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
Yes these cables are very good as well as several $2000+ cables. I find a engineer to make a great cable maybe for less $$ Myself and Many other believe it takes a genius to make a great cable at 1/2 that cost or less.something the masses much more Can afford .I have had $80k systems in the past and spent more then a nice home. As I get older reverse engineer getting more For less is what myself and many others now aspire to, Enjoy your cables they are very good. Myself will keep looking For those Diamonds in the rough !!
Would like to here from someone who has the MC 6 Hemisphere w/ the Furutech GTX-D plugs. How long is the break in before you start to here a improvement ? Was it a long break in? Did it do any thing for the soundstage? Any info at all Thanks Pete
After a week with MC 0.5, I find the sound a bit harder and darker. I still enjoy the improvements ... tighter focus, dynamics, life like imaging, lower noise floor ...but overall I prefer the sound without the MC 0.5 in my system.
Like everything it's system dependent so I'm happy for owners that MC 0.5 works in their system. I moved them to spare TV outlets with improved picture quality.
Hi knghifi Do you know about how may hours you have on the MCo.5s? Rick from High Fidelity told me they would go dark after a while then open back up better than before. He did not say what the hour range is. Did you find them dark from the start? Thanks Pete
Do you know about how may hours you have on the MCo.5s? Rick from High Fidelity told me they would go dark after a while then open back up better than before. He did not say what the hour range is. Did you find them dark from the start?
Plugged in Sat 11:30pm ... do the math.
With a new toy, 1st day focus on positives but did noticed hardness with some material. One is Vanessa Fernandez - Use Me. Subsequent listening sessions found more material ... Natalie Merchant Tigerlily ...
I tried different combinations and found 1 MC 0.5 in the open wall outlet shared with amp's Weizhi a good compromise.
Currently have them plugged into open outlet on a Weizhi and wall outlet shared with Weizhi's for TV, cable box ... I bought several power cords so will revisiting MC 0.5 later. Boy, TV picture quality is AMAZING so they do work.
Tonight I pop the MC 0.5s back in my system and the hardness and darkness have disappeared. I guess it just needed more breaking in. Now need to get more for the TV.
I finally decided on which 2 outlets to put the MC-0.5s in and the improvement is truly amazing...Some of the possible combos did not work well but they are staying right where they are now...WOW
I have found my one MC-0.5 to go through the same process as that described by others here. Initially, plugged into an unused outlet on the same circuit feeding my HFC URH power conditioner, at first I heard an amazing improvement in speed, dimensionality, immediacy, and body of sound. The next time I heard it, using a digitally-recorded LP of the same group, the sound had closed in and lost a lot of the midrange magic I originally heard. I blamed part of this on the digital LP's, that in my system at least, often sound somewhat hard and flat. However, a few days later I am hearing the sound open up and soundstage move forward to envelop me like never before. Haven't tried the digital LP again and probably won't, but think most of this is the break-in cycle of these devices. An amazing improvement for the money IMO.
Congratulations on an outstanding headphone system. I really think the Eddie Current headphone amps are fabulous and have enjoyed my Eddie Current Zanna Deux #17 for a number of years. I found these amps really respond to upgrading the fuse. After trying several brands, I have found the Synergistic Research BLACK fuse to really improve the sound quality.
Plus they come with a 30 day refund if you do not like the sound. They need about 100 hrs. to fully settle in. I got mine from Alfred Kainz at highend electronics (Audiogon advertiser under tweaks).
Hello Knghifi I plan to plug it into my P10 and then my preamp and disc player will plug into it.(P10 will feed Hemisphere will feed preamp and disc player) Will also try plugging sat. box and TV in to it. The line for the P10 is not dedicated. But i am always open to suggestions on its use. Rick told me that it will need time to break in to sound its best. enjoy Pete
Hello all I do not know if this thread is still alive, but i received my MC 6 Hemisphere today. Unfortunately i will not get a chance to play with it until this Thursday. But i will say that it appears to be a very nice unit well made. The cases that Rick use for shipping are great. Much better than a card board boxes . Enjoy Pete
I recently bought a new pair of CT-UR interconnects and when I replaced the U's I previously had, the right channel was down significantly. So I called HFC and they recommended cleaning the cable connectors, which fixed the problem. Using the Stabilant was easy and Rick said you cannot cause a short in the cables but over-applying it. So if I can do it, so can anyone else, trust me.
