In December 2011,I wrote that High Fidelity cables led by cable designer Rick Schultz was putting together a new cable.The cable came to market as CT-1.The CT-1 has FINALLY made it into my system!I had obtained a version of the prototype that Rick had been working on.It blew my previous reference Genesis by Virtual Dynamics.I thought I had finally found my end with this cable.This prototype delivered to my ears "Nirvana".Could I be at the end of my quest for the ultimate sound? No. I received two pairs of CT-1 to replace my prototypes.They went into the system this past Friday.Unable to dedicate time until Sunday listening,I stole a few moments,ducking away from company with anticipation.My guest could tell even with the music set for"ambiance"something was intriguing and I was in for a treat! The experience: First off,CT-1 was very user friendly.Installation was simple;the cable is very nice and light.The female RCA fit beautifully unlike any I had found in other cable.It was secure and reliable.It seemed much thought was dedicated to developing a designer fit to an aesthetically stunning RCA connector.Install entailed a few wiggles to ensure what seemed like a compression fit on my RCA. It was 2-3 hrs. for the 1st step of break in to be complete.At that point I had something different!Today,although they only have 10-12 hrs. on them,I can`t put into words how much my system has transformed.Believe me,I loved my prototypes.However....there is simply no comparision. The clarity and sound is so natural. The soundstage is like nothing I ever heard.Resoulution is breathtaking and inner detail is simply hard to believe possible. The sound has transended and now it simply does not seem as thought I have speakers. My system is musicians playing music. I am told with time they will improve and I trust that as it was revealed with the prototypes.I wanted to share my thoughts with you that now. Unequivocally,a testament to High Fidelity,as the name declares. High Fidelity Cables for me,the last word on it,after 12 hours! Truly Amazing
My CT-1 IC update after three days. Thankfully I knew it was going to take some time for these IC's to establish their magnetic effect as they were rather pedestrian the first two days. Not bad, but certainly no better than the Cerious GE IC's they replaced. Well, that really changed starting last night. I was only half listening as I was playing the Cowboy Junkies. I love how this cd is miked and recorded and the CT-1 was revealing everything in its full glory. The cymbals sounded more natural with longer decay than ever, that's what initially caught my attention. I started really listening and was struck by how natural Margo's voice sounded. The guitars seemed to be in the room. A blacker background allowed more details to emerge. While imaging isn't super important to me I was enjoying the separation of the musicians in a way I had not heard before. At the end of the cd when the performers put their instruments down and are talking I was able to discern words and background sounds much more clearly than ever.
I doubt that the cables have inserted their full effect into my system yet but they are already something special. Thanks to all those that advocated a High Fidelity IC/ Cerious GE SC combination......its stellar. Lastly, the Cerious GE IC's are very good but in conjunction with the GE speake cables are a bit too laid back for my liking. The CT-1's add some sparkle and detail without any harsh artifacts.
Hi knghifi Happy to hear your new MC O5s are working out great for you. AT 28 i have not hit the wall of no diminishing returns. At 13 on my amp power line and another 15 on the line that feeds my front end, there has been no disappointment yet. I believe that at last years Newport Audio show Rick had 24 on one power line. There is no cure for the madness and i will be adding more later. Enjoy Pete
After ~30 hours, 4 MC-0.5's are settling nicely. No darkness or hardness following day after break in with TVs for 100 hours.
All I can say is WOW! It's like turbo charger kicked in and everything explodes in all direction. Sound stage expanded in all directions, trailing notes lingers and lingers ..., more decay, improved separation between lyrics, more air ... so far all positives. Going from 2 to 6 is more dramatic than initial 2.
How many do you have 68pete?? I can't imagine SQ adding another 22. Yikes! Is there a law of diminishing returns to this madness?
I'm going to add 2 new PCs from wall to Weizhis Wed so going to enjoy my system for a while before adding more MC-0.5s. Highly Recommended!
My CT-1 interconnects arrived today. My initial impressions are that they are great looking, well built and come in a nice case. I'll let them play for a couple of days before sharing listening impressions as I know their magnetic influences takes a couple of days to build up.
