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
ozzy Thanks for the info, lets us know after you get a little more time on them. Just saw this to day In the July issue of Stereophile vol 39 no.7 There is a review of PSaudio P10 by Jim Austin He reports about what i experienced when i removed the P10 from my loop, about the drop off of tightness in the base. My Hemisphere is still plugged straight to the wall(no P10 not in loop)The highs and midrange is just beautiful, sound stage is taller wider than it has ever been. The base is still disappointing (not as good as before). But to be fair i will give it at least 100 hours more before i decided on putting the P10 back in the loop Enjoy Pete
Well I am convinced that the best approach is still to load up the MC-05’s at the wall outlet than at the P-10. The sound is much purer and the video is the sharpest and with a much more natural appearance.
Funny, I thought that placing the MC-05's at the P10 it would have been closer to the source, but no, keep them at the wall!
Ozzy, as so often happens to me on AudioGon, I lost what I had written, so I will jump to the case. I tried several power strips that would allow me to plug directly into the wall plug. The HFC MC-6 proved better than a SR Quantum Line Source that is Tesla Coil treated. But putting Star Sound Audio Points under both really improved the sound but more so the MC-6.
There are just too many remaining questions about the MC 0.5s to go. Is there any limit how many will improve the sound. I know Rick took 17 to the Chicago show. I guess I could use my two SR QLSs to add 15 more. Not any time soon, however.
Pete , I spoke to Rick today about how you had the Hemisphere plugged into the P10 and have now plugged it straight into the wall.
I asked him how many hours would it need to reach its optimum now that it is plugged into the wall.
He said it is like it is starting over, like new kind of. He said at a minimum it would need 200 hours but it will still change noticeably for another 200 hours. And then from there it would change in subtle ways for another 200-400 hours.
He said to give it at least 200 hours before you make any decisions.
The reason for this is not just the Hemisphere its self but the whole system having it remap the previous magnetic conduction of the system.
I hope this helps.
I also found out why the Hemisphere is "10amp", NOT.
But I will tell in another post, when I am not ready for bed.
hifial Thanks you for the info. High Fidelity products have lifted my system to the next level and beyond, so giving the Hemisphere more time will not be a problem. I will report down the road as the changes happen.
I have not yet reached a limit on MC-0.5 Waveguides when plugging them into an unused outlet which also feeds my HFC URH power conditioner. At one point I had just one waveguide plugged into this port and 5 plugged into the power conditioner outlets, but found that they are more effective in parallel with the conditioner than when plugged into the conditioner outlets. I now use a 2 ft long power block, into which I have a starfish-shaped 5 outlet splitter, into which I have a 1-to-3 angled outlet splitter, for a total of 7 waveguides. When I first tried this the music initially sounded "small" and un-dynamic but quickly expanded after a few minutes' use. I will probably add some more 1-to-3 angled splitters and more waveguides to the starfish splitter.
I understand what the website says, but the UR Helix products use the CT-1 Ultimate Reference Wave Guide. It seems they modify a Wave Guide with the Helix technology/magnets.
From the Ultimate Reference Helix Power Conditioner page, "Eight outlets magnetically connected point-to-point in series with three ultimate reference-level waveguides using our most powerful helix array of spherical magnets inside."
So it is likely the Hemisphere uses either the CT-1 Enhanced or Ultimate module. I'm just wondering if someone knows for sure, or has peaked inside, if it is openable.
jay23, I think you might be misconstruing what is on the web site. However when I talk to Rick I will ask him if he can clarify a bit.
Now, let me see if I can explain about the 10amp "limit" NOT, on the Hemisphere.
There is NO current restriction on the Hemisphere based on its design. It is because of UL requirements that are part of the IEC inlet that is rated as 10amp. This is the same one used by many other Audio OEM but many can and do ignore the fact that it is UL 10 amp.
Now, that does not mean that the Hemisphere is only capable of handling 10amp. Rick said it can easily handle 15amp (and more) but he 1) does not feel comfortable saying that when the UL does not rate it that and 2) he is looking to have the Hemisphere UL rated and they will not give it a 15 because of the IEC that is UL at 10.
Also Rick said that the 10amp IEC can also easily handle 15amp.
So, he told me that anyone should not worry about that 10amp.
