Product: HD Power + 2 cables
Manufacturer: HiDiamond_® - Italy
Approximate price (3 meters pair with forks): 490 $/Euros
Reviewer: Stefano Monteferri
Reviewed: September 2001

After some time since the presentation of the HD Signal + cables, let's talk about HiDiamond® again, a new Italian company that produces signal and power cables characterized by high quality and competitive price.

We have the chance today to test the most prestigious model of the Power series, that is the HD Power + 2. It is a power cable which, with a cost cheaper than one million liras for the 3+3 meter terminal couple, promises excellent performance and on the basis of what the company affirms, is comparable to the quality obtainable by power cables costing three times as much or more.

Considering the was above-mentioned, I should say that there is enough to infuse the test of these HD Power+2 cables with a certain interest…

The technique

The cable, which is dull black and does not have a striking appearance (but is also available with a nice and elegant perl-grey external finishing), is thicker than average (about 13mm), but is definitely characterized by a high level of flexibility (the external sheath is made of PVC) which helps its handling and laying.

The dimensions and the quality of the supplied forks, with which the cables are terminated, strike you immediately and positively. They are really excellent components, that are of the solderless type but which have the ability to be quite heavily tourqued through a pair of tightening screws.

The six internal conductors, made of extremely pure multistrand copper,are put in such a way that they form a kind of circle. Each conductor has got a diameter of 13 AWG and the dielectric used is the expanded polypropylene type(Cellular Polypropylene).

The cable is directional, with the direction for correct use stamped right on the external sheath.

The sound

The characteristics that struck me most positively, during the listening test of these HiDiamond® power cables, were the control and articulation in the low and low-mid range and with the stability and focusing of the virtual image.

When I analyse cables, the parameters such as the coherence and the accuracy in the low range as well as the accuracy in the reconstruction of the scene, are very important. If a cable does not pass this test, I do not consider it a good cable. The HD Power + 2 cables passed this first difficult test excellently and this allows me to face the following analyses on the remaining musical characteristics with a certain tranquillity.

As time wore on during the listening test, I had the chance to appreciate a low range that has an optimum depth, which together with the above-mentioned articulation and control, reaching even the low-mid, is very enjoyable and transparent.

The mid-range is very pleasant and combines characteristics like warmth and softness balanced with the necessary brightness and transparency. The upper region of the sound spectrum is a continuation, proving to be detailed and thick without, however, particularly underlining it. The thickness and smoothness are good, but you never have the impression of dealing with what can be defined as a bright sound almost "chromium plated" like, for example, those which can be found in some productions that use silver as a conductor. The upper treble is airy and refined giving to the reproduction some detail from which the reconstruction of the virtual image gets a benefit.

The image, as it was above-mentioned, is stable, focused, deep, and airy and with the sonorous planes well laid out, not confused or uncertain. This image is an optimal result in which to make intelligible and better appreciate the reproduction of your own favorite music.

Selectivity and contrast are optimum and this helps the performance in terms of microdynamics, with small impulse information emerging easily. The macrodynamics are good too and can be expressed freely without any sense of compression that would limit the enjoyableness and the impact.

Overall the musical result is very interesting. I never had the impression of dealing with a component whose character needed to be carefully evaluated depending on the components in the listening chain. Neutrality, accuracy and balance seem to be the main characteristics of the HD Power + 2, which is what makes it suitable for use in the most well-heeled chains of audio reproduction.

The evolution of the species

During the test of the HD Power + 2, I was also asked to evaluate, before everyone else, a prototype of the same company, which represents the evolution of the power cable in question. It is the biwiring version of the Power + 2, to be used in case you have the double terminal board on your own speakers. I did not miss this chance and here I am to report to you the differences that I noticed between the two models.

The elimination of the two jumper connections in favor of the biwire improved all the parameters in the high-mids and trebble range, thus appreciating more details, a better focusing and a more evident sense of general amplitude for the benefit of the sonic reconstruction, mainly as to height and accuracy.

The total result is therefore characterized by a major sense of opening and general brightness and the sound is more lively and determined. The positive considerations are, as already noted for the standard model, still valid, as to the remaining part of the sound spectrum.

While I am writing these notes, the biwiring version of the HD Power + 2 is not yet on sale, but Mr Salvatore Filippelli, president of the HiDiamond®, assured me that it will be available in the next Top Audio & Video, in which the company wants to take part.

Complaints

The most spectacular facet of these HD Power + 2 cables, the great and excellent forks, can be in some cases their major limit. If you have amplifiers or speakers with very small and/or close output and input terminals, you could have problems in tightening the forks, which are provided with a double clutch, and in avoiding contact with each other. Needless to say, that if there are good terminal boards, the issue becomes diametrically opposite.

Conclusions

Through the test of these HD Power + 2 cables, I could notice that HiDiamond® carries on its offer in a serious and respectful way according to its basic policy, that is to offer optimum products at prices, which are not low but are, however, rather far from those others which are higher priced but of a similar level.

I would like to thank the whole HiDiamond® staff very much for letting us testing these optimus HD Power + 2 cables before everyone else.

Copyright © 2001 Stefano Monteferri - http://www.tnt-audio.com