High Fidelity Cables CT-1designed by Rick Schultz

Emailed Rick and he stated that the ones pictured in the ad connected to the amp (arrows toward the male end) don't ship until next week, so I guess mine won't work on the turntable cables if they're the ones with arrows towards the female end. He also said I could send them back to trade for the right ones. They'll arrive tomorrow.

My analog adapters are arriving tomorrow. The website doesn't specify whether to place them before or after the phono preamp, so I guess I just pick the cables I want to use. I want to put them on the turntable interconnects.
I just looked at the pictures in the link I provided on my 11-25 post. The pic with them connected to the amp shows the arrows on the adapters pointing towards the male end. In the other 2 pics the arrows point towards the female end. If I get a set that are pointing towards the female end I can't use them on my turntable cable. Will have to put then on the cables coming out of the phono preamp. Will have to contact them to see what's up with that.

If this has already been answered please forgive me.  I've tried to figure it out from the previous posts but its a bit daunting.  I have two pairs of CT-1's.  If I get the adapters for them I believe that its a popularly held opinion that adding the adapters to the CT-1's is a better situation than without the adapters, right?

Does that take them up to the level of Enhanced?  Ultimate?  I wouldn't think to Ultimate, right?

I'm picking mine up Tuesday or wed.

A genius idea?

The only better business plan is the one where they give you the first taste and you have to pay once your hooked.😃

Just purchased a set of analog adapters and awaiting their arrival. They say it will take a little time for them to settle in. Hoping for the best.
http://www.highfidelitycables.com/products/adapters/rca.html

HF magnetic adapters is a genius idea! Thanks Rick and Co.
An affordable way to get a sense of magnetic conduction. Great!
I'm hoping to try the AC adapters, When they are out, for some ancillary equipment that use 2 wire power cords (like my MAC server.)

I bought a set of the adapters right after they were announced and added them on to a set of CT-1s. At that time, he was only listing them for the one end of the cable (between the component output and the cable). They work very nicely with the CT-1s that I currently own. They provide more of what the CT-1s do well. I have not tried them on a non-HFC cable so am not sure what benefit they will provide there. I will probably buy a set for the other end of that cable set in the near future. I would say that for those wanting to experiment with this technology, these are a great place to jump in.

Those of you that got the adaptors a few questions: did you order one adaptor or two adaptors per cable the adaptors are being applied to and why? Txs

It's GOOD that Rick made some adapters that a poor Shlub like me might even afford. It's very good!!!😁

Mapman, yes the cornfield in "If you build it, they will come."

@tbg@ddraudt@lak Will we trying the new adapters next week. It will be very interesting. I will have comments about sound not all of the non sound related stuff that pops out of the child's jack in the box repeatedly. Lol

Don't let all those magnets deflect your sense of humor, ok? 🌞

Does Rick send people who does not say nice things about his products to the cornfield?

That would explain it.

Sorry couldn't resist that one. I'm a bad man.... 😠

Wow! lots of great posts this week. Great!
I got my updated power cords back 3 days ago and got them all back up on Star Sound Platforms and points.
A 24 hour warm up and we listen more closely.
"It Sounds SO Real" was one friends comment. There is more of everything that is magical about audio I say. The wonderful descriptions by others here of HF power cord effects are true for me also. The astonishing "New Life" in each step up the HF line has been amazing to behold. My detail has detail at this point, but not harsh or etched, just a much enhance experience of the intermodulation of blending and sympathetic tones, with smooth effortless treble. Soundstage presence and solidity also have reached unprecedented levels. The involvement in such a visceral portrait has never been more acute.
Cheers and Enjoy the Music
How are you all doing.
D

Rlawry, I got a new music server and have had some problems, but now have it working. In our efforts to find out what the problem is, I just put old black heavy duty power cords on the dac and the server.

I sounded very good but a little edgy. Yesterday, I put two new HFC CT-1 UR Helix pcs on. I sat back in disbelief. Once again I got the total silence between the notes, amazing detail in the sound stage, defined bass, a sweet top end, and utter transparency. Yes the new power cords are nearly four times the price of the server, but together they give a sound that far surpasses even the best sound I have ever heard live even in great halls, because I am hearing the sound where the mikes are rather than back thirty rows.

