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High Fidelity Cables CT-1designed by Rick Schultz

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

Al
alpass
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knghifi
1,668 posts
 
jmcgrogan2,

Your MC-0.5 experience mirrors mine so I understand your conclusion EXCEPT I have an additional chapter.

2 MC-0.5, sounds good but tight so moved to HT system. Like you, I'm very busy and can't listen daily plus all tube system with 8 power tubes per mono, so like to avoid use for break-in.

Learn from thread dark and hard are expected but will open up after further break-in. After ~5 weeks, moved back to main, sound improved, no longer dark or hard but slightly too agressive. I guess the best way to describe MC-0.5 is like going from a regular to HD TV. In this case, it was HD X-RAY TV sometimes.

Had to ship preamp to VAC for upgrade so system was down for 7 weeks. Moved MC-0.5 back to HT. After getting preamp back and break-in, tried MC-0.5 again in main and this time it was regular to HD TV, no more HD X-RAY. The only difference is upgraded preamp and replaced 7 SR RED with SR BLACKS fuses. (The most obvious differences between SR RED and BLACKS, BLACK is more organic with improved PRAT.)

Listened for 6 hours and next concern was SQ following day ... back to dark and hard again??  To my surprise, sound was more relaxed. It's like moving a cable and now had time to settle. MC-0.5s in system for a week now and still sounds great.

Since your MC-0.5 are broken-in and no longer dark or hard, I don't have any suggestions. Like every tweak or component change, it's a fine line whether it works or fails.
rlawry
477 posts
 
John, I would say my experience with the waveguides mirrors yours.  Once broken in, the soundstage did seemingly get higher and wider but took some time to deepen.  Another thing I noticed was instruments being more discrete in space, even deep bass imaging separately from midbass, or bass drums imaging separately from bass guitar.  I start my rig from a cold start because, like you, I don't get that many chances to listen, and during an LP I can hear the soundstage growing and locking in dimensionally.  It seems as if this curve moves upward each time I go through this routine, if you will.  I do remember hearing a number of years ago a system at a local dealer with some very expensive Gryphon solid-state monoblocks and Artemis EOS speakers that had a very deep and layered soundstage that was way behind the plane of the speakers.  When the dealer played an Opus 3 LP called Depth of Soundstage, you could hear instruments being played in the deep recesses of the soundstage, literally.  I also heard a system with Apogee ribbons that had that deep soundstage and I thought it way cool.  My current system is in a much smaller room and is more up-front and immediate than that Artemis system, so I could imagine that the use of HFC products would spoil that deep sonic perspective.  For my system, the effect of the HFC products is to move me inside the soundstage and make everything more enveloping and immediate.  I also hear a lot more differences in this aspect of recordings.  I recently listened to an old Andy Narell recording of steel drums jazz and the soundstaging and dynamics were absolutely unreal.  With a Greg Kihn Band recording this effect was considerably less but still there.  Anyway, I am just going to let things break in for a while and see where they go.
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facten
2,790 posts
 
Question -  why when these have been playing in a system and then taken out so someone else can try them in their system is the "burn-in effect lost - referencing hifail's post above? 
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