[leif8660]

We now have the full loom of Ultra cables in our sound room.  We shared these pics on the VSA Facebook page but I thought I would post here as well.

[gammajo]

Very Nice, congratulations! SO do the Ultra PC compare to the Signature PC???????????????

[violetmachan]

congrats
price list for power cords?.....any one compared signature and ultras powercords performance
pm lief...if possible
Sam

[es347]

We now have the full loom of Ultra cables in our sound room.  We shared these pics on the VSA Facebook page but I thought I would post here as well.

..those 55s would sound much better if you installed a power cord  ...now...pls cease and desist posting this erotica 

[leif8660]

congrats
price list for power cords?.....any one compared signature and ultras powercords performance
pm lief...if possible
Sam

We are the only ones who have the Ultra PC's at this moment.  They will be at Axpona where after show hours we will be showing the differences in the cables.  It's going to be fun.

As I have said in some other post...

I believe the Signature PC's are just as good if not better than the most expensive PC's.  With that being said,  the Ultra PC's were a speechless improvement over the Signatures.  Let me share with you that the engineer for MasterBuilt had Signature PC's in his system.  Once he put the Ultra in for testing before he sent it to me, he had to put the Signatures back into his system.  As good as the Signatures are, he is replacing them with Ultra's now knowing what is possible.  As I said, once you go Ultra you can't go back. 

[ACHiPo]

I like how the armed guards are out of frame--that's got to be over $100k in wire?

[JerryM]

I like how the armed guards are out of frame--that's got to be over $100k in wire?

That's the same thing I thought! 

That's not a sweater vest he's wearing. It's bullet-proof. 

[kernelbob]

I started building a full loom system of MasterBuilt Signature interconnects and power cords back in 2011.  Over these last five years I've been consistently impressed with their musicality, speed, power, wide frequency response, etc.  I've been very happy with the system and continue to recommend the MB Signature series to anyone looking to build a highly revealing system with uncanny low level resolution.

That being said, now that I have a full loom of Masterbuilt Ultra interconnects and speaker cables, they reveal an "undiscovered land" of low level resolution retrieval, micro dynamics, bass slam, three dimensional realism, and most especially an even better sense of solidity of instruments and voices.  All this while getting out of the way of the music and letting my VR100XS system generate an even more realistic holographic image.

Of all the Masterbuilt Signature components, I was always most certain that the power cords had reached the pinnacle of technology.  It's been very entertaining to demonstrate to visitors what happens when a Signature power cord is replaced with other "high end" power cords.  Now, hearing from Leif what the new Ultra power cords bring to the table is disconcerting, knowing first hand how important the MB Signature power cords have been to my system's performance.  As Leif said, "one you go Ultra, you can't go back".

Unfortunately, repeating the mantra "must not think about the Ultra power cords", isn't working too well for me.

[leif8660]

That's the same thing I thought! 

That's not a sweater vest he's wearing. It's bullet-proof. 

That's hilarious...

Now that I look at the picture of Damon, it does kind of looks like a bullet proof vest. lol

[rajacat]

How much does a full loom cost?

[Nick B]

How much does a full loom cost?

+1

[leif8660]

Hi All,

I think the Ultra Line as well as MasterBuilt products in general needs to be put into perspective given all the prejudices about cable in our industry; both deserving and undeserving.

From what I can tell, the best High-End Audio cable manufacturers fall into one of two categories.  They are either “hobby” engineers or great marketers. 

The Hobby Engineers have gone as far as they have with the relatively limited resources available to develop their products and their successes reflect that.  Some even suffer from the stubborn and short sighted “not designed here” prejudices that ultimately impact the performance of their products.

Then there are the great cable marketers that are High-End Audio’s equivalent of Bose.  They sell products made overseas and have incredible markup to support their advertising expenses and the industry standard discounts they themselves have created. 

Most of the negative perspectives towards cables come from the latter group while we struggle to identify and buy cable from the former group.

MasterBuilt doesn’t fit into either of these two categories.  This product is the pinnacle of U.S. Aerospace signal transmission technology created by the world leading engineers in this industry using the resources and knowledge available to them.  This cable is manufactured using proprietary technology from rare and precious alloys only produced by this industry here in the U.S.