I should say that my patient wife just shakes her head at all these HFC pieces all on isolators. It kind of looks like a prototype of a warp drive.

I have a pair of Ultimate speaker cables that have the earlier black waveguide tubes capped with silver ends. I am not sure how these would perform against the later silver waveguides with black caps. All of my U and UR IC's have the later silver tubes with black ends.

I have often wondered how much difference using HFC IC's to my subwoofer would make but unwilling to pay big bucks for these cables to a subwoofer and still use some old NBS cables. Perhaps I should try a pair of the input adapters to see what changes are wrought.

Audioguy003, You might also go to the webpage and compare the present cable alignments in pictures. I must admit that I understood everything from the first CT-1 through the Ultimate Reference ics but in the pictures, I don't see much other than printing on the waveguides that can identify them. I must admit, however, that the third RCA jack does perplex me.

Thank you for the suggestion. I did contacted Rick about a year ago on my original older CT-1U model and Rick had explained clearly that there is no difference between the patent pending CT-1U and the current CT-1U except the cosmetic of the magnetic module is different color. And I believe that my CT-1U interconnects are exactly the same model that have been reviewed by the Stereo Times and Dagogo. Just need some inputs from experienced members so the future buyers can rest assure that they purchasing whether the old CT-1U or newer one are both exactly the same in term of performance on these interconnects.

Audioguy003,
I would think Rick would be the best person to contact for the most correct and accurate answer.

Please help for some clarifications. I have greatly enjoyed Rick's cables and step by step moving up to the Ultimate Reference full loom. Could not be happier and would not trade these CT-1UR for anything else in the world. I recently listed my old High Fidelity CT-1 Ultimate interconnects with the magnetic module finished in black chrome and silver end caps. The newer CT-1U has silver chrome body with black end caps. A member BULLOT is claiming that I am misrepresent my ads that the old CT-1U is different than the newer CT-1U. Could someone please help me to clarify this. Thanks

The only non- HFC cables I use are the light Trans Fi Terminator phono wire and Stealth digital cables. I needed a magnet for the input to the phono stage, but Rick will not have any input adapters until Friday, so I will not be able to help with what I hear till then.

I am however, listening to an HFC Electrical adaptor which plugs into any wall receptacle. I did not have time to discuss any theories with Rick, as I was late for an appointment that day, but he offered to let me listen to it and let him know what I thought.

In the middle of listening my Allnic amp went out, but the power adapter seemed to add more clarity.

I am now recalibrating to the sound of my Butler amp, but it is harder to tell differences. I do think the more magnets the better.

I am trying not to use the RCA output adapter , so I can exchange for an RCA input , but I'm not sure I can pass up the temptation to install on another ct1e. 😊

Lak, I haven't tested magnet-based adapters on non HFC wires but my experience with the less expensive CT-1 pc versus the U R H would suggest that more magnets is always better.

I'm going to try them on my Enhanced phono cables, however.

Acman3 and/or anyone else,
I also look forward to hearing about the addition of the "magnet-based adapters that can be applied as enhancement non-HFC wires".
The concept interests me...
I'd like to know now it compares the HFC CT-1etc.

Hello Acman3,

If you are in an area without much RF noise/interference, check with a local dealer (or with HF directly) about getting the 'RS-Labs tonearm Special' phono cable. Rick made up a non-shielded version of the CT-1E for me a few years ago that is incredibly lightweight and not stiff at all, compared to the regular CT-1/CT-1E phono cables. I use it and it does not 'flip' the RS Labs tonearm at all. I find the Magnetic Conduction to work especially well with low-level signals, so this might be the best option for you.

(The phono cable I use now replaced a prototype unshielded I got from Rick, which in turn replaced a Hovland MGII. Each cable was a significant upgrade in performance over the previous phono cable.)

JA

Fabulous, give the adapters some good break-in, and let us know your findings. Regards, G.

I bought a pair so, I will answer my own questions. Should be able to pick up from Rick tomorrow.

Hi ACMAN3, if you are asking if HFC makes magnet-based adapters that can be applied as enhaments to non-HFC wires, the answer is yes. See:

http://www.highfidelitycables.com/products/adapters/rca.html
Regards, G.

Anybody try the rca and digital connectors yet? I am considering the RCA connectors for phono cable ,because I have to use a light cable with my tonearm and normal High Fidelity cables are not possible.

