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Mad Scientist Audio / HDC

73.226.102.233
Posted on April 13, 2017 at 14:45:57
Old SteveA
Audiophile

Posts: 648
Joined: March 27, 2011
 I came across the MSA website a few months ago & was intrigued by a few of their offerings,but never got around to ordering anything. Well,until about the beginning of last month anyway ! I decided to try the HDC as every 75ohm Digital Coax cable I've had have sounded pretty "generic"(including an $800 one using a "pin-lock" connector).

I finally received it the day before last & I've been pretty impressed with what I've been hearing with it so far. I don't listen to much non-acoustic music anymore as musical instrumentation without a certain level of "natural" harmonic development doesn't hold my interest any longer than it takes me to turn it off, or change it to some music that does hold my interest. It's just too much "work" to enjoy it.

For what I do prefer to listen to (largely Classical,some Jazz & some Contemporary Singer/Songwriter material)Music has been sounding a bit more Analogue sounding(minus some of the Analogue artifacts.

I couldn't help myself & I just had to send MSA a fake complaint E-mail,complaining that it was their fault that I was'nt able to get anything done due to the fact I didn't want to interrupt my music listening session.

As always YMMV & should my impressions change drastically I'll try to be honest about them.

& the best news is this cable is relatively inexpensive (but doesn't sound like it is ,at all)


 

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totally agreed..., posted on April 14, 2017 at 02:00:49
paco
Audiophile

Posts: 1520
Joined: April 26, 2000
 i liked it so much that i wrote a review (below link)

even better news: they are also great as IC's! now i'm using them both ways: 1 as digital and 2 as IC's; as a whole they transformed my system to much higher levels of SQ

 

RE: totally agreed..., posted on April 14, 2017 at 07:19:31
Old SteveA
Audiophile

Posts: 648
Joined: March 27, 2011
 So you're the guy whose review I'd read ! Nice job !

I'm not so sure, however, that it's actually a little more dynamics that you're hearing (in terms of bass & detail)if it's not as "Musical or Organic sounding" as what the presentation is from the HDC. More than likely,most of us are so used to hearing digitally recorded music presented a certain way we assume certain sound characteristics as being the "true" characteristic of the recorded music.

The longer we've been away from listening to Analog music the less we recognize the slight(or not so slight) artifacts of Digital sound.

So I need to get a set(or two) of the Analog ICs, Huh ? That sounds like a good plan. Have you had any experience with the Black Discus or Tubes (Which I'm thinking of trying on the speaker cables of my Maggie 2.7QRs) ?

Thanks for the input,
Steve

 

RE: totally agreed..., posted on April 14, 2017 at 09:48:43
paco
Audiophile

Posts: 1520
Joined: April 26, 2000
 >>So you're the guy whose review I'd read ! Nice job !

yep, thanks!

>>The longer we've been away from listening to Analog music the less we recognize the slight(or not so slight) artifacts of Digital sound.

you may well be totally right! i sold my vinyls 30 years ago, so i hardly remember the sound!... :)

>>So I need to get a set(or two) of the Analog ICs, Huh ? That sounds like a good plan.

well, since you like the HDC you will like the HAC: they follow the same lines and principles...

>>Have you had any experience with the Black Discus or Tubes (Which I'm thinking of trying on the speaker cables of my Maggie 2.7QRs) ?

i've got a couple of small discus but didn't have much time, nor patience, to experiment

now i'm using their new Graphene contact enhancer to very good results!

>>Thanks for the input,

you're very welcome!

 

I like it as a digital cable..., posted on April 18, 2017 at 02:29:14
91derlust
Audiophile

Posts: 1101
Joined: December 25, 2014
 but have not had success using it as an analogue cable in my system. But, I think the issues are down to system impedances; others really like them in their systems.

Cheers,
91.

"Confusion of goals and perfection of means seems to characterise our age." Albert Einstein

 

RE: I like it as a digital cable..., posted on April 18, 2017 at 05:56:51
paco
Audiophile

Posts: 1520
Joined: April 26, 2000
 very very strange indeed! did you allow them enough time to break-in?

i compared them as analogue IC's with my best Jupiter wire in cotton,
by using exactly the same RCA plugs, and the HAC's won hands down!!
clearly much better in every parameter!!

perhaps you may want to give them another try...

best, paco

 

RE: Mad Scientist Audio / HDC, posted on April 18, 2017 at 08:23:33
double28
Audiophile

Posts: 3235
Location: Greensboro, NC
Joined: February 20, 2008
 I just got one last week and so far it really shines with my system. Their customer service is excellent.

Nice products and very nice people to deal with.

Will

 

RE: Mad Scientist Audio / HDC, posted on April 18, 2017 at 13:29:24
Old SteveA
Audiophile

Posts: 648
Joined: March 27, 2011
 Absolutely !!!!

I was pretty impressed with that itsy-bitsy Orange Dark Chocolate bar that was included (along with the Graphene Contact Enhancer:That I've been placing on everything from Tube pins to my various IC connector to my 2.5mm & 1/4" Headphone connectors)included w/ my Order.

All these little "perks" were greatly appreciated ! (& as I've already stated the HDC has really been delivering the "Goods")

They may have to change the company name as there's nothing "Mad" about having solid performance from a product. I tend to think that a huge amount of "Conventional Wisdom" based Audio Equipment hasn't necessarily worked to my expected level of satisfaction as often as I've liked!

It could be I'm way more selective of the Source Material I'll even listen to. Maybe "CW" based equipment sounds better on less than acceptable (less than I'll accept,anyway)material.

Hmmm... Is Conventional Wisdom similar to "Artificial Intelligence" ? (That would explain a lot !)

 

RE: Mad Scientist Audio / HDC, posted on April 18, 2017 at 14:10:14
double28
Audiophile

Posts: 3235
Location: Greensboro, NC
Joined: February 20, 2008
 Received package at my office. My son works for me and he brought in the package, hanging around to see what Pop has bought now. He jumped on the orange chocolate bar. Nice touch by Bob. Haven't tried the contact enhancer but will will this weekend.

Will

 

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