Master Built-What are Owners Hearing That They Didn't Hear With Other Cables

These cables and High Fidelity cables seem to work and synergise with any system. I am very curious about both.

http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/masterbuilt-audio-official-debut/



The following is a press release issued by MasterBuilt Audio.

California | December 22, 2016 - MasterBuilt Audio is pleased to announce the official debut of our high-resolution audio cables with the unveiling of four complete product lines – Performance, Reference, Signature and Ultra – which range from entry-level to the ultimate in signal fidelity. Each of these product lines offers the full range of cables to connect and compliment any sound system, including power cords, digital cables, interconnects, and speaker cables.

This announcement marks the culmination of nearly 10 years of research and development in signal-transmission science for the purpose of hi-fi audio. The genesis of MasterBuilt Audio’s groundbreaking cables can be traced back to the U.S. aerospace program. Our engineers benefit from the latest in signal-transmission technology developed for mission-critical projects requiring wire systems with the lowest-reactance. From refinement to final fabrication, our audio cables are manufactured wholly in the U.S. by leaders in the aerospace industry.

The end result delivers what we have found to be the purest transmission with the lowest distortion or noise level currently available by any cable on the market.

Early in the development process we collaborated with Von Schweikert Audio. Immediately impressed with the performance, they began using our cables at audio shows and later as the internal wiring for their entire line of loudspeakers. Through this co-development process, our cables have performed at numerous audio shows over the last six years alongside many industry-leading components, garnering both recognition and several show awards.

While these awards are significant, MasterBuilt Audio understands the need to demonstrate its individual performance claims and will seek reviews from the critical press for 2017 as part of our product rollout. To assist with this launch, we have partnered with Von Schweikert Audio as our global distributor in order to build our distribution network. Interested dealers and international distributors should contact Mr. Leif Swanson for details on available territories.

MasterBuilt Audio
Globally Distributed by Von Schweikert Audio
California, USA www.masterbuiltaudio.com – leif@vonschweikert.com

PeterA,

On post #359, when I am in my system building mode, I feel that I am the orchestra's conductor and I will create a sound that will appeal to my mood. I will approach it in any direction based on my gut feel of the moment. I'm willing to fine tune by changing any part in the system's chain.

Congratulations to MB are in order for impressing so many folks, and getting so many awards. I just went through the entire site, and the Technology section is a pleasure to read. However, the unanswered question remains, how do they compare with similarly stratospherically priced cables. So far, the few data points we have seem to indicate that folks are comparing their very old cables (Valhalla, MIT "V dot" series) and/or very low-priced cables (Shunyata) with the best of MB - hardly apples to apples, and unfortunately, price is all we have to use as the basis, due to lack of detailed comparisons. Let me know if I got any of this wrong.

I am sure I will like them, based on what you guys have said. But I can also think of a lot other ultra expensive cables... MIT Oracle interconnects, for example, run in the $20K and $30K range, while speaker cables approach $80K.

I will turn the tables around and ask again: how much did you spend (retail) on MB, and what retail-priced cables did you replace. From a cursory look and slight guess, you probably spent over 4X on MB cables, so sure, they must be better, I'll give you that.

Cabling is so system dependent. I don't believe there is one size fits all. Very important to audition first.

PeterA,

Back to your post #359, one does not need a full loom. In my present set up, I mix the ultra cables with FMA cables in the main system. For my bedroom system, I use a mix of signature sc with MIT ic.

As for prioritizing the use of one's budget on cables or improving the front end, I suppose one has to audition and decide for oneself.

MadFloyd said:

Cabling is so system dependent. I don't believe there is one size fits all. Very important to audition first.

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This is what my experience tells me, too. However, from the reports on this thread, these MB cables seem to be the best cables everyone who has tried them has ever heard in their system. This would seem to negate the entire concept of system synergy. These cables seem to offer the universal cable solution: the best cable for every system. We usually read that "this" cable does this well, but "that" cable does this slightly better, depending on how resolving the system is, or its tonal character, etc.

The MB cables seem to have no character of their own. They simply make the necessary connection between components and get out of the way. This would seem ideal. To be fair, Steve does suggest that they be tried in one's system before buying, but he has also said that he is not aware of anyone who returned them after the audition. It would be fascinating to hear from someone who tried them and actually preferred something else.