I recently bought a new pair of CT-UR interconnects and when I replaced the U's I previously had, the right channel was down significantly. So I called HFC and they recommended cleaning the cable connectors, which fixed the problem. Using the Stabilant was easy and Rick said you cannot cause a short in the cables but over-applying it. So if I can do it, so can anyone else, trust me.
Is this only a HFC phenomenon? I never experienced lower volume with dirty connectors.
According to HFC and on their website, the use of strong magnets in the RCA connectors often draws metallic debris, which causes electrical shorts and shunts part of the signal voltage to ground. I have never experienced this in the past with other cables but it definitely occurs with HFC products and can easily be cured by following the website directions.
You can use the Stabilant 22 straight. No need to cut it. Use it sparingly as it goes a long way. Rick told me about this years ago and it really does work. You can use it inside your DAC on the PC boards etc and inside other audio equipment. You can also use it with other brand/type of audio cables.
I went to the Stabilant site and found that this same product was sold in the USA back in the 80's and labeled as Tweek . Great product and made for a noticeable improvement and we sold many containers of that product.. Glad to know it's the same chemistry and available. Tom
MCo 6 Hemisphere i was able to listen to 8 cd and 1 sacd in a row. Right out of the case the Hemisphere sound good, more tighter base and back round vocals seem to be flushed out more. I would say across the board the sound was better. Their was no change in the sound stage for better or worse. Until i went back to playing music about 8 hours later, The sound stage seem to shrink and the sound over all seem a little dark. Rick told me that it would get dark before it got better and that it would take some time to break in. How much time he would not say. My flat screen TV which is plugged into the Hemisphere has improved greatly with sharper picture and more lush color. this TV is about 6 years old and was thinking about a new one but not now. Will report more on the Hemisphere audio sound after i get some more hours on it. Enjoy Pete
Follow up MC-6 Hemisphere Finally got more hours on the Hemisphere- The sound is much more fuller sounding with base much tighter and fuller sounding (no bloat). Background vocals are much more present in the soundstage. Main vocals are strong and clear, hearing the gasp for breath before they sing. I am hearing much more from the back depth of the soundstage. fingers on acoustic guitar have the squeak you would hear only in the front row of a concert. The over all soundstage is much more defined, but not any bigger than before. I am hoping with more time on the Hemisphere that the sound stage will open up bigger. I think i have about 50 plus hours on it now. I would like to down the road add 2 MC 0.5 to the 2 unused receptacles i am not currently using on the Hemisphere. Has any one done this? Or add the MC 0.5 to a MC-6, what was the out come? Enjoy Pete
68pete: I have added 3 of the MC-0.5s to my system. The first was added to an unused AC outlet that also feeds my HFC URH power conditioner, i.e. it is added in parallel to the PC. I then added 2 more MC-0.5s to unused outlets on the conditioner itself. All three made a significant difference in the ways you, I, and others have described, mainly much more substantial sound. That said, I found the first MC-0.5 plugged in parallel with the conditioner made more of a difference than adding 2 to the conditioner outlets. Whether this was due to the first making the biggest difference in itself, or whether it was position-dependent, I don't know. I have not gone back to unplug the parallel MC-0.5 to then determine whether plugging the 2 waveguides into the conditioner outlets would have made the biggest difference. I have just been enjoying the music too much to conduct an engineering design of experiments.
I just purchased some of the Stabilant 22 that has been recommended . Finding 99% Isopropyl is not an easy task but I was able to find it on Ebay. The 99% would seem to evaporate quickly leaving only the Stabilant 22.
Mixing it seems to be the way to get the solution to flow into the connectors. However, what is the recommended ratio?
jmcgrogan2...Rick suggests using the '22' and not the '22A'. I applied it night before last and last night to my speaker cables...rca cables and pc s and the results are amazing. i had a previous disaster with 'contact enhancers' that flamed out my lt channel speaker..literally...so I was a little scared to try the Stabilant but it is the real deal..
68pete176 posts03-20-2016 10:46amHi lak I am using a older Transparent power cord to feed my Hemisphere. It is plugged into PSaudio P10. Have been very happy with it so far.