He also told me there is a fail safe system (passive that can reset itself) in the Hemisphere in case of an overload but that the wires in your home would fail before the Hemisphere would. And it is NOT in the direct power path so it will NOT effect current.
NO, do NOT ask. I can NOT explain or tell in any way shape or form.
Hey fellas, I currently have my resonessence mirus dac plugged into the Mc6 power conditioner. It added transparency to the mirus. The mirus was already great but when I put it with the mc6 it was spooky great. Gave instruments more air and even great depth and separation. The mirus dac plus the mc6 is tough to beat at the price. I couldn't see myself plopping down more on a different power conditioner and dac combo. Cymbal taps shimmer and float slowly into darkness. Piano is quick but tuneful. The backgrounds are quiet. They are silent. I'm current listening to Marc johnson and Elaine Elias. After a long week it's a joy to listen at this level.
Jay23, I checked with HFC and I have the skinny on the Waveguide in the Hemisphere.
The Helix Waveguide stands apart and on its own in the HFC line. It is a misnomer and incorrect to to call it a version of the Ultimate Reference, other then all the HFC products are related on the base tech.
It is a major change in the Waveguides.
Now the Hemisphere is based on the Helix and no other Waveguide. The name gives you a clue. It is not a FULL Helix. It is also not as large, so a smaller version, etc.
PS do not open the Hemisphere. Unless you want to throw away your money.
CalvinJ, thanks for your reports on the MC-6! Hope all is well with you. My system is worlds more refined than last we spoke. I'm Still dreaming about getting Pro speaker cables without a second mortgage. My new amp would see all HF-Pro cables. PM me if you want details of the last 12 things I did to the system. Cheers D
Benjie, I found that the best sounding devices under magnetic waveguides are from Star Sound Technologies. I started using them at Ricks suggestion and now have Star Sound platforms and their Brass "Audio Points" under everything! SS platforms hold all waveguides, components, speakers and power boxes. ( as does Norm) I have some points under my Schumann Resonance Generator also. I use SS brass parts to cancel vibration in other places also. I find them to be good in places that they were not designed for. I've complicated my system into an Audio Labyrinth! But... I have never been happier or more impressed by a system. Cheers D
@ddraudt thanks. I remember when I first started using high fidelity products and how much it changed my system. Just better transparency. Just better depth. Just closer to the music. Rick pushes the limits!
Hey Calvin, Cool that you may try the 6 Hemi! I'd be interested in your thoughts on the difference between the 6 and the 6 hemi.
My system is so addicting and so enthralling that it is very hard to get anything else done if it is playing. Ricks inventions play a major part it my sound. Like Norm, over 50% of the cost of my system is in High Fidelity Cables. I'm so happy with that choice that I hope to up that percentage by a lot with my efforts to get Pro Speaker Cable.
Keith, you are way off topic my friend. I can't imagine anyone on this thread wanting to read what you have written. May I suggest that, if you think someone is being abusive, you click on "report this post" so a site monitor can take a look at it. I mean no offense but I will ask that they remove your last post to eliminate another negative direction on this thread. Happy thoughts!! Hope you and your system are doing well! Cheers D PS I have very strong opinions and judgments about things which I try to balance with education and understanding. Flawed human.
hi, has anyone tried using digi-multimeter to measure Rick's powercord? what i did was just simply measuring the impedance of the Earth, Hot & Neutral conductors on my CT-1 powercord. the result i get on the Hot conductor wire measures about 5ohm or less, the Neutral is around 10kOhm, and the Earth conductor is a staggering 12Mohm. the test was repeated 3 times and hold for about a minute for the results to settle so to get magnetic effect to "calm down". i also measured a typical lampcord , all three conductors in Hot, Neutral & Earth are of the same value about less than 1ohm. Cerious GE power cable also have a "slow" conductor on the Neutral side, is there anyone would like to comment on the resistance (impedance) that's on HFC power cable?
what about the impedance of the upper tier of Rick's power cable? anyone? -philip
Hello philipwu, A lot has been brought up about Magnetic conduction not working the same as electrical conduction on this thread in the past 5 years. We unfortunately cannot apply electrical logic to magnetic conduction. You are measuring electrical resistance using the batteries in your meter. You are testing magnetic conducting materials with electrical conducting test equipment which is even further afield than testing AC current with a DC meter. Not to worry brother, many have had a difficult time moving to a radically new medium. Except for those who have tried a full loom. Some have not been able to make the adjustment AT All! and have left thinking we are all crazy. like the flat earthers did some time back. Hang in there man! Cheers D
Thanks for all of the information you've procured! Especially about the 10 amp "limit".
