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HiDiamond Digital IC

Seems to be a popular theme these days.

I received the aes/ebu version of the HD Digital Carbon cable today in the mail. I was enticed by the glowing remarks posted elsewhere and have been bored while awaiting a Varidig Sextet to show up. With a few hundred bucks burning a hole in my pocket I figured I'd take the plunge.

First let me dispell concerns posted elsewhere regarding dealing with the north American distributor, Robert of worldwide wholesales. From my first communication with him he's been responsive, pleasant, professional. My standards for these qualities is unusually exacting and my tolerance for any bs below nil. Our interaction resulted in an order, which he made easy, and the cables were shipped virtually instantaneously and arrived quickly.

On to the soundy bits....

Straight from my mailbox cold into my system went the cable. Fit and finish, fine, no issues.

Some comparisons to my Marigo Apparition 5.8, a cable that has bested all comers to date and served me well for years.....

Realism and presence. Edge to the HD. Small margin.
Air around instruments. Edge to HD. Medium margin.
Instrument placement. Edge to HD. Small margin.
Resolution. Edge to HD. Medium margin.
Soundstage depth. Edge to HD. Small margin.
Soundstage width. Even.
PRAT. Edge to HD. Small margin.
Frequency extension - highs. Even.
Frequency extension - lows. Even.
Bass control. Edge to HD. Very small margin.
Black background. Even.

Overall these cables are more similar than different. But there are noticeable improvements with the HD. This is cold, no break-in, both on the cables and on the aes/ebu connections on transport and dac.

Also, keep in mind the Marigo is an $1100 cable, the HD is half that.

The $100,000 question: which is more musical, which will I keep?

I'm going to reserve judgement and see how this breaks in a bit, get more listening time under its belt. Go back and forth some.

Initial impression though is extremely favorable. If they keep trending in the direction shown, I'll try the interconnects sooner than later.

(for the cynics: I am in now way related in business or otherwise to HD or Worldwide wholesales. I live in Florida and work as a technology executive.)
joncourage
sabai
2,027 posts
 
Joncourage and Ozzy,
I am using the Diamond 3 XLR ICs -- stunnning. I put on Dusty Springfield yesterday -- ditto.
jriggy's avatar
jriggy
566 posts
 
Thanks for the clarification guys... I am becoming interested in the HiDiamond offerings. Especially since one of the main enthusiasts has a system close to my own...

Can any HiDiamond IC or PC owner tell us if these wires have a receded or forward presentation???
sabai
2,027 posts
 
Jriggy,
In my system the sound stage is very natural. They are not in your face but they don't put you way back in the crowd. Have a listen and see what you think -- and let us know.
joncourage OP
185 posts
 
I don't think of either forward nor receded, they strike me as very natural sounding.

The presentation seems what would be a pleasing and logical representation of what I imagine the recording engineer intended. In other words, you hear the music and the song with no distraction from any unnaturalness in tonal balance, image placement or soundstage.

Maybe that's "neutral"?
owenlee's avatar
owenlee
21 posts
 
I too am using the HiDiamond Reference digital cable now, having previously used the HiDiamond Carbon. In my experience the Reference is clearly superior to the carbon in every audiophiliac quality. In my system, resolution and dynamics were most noticably affected. The difference between the two cables in my system were so great, that under no circumstances could i recommend to anyone they buy the carbon over the reference. I have a one meter rca cable and, although it was superior to the carbon out of the box, it didn't start really showing its true nature until about 150hrs and it continued from there until it seemed to settle in at about 300hrs. Also, dealing with Robert Neill at Worldwide Wholesales was an absolute pleasure.
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