Review #128 - Supreme HDMI MKII Cable - Ricable Review
Andrew G.
Source: Apple MacBook Pro
Amplifier: Adam Audio (amplified speakers in desktop system)
Acoustic Speakers: Adam Audio A5 and A7
Other: Laiv Harmony µDDC; Laiv Harmony µDAC
The following review of the Supreme HDMI MKII cable is the result of theRicable Review initiative. Ricable Review is the program designed by Ricable, which was created to collect feedback from audiophiles, in order to lead to continuous improvement of the products in the catalog. Last but not least, those who join the program receive a certificate at home, with the purpose of certifying how the customer has become a full-fledged member of the " Ricablefamily."
The following Feedback was created on the basis of a predefined questionnaire to which the user returned their impressions, in a completely free. We thank Andrew for his time.
I purchased the Ricable Supreme HDMI MKII cables in both 0.5 and 1.0 lengths to use as I²S connections between my Eversolo A8, a Laiv µDDC, and my Laiv Harmony DAC (in my main system) and the 0.5 cable between the Laiv µDDC and Laiv µDAC in my desk system. I decided to purchase these after reading many positive recommendations online and in /reddit. I was not disappointed. The sound is excellent and a huge step up from the HDMI cables I was using before.
and aesthetics of the product?
The construction is fantastic on these cables and they also look great. I like the silver and blue combination. The connectors are extremely well made and the braiding of the cables is also very tough and should withstand a lifetime of use. The connectors plug in with a good fit which is really important with the 0.5 cable which does not have a lot of bend in the short length.
I tested the cables by first burning them in for a couple of days and then performed a before and after test of my old HDMI cables versus the Ricables. The difference is noticeable, especially in soundstage width and depth. I also tested these cables against other types of digital connections from the Eversolo A8 to the Laiv µDDC and again, the I²S connection with the Ricable 1.0 m cable was a vast improvement. Same thing on the desktop system between the Laiv µDDC and the Laiv µDAC.
listening impressions?
I continued to play the system for a few days with all different types of music and at different volume levels. The detail is greatly enhanced without becoming brittle or fatiguing on long listening sessions. I did notice that the soundstage became even larger with another thirty hours of burning in. I was especially impressed at how lower level listening improved with more detail and not having to drive the speakers harder. I used these cables in my main system as well as my desktop system. The cables made a big difference in both systems with quality DACs and digital music.
Your conclusions.
These cables are extremely well made, are aesthetically pleasing, and vastly improve the sound over my previous HDMI cables when using them for the I²S connections between my streamer, my Laiv µDDC and my Laiv Harmony DAC and between the Laiv µDDC and µDAC. The sound stage is greatly improved over a what was already a very impressive soundstage with the Laiv equipment. The shipping was very fast from Italy to the US and there were no delays or problems. All of this at a very reasonable price. I ordered more cables for a second system.
What do you like?
- Increased soundstage and more detailed lower-level listening
- Very sturdy construction and a great tight fit for the connectors
- These are an excellent value for the cost
-
What would you improve?
- The website could be more friendly for US/English shoppers. Especially the notifications that are sent when you place and order and they ship
-
I purchased the Ricable Supreme HDMI MKII cables in lengths 0.5 and 1.0 to be used as I²S connections between my Eversolo A8, a Laiv µDDC and my Laiv Harmony DAC (in my main system) and the 0.5 cable between the Laiv µDDC and the Laiv µDAC in my desktop system. I decided to purchase them after reading many positive reviews online and on /reddit. I was not disappointed. The sound is excellent and is a huge step up from the HDMI cables I was using before.
and aesthetics of the product?
The construction of these cables is fantastic, and the look is great too. I like the silver and blue combination. The connectors are extremely well made and the braiding of the cables is also very durable and should withstand a lifetime of use. The connectors fit perfectly, which is really important with the 0.5 mm cable that does not have many bends despite the short length.
I tested the cables first by breaking them in for a couple of days and then performed a before-and-after test of my old HDMI cables compared to the Ricable. The difference is obvious, especially in terms of soundstage width and depth. I also tested these cables with other types of digital connections, from the Eversolo A8 to the Laiv µDDC, and again, the I²S connection with the 1 m Ricable cable showed a marked improvement. The same is true for the desktop system, between the Laiv µDDC and the Laiv µDAC.
listening impressions?
I continued to listen to the system for a few days with different genres of music and at different volume levels. The detail improved greatly, without becoming brittle or fatiguing during long listening sessions. I noticed that the soundstage became even wider with another thirty hours of break-in. I was particularly impressed with how listening at low volumes improved, with greater detail and without having to drive the speakers harder. I used these cables in both my main system and my table system. The cables made a big difference in both systems, with quality DACs and digital music.
Your conclusions.
These cables are extremely well made, aesthetically pleasing, and greatly improve the sound compared to my previous HDMI cables when I use them for I²S connections between my streamer, my Laiv µDDC and my Laiv Harmony DAC, and between the Laiv µDDC and the µDAC. The soundstage is greatly improved from what was already an impressive soundstage with the Laiv equipment. Shipping was very fast from Italy to the United States and there were no delays or problems. All this at a very reasonable price. I have ordered more cables for a second system.
What did you enjoy?
- Improved soundstage and more detailed listening at low volume
- Very sturdy construction and excellent connector sealing
- They have an excellent price/quality ratio
-
What would you improve?
- The website could be more intuitive for U.S./English buyers. Specifically, notifications sent when an order is placed and when a shipment is made
-
