Abyss out of Pro ICAN - Setting crossed off for everything, no bass enhancements.

Sarah McLachlan - Fear (44/16)

Kimber + HFC RCA

Sarah McLachlan - Fear

- The DC is much more melodic and smooth, much more musical and natural.

- Kimber comes off a bit grainy and unnatural

- Kimber is brighter and flatter. Really lacks the natural dimensional sound.

Danacable ICs

- It is definitely truer in tone to the DAVE than the HFC.

- the DAVE is warmer and more textured

- DAVE is more bodied.

- DC is leaner but well-controlled

HFC CT-1E

vs DAVE

- DAVE has more energy but the HFC makes it sound quite natural, warmer.

- DAVE is more detailed and holographic

- Micro-details are a bit masked outside the DAVE, loses a bit of its dynamics.

- warmth is welcomed, more musical and smooth.

The DAVE is in-between these two cables, but closer to the tonality of the DC (but with a bit more warmth and body). Overall, the HFC does sound quite nice. DAVE is much blacker than the other two. HFC is slightly veiled but very musical compared to the rest. DC is a tiny bit leaner than the DAVE but very close in tonality and almost as detailed. Timbre wise, I think the other two sound better than DAVE (could be because Rob used the Nighthawks?). HFC has a more romantic sound, a bit flatter than the DC.

Jane Monheit - Over the Rainbow (44/16)

  • DC has more clarity over the HFC. HFC is very romantic sounding...which isn't bad. Timbre is great...but obviously the HFC colors the sound warmer.
  • Getting the feeling that HFC gear works best with the DAVE.
  • Both much blacker background and clarity than the HFC
  • HFC does sound more natural though, timbre is beautiful, just misses a bit of micro-details and refinement.
  • DC has that goosebumps level of detail.
  • This sounds best out of the DAVE, best of both worlds. Sounds closer to the DC for sure. You get more detail in the vocal dips and elevations. More insightful and realism.

Gene Harris - Falling in Love with Love (DSD64)

  • DAVE is more dynamic and refined than the DC. Drums and piano sound much more delineated and alive than the DC.
  • HFC is not as well delineated as the other two, key presses aren't as defined.
  • DC you could hear every hit of the drum. Very insightful sound. Better resolution than the HFC, HFC a bit fuzzy.
  • Out of DAVE sounds best.

Steely Dan - Peg (DSD64)

  • HFC is more laid back and less detailed. DC is very close to the direct DAVE with slightly less detail and energy.
  • HFC always sounds more natural though...so not a bad thing.

Shostakovich - Wigglesworth, NPO - Shostakovich Symph.9 I. Allegro (DSD64)

  • HFC sounds very lush and organic.
  • DC sounds a lot more holographic and more depth. Better separationing and much more detailed. HFC a bit flat in comparison.
  • DAVE sounds best, more meat on the bones vs DC. More depth. DC sounds a bit flat compared to the DAVE.
  • I wonder if this changes if it's a direct to speaker/headphone. Maybe the cables don't work well with this amp. Maybe it's the amp that's flattening out the sound? The Headtrip was expansive.

Set DAVE to DAC mode (doh):

Chet Baker - Alone Together (DSD64)

  • DC is definitely leaner than the DAVE
  • DAVE much more meat and dimension.
  • DAVE has a larger sound than the both.
  • HFC is flatter, basically trades detail for warmth.
  • Basically the DAVE is the best and it's probably the amp not giving the cables their best shot.
  • On DAVE you could delineate every piano hit, but not with the amp and other two.

Impression: 4/19/2017

  • HFC is a smoother, warmer cable with a natural timbre. Just fuzzy around the edges.
  • DC is more transparent, more spacious, and gets really close to the sound of the DAVE minus some meat on the bones and micro-details.