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
Stirred the pot eh? The claims of system wide distortion reduction are falsehoods. They simply cannot be- to reduce system distortion by 14% requires changes at the speaker level, not at cable level. All properly performing gear up to the speaker typically is well under 0.5% TOTAL, with some higher numbers possible in cases like SETs and whatnot. The typical speaker contributes well over 95% of distortion artifacts in a system, and that distortion is due to electromechanical realities over which the cables have no influence. Cables add exceedingly small measurable artifacts, primarily noise. No person who's ever used any meaningful test gear would argue otherwise, only true believers who accept wild claims without substantiation. Tell you what- anyone here want to theorize what mechanism could add 14% to both system THD and system IMD in a cable? Nobody understanding even the most elementary technical aspects of a system could accept such an absurd claim.

They might sound great, I have nothing against cables as a tweak, but when you make up impossible numbers, then you're a fraud. The claim is akin to claiming a fuel additive gave you 1,000,000 extra horsepower. That's not an exaggeration- the claims of 14% are many orders of magnitude from anything that could be claimed legitimately.
Badman, perhaps the testing was done on amplifier output, not speakers, perhaps it was on just the DAC output stage, testing a single digital cable.

At these points in the signal chain, the relative differences of cables are magnified relative to total distortion levels.

You are just way out of line accusing people of being a fraud when you have no idea of the testing methodology (neither do I know it).

But I will tell you one thing, Rick told me the external testing company was most surprised about the SNR changes, rather than distortion reduction you are focusing on. To them that was even more impossible.
Badman, it would be easy for me to say your claim are a fraud, as it was for you to claim what you did. Is there any reason for us to take your claims seriously? Give us some substantiation of your claims. Please don't tell that "everyone knows this" as that really means you have no substantiation.

I might add that all of this has no meaning for my judgment that these cables, and I mighty add the power cords, are revolutionary, whatever you have to say, whether legitimate or not.
One thing that can be said about these is that by applying magnetism they have a unique design concept that one would expect might well have some effect on the sound compared to no magnetism. A wire on steroids perhaps for lack of a better description?

So there would seem to be an attempt at innovation here that makes me somewhat curious just to hear what might be unique, better, different, or whatever that might justify the cost.

Applying magnetism should certainly have some effect on distortion you would think, for better or for worse.