Thanks knghifi......I apologize for my ignorance but what is the WBF forum.
Thanks Pete. 28? Yikes. I was thinking two would suffice. Usually if one is good, two is better. In audio there is no limit to better! Guess that's what makes it so much fun. I think I'll start with two and experiment with placement.
Hello mac48025 I have used the MC O5s with PSaudio P10 and for me plugging the MC O5s into the open plugs on the back of the P10 did not give me great results as plugging them into the same wall socket the P10 was plugged into. I have since them taken my P10 out of the loop and went with the MC 6 Hemisphere. Which after a very long break in gave a much wider soundstage and more detailed across the board. I now have a total of 28 MC O5s in my system. 13 on my dedicated 20 amp line for my amp. And 13 on the line that feeds the Hemisphere with 2 plugged into the open sockets of the Hemisphere. Each time i add a MC O5 to my system the change is for the better. Enjoy Pete
knghifi, you ran a separate ground just from your conditioner or for the entire dedicated circuits? When I asked my electrician to run a seperate ground for my dedicated lines he said it would be a waste of time since it would end up sharing the ground with the rest of the electrical service anyways. I’m no electrician so I have no idea. Would I disconnect the ground from my dedicated lines at the electrical service and run a new ground to an independent ground rod on the other side of the house from the ground rod for my main electrical system? Might be a question for almarg.
I suggest including, Furutech GTX NCF + NCF Cover + Wall Frame on the list of duplexes. ZenWaveAudio was having a package deal so contact them if interested. GL!
I have two dedicated 20 amp circuits with 10g romex and PS Audio Power Ports ( SR Black duplexes coming soon) into my listening room but I'm currently only using one of the circuits.
If using multiple dedicated lines, tie the grounds together at the distribution box or power distributor/conditioner.
I have 2 dedicated 20 amp line. Recently had IECs and OUTLETs on my Weizhi PRS-6s replaced with Furutech NCFs. As expected, the sound is more organic, lower noise floor ... very happy with the results.
Also suggested to me was to add a ground post to each Weizhi. The most remarkable improvement is tying the Weizhis together with a ground cable. It removed layers and layers of veil. Passages that were once congested and muffled are now crystal clear. Sound is more 3D, airy, tighter imaging, resolving, vivid ... I can crank up the volume several notches without any harshness.
All my audiophile level recordings always sound great but with compressed only music, Eagles, Springsteen, Santana, Heart ... they never sounded better and at higher volume level. If you told me all the harshness is mainly from noise, I wouldn't believe it.
It sounds like many are obtaining good results with the MC-0.5's. It's one of those tweaks I have a difficult time believing in but I'm just going to have to give them a try. My question is will getting just one be worthwhile or should I wait until I can get more. I don't have any magnets in my system now but my CT-1 IC's arrive tomorrow. I have two dedicated 20 amp circuits with 10g romex and PS Audio Power Ports ( SR Black duplexes coming soon) into my listening room but I'm currently only using one of the circuits. I'm using a PS Audio P300 and WyWires Powerbroker so I have extra plugs to utilize. Any advice on MC-0.5 use would be appreciated.......unless it's from Ozzy, 16 MC-0.5's???!!!! Are you kidding me? Lol. Just kidding Ozzy, love your passion!
@lak , I'm using my TVs to break them in. High duty cycle ... My new power cables arrived the same day so killing two birds with one stone.
I have both 3 way splitters connected to a duplex, 2 MC-.05 each splitter, cable tuner connected to 1 splitter, PCs connected to 2nd splitter and HFC MC-6 on iec end of PC. I have 2 TVs, VCR, tuner ... connected to MC-6. Everything is running 24/7 except main TV. The old Sony CRT is on 24/7.
Going to run MC-0.5 for 4 days, 100 hours, before use. I want to avoid the darkness and hardness experienced on 2nd and 3rd day with 1st 2 MC-0.5.
Hi knghifi Let us know how your new MC O5 do. If you cook them in a different spot from where you use them it may still take a day or so for them to get up to speed where you use them. enjoy Pete
Yes, my wallet is unfortunately quite a bit lighter but few things result in such a difference. Especially with the Pro Series, I feel like I've not just upgrades my cables but also my speakers, amp and DAC.
