Wow - pretty impressive. Sounds like Rick may have hit it out of the park again! |
It totally depends on your system. I had CT-1E's which were very nice and opened up after 20 hours, and again at about 100 hours. I currently have CT-1 Ultimate ics between source and preamp and at about 150 hours, they are finally starting to open up. By "open up", I mean clearer mids and highs with more inner detail and a fullness to the note after the initial attack. I also now have imaging outside of both speakers on a number of CD's. Soundstage is also deeper and the presentation is both more musical as well as more realistic. I can hear brass players taking breaths as well as which way singers are facing on some well-recorded CDs. Fretwork on guitars has become a given. I think they are about 1/2 broken in so far.... :-) |
Charles1dad - Sounds like a really good fit to me. I have been getting exactly what you seem to be looking for out of the High Fidelity ics.. :-) |
Pricing can be found on the JC Audio Consulting website. |
I thought I would insert a comment here.
I have now had the CT-1 Ultimate ics for about a month between my CD player and preamp. The transparency and realism is amazing. They are apparently just starting to seriously break in at about 200 hours. I am hearing both a wider and deeper soundstage as well as more details than with the Enhanced version CT-1. Bass has tightened up and gotten quicker. There is an increased "ease" to the music that wasn't quite there before, as the noise floor has gotten noticeably lower. Separation/imaging,especially between voices, has also improved. I am also starting to catch low-level details I have not heard before, especially environmental cues - chairs and microphones moving, etc.
There is definitely a "WOW" factor present with these cables, at least in my system. |
I cannot make that comparison. The only reason I am using HiDiamonds there is because Rick didn't yet make a balanced cable. Also, the HiDiamond distributor in Canada raved about them. They are performing well in my system. Comparing balanced with RCA cables is problematic.
Having said that, I don't think the D3 XLRs touch Rick's Ultimates or even enhanced CT-1s. They are very good balanced ICs, but are not GREAT ics. Rick's cables are in another league, IMO. Pretty simple. |
$10K Synergistic Pure Silver ICs and a lot of others. Don't see the point of the question - who cares? Its all personal. Demo a pair so you stop asking all these inane questions. It doesn't matter what anyone else says, ITS WHAT YOUR EARS HEAR IN YOUR OWN SYSTEM. PERIOD. Anything else is just "noise". Call the cable company... |
On a hunch, Rick S. suggested I try his balanced cables between my preamp and amps, replacing a Hi Diamond XLR3, which I liked. We couldn't figure out why the Ultimate Reference speaker cables weren't performing as well as they should have been. His theory was that the XLR3 might be "in the way" for lack of a better descriptor.
We created balanced cables out of 2 runs of Ultimates and after several reconfigurations, finally got everything set the way it was supposed to be.
After 20 minutes, I listened. WOW!! Not only was imaging and depth MUCH better, bass improved, speed improved and there were lots more details I wasn't aware of before. I now know what others with an all High Fidelity cabled system are raving about. I don't hear my system, but rather the musicians. I know of no better compliment. |
Audiolabyrinth:
1. Before you make any more critical remarks in my direction, you really need to look up "inane" in a dictionary.
2. My thoughts have been echoed by a number of others on this thread, and FINALLY....
3. IT WORKED!! Look who finally got somewhat proactive and now knows a lot more than from just asking forum questions....
4. You really should thank me, instead of being upset. I think I did a good deed and did you a favor, whether you realize it or not. :-) |
I would be interested if Rick weren't already building me a set of Ultimate Reference in 2.5m |
I've been breaking in new speaker cables - High Fidelity Ultimate Reference with Ultimate jumpers. Have about 250 hours on them as they are FINALLY starting to really open up nicely. I have so much more bass energy that I have turned my sub off - the 7's are loving this!! Isolating the m/t speaker box from the bass, and then coupling the bass to the floor is allowing the cables to really "do their thing". I am at the point now where every day brings a new audio surprise or two. Marcus Miller just got a LOT better!!
One caution with High Fidelity cables - make absolutely sure that you get the current direction correct. Even being very careful, turned out I had reversed the polarity on 1 pair of Ultimate jumpers for 225 hours. I noticed the sound out of 1 speaker seemed a bit "off" as they finally started to open up. Sure enough, I had the jumpers backwards on that speaker.
