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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
sabai
2,027 posts
 
Joncourage,
I have been using the ASI Liveline digital cable in series with the SR Tesla LE D3 digital cable on the source side. Even though the HiDiamond easily bests any other single digital cable I have ever had in my system the results are superior using these cables in series to using either cable singly.
sabai
2,027 posts
 
Joncourage,
In my system the HiDiamond ICs are stunning. For even better effect I am running them in series with SR Acoustic Reference ICs on the source side.
joncourage OP
177 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)....
sabai
2,027 posts
 
Joncourage,
My ears have recently been tested. I can actually hear above 16000 Hz which astounded me since I am in my 60s -- and I plum the depths, as well. So, I trust my ears. I always protected my ears when I was younger when attending concerts. I have worn wax ear plugs, when needed, for the past 35 years. I note that many of my audiophile friends who did not protect their hearing are now suffering from serious hearing loss -- some of whom I would affectionately call "handicapped" audiophiles.

Give it a go. You have nothing to lose by trying your cables in series. You may be pleasantly surprised. I recommend reversing them if the sound is not good initially. I find that doing so can often make a night-and-day difference.

My name is not Robert, by the way. Please see Robert's and my earlier statements regarding identity matters. If you are familiar with my posts over the years, I believe I could be accused of shilling for EMM, Merlin, Synergistic Research, ASI Liveline, HiDiamond, Gabriel Gold, Joseph Audio, Oyaide, AMR and Bybee, among others.
joncourage OP
177 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.
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