I now find myself fully sucked into HFC and there's happily no turning back. What started off as a pair of MC-0.5s, RCA adapters and an MC-6 Hemisphere that I purchased at Axpona last year has evolved into 9 MC-0.5s, a Pro series power chord to go along with a mix of Helix, Ultimate and CT-1 power chords along with a Pro series pair of RCA interconnects. My Ultimate speaker cables will soon be replaced by a set of Pro series speaker cables. Hopefully, they will arrive next week! Just a couple of years ago, I was one of those cable skeptics but it is simply mind boggling how transformative this magnetic technology has been in my system. There seems to be no diminishing return. More magnets = more better!
Heebrog, I have the new Trinity Helix headphone module. Fed directly by the headphone output on my Chord DAVE DAC, I can vouch that this is an incredible product and an excellent value. To get Helix level of magnetism at this price point is unheard of. What I can say is the level of electrostatic-like clarity and resolution it brings to each heaphone I own is simply amazing. It is easily one of the best upgrades I have added to my headphone system.
Picked up 2 orange 3-way splitters at Lowes and just received 4 more MC-.05. I will cooked them 100 hours before adding to the system. I already have 2 so hoping for 200+% improvement with 6. LOL! Going to have 3 per dedicated line.
Hello Knghifi I purchased the orange 3 to 1 splitters at Lowes, here in Northern Ca. Its kinda funny, but they where one isle over from all the other type plugs and extension cords. The first time i went looking for them i could not find them either so i asked a clerk and he took me to the next isle over from where you think they would be. The green 3 to 1 splitters that are "L" shaped, where not on the same isle as the orange splitters. Why who knows why? The green splitters work well also and i have used them with the orange to cut down on the length from stacking them one on another. If you look on High Fidelity Face Book Page it shows the orange splitters stacked one on top of each other. This sticks out to far in the room for me. So if you alternate them with the green"L" shaped splitters you can get more MC O5s on the line in a much shorter distance. I was at Lowes today before this reply, and they still had the orange splitters there. I also found a 5 to 1 splitter That with using the orange and green 3 to 1 splitters you could get 15 MC O5 on the line in a much shorter distance. The 5 to 1 splitter did have a fuse on it for overload. That was resettable. Not sure if that would cause a problem for the MC O5 as they do not really draw current (somebody correct me if i am wrong,) I have a total of 28 MC O5s now. 13 each on two different lines and 2 in my Hemisphere open plugs. I will be adding more soon. Each time i have add some the sound has not disappointed me. Let know if there is any thing else that will help. Enjoy Pete
Pete ,Yes, I live here 30 min where axpona is being held every year...I enjoy going, Andrew Jones is always fun to listen too.But this year I would like to meet Rick, I think his stuff is good.but you have to know how to use them...I hope you can attend...
Hi jayctoy You will find Rick and the High Fidelity crew 5 star. Very easy to talk to. I have met Rick and crew several times at the Newport Show. Even stayed at the same hotel. Rick was great at the show and away from the show very down to earth. You will have a great time wish i could go. Enjoy Pete
I agree with some post here, using my HF adapters with my d60 digital cable it brought out the best of d60, music became natural, the combo is amazingly good.Iam also waiting for the adapters availability, Axpona is coming hopefully the new adapter is available by that time.I heard Rick is coming.Iam excited to go to their room.
I have a double duplex outlet setup and I have used one orange straight 3 to 1 and one green "L" shaped to hold 6 mc-0.5's and still be able to plug two other plugs in. I plug my system in one of the remaining open outlets and the other one plugs a short cord connected to another duplex outlet that has 2 each 3 to 1 orange 3 sided adaptors that I add another 6 MC 5s. I can easily add another dozen MC0.5's with some combination of the 3 types of 3 way adaptors.