Another point is to be really patient with these cables. Depending upon your system, breakin can take quite a while. Obviously, the more magnetic devices between the 2 cable ends, the longer breakin will take. Rick and I have discovered that it really doesn't matter how long these are "cable-cooked" - there is no breakin shortcut, at least there hasn't been one for my cables. There is a light at the end of the tunnel,however, as I am slowly, finally finding out. Resolution, speed, realism and soundstage are now increasing every day, or so it seems. Small details in songs are now popping up for the first time, which is really exciting. These cables have easily surpassed my prior speaker cables, and they are at most, maybe 60% broken in, if that. My guess is 53% :-) YMMV. |
I know the floor magnetic devices on the Ultimate Reference speaker cables are considerably larger and heavier than those on the Ultimate. I am happy to finally be at the point where they sound really nice(close to 300 hrs), knowing full well there's probably lots more breakin in front of me. Somebody's got to do it, right?
Most impressive so far are the bass, the bass, the bass, the speed and the detail. It seems like the resolution gets a bit better every time I turn the system on. This is definitely the "fun" part of breakin. :-) |
And 2 pair of Ultimate Reference speaker cables in existence that I know about. So far, Rick has 1 and I have the other. He can provide details much better than I can. I know the floor magnets are bigger and I believe there is some sort of additional treatment on the cables. He would know for sure, obviously.
My system has only 1 pair of non-High Fidelity ics, between my preamp and amps. On the theory that this pair may be holding back my entire system, in that they can't carry anywhere near the amount of signal that Rick's cables can, I will try replacing them next week with High Fidelity ics. I'm looking forward to the results. :-) |
Norm-
YES. Also, Ultimate Reference are the big brothers of the Ultimates in the CT-1 speaker line. |
Rick figured it out - ran 2 Ultimate cables in opposite directions between Cardas connectors which accepted the 2 rcas on 1 side, with a balanced connector on the other. For each amp. Hard to explain, easy to see. So they became in essence a balanced "work around", necessary due to a single-ended issue with one of my amps. Easy? no. Inexpensive? HELL NO!! Temporary fix until my amps go back to VAC for some tweakage in a month or so? Absolutely. :-) |
What I really like about my CT-1 Ultimates so far is that they are REALLY fast and miss NOTHING, yet retain excellent musicality. IF it was recorded on the CD, you will hear it through these cables. The realism of the music is also very impressive. As they continue to break-in, the micro dynamics continue to reveal themselves, with nothing sounding forced or constrained in any way. Bass is also starting to get a bit deeper and fuller, with no boominess whatsoever. |
P- I wasn't answering your post, as you were not the OP.
To answer your question, yes I have heard the MG Planus - in fact I have the II's in my office system. They are very good cables, no doubt, but lack the dynamic range/micro-dynamics and the authoritative, deep, yet tight bass of Rick's cables. They work fine for my office system. |
From personal experience - Source cable, then speaker cables, then preamp to amp(s) cable(s) |
Not at all amazing. They are excellent cables. It is also true, as well put above, the more resolving your system is, the more you will hear the differences between the cable levels. You would think this to be common sense, but some of the comments on this thread and others make me wonder some times. :-) |
Completely and totally different technology - simplest answer without getting into the engineering, which nobody would be dumb enough to do on this forum, even if they knew it, which they don't. Rick S. has the key. I've had the best of both - there is literally no basis to even begin to make a comparison. |
I would definitely try your source to preamp FIRST. That worked best for me, laying the foundation upon which the other cables built upon. |
Quite simply - the musicians and instruments are exactly where they are supposed to be. The width of field extends beyond the speakers when it should, the depth or layering is excellent, as is the imaging. When you close your eyes, you are THERE.
These cables are NOTHING AT ALL like anything that had been released by Virtual Dynamics.
I hope this helps. |
It is actually possible for Rick to in essence "create" a balanced cable by using 2 runs of rca's in opposite directions into a 2:1 rca to XLR Cardas connector. Its expensive, because you need to buy 2 cables for each run, and it takes longer to break in than a single run. It does, however, allow you to turn Rick's rca cables into a balanced design. It worked for me when my amps started misbehaving in RCA mode. They are now all better and running rca's. |
Depends on the cables - that's really a Rick S. question. And no, there is really no elaboration on my amp comment - I messed something up and it got fixed. |
Hifial- No problem. I was running CT-1 Ultimates and it took a really long time for the double run to start sounding decent. I was then without amps for a few months. When they came back, I changed to single Ultimate RCAs from preamp tp amps and they sounded good almost immediately. After a few more weeks, they are really sounding good, much better than before. Rick and his lovely wife actually came over during the RMAF (I live in Denver) to hear the system after it hadn't been played in over 2 months. COLD, the system sounded much better than I remembered it and I think Rick was impressed as well. I would say the break-in process is now pretty far along.:-)
To me, the single ended RCAs sound MUCH better than the quasi-balanced connections we tried to put together. What I really enjoy about Rick's cables is that they get out of the way of the music, more so than any others I've ever heard, yet they do so in such a way that you hear the micro details and spatial clues you've never heard before. This is done against a background of organic musicality, totally lacking any "hi-fi-ness" (which unfortunately is all too common in the vast majority of other brands, regardless of price). There is no glare, nor harshness; just music the way I think it was meant to be enjoyed. I have Ultimates everywhere except the speaker runs, which are Ultimate Reference with Ultimate jumpers.
