Review #144 – Visus HDMI Cable – Ricable
Elia C.
Sources: Apple Mac mini M4
Amplifier: Anthem AVM 70 8K preamp; SPL Performer s1200 power amp; Apollon Audio Purifi Eigentakt 1ET6525SA HT power amp
Speakers: Arendal Sound 1528 Bookshelf 8
Other: Arendal Sound 1723 1S Subwoofer; Arendal Sound 1723 Bookshelf S THX Speakers
The following review of the Visus HDMI cable is part of theRicable initiative. Ricable is a program created by Ricable to gather feedback from audiophiles, with the goal of continuously improving the products in its catalog. Last but not least, those who join the program receive a certificate in the mail, confirming that the customer has officially become part of the Ricablefamily.”
The following feedback was compiled based on a predefined questionnaire to which the user provided their impressions in a completely freely. We thank Elia for the time he dedicated to us.
Since I had replaced my entire system, I was looking for a reliable, well-built HDMI cable to ensure a stable and effective connection. I use this HDMI cable for both stereo listening and home theater (i.e., audio/video). It needs to carry digital audio and video from the Mac mini M4 to the preamp with as little loss as possible. It was also important that it be 2.1-certified to support the latest audio/video technologies.
and aesthetics of the product?
The packaging the cable comes in is simple yet well-designed, ensuring it can be transported without risk of damage. The cable immediately feels sturdy and well-built; the connector is substantial, and the cable itself is generously sized and well-finished (covered in a fabric that feels thick and well-made).
First of all, I checked the connection stability by plugging the cable into the ports on my Mac and preamp… I then ran some video playback tests and followed up with a listening test using my test tracks (mainly high-resolution tracks played via Apple Music)… I also compared it to my previous cable.
listening impressions?
I immediately began connecting it to the system to replace the previous HDMI cable—which was also an HDMI 2.1 cable but more basic and less substantial. As soon as you plug it in, you can tell it offers more resistance, so the connection feels more stable and secure, even though the connector is larger and heavier than the previous one and might therefore tend to shift… but it doesn’t, and it remains very stable.
Everything worked flawlessly right from the start, both for audio and video. I used various test tracks that I know are complex or otherwise indicative of potential issues. For example, several tracks by Yosi Horikawa from his album *Spaces*, which is rich in detail across every frequency. I then moved on to some tracks by Billie Eilish and Dominique Fils-Aimé (mainly from the album *Nameless* ), followed by Daft Punk (with their *Random Access Memory*) and several others.
When conducting blind tests by switching between cables, I didn’t notice any obvious differences in sound quality; only in a couple of cases did I feel there was a slight improvement in overall clarity. It’s worth noting that the entire system is still in the process of being properly broken in, and in my opinion, the digital cable has a much smaller impact (assuming the cables are of decent quality and short in length) compared to Speaker cables Speaker RCA/XLR cables.
Your conclusions.
I didn’t notice a noticeable improvement in sound quality, partly because the previous cable was already quite decent and cost just under half as much as the Ricable one. However, I did appreciate the build quality and the stability of the connection, which were definitely superior to those of the previous cable. Given the more than reasonable price relative to the product’s quality, I consider it an excellent cable and would buy it again. In my opinion, it’s the right product—it doesn’t cost a lot, but at the same time it gives you peace of mind that the signal is reaching the preamp/DAC correctly while preserving the original qualities of the audio/video file being played.
With a system that’s not exactly entry-level, a cable like this Visus is a must-have to ensure you don’t miss a thing—even for short runs, given its excellent price. Aesthetically simple and no-frills but substantial, and you can tell right away. It doesn’t try to stand out at all costs, but when it does, it’s pleasing to the eye.
What did you enjoy?
– Design
– Value for money
– Build quality
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What would you improve?
– A fabric/mesh cover to prevent the connectors from rattling and getting scratched
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