Another question was can these be used to "enhance " the current interconnects?

Calvinj, nicely worded!

@guidocorona I agree on my jazz trios it just allows me to hear all the players play. Especially on my percussion it allows me to hear precision and musicality.

Yep, you are right.

Of course it should probably be mentioned that the Walker Talisman, which I also employ in my cassette and CD listening, is not a remover of static electricity, as deleterious to the sound as that unseen physics parameter might be. It's a remover of magnetic fields. I.e., a demagnetizer. Which of course, begs the question, why does the Talisman demagnetizer work for vinyl records at all, you know, given the non ferrous nature of the material? Ditto for CDs, which unless I miss my guess are entirely or almost entirely uh, non-ferrous.

Hi CalvinJ, yes you are right, HFC dos bring clarity and precision... But all by themselves, clarity and precision might also be interpreted as clinicality, which is far from what HFC does for living.

For me, HFC brings to the table a combination of clarity and precision combined with sensuous immersiveness. Yes I know, makes no sense from a "scientific" point of view, but... That's my ratio-emotional reaction to the sound.

G.

This is getting so critical. Last evening I was listening to vinyl, in particular to Lena Horne's Watch What Happens and I had done what I do to each LP, namely use a brush to sweep it clean and the Walker Audio magnet to remove static, on the previous side thanks to laziness I had only sweep it. On the second side she sounded older and had less ambience.

After listening to it, I went back to the first side and sweep it and used the magnet, she sounded older and there was less ambience. I think not using the magnet is more real. I must say that with or without treatment with the magnet was among the very best I had ever heard. Of course, today I have to findout whether I hear this on other LPs, But I have my new AMS music server here and want to install it.

Use or don't use the magnet!!! Wow, thanks HFC, Star Sound Tech, Tripoint, H-Cat for forcing me to this. It has always been my goal, but I thought it would be easier to achieve. Now having heard quad DSD recordings, I know that digital also can be taken to new extremes for realism. I will have many DSD recordings to choose from, but Watch What Happening will not be among them. Nor may be many other masters, such as Thelonious Monk, etc.

+1 Calvinj
I agree...

@guidocorona. To me HFC just brings clarity and precision that I hadn't ever heard with the other brands. It always finds a way into my system.

Mapman, since there are hundreds of magnets in the top lines, I doubt, even were your post to be sincere, if you will ever see any field coils.

The purpose of the HFC design is to get rid of the magnetic fields. Electromagnets, however, use magnetic fields to attract ferrous metals. So each is adverse to the other.

In continuation from my previous post…

Last August, I moved up from the stunning CT-1 to the Ultra series for all PCs powering the Rowland M925 monos, Rowland Aeris DAC, and Esoteric X-01 transport, as well as for the digital coax between transport and DAC. Well before completing break-in, I experienced a further leap in harmonic density, refinement of micro details, clarification of images, stage concreteness, authority, and something that I can only define as a rare combination of agility and grandness. All these qualities kept moving upwards until they stabilized at about 400 hours.

Considering my overall experience this far with the HFC wires, what has been consistent is the incredible frequency extension which seems inherent with the brand, together with a complete absence of any trace of treble hardness, which in so many other cable brands is an annoying product of residual intermodulation side bands.

Ah yes, and what about the eternal audiophilic question... Is the HFC house sound "warm", or is it "neutral"... Oddly enough, the answer is... Yes to both!

In other words, HFC house sound can be perceived as either neutral or warm, depending on one's particular esthetic inclination. The total lack of artifacts, combined with the complexity of harmonic exposure may persuade the seeker of warmth that HFC is in fact “subtly warm", because of its utterly immersive and captivating listenability. Conversely, the fan of neutral sound might focus on HFC’s even treatment of the frequency spectrum, without perceivable emphasis to any particular frequency band. I venture to suggest that with HFC the warm versus neutral dichotomy is obsolete, and is therefore not applicable.

In other words, HFC transcends the entire warmth vs neutrality issue. A more apt name for its utterly mesmerizing house sound may be "immersively complex" – a quality with the potential of garnering favor in both camps of the eternal debate.

Have I ever experienced any PCs in my system that I prefer to HFC Ultra? The answer is simple and mono-syllabic… No. HFC Ultra has elevated my system performance by a significant margin, and is therefore my new PC and coax reference point!