This thread, full of very positive user reports, has been extremely effective at creating brand awareness, at least here at WBF. For that, I agree with ack. WB should be congratulated.

mullard88 said:

PeterA,

On post #359, when I am in my system building mode, I feel that I am the orchestra's conductor and I will create a sound that will appeal to my mood. I will approach it in any direction based on my gut feel of the moment. I'm willing to fine tune by changing any part in the system's chain.

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Mullard, If, like a conductor, you add these cables, (or other components), to "fine tune" the overall character of the sound of a system, how would you describe the MB's contribution to the sound? Do they add a specific characteristic or do they remove all hints of coloration and distortion, to allow the rest of the components to reach their full potential? Steve has described these cables as completely free of coloration (paraphrasing).

I have not went thru all the thread (lazy mind today) but it will be hard for me to change my Echole setup for anything else, in my system that metallurgy does work! (depth, tone, engagement factor, etc..)

Actually Steve, The MBUs cost less than Sam's cables. Sam only mentioned what happened to be in use at the time not what he has. Sam is unique in that he likes switching things around depending on his mood. Few of us have the luxury of doing so, none of us as far as I know have as wide an array of electronics and accessories at our disposal. So, it's not necessarily that the MBs will replace the others in all applications. The Sensory Powers and the other MITs, including those with those articulation thingees (some custom made for him) I believe will remain in the rotation options among others. I'm just very happy that the MBs are with an owner that really appreciates them.

Oh and Sam, You've always had great sound and since you are a big Spectral guy, I guess I figured that you might not be that interested because of the warranty thing so I never really offered you the MBs. I guess it's a blessing because at the time the Ultras weren't out yet. It was only when you told me that in 30 years with Spectral neither you nor Ken have actually busted anything using any other cables. That made me wonder if the problem is not the cables but rather unstable signal sources and that the filters are meant to protect against those.

Steve Williams said:

MIT and Transparent are indeed expensive but they have network boxes and IMO add some coloration. MB has no network and I will say it again, they are the most neutral uncolored cable I have ever heard. This along with the top and bottom extension of the cable with dynamics, detail, bass and timbre like I have also never heard before.


I suggested to you Tasos, who boasts of having high end TOL cables with which to compete that you would be the perfect person to audition these cables. As I said you just might be astonished as to what you hear. I will take your flak about using less than current cables in making my comparison so why don't "you" who has the current cables stop taking pot shots and do a simple comparison in your system. OR are you just afraid of what you might hear.

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Steve, I hear what you are saying about MIT and Transparent. I'm sure they both add some coloration, though I have not tested them in controlled circumstances to know how or to what degree.

I'll be the first to admit: I am afraid of what I MIGHT hear if auditioning the WB cables in my own system. That is because I know I can't afford them, and I do not think it would be fair to audition them under false pretenses. I'm very open to hearing them in another system at someone's house, though that would not be as conclusive an audition. Based on what Mullard just wrote about mixing cables, I am also thinking of contacting Leif and asking what one cable might have the biggest impact in my particular system and just trying that without commitment. I'm wondering if it might be the phono cable. That would be easy, fun, and I'm sure quite informative.

I quite well remember my first taste of champagne and chocolate covered strawberries.

Steve Williams said:

MIT and Transparent are indeed expensive but they have network boxes and IMO add some coloration. MB has no network and I will say it again, they are the most neutral uncolored cable I have ever heard. This along with the top and bottom extension of the cable with dynamics, detail, bass and timbre like I have also never heard before.


I suggested to you Tasos, who boasts of having high end TOL cables with which to compete that you would be the perfect person to audition these cables. As I said you just might be astonished as to what you hear. I will take your flak about using less than current cables in making my comparison so why don't "you" who has the current cables stop taking pot shots and do a simple comparison in your system. OR are you just afraid of what you might hear. As JackD201 said several weeks ago (in jest) that the only thing more interested people will do is add to the already lengthy queue of the lines of people waiting for their cables. It just took over 6 weeks to get mine and only yesterday did Leif bring over the Ultra PC's

Tasos you are talking silly now. Take the test and see if as Mad Floyd says that cables are system dependent. How about Mullard88 in Manila who has more systems and cables than any of us here and read what he has to say. Or better yet you and other Spectral owners have read what Sam said about the use of MB cable instead of Spectral or MIT and never so much had so much as a hiccup by his Spectral amp

You have always come across as scientifically oriented yet all you have to say about the cable is that it is 4X the price. Hence it must be good. Where's the science in that Tasos.

