High Fidelity Cables?


I’ve noticed for the past week or so, that my favorite cable manufacturer, High Fidelity Cables, is closed due to Covid.  Anyone know anything more?

louisl

Showing 2 responses by rlawry

I believe there were a number of reasons HFC went out of business other than escalating stratospheric pricing. First, their customer service was weak to put it mildly. Second, the constant innovation and model upgrades quickly obsoleted current technology and undermined the value of the cables you now had. Third, HFC became dependent on huge discounts offered directly through their website. In other words, if you paid full price you really weren’t trying hard. Fourth, the deep discounts offered directly undermined the profitability of their dealers. Fifth, they suffered increasingly pricey and difficult to obtain raw materials which adversely affected cash flow. I submit that these problems in a product area that is misunderstood and ridiculed by many audiophiles and laymen alike doomed them to bankruptcy. It was good while it lasted.

It is a shame they went out of business but in my opinion it was an unsustainable business model.  If there were one thing in audio that was a sure bet for sonic improvement it was HFC products, no matter the gizmo or how many you already had.  Other products in audio, not so much.  Some are improvements, some make little difference, and some even make the sound worse.  I hope that once the dust clears Rick develops a new business but also hope that pricing is a little more sane.