In regards to the Helix Waveguides, I understand the internals and construction are fully different. However, even if you look at the module in the video for the CT-1 Ultimate Reference Helix Power Cable (http://www.highfidelitycables.com/products/power/ct1urh/), you will see it is designated as the "CT-1 Ultimate Reference".
That is why I was interested in what the modules in the Hemisphere are designated. The different module types likely indicate different strengths or quality levels of magnets. Given HFC states, "The MC-6 hemisphere may not represent the most exotic product built by High Fidelity Cables for power conditioning," gave me more interest about its modules' designation.
Jay, the best I can say is that the "Hemisphere" is "half"/scaled down version of an "Ultimate Reference Helix".
At the present time there are "Helix" and Hemisphere" that stand alone and apart from the rest of the line. They are related to each other but are also separate from each other.
The Helix is a major development. They wanted to bring it to a lower price point. The Hemisphere is a version of that tech that gives a strong taste of the full Helix.
It is my understanding that they both can be used in various levels/strengths and that HFC hope to bring out more products using them both.
Again, I understand that you see that the the "modules" have on them "CT-1 Ultimate Reference" but I was told not to relate that to the regular Ultimate Reference line. That the Helix stands on its own and is not to be thought of as anything else in the HFC line. And the same was said of the Hemisphere.
I was told that the best why to think of the Hemisphere is what I mentioned above.
Also, HFC admitted that the way they name and designate the line is confusing.
Back to the listening, let's talk audio. Great sound is the object here. Depth and transparency. Like the sound not the people. How is your system sounding @tbg
calvinj. thanks for your interest. All that I really have to add at this point is that I think Rick is right about 200 hours of breakin. I have change nothing in the last month other than going to URH phono cables. But I am struck that the realism is ever improving.
This is sad for me as soon we are off to New Mexico's mountains and cool weather and I am not going to have sound for two months! We are selling the house out there so I am going to use the available space on return to bring home my LSA1Statement speakers, racks, Zilplex room treatment, etc. as well as our cooking utensils, clothing etc.
Keith I'm on your side and agree about the guy. this is a thread about HFC products. Love to hear about what you think of any HF products you have experience with. How is you system doing? Cheers D
My system has disappeared!!! I'm left with only music. Music represented in ways I could not have imagined, and have never experienced before. I would have never experienced this without High Fidelity Cables. Except for Ricks wife and kids, I may be his biggest fan!! HfC's biggest problem now is making their products fast enough to keep up with demand. Growing pains as sales have doubled. I've been considering Pro series speaker cable since I heard them at Norms 2 months ago. Did you know that the fastest time to build one set of Pro speaker cables is 2 weeks, with their best builder, doing only that. My plan, hope, dream is to get the PRO speaker cables, I may have to stop buying and eating anything for 6 months to do this. ;-) I will also get 6 more MC-0.5s when they are caught up on orders for them. Enjoy the music everyone" Cheers D
Hemisphere 6 update With the Hemisphere plugged directly to the wall (P10 out of loop) as i stated before the mids and high where great but the base was a little lacking. Now with the Hemisphere having more hours (a little over 120 plugged directly to the wall and over 300 when plugged into the P10) the base has returned and it is now better than before. the P10 has some features i will miss, but bottom line the Hemisphere has taken my system to a much higher level. Looking forward to my next High Fidelity purchases. Enjoy Pete
Audiolabyrinth, If I understand your question correctly.. The Pro series has Interconnects, Power cords, Speaker Cables and I suppose they might make a Pro Digital Cable although not listed. Designed for Professional use, these cables are only built when ordered. I've heard that the Pro's are selling quite well. To crazy people. ;-) Not to be out crazed, I HAVE PLACE AN ORDER FOR PRO SPEAKER CABLES!! 3 or 4 weeks to get and a month of break in but you can bet I will be reporting on them. Cheers Man, hows your system? D
Pete, that is great to hear. That is not only what I expected but exactly what Rick said would happen after I spoke to him to confirm my thoughts.
