATA SSD cable we highlighted last week, the Audiophile SSD, or the Audiophile Ethernet Switch.

Join the experts who read Tom's Hardware for the inside track on enthusiast PC tech news — and have for over 25 years. We'll send breaking news and in-depth reviews of CPUs, GPUs, AI, maker hardware and more straight to your inbox.

Mark Tyson is a Freelance News Writer at Tom's Hardware US. He enjoys covering the full breadth of PC tech; from business and semiconductor design to products approaching the edge of reason.

Netgear's Pricey M6 Pro Unlocked Mobile Router Adds Wi-Fi 6E, 5G mmWave

Cisco Destroyed $23.5 Million Worth of Equipment During Russia Exit

Raspberry Pi Camera Uses Sound to Create Photos with AI

By Aaron KlotzJune 02, 2023

By Brandon HillJune 02, 2023

By Francisco PiresJune 02, 2023

By Stewart BendleJune 02, 2023

By Anton ShilovJune 02, 2023

By Ash HillJune 02, 2023

By Zhiye LiuJune 02, 2023

By Zhiye LiuJune 02, 2023

By Sarah Jacobsson PurewalJune 01, 2023

By Zhiye LiuJune 01, 2023

By Zhiye LiuJune 01, 2023