As far as the progression of non-Reveal HFC cables. there have been changes in magnet size, strength and configuration as well as differences in the wire alloy, and adding magnets in the ends of cables and cords. I have found that the axiom- "more magnets makes more music", has been true in my research and usage of HFC items. One example is that adding a set of 4 of the original RCA adaptors to My PRO IC's was a big improvement. and adding MC-0.5's before my Pro power cords makes a big improvement.
Per your third paragraph, I think the materials inside the wave guides are better as you go from CT-1 up the line. I think it is more than just the size of the wave guides. Per a review from 6moons
@knghifi Very good on the update. I spoke to them about a month ago so your response is more recent.
Per your second paragraph, my understanding is that the Reveal line does not have magnetic conduction (connections) at the ends. We're in agreement on that. But also one can see that the wave guides are of a different design from the CT-1s and up. I don’t know about the difference specifically, but they are visually different in their egg shape. In fact, I have a pair of Reveal 1.5M speaker cables but I cannot install them logistically until the long run of balance IC is installed.
Per your third paragraph, I think the materials inside the wave guides are better as you go from CT-1 up the line. I think it is more than just the size of the wave guides. Per a review from 6moons:
"High Fidelity Cables declare that their enhanced version [they were reviewing the CT-1 versus the CT-1 Enhanced] sports a different conductive alloy for higher ferromagnetic permeability and hence increased levels of magnetic conduction and performance."
@misterbritt I asked HFC last week and they decided not to offer additional waveguides to Reveal speaker cables.
Reveal connectors are passive, not magnetic, so only difference between Reveal and competition is the magnetic dead weight on the cables. Like I post earlier, the number of waveguides should be a function to cable length in ALL Reveal cables.
In HFC, not Reveal line, from what I can tell the only difference between model is size of the magnet.
The sad part of all of this, and we all do it, is that at $1,000.00 for four MC-0.5 pieces, and you have 28, that's $7,000.00. It might have gone towards a power cord, but which investment would be the better one?
@knghifi I believe that shorter cable runs are more desirable in RCA signal cable, especially phono and speaker. In balanced signal cable I think it is much less so. For instance, I am having HFC make me some 7 meter long balanced Reveal signal cables and I asked them about bang for the buck by adding an additional wave guide and they talked me out of it but said it could be done. They just thought the investment could be better spent elsewhere.
Which brings us to power cables. Yes, I was informed additional wave guides could also be added to power cables. They did not push back from the idea of making a very long run of power cables with regard to compromising the quality of the signal. Indeed, my impression was that a longer power cable run was no problem, but again, a longer RCA (as opposed to balanced) signal cable, as well as speaker cables, could be problematic.
In conclusion, I believe they will indeed add wave guides to RCA signal cables, speaker cables and power cables. I was quoted a price for the additional wave guides but I think it more appropriate for you to give them a call because I am not comfortable quoting custom pricing here. Also, my discussion of pricing was simply for the Reveal line. Call them, they’ll discuss it.
I Tried the Power Cube with the MC 05s and it did not workout at all. The Power Cube blocks part of the wall plug that makes the second outlet unusable. I tried using a very short power cord and the Power Cube. MC O5s do not plug into it very well. I could not get the MC O5s to plug in flush with the Power Cube. The prongs on the MC O5 seam to be to long and left a quarter inch gap or more exposed at the plug. I did find another 3 to1 plug, that is "L" shaped. Which would make the MC O5s point straight up or down depending on the ground plug of the socket you where plugging it into. Using this 3 to 1 spliter and using the original orange colored 3 to 1 spliter allowed me to add 6 more MC O5s to each of my power lines. This keeps the MC O5s from sticking out to far from the original wall plug. With a total of 13 MC O5s on 2 power lines (total of 28 MC O5s in my system). Yes the sound did improve again across the board. I would really like to try out a High Fidelity power cord at the Reference level or Ultra Reference level. But for this i would have to get the wife on board and she would have to step up as a big team player and sell a Kidney or Lung to make it affordable. That does not look like its going to happen real soon so i will keep adding the MC O5s to my system until i reach the point of diminishing returns. The MC O5s the affordable tweak that really works. enjoy Pete
I was thinking number of waveguides is a function to length of the cable. Basically longer the cable more waveguides, otherwise shorter cable has superior performance??
