Cable Asylum: REVIEW: DH Labs DH Labs Silver Sonic Component Video Cable by G man

Model:	DH Labs Silver Sonic Component Video
Category:	Cable
Suggested Retail Price:	$189.00
Description:	Three individual color coded video cables
Manufacturer URL:	DH Labs
Manufacturer URL:	DH Labs

Review by G man ( A ) on December 13, 2003 at 09:18:27
IP Address: 208.19.133.132

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I consider myself a set-it-and-forget-it kind of guy. That said, it seems I am always trying to get more out of my system and components. Never having been wealthy however, I am more or less faced with the reality that most folks live in. Still, I suffer from the disposition that good is not good enough. When listening to music, I want to hear (be fed by) the artist, not the system. When watching DVDs, a want a clear, saturated picture as devoid of fuzziness and other visible aberrations as possible. Who needs distractions when the purpose of watching a movie is to be transported to another reality(much like reading a book)?

At any rate, I had upgraded (supposedly) my DVD player and purchased a 42" HD compatible RPTV. Though the picture with my new player was visibly better than with my old player, there were problems significant enough to hinder my enjoyment of movie watching. I could not get the brightness or contrast settings right. If I adjusted the settings for any shadow detail, I had terrible contrast and poor darks. If the settings were adjusted for good contrast and darks, there was little shadow detail (like an extremely high contrast black and white photo). It was either in good light and visible, or it was almost blacked out. I used Video Essentials to get it as good as could be, but it was still not too good.

An example is in the movie Signs: when the dad is putting his daughter back to bed, he looks out the window and sees someone on the roof of his barn (or shed). Except on my system, I knew he had seen something, but I could not actually see anything except dark. When I made the adjustments to see the figure on the roof, the picture was much too bright. Another problem with the picture (in all movies) was, well...hard to describe. It bothered my eyes. It always seemed like I needed glasses, or my eyes were going crossed. Eventually, I decided to try different video cables. Why not? I had found differences with audio cables.

First I tried some Acoustic Research Professional Series component cables from Best Buy. An improvement, but still not enough. I then tried Silver Serpent component cables from Better Cables: again another slight improvement in saturation and focus. After a while though, my eyes would still bother me so I decided to try one more time before ditching the TV. This time I called a place in California called Value Audio. I had dealt with them before and Jeff had seemed to give honest advice. His advice was to try the DH Labs.

Now I don't know how much better, if at all, more expensive cables would be, but this component cable delivers. Clear, saturated picture, good contrast and resolution. Now I not only see the alien on the roof, I see all the beard stubble and skin imperfections on Mel Gibson's face. I can also sit through an entire movie without rubbing my eyes and trying to refocus. I think proper gear orientation and setup are vital too, but the proper cables go a long way to overall system performance.

The price above is for the three meter set I bought. Whether you agree with my assesment or not, it is important that companies like DH Labs are able to provide top performing products at fair prices. These are definitely good cables. Try them.

Product Weakness: Found none within the limits of my system.
Product Strengths: Sharp, saturated picture. Good value.

Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier:	Aragon 8008BB
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	Krell KRC 3
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	Ayre Cx7 CD, Linn LP 12
Speakers:	Mirage M3si
Cables/Interconnects:	Shunyata Aries, Acoustic Zen WOW, Analysis Plus Oval 12.
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	Various DVD movies.
Time Period/Length of Audition:	6 months
Other (Power Conditioner etc.):	Pioneer Elite 45 A DVD, RCA Scenium RPTV.
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner

Product Weakness:	Found none within the limits of my system.
Product Strengths:	Sharp, saturated picture. Good value.