AfterDark. Black Magic MKII Carbon Fiber Shielding (CFS) I2S HDMI Cable

[AfterDark.]

AfterDark. Black Magic MKII Carbon Fiber Shielding (CFS) I2S HDMI Cable

 

Why AfterDark. I2S HDMI?
Along with the success of AfterDark. Black Magic i2S HDMI last year, we have a lot of positive feedback from US and France audio forum. They would like something is unique in design and provide excellent sound performance with their i2s DAC such as Rockna R2R, PS Audio DAC and Gustard X26pro. 

 

Purchase Link

 

Does AfterDark. provide solution for i2S Network Bridge?

• Raspberry Pi4 base:  AfterDark. Rosanna i2s Network Bridge x Roon Endpoint player
• Diretta Piccolo base: Coming Soon 

 

AfterDark. Rosanna Network Bridge can outputs all digital signal at the same time, including i2s HDMI, Digital Coaxial, Optical, and USB for multiple DAC including the latency DAC. 

 

 

What is i2S?

• The I²S protocol outlines one specific type of PCM digital audio communication with defined parameters outlined in the Philips specification.

• The bus consists of at least three lines:

  1. Continuous serial clock (SCK)". a "bit clock (BICK)".
  2. Word select (WS)". a "left-right clock (LRCK)"
  3. Serial data (SD)", a (DATA)

 

 

What is the avantage of using i2S?

• The noise and interfernce problems is greatly reduced, it is because the i2S bus has only to handle audio data, while the other signals, such as sub-coding and control, are transferred separately. To minimize the number of pins required and to keep wiring simple, a 3-line serial bus is used consisting of a line for two time-multiplexed data channels, a word select line and a clock line.
• The simplcity means less coloured sounding with darker background and details. This is due to reduce number of digital converstion from e.g. USB XMOS
• The signal is more transparent. Since the transmitter and receiver have the same clock signal for data transmission, the transmitter as the master. It has to generate the bit clock, word-select signal and data. In complex systems however, there may be several transmitters and receivers, which makes it difficult to define the master.
• I2S is the shortest path from the CPU to the DAC (USB circuitry is avoided), minimal hardware and minimal USB cable etc. 
• Sound lush and retreive more resolution when playing with High Res Audio with minimal solution and known highest in sound quality seems to be the i2S bridge. 

 

What is the i2s standard for different DAC?

• Most DAC is following PS Audio Stardard, one of their leading PS Audio Direct Stream DAC is introduced i2S input for music playback. 
• Some of the Aygon DAC is using RJ45 i2S, they can be customerize and made to order for audiophile by AfterDark.

 

 

PS Audio DireamStream DAC is including two i2S HDMI at the top right side for Digital Inputs

 

Brand:	Type:	I2S format	Connector:
Audio GD	i2S Devices	PS Audio Spec	HDMI
Aune	i2S Devices	PS Audio Spec	HDMI
Audiobyte	Hydra/ Hydra +/ Hydra X/ Hydra Z	PS Audio Spec	HDMI
Channel Island audio	Transient MKII	PS Audio Spec	HDMI
DiDiT High-End	i2S Devices	PS Audio Spec	HDMI
Denafrips	PONTUS Dac	PS Audio Spec	HDMI
Denafrips	VENUS Dac	PS Audio Spec	HDMI
Denafrips	Terminator Dac	PS Audio Spec	HDMI
Empirical Audio	Off-Ramp 5	PS Audio Spec	HDMI
Gustard	X12/ U12/ X20pro	Gustard X20	HDMI
K&K audio	Extreme RAKK	PS Audio Spec	HDMI
LKS audio	i2S Devices	Gustard X20	HDMI
M2Tech	Evo 2 /Evo 2 +	PS Audio Spec	HDMI
Musica Pristina	i2S Devices	PS Audio Spec	HDMI
Pink Faun	i2S Devices	PS Audio Spec	HDMI
PS audio	Direct Stream	PS Audio Spec	HDMI
PS audio	PWD MKI/MKII, PWT	PS Audio Spec	HDMI
PS audio	NuWave Phone Convertor	PS Audio Spec	HDMI
Sonore	Signature DAC	PS Audio Spec	HDMI
Sonore	Rendu	PS Audio Spec	HDMI
Rockna	R2R DAC	PS Audio Spec	HDMI
Singxer	SU-1	Various Spec (PS/Gustard)	HDMI

 

 

AfterDark. have been testing all the special shielding material used on commercial industrial on electronic field, what we found interested is the material on the i2s HDMI plug, contact points, shielding, metal compositions and precise length of each of the internal wire affect the warm detail musical sounding for audiophile on their HiFi system.