Just curious, have you tried Hemisphere direct to wall outlet bypassing PS Audio P10?
I'm having a great week! Not only did my Spurs beat the Worriers and everybody else, but I've heard Nirvana!! I don't write ofter because i am busy listening to music, but I heard some new High Fidelity stuff at Norms house That was so beyond anything that I must write. After several hours of listening at Norms, Rick came over with all pro gear. Norms system is one of the best ever but it was brought up so many outstanding new levels yesterday. First Rick added 4 more MC0-0.5's to Norms system ( he only had one before) after all 5 were in the sound was so much more quiet, detailed, natural, powerful, Dynamic with amazing, amazing sound stage depth - width and placement!! (I need more .5's too, I only have 4) Rick showed us how putting the 0.5's with a 3 way outlet splitter that was amazing. We also tried the 0.5's in other outlets NOT part of the Audio line and we could still hear an improvement. More improvement closer to the Audio though. Then Rick replaced the UR IC's from DSD DAC to PREamp with a Pro IC and the sound was impossibly Real. I don't know how to describe how much better it was. we added another Pro IC from pre to amp and again it was more, much more of indescribably fantastic!!! THE final step was adding the Pro speaker cable and the sound became painfully too good to be dreamt of, too impossible.(And this is without any break in, I can't imagine what it will sound like in a day, a week, a month!) Painful because now I want something badly that I can never afford. Danger! don't listen to pros if you can't keep them or it may ruin your life. ;-) We were listening to Patricia Barber, Cafe Blue much of the time. Amazing album if you can hear all of it. I am sure Norm will do a review once he recovers from the shock and the system has time to cook. I also got a new UR helix IC yesterday that is just in my system today. It already sounds wonderful! I will report back in time about that. Enjoy the Music friends. D
Hi knghifi I have not tried the Hemisphere direct to the wall. Its sounded so good the way i did it that i have not tried it. The PSaudio P10 all so has a MC 0.5 plugged into the same wall out let that feeds the P10. I like the idea of some type of surge or spike protection for my Esoteric disc player and pre amp. Will give it a try (Hemisphere direct) in the near future and report back. Enjoy Pete
I wanted to add that the Pro Speaker Cable was much louder than then their other speaker Cables. Not only more volume, more of all the subtle clues that trick my brain into thinking it's real.
I am Happy to report that the UR-Helix IC's added made a huge improvement after one day. I could not stop listening, long into the night, to this new musical world before me. Involvement in the music and effortlessness are two of the qualities greatly increased with the addition of one set of interconnects. The Depth, width and solidity of the soundstage was another big, wonderful lift to my sound Quality. The URH replaced an early UR prototype. I have a full loom of UR signal Cables in my system and URH or above power, so I have already been enjoying the magic of magnetic conduction very much. Going up the HF product line always gives me more amazement that I was expecting. The URH is a Huge step up!, HUGE!! I'm getting more URH very soon. Enjoy the Music!! I'm going back to listen some more D
68pete, I was wondering with P10 in the chain, why do you need a
Hemisphere?
I have my MC-6 and Weizhi PRS-6 plugged directly to dedicated 20A wall outlets. I unplug everything in thunderstorms. I wonder if my home owner insurance covers my components? :-)
knghifi The P10 does some stuff that the Hemisphere does not. I like the muti wave option on the P10 set to 6. Adding the Hemisphere just made it more enjoyable. They both do some good things to the music and video for that matter. Have not experienced any thing negative about having them inline together. enjoy Pete
I have been really enjoying the Ultimate Reference Helix interconnect I got last week as they break in. There is more realism that with the UR ICs, more depth, effortlessness, subtle clues to the soundstage, more solid, natural. All around improvements that just make a more pleasurable listening experience. Another big step up! Thanks Rick!! Cheers D
I have had the Ultimate Reference IC's and SC's in my system for the last several weeks. I just realized today that I have had my SC's hooked up backwards (positive leads on negative terminals). My cables did not come with red and black bands on the leads. In case yours came that way, note that the gold base lead is the positive/hot side. These cables are definitely directional!!!!
Hooked up correctly, very full, louder, detailed and tonally correct. Hooked up backwards they were metallic sounding lacking fullness and lacking correct tonality and recessed. Suppose these will need to restart the break-in but so far with less than an hour the SC is very promising.
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