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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

Showing 11 responses by joncourage

joncourage OP
185 posts
 
What do you have now, Sabai?

I am extremely pleased. Will post more impressions over the weekend.

Very likely will order the ICs shortly to compare against the AQ Sky.
joncourage OP
185 posts
 
Heh. I'll be honest it seems a little goofy, but maybe I'll try running the HD ICs in serial with the Sky if I decide to get them. Can't hurt anything, I guess. I hate that it's mostly just me assessing though, I never trust my own ears, wish I had a 2nd and 3rd opinion.

Also, I'm surprised you haven't been accused of shilling for both HD AND SR now that you say you use BOTH. Lol. (If you turn out to be Robert I will be quite upset with you both)....
joncourage OP
185 posts
 
Keeping the HD, my trusty old Marigo is now up for sale.

In addition to what's said earlier, as the cable breaks in I'm perceiving:

- more relaxed, smoother, more musical, without being "warm" (a quality I don't appreciate)

- more air around instruments and vocals, things seem to float in their own space while still being extremely coherent. This is a new phenomenon for me, never experienced that before.

- great PRAT. The front edge attack on notes is more distinct and punchy (especially noticeable on percussion and guitar), while decay is very natural and less abbreviated, I hear more of it (like in cymbal hits)

- subtle details comes through much more, without being fatiguing in any way. Fingers moving along guitar strings, vocal inflections and trills, breaths, and armature changes on winds instruments, previously not noticed now make the performance more natural, real and interesting.

One thing important to note is that some of this is the new cable, some i'll attribute to new hifi tuning fuses I put into my amp a few days ago. As the cable started breaking in I started to note some of these changes, but others, and the overall effect is likely cumulative.
joncourage OP
185 posts
 
The cable sounds better and better as it gets some hours on it.

I couldn't be more pleased.

I have the ICs on the way.
joncourage OP
185 posts
 
I've got XLR.
joncourage OP
185 posts
 
I continue to enjoy the digital cable in my system, the music has never
been so satisfying to me.

I'll be bringing my cable and DAC to my local (Tampa Bay) audio club's
upcoming DAC shootout. I hope to introduce this respect-worthy brand to a
larger audience. I anticipate a very positive reception.

I think it's worth mentioning that my experience has been nothing like
Ozzy's. I had the Illuminati in my system several cables ago, at least 3
cables have replaced it -- including the likes of Marigo and Kubala Sosna --
and have proven progressively better to me, in my system, and the HD is
the best yet. So to me the HD is head and shoulders above the Illuminati,
which I considered only a so-so cable.
joncourage OP
185 posts
 
Glad to hear it worked out Ozzy. Robert is indeed Class A.

With the HD digital and interconnects in my system I am *finally* content and I've never enjoyed music more.

The difference to previous cables is remarkable. More than I would have ever imagined.

The people that are willing to take a chance on these I think learn this is a very special piece of gear.
joncourage OP
185 posts
 
Ozzy's, if you want to try another HD, give the Diamond 3 xlr ICs a shot. Every day, I'm nothing short of amazed at the absolute grace, clarity, and musicality I am hearing since putting them in. Miles ahead.
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"?
joncourage OP
185 posts
 
Sabai: "This is what I experienced from the very beginning when I swapped HiDiamond cables into my system -- something very special that no other cables have done for my system. In my enthusiasm, I was criticized falsely on the forums for being a shill, as was Musicxyz who got me onto HiDiamond. But so may others are now experiencing and reporting the same thing that, you may have noticed, these criticisms are now nowhere to be found."

Likewise. As I've said my experience was the same, although I didn't catch as much criticism as you have for whatever reason.

"07-17-12: Glory
Just a hyped up copper cable boys and girls. At the end of summer and into the fall another lover will arise on the scene and outrun this cable and there will be lots of HD cable up for sale."

Doubtful. Glory you give several of us too little credit for not being easy dupes mindlessly following the latest craze. Why do you feel the need to piss on others' enjoyment? I guess you're just one of those miserable types who only takes pleasure from controversy and antagonism. Unfortunate. For you.
joncourage OP
185 posts
 
As far as flavor-of-the-month "it has that feel" comments.

I fail to see the logic. Every brand starts somewhere, including the ones we consider famour and/or reputable today. Who is anyone to say this isn't a future Nordost or Kubala Sosna or Stealth?

These cables are the real deal. Among current users, the cables have been compared against high end cables from several reputable manufacturers including Stealth, Audioquest, Kubala Sosna, Synergistic Research and others.

I won't consider anyone's dismissal or criticism - nor should anyone else - until the critic has actually tried the cable in a system they're familiar with.
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