But the best may yet come. I say may but Rick says it will take at least 200+ hours sans the P10. And then over another 200-300 hours on the Hemi the sound will still get better in subtle but noticeable ways.
Please keeps us informed in any improvements you may detect over or after the next 100 hours and then if any over or after the next 200+ hours.
Has anyone tried using the Hemisphere with 6 MC-0.5s plugged in (especially with a 1 foot or shorter power cord), compared with using the Hemisphere with your system, and the 6 MC-0.5s plugged into the wall?
With people finding greater benefits plugging the MC-0.5s into the wall, I would think increasing the strength of the Hemisphere’s Helix technology's magnetism - closer to the wall - could provide added benefits.
Also, has anyone considered upgrading to the NCF receptacles?
Personally, I don't own the Hemisphere. But I do own 12 MC-.05's. In my opinion I think adding the MC-.05's at the wall is the best way and it could positives gained before the Hemisphere.
With all of the recent talk about the MC-0.5s and their great effect for the money, which I agree with, I forgot how much of an improvement it makes jumping up a level of cables. I just sold my U speaker cables to apply toward a purchase of UR speaker cables, and the improvement is startling. Big, immediate, and dynamic. So as usual, you get what you pay for. I can only imagine what the Pro cables sound like. In the meantime, more MC-0.5s here I go.
The nice thing, as usual, with HFC stuff is that even crappy recordings sound great. Having your rig sound good on the great recordings is easy. Doing this with ridiculously bad recordings is a much tougher act. I am even thinking of getting out that totally asinine recording of Bruce Springsteen Born To Run. If HFC products can overwhelm that hideously overdubbed execrable recording I will be impressed indeed. Many recent recordings also come to mind that feature about 3 dB of dynamic range.
rlawry, Great news that you got the UR Speaker cable!! I felt a lot closer to the performance when moving up to the UR.
I'm thinking of more MC-0.5s too. I only have 8. I must pay off my loan to get a set of Pro Speaker cable before I get any more -05s, so next year. I plan to do an in depth report on the UR vs PRO once I have a Pro with time on it.
Benjie: Thanks for the information on your system and travails of using power conditioners. I have never had luck with them on power amps, even the very nice PS Audio jobs as they do seem to rob the system of dynamics and immediacy. I currently use an HFC URH power conditioner that does all the things you mentioned: tactility, dynamics, and immediacy. I find myself listening to jazz albums more than ever and hearing things I have never heard before. I also have a full loom of URH signal cables and upgrading the speaker cables from U to UR was an amazing improvement, so I think that with the riddance of the conventional power conditioner in your system you will continue to hear improvements. Now to figure out how to get URH and Pro signal cables......
benjie I had a very similar problem, I have a PSaudio P10 it use to feed my Hemisphere which had my pre amp and disc player plugged into it. My amp is plugged into its dedicated 20 amp line with 7 MC O.5 on the same line. When i removed the P10 from the loop and Plugged the Hemisphere straight to the wall. My sound stage in the midst and highs just explode for the better. The base took another 150 hours before it took off for the better. It is slowly getting better across the board with more hours on it. long break in seam to help the High Fidelity products work their magic. enjoy Pete
Benjie, thanks for your report on the power issues. I think it is good to know what external forces may cause problems for Magnetic items.
Interest that Rick would say use the biggest wire possible. This may be true when connecting to Magnetic Conduction power. I have found that with electrical power, 10AWG soild copper wire to sounded the best in systems I've built, but it will be interesting to hear what huge copper wire does with Mag power if you, or anyone tries that. Please let us know? If bigger is better in this arena, then maybe I'll try some OO AWG to the outlet box. 10 gauge is the biggest wire i can connect directly to an outlet. The bigger the wire the harder it is to work with. )) being nearly impossible. ;-) D
rlawry, good to hear how things are going with your system. I know what you mean about the efforts to move up the line. I used Paypal credit to help get a piece but then have to pay off Paypal for the next 6 months. I do get to have a Pro speaker cable with the effort. Hopefully arriving in a few weeks. I do find ways to improve my overall sound by improving my power distribution system. I quit using non magnetic power filtering as it robs music.
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