I was going to try Reveal speaker cables with option to add additional waveguides. Last I check option will not be available so count me out.
There is a separate and dedicated thread called: High fidelity REVEAL interconnects. There is a smattering of discussion from a couple of early adaptors there. I don't think HFC is in regular production of the Reveal line yet.
Has anyone listened to or are there any reviews out there of any of the new Reveal High Fidelity Cables and how they sound compared to the original CT-1 etc. just curious?
misterbritt I have the MC 6 Hemisphere and 16 mc o5s along with 2 set of the High Fidelity level 2 jumpers waiting on my 3rd and final set of jumpers. No power cords , interconnect or speaker cables from High Fidelity. The Mc o5s are 7 on my amp line and seven on the line that feeds the Hemisphere with 2 plugged into it. I can compare the Hemisphere to PSaudio P10 i have both. The Hemisphere does not have any surge or spike protection and has 4 less outlets than the P10. The P10 is a very nice unit, but in my system the Hemisphere beat it out with a bigger sound stage in the mids and highs. The base was very close once the Hemisphere broke in (long break in 600 plus hours) the break in is kinda like a roller coaster ride with the finish well worth it. The Hemisphere is only for front end units, TVs no amps unless it very low low power. With the P10 i could plug a small to medium amp into it. The P10 is a nice unit , but the Hemisphere just sounded cleaner, sound stage was bigger and more life like for me. I hope this helps a little enjoy Pete
misterbritt, greetings! five one two 963 seven zero zero five. Banana broke in shipping. I don't have a mag distribution box at this time as I opted for PRO series cords and cables with the funds I had. I did discuss HFC power cords and filters on page 18, 3 years ago. But have never tried the MC-6 or the MC-6 Hemisphere. There should be reviews out there... I have 12 MC-0.5's at the power input to the room followed by a Pro Power cord to custom distribution boxes. Then a Pro pc to amp.
Will report on the banana vs spades when I get parts, Waiting for customers to return their Bananas to HFC so I can get one.
About running long Reveal power cords. Yes HFC power cord will make a big improvement even with non magnetic distribution. I would have to know more about your system and room to figure out how i would run power cords. It might be better to rewire the room and get shorter cords. feel free to call me on that one.
Magnetic Power stuff does make a bigger improvement then signal in my system. YMMV.
Two unrelated questions. How did you break a banana? And do you use a HFC power conditioner in your system? I have at least looked at every thread on this post, but if that was discussed I don’t recall it, or any meaningful discussion of HFC’s power conditioners -- with the exception of the MC-0.5s.
On a related note, do you run your amps straight from the wall or through a conditioner?
I’m having some Reveal items made and I’m curious about the banana versus spade on the speaker cables; and I’m also curious about whether it makes sense to have some especially long Reveal power cords made in order to use my current non-HFC conditioning system.
I will say that in my discussion with HFC when I was cobbling together my order (which I detailed on another thread here, the one dedicated to the Reveal line -- you know, the cheap seats -- ha), that I was informed that the totemic power order of HFC’s magic is: Power, then ICs, then speaker cables, then jumpers. I didn’t really ask if by "power" they meant power conditioners first, then power cords. But I was clearly informed that HFC considers power the number one priority. I was wondering what your thoughts and experience are along these lines, please.
mister britt, I have both sets of ends, I was using bananas at Ricks suggestion until one banana broke. Now I am using Bananas on the right amp input and spades on the left until I can get a replacement Banana. At the speaker end I have Bananas. Interestingly enough, when my amp is turned to "zero" or max attenuation, I can still hear the spade side but not the banana side. This might indicate spades are better... or the volume difference may be caused by one of a hundred other things. Time and experimentation will tell.
@ddraudt Let me see if I'm following you. You started with a pair of bananas and one was defective. You are returning those and replacing them with spades. Is that the scenario, please?
You must have a verified phone number and physical address in order to post in the Audiogon Forums. Please return to Audiogon.com and complete this step. If you have any questions please contact Support.