Now that the cables are finally breaking in, it is truly a jaw-dropping experience to hear some of what is coming out of my system. GREAT JOB RICK!!! AND THANK YOU!!! |
My HF cables get better every day!! :-) |
There is a musicality, sense of ease and openness that was totally lacking in the VD. Hearing the 2 side by side you would never suspect they were made by the same designer. |
You probably won't get a specific answer to a question like this - it makes no sense to belittle or disparage any other brands on a thread like this. Cable choice is also very subjective as well as system dependent. For these and many other reasons, if curious you just need to hear them for yourself and make up your own mind. So, your "simple" question is really not so simple after all. :-) |
Siddh- Give them some time and don't be so quick to judge - they need more breakin than the Hi Diamonds because they are a different technology. Once the HF speaker cables get broken in, my experience is that there is nothing anywhere near their price range that will touch them. BTW, 30 hours is nothing - my Ultimate Reference took hundreds of hours and are STILL breaking in, but already sound better than anything I've ever had in my system, at any price. And by a considerable margin. |
Not Necessarily. These don't "cook" like normal cables. Cooking helps, but there is no substitute for time in the system. That has been my experience. |
I have the Ultimate Reference speaker cables. They are quite good, after what seemed like forever break-in. I never had the Ultimate speaker cables so can't really help you with a comparison - wish I could.
I completely agree with the 2nd component of HF cable break-in which is the associated equipment break-in to the magnetic currents. This is a VERY big thing and you won't really know when its done until your jaw drops at the musical presentation. To think for 2 seconds that you can get a real sense of the HF cable performance by just sticking it in your system, REGARDLESS of how well it has been cable-cooked, or even used before, is pure nonsense. Unfortunately, that's the way it goes with this technology. If you are willing to wait until the components also get broken in to the magnetic currents, you will be richly rewarded. That has been my experience as well as that of a number of others, some who have shared their experiences on this forum. It takes MORE THAN A DAY OR TWO, especially with the more advanced HF cables. Mine are STILL improving, after 2 months!! YMMV, of course. Too many people, I'm sure, don't give these cables enough time in their systems to truly hear how good their systems can sound. That's too bad, but easily corrected if desired. |
T-
Expect considerably more break-in time required than with your previous ICs. Its just a given. During break-in, I gradually heard flashes of what was to come, which kept me going. Now, I couldn't be happier. You DO get a bit spoiled however, as I now take for granted musical cues and minutiae that I couldn't even HEAR with other cables... :-)
Another thing I found out is that your results with Rick's cables are only as good as your weakest cable. IF your weakest cable is strong, you are in for an audio treat. |
Hi John-
As you say, you have never heard the High Fidelity cables. While I would agree with most of your generalizations, they are exactly that. When you actually DO hear these cables in a decent system, I think you will find fast, detailed attack in addition to a natural decay. There is NO artificial truncation to the decay at all, nor is the presentation "forward". Its just natural, as if you were there.
That is MY experience and part of what makes these cables so special, at least for me. |
Also in agreement. You really should know better, having been on these forums "a couple of years". Its a breach of etiquette and you are totally disrespecting all of us that have contributed to this thread.
I'm surprised they let the shill post even get on here - either voluntarily have it removed (the classier option) or we will have it removed for you. |
Leicachamp- Sorry you are having problems. Did you buy these cables as brand new from Rick, or were they used/demos from someone else?
I currently have Ultimate Reference and have been through the other levels with no problems whatsoever. All have fit from tightly to very tightly. I'm sure Rick will take care of you. |
As I said above, I don't have a good feel of my system WITHOUT the HF power cable, so won't know its affect until I pull it out of my system in a week or so and hear what it sounds like then. That will be the best A-B comparison I can make. The Ultimate Reference pc replaced a High Diamond P-3. It seems like I am getting more detail and a lower noise floor, but I will have a much better idea in a week or so.