What is the different between Black Magic I2S HDMI MKI and MKII?
This is a upgrade version of MKII, sounding tends to more focus and luxury high with high quality airy feel, 3 frequency is improved in soundstage, more musical and smooth , very good for vocal, jazz and best for classical music.

Specification:

• One Layer of Carbon Fiber Shielding woven for EMI shielding and Two Layer of aluminum foils for high frequency effective shielding: This will prevent external noise from getting to the signal conductors, shields the shield of the cable to further prevent the ingress of noise (RFI, etc.) into the ground plane.
• Superior Five-layer isolation, 1st Layer of aluminum foils for High Frequency (HF) Effective shielding. SFS-PE (Foam-Skin Polyethylene) insulated and 2nd layer of copper wire braiding on each individual pairs of twisted wire. This will prevent external noise from getting to the signal conductors, shields the shield of the cable to further prevent the ingress of noise (RFI, etc.) into the signal wires. 3rd Layer of aluminum metal layer for physical isolation between twisted wires and connector. 4th Layer of copper metal for EMI shielding isolation. 5th Layer of lead metal for increase physical mass for anti-shock on HDMI connector.
• Silver Plated Oxygen Free Copper (OFC) 24AWG conductors, 24K gold plated contacts
• HDMI 2.0 standard, 4K@120Hz 18Gbps, HDR and 10bits supported.
• Atoms Supported 32 channels,
• Audio grade I2S HDMI cable for Audiophile I2S DAC recommended. (Denefrips Pontus R2R, Rockna DAC, PS Audio DS)
• High speed low-loss gas-foamed polyethylene insulation: high quality insulation for cables that has less impact on the signal and insulates the conductors well.
• Additional EMI Shielding Material apply on both HDMI connectors to prevent noise goes to TV or I2S HDMI connector.
• 24K Gold Plated commercial grade metal HDMI connectors.
• All hand Made in Hong Kong by AfterDark.

Review:
The AfterDark. Black Magic I2S HDMI cable uses heavy Silver Plated Oxygen Free Copper (OFC) conductors for all 19 of the paths. Currently it outperforms any I2S HDMI interconnect ever made, while it is exceed the all HDMI 2.0b standard. The bandwidth of HDMI 2.1 @ 48Gbps vs HDMI 2.0b @18Gbps which is significantly higher than the clock rates used in even high resolution digital audio and is engineered specifically to handle up to 8K for critical application with highest HDMI specification. 

Electrical interference and EMI is a big issue to deal with in digital signal transmission and the better the shielding to keep these noises out, the better and cleaner the performance of the cables.  

AfterDark. Black Magic I2S HDMI cable, we use exotic EMI shielding material both on metal HDMI Connectors and make use of our signature Carbon Fiber Shielding (CFS) technology to provide substantial noise reduction in high frequency interference. 

The sound quality on I2S HDMI DAC is simply stunning, high frequency extension very smoothly with full bodies of details presentation. The I2S signal was greatly benefit by CFS technology, the interference on EMI on 4G was further minimized, in returns of much darker background and more deeper on details rendering. 
 

Forum-HiFi.fr:

http://forum-hifi.fr/thread-3062-post-179996.html?highlight=afterdark#pid179996

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We have positive comments from one audiophile customer ordering 2 units for Sony A1 4K OLED HDTV:
 

"Video quality is perfect and stunning in its clarity and three dimensionality on HDR, I cannot believe there is such different compared with other HDMI cables. " .

Recent positive feedback from Denefrips Pontus R2R user:
 

"The sound quality of this cable simply unlock the performance on my R2R dac, it sound very balance and comfortable, lots of details at the background, the Carbon Fiber Shielding makes a different, high recommended this I2S HDMI for audiophile"

 

 

[AfterDark.]

Hi! 

 

We received some positive feedback with Black Magic MKII i2S HDMI cable. The burn-in time for this cable is around 14 days for i2s digital cable. It can retrieve more resolution from the CD transport to Denafrips R2R i2S DAC. 

 

 

Have a nice weekend.

 

Best Regards,

Adrian

AfterDark.