On the other hand, might the High Fidelity Ultra line be beat... Yes, I have well founded fears that moving up from Ultra to Helix, Ultra Reference, and Pro may be bound to enhance the magic of my system even to further heights… Scary thought *Grins!*

Saluti, Guido

I still say the biggest difference I have heard was when I replaced one of my previous interconnects with a regular CT-1 interconnect. Apparently just getting one set of magnets changes the electron flow the most. I have moved up the line in signal cables, a mix of U and UR, and have a prototype helix PC and URR power cord to my phono stage, improving the sound with each step, but still think the biggest change was the first time I heard the sound affected by magnets. I doubt I will ever be able to afford Pro series cables but like the idea of using electromagnets.

Mapman, since there are hundreds of magnets in the top lines, I doubt, even were your post to be sincere, if you will ever see any field coils.

When do the field coil versions come out?

Audiolabyrinth, the Pro series appears to be currently available for power cords. The highest line for speaker wires, interconnects, digital wires, and phono is the Ultra Reference. See:
http://www.highfidelitycables.com/products.html

But fear not, even the "entry level" CT-1 line is a singularly impressive performer *Grins!*

G.

So, what is the best speaker cable's and interconnect high fidelity has these days?

Ddraudt, Rick tells me that the new CT-1 UR H cables are intended for linestages, phono, and other source. I probably will never hear a system with all Pro pcs, other than by visiting Rick's systems, but I have Pros on my H-Cat amp and on my HFC Waveguide power center. Even my Nantais Reference tt has a CT-1 UR H on it which believe it or not made a substantial difference. I won't try here to articulate what I heard.

Perhaps the Pros would be better, but what I heard with the CT-1 UR Helix made me decide to try to afford two more. I make no excuse for having more in my cables than in my other components, especially as I'm selling my Koda K-10.

Hello All, How's your system?
I'd like to share what it's like NOT having HFC power cords.
I sent all 4 of my High Fidelity power cables in to the shop because they were prototypes and I'm getting them to equal current production models.
(Friend Norm told me about the new ones" Their ease, clarity, dynamics, ambience, and bass is just outstanding" as compared to the prototypes.)
Back to the story, the sound after the cords were remove.
The sound lacked a few things:
musicality, dynamics, naturalness, effortlessness, solidity, depth, space, pace, fq. extension, intimacy, involvement, timber, tone, breath, width, realism, amazement, enjoyment, magic, fun.
Cheers D

@tbg. You are welcome when you are in Dallas. Make it a combo trip and I will adjust for you to hear. Always great to get a really good ear on my system. @ddraudt. I believe you I hope to hear the new stuff soon. We will get together soon.

Calvinj, the pro PC takes the music to other levels of "real".
quieter, more extended, dynamic, longer decay, more intimacy,
Surprising soundstage solidity, amazing air and space, tonal bonanza.

Texas audio tour will be starting again soon. I hope to visit Houston, Dallas, Collage Station and have some folks here if I can ever get my system completed and broken in.

I've been having friends over almost every day to listen. Hearing stuff in tracks that we've never heard before. complex passages are unraveled and defined with a vast improvement in subtle detail that gives new definition the the word Lifelike.
I've got 9 more improvements in the works right now including 4 cable upgrades, 3 equipment upgrades, a power upgrade and more Rack improvements. November might be a fun month.
Cheers
D

Calvinj, I am often in Dallas/FW but at the airport. It is about four hours away. I would love to hear your system, perhaps I will need to go by Rick's and can combine that with dropping by.

Maybe February. It will give you time to get everything in place. I'm still tweaking my system over here. It's kind of different because very few people in the U.S. Have even heard my gato fm6 speakers. One of the reasons I have my system is to be different. If you ever come to Dallas I would love you to stop in and tell me what you think. I got the high fidelity ultimates in right now. I'm trying the with my E.A.R acute CD player right now. I have a lot of discs 1500. I'm using the essence of music liquid to clean them before I play them. I'm still using the the KR audio va 900 integrated. I love it. It makes me wonder how the KR audio Kronzilla would sound. @Ddraudt the same invitation is open to you. I would imagine you guys hear a lot of gear. Enjoy the music. Thanks.