In the meantime, I'm going to enjoy the RMAF show. |
Inserted an Ultimate Reference demo Power Cable into my system, placed on my transport, per Rick's suggestion this afternoon. Haven't had a chance to do much critical listening of my newly revamped system prior to this, so my best take on the cable will be when I remove it in a week or so. |
I already have all Reference and Ultimate Reference cabling and have had it for many months. Just trying the power cord. |
Nonsense.
Tara Labs cabling was being used in the Apex Audio room on the mezzanine level. I'm sure they were probably also being used at other rooms throughout the show. They are not "the best", IMO, actually far from it. You apparently were not there, or you wouldn't have made such an incorrect statement. As far as your opinion, its just that - an opinion. Reviewers often have sweetheart deals with various companies; as such, their opinions are frequently tainted by their relationships. Anyone who doesn't realize that just hasn't been paying attention. |
They will break in 10x faster with the system on. Just sitting there pretty much does nothing, relatively speaking, in my experience. |
Very well put and I totally agree. Rick's cables allow the music to come through better than any others I have found, by far. The longer my cables settled in, the better the sonic result. Sometimes it takes more patience than with other cables because there are different technologies at work, but the results are more than worth the wait. The neat thing is that this happens regardless of which level of his cables you are using. They seem to lower distortion in many systems, thereby improving both the realism and musicality. I really like them in my system. |
Now that several major system upgrades are finally well into their break-in periods, I decided to try the URR power cord in roughly 1/2 my system, namely from the wall to 1 of my 2 P-10 current re-generators. This P-10 has the left side amp as well as transport and DAC plugged into it. I was prepared, from talking with Rick and others, for the sound to be closed-in and to lose some bass in the beginning. That is exactly what happened.
I now have about 15 hours on the new power cord, which I realize is not much at all. The system has just started opening back up again, with the bass from the left speaker noticeably tighter and cleaner than that of the right. What I WASN'T prepared for, this quickly, was the improvement in tonal separation and musicality as well as clarity of the presentation, especially female voices. The difference between left and right speakers is now very noticeable to me, so much so that I have ordered another URR power cord to run from the wall to my other P-10 on the right side of my system. This piece feeds the right side amp as well as my 2 piece VAC preamp.
I am still early in break-in according to Rick, but have already seen very real flashes of what this new power cord can do to my system. I am already hearing nuances I've never heard before as well as bass that just keeps getting deeper and tighter every time I turn the system on (especially on the left side).
Now that I have decided to get the 2nd cord, I am minimizing my listening until it arrives. This will allow me to break both pc's in pretty simultaneously so that I will have more coherence as the process evolves. I am already getting better sound out of the left speaker than I have ever gotten before, which I needed to hear for myself. Now I have and am reacting accordingly.
Although I have other High Fidelity interconnect and speaker cables, my power cables are all HiDiamond P-4, with the exception of a HF UR on my transport. I am quite happy with how my system sounded prior to the introduction of 1 URR HF cable from the wall to my left side P-10. Very happy. The difference I hear this 1 cable making to my system is exciting to me, because as the P-10s get used to the new signal, I'm pretty sure my entire system will continue to get even more resolving, musical and just plain fun to listen to. Thank you Rick. :-) |
A-
I heard the Zero Evolution in a high-end system at the RMAF. They were good, but not in the league of the HF cables I currently use, IMO. Its really not a good, better, best thing, but instead a matter of preference. To each their own, as they say. |
JMC-
I have an all-tube system (VAC) and have NOT experienced any db drop since adding my HF UR cables. There was a bit in the beginning, but as the cables broke in (2 weeks) I got the gain back. It was pretty minor. IF yours doesn't come back,I would call Rick and see what he thinks. He will probably have a solution for you if the break-in doesn't solve your issue. |
A- I also heard the best Shunyatas at the same show in another high-end system - exact models escape me. Also very good, but not my preference. Have also heard top power cords from Purist Audio, High Diamond, Synergistic, Stealth, Nordost (Odin was very good) and a handful of others. Nothing wrong with any of these cables, just not right (with the exception of High Diamond) for my system. For me, its truly not a matter of budget, per se, but of system synergy/matching and the best (IMO) performance I can wring out of my system. AN inexact "science" if ever there was one. |
