High Fidelity Cables CT-1designed by Rick Schultz


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

Al
alpass
Just some notes taken during different times in the break in process.
UR IC's, Wonderfully taut percussiveness,quick, with notes hanging in the air,deep bottom end on Carla Lowther's Captain Courageous, the lows plummeted to new depths. On Chris Botti's Lisa the horn was smooth with just the right amount of bite.
385 hours on the IC's. Highly recommend Cross My Heart by Suzy Bogguss.
Also (I wish I had a) Heart of Stone by Ballie and The Boys, kind of Country but nice music to listen too, nicely recorder forCountry&western, there is a lovely delicacy to the lingering of notes, just hanging in the air but also with speed and intimacy that is captivating with low hours in the break in period. Deep bass but not in a warm bloated way, more in the range of the nether region, taut percussive plumbing to deep depthbut lows not akin to RCA Black-plate tubes which somehow seem a tad bloated.
UR speaker cables have only 18 hours on them at this point.
They just excel in information retrieval. Startling dynamics that make you jump and look where that sound came from.
It's Alive
Charlie Haden & Pat Metheny ( The Moon is a Harsh Mistress) makes me never want to go see them as they are performing live in my listening room. Their Two For The Road sounds so beautiful.
Ry Cooder & Manual Galba'n ( Boler Sonambulo) ,think slow tango with a groove had me dancing with a rose between my teeth,lol. Everything is you are there in the venue.
Brian Bromberg ( Goodbye) For my Father is so acoustically true, if I could listen 24/7 I would, the experience of listening is so much more enjoyable, I loved my system before but it is at such a levell now I just can't imagine it getting that much better and that is with only 35 hours on speaker cables.
200 hours now on speaker cables, now upper mid-range is stunning. Notes throughout frequencies has settled out so smoothly.
I broke these in on a Panny XR700 for burn in purposes, as it was the only digital/SS amp I could use one of my Hypex NC400 mono's went belly up. All my evaluations have been done with tube amps (as expected).
The annunciated breath and their vocal pronunciation is in the first class traveling section of High Fidelity.
300 hours now. Melissa Ethredge (Angels Would Fall Live has incredible realism in her voice and sonic.
Montego Bay by Razoof is deep deep deep,albeit not my favorite genre of reggae, as it is to current with its Dub sound, that being said it is the best it has ever sounded.
350 hours now has Eva Cassidy What A Wonderful World which has a bass line that is fat and live at Blues Alley makes me feel like I'm in the club, simply wonderful.

Thats about it for now, more hours needed, probablt double what I have on them but as others have said" Rick is onto to something very special here.
Rick said he would send me out a couple of those new Power cables to give a whirl, can't wait!
Calloway, in you statement:
i have had the Elrod Statement Gold and have auditioned the HF UR powercord and the difference is significant....in my system,.....much faster..better vocals..tighter bass / transient attack..better instrument seperation..just BETTER..

Just to clarify, which of the two power cables was the Better in you system?
Ddraudt...sorry if i did not make that clear..the HF UR was clearly the better pc..again, i am sorry for the confusion..
@Ddraught @Calloway@audiolabyrinth. I put the High Fidelity Ultimate Reference power cord today and all I got to say is wowwwwww. I put it on my amplifier I only have a classe ca2200 and it opened it completely up. It was a very musically natural sound. It just flat out improved everything. It took the piano and put it in my room for real. I can hear the inside of the drums. I can hear every cymbal tap and decay. Cymbals trail off like vapor now. It's layered properly. It's just musically fast in a good way. It single handily improved my PRAT. The pace is just amazing I was listening to the Christian Mcbride Trio and it was just amazing how sounded. It gives all of the bass playing of Mcbride with the speed and timbre of the instrument which is not easy to do. Everything now has more air around it. Spacing between instruments is done properly as well. It is a natural coming together. I know. All of this from a power cord? I couldn't believe it myself. Rick said to me that this power cord will make the difference of a component change. He was right. I know that my amp only retails for about $6000 but this power cord gets every single bit of performance out of it and adds to the rest of the system. Today I got the best sound I have ever had after inserting the High Fidelity Ultimate Reference Power Cable. Highly recommended. It is seldom when I can say I heard the best item in a equipment area I have ever heard. Today is one of those days.
Calvinj, I can sense your enthusiasm which I think is the best measure of a review. You, like me, are in the strange place of loving a power cord that costs exceeds the component on which it is used and further remarking that we don't want to do without it.

Mine is a little more warped, as I have a BMC PureDac ($1780) plus a pair of HFC UR ics ($8900) and a HFC UR RHODIUM 1.5 m pc ($13,575).