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As I said yesterday, PRICE is all we have to compare with, because no one is forthcoming with *details* on the cables' performance. So let's stop this. I have no intention of comparing $100K cables against my paltry lot - we need to be comparing apples to apples, and no one here so far has done that to any reasonable degree; that's the "scientific" thing to say and do. Just show me one MB patent and then we can compare with MIT's, and then take it from there. So I am going to leave it at that. And I will continue refraining from personal comments. Enjoy the cables, and do read what Jack says in #373 about MITs & MB ("rotating" vs "replacing")!

PeterA said:

Steve, I hear what you are saying about MIT and Transparent. I'm sure they both add some coloration, though I have not tested them in controlled circumstances to know how or to what degree.

I'll be the first to admit: I am afraid of what I MIGHT hear if auditioning the WB cables in my own system. That is because I know I can't afford them, and I do not think it would be fair to audition them under false pretenses. I'm very open to hearing them in another system at someone's house, though that would not be as conclusive an audition. Based on what Mullard just wrote about mixing cables, I am also thinking of contacting Leif and asking what one cable might have the biggest impact in my particular system and just trying that without commitment. I'm wondering if it might be the phono cable. That would be easy, fun, and I'm sure quite informative.

I quite well remember my first taste of champagne and chocolate covered strawberries.

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Hi Peter, as far as ICs go, the consensus is that somehow they have positive results wherever they go in the chain. Kernelbob who uses a passive attenuator, says that the effect is more apparent between his passive pre and his amps. That makes sense. In my case I felt it was all the same. There are quite a few guys who are actually on here like Kit C but they prefer to lurk and not get embroiled in these sometimes contentious discussions. The strangest one that had all of us perplexed including Damon and Leif, was when Dafos daisy chained his XLRs with MB Sigs and he still got some of the benefits. The MB guys just laughed. Sometimes I hate them for all their friggin' secrecy. Crazy stuff. We postulate that the MBs noise rejection qualities must be helping things along somehow.

Steve Williams said:

MB has no network and I will say it again, they are the most neutral uncolored cable I have ever heard. This along with the top and bottom extension of the cable with dynamics, detail, bass and timbre like I have also never heard before.

Click to expand...

There is indeed science behind this and engineering. Sometimes someone comes a long and has a understanding of what is needed to advance the technology of a given product,it sounds like MB has done just this. These cables are out of my range,but the markers that Steve uses to describe the music reproduction,I would certainly audition them.

JackD201 said:

We postulate that the MBs noise rejection qualities must be helping things along somehow.

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Bingo! Actually it is the ability to transfer the noise from component and back to earth ground completely.

ack said:

As I said yesterday, PRICE is all we have to compare with, because no one is forthcoming with *details* on the cables' performance. So let's stop this. I have no intention of comparing $100K cables against my paltry lot - we need to be comparing apples to apples, and no one here so far has done that to any reasonable degree; that's the "scientific" thing to say and do. Just show me one MB patent and then we can compare with MIT's, and then take it from there. So I am going to leave it at that. And I will continue refraining from personal comments. Enjoy the cables, and do read what Jack says in #373 about MITs & MB ("rotating" vs "replacing")!

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To be fair Tasos, it's not like there really is a lot of information on any cables. Sure we get a glimpse of their design theories but the math is never really shared. Caelin is one of the most open books. Max Townshend goes as far as doing square wave tests and publishing these tests on youtube. Ultimately though my guess is that for those that cables matter, such information is not the primary determinant. As far as I am concerned, its just a peripheral issue because even if you did show me the math, it would go over my head anyway. Its not such a far of thing to assume that there are many others like me that depend on perception particularly since measurements are most meaningful when one is doing it himself for correlation purposes.