When these engineers saw the “technological” claims being made by high-end audio cable companies, they saw an incredible opportunity to develop products that would simply outclass the competition.  For example, they were horrified to see companies selling large gauge single run silver plated copper given the inherent flaws in signal transmission speeds of the two disparate materials and it’s resulting unnatural sound.  And that’s just one example that doesn’t reflect the broad spectrum of engineering concerns the developers should be addressing in signal interactions, arcing, signal degradation, impedance, etc.

The signal purity is the highest priority.

Please understand…
It is NOT in MasterBuilts best interest to educate the competition, so I’m not going to go into great detail. 

So MasterBuilt was born and they steadily developed and released four unique audio cables lines.  The MSRPS were factored from materials budgets (just like all products) seeking to satisfy specific market segments.  Here are the four lines of MasterBuilt cables and the systems they should be paired with.

MasterBuilt Purple Line
The MasterBuilt Purple Line is our highest value line and is manufactured in the US by leaders in the Aerospace Industry utilizing laboratory grown single crystal copper.    MasterBuilt Purple Line rates in the top 10% of all high-end audio cables and is recommended for use in systems costing upwards of $25,000.

MasterBuilt Reference Line (Previously known as “Standard”)
MasterBuilt Reference Line is just that, audio reference quality sound reproduction.  Manufactured in the US by leaders in the Aerospace Industry, it utilizes laboratory grown single crystal copper.  This line rates in the top 5% off all high-end audio cables and is recommended for systems costing upwards of $50,000.

MasterBuilt Signature Line
MasterBuilt Signature Line is above reference grade cables.  It’s manufactured in the US by leaders in the Aerospace Industry utilizing laboratory grown single crystal copper.  This line rates in the top 2-3% off all high-end audio cables and is recommended for any high-end system regardless of price.

MasterBuilt Ultra Line
Simply put, MasterBuilt Ultra Line is the best of the best and deservedly holds its spot in the top 1% of all high-end audio cables.  Manufactured by leaders in the Aerospace Industry utilizing rare and precious alloys only produced here in the US.  The MasterBuilt Ultra Line belongs in the world’s finest audio systems. 

As you can see, Ultra is exactly that and we’re fortunate to have a full loom system to display at shows.  Budget wise, the VR-55s could be paired with the Signature Line.  But the truth is that Ultra can make a $200 pair of bookshelf speakers from Best Buy sound amazingly better.  I know because we’ve tried it.  So when we go to shows, we take the best and it demonstrates what the speakers are capable of. 

But the Ultra are not for everyone based strictly on their cost.  In fact, it’s a huge investment for us to have a full loom for our trade shows.  That said, every product in the MasterBuilt Ultra Line is less expensive meter for meter than the Nordost Odin Line of cables.  And they are so much better. 

But don’t take out word for it, come to AXPONA and hear it for yourself?  And soon local dealers like Blue Smoke Entertainment Systems will have them in their demo systems as we establish a MasterBuilt dealer network.  And our plan is to have reviews come out this year as well so the critiques can give their feedback.

[Nick B]

Thanks for your response. Im just curious like rajacat whether you're at the Skogrand level or something in between. Pricing doesn't remain a mystery very long and I don't think audiophiles care much one way or the other. Good luck with the product line.

[DARTH AUDIO]

Leif, can't wait to hear the music in the VSA room at Axpona!! Next in the audio budget are the Masterbuilt Ultra cables!!

See ya @ Axpona,

Gary

[gammajo]

You are showing the VR55s at Axpona with VAC, correct?

[JackD201]

That's hilarious...

Now that I look at the picture of Damon, it does kind of looks like a bullet proof vest. lol

Luke Skywalker needs no friggin' bullet proof vest 

[leif8660]

You are showing the VR55s at Axpona with VAC, correct?

Yes..

We will be showing with Vacs new amp and pre along with the VR-55 Aktives.  Also we wiil be using the MSB Diamond DAC.

[leif8660]

 

Luke Skywalker needs no friggin' bullet proof vest 

[BigSwede]

Please understand…
It is NOT in MasterBuilts best interest to educate the competition, so I’m not going to go into great detail. 

While I get that... in the end we are left with "trust us, these are really really good. Now give us thousands of dollars for our very special hunks of wire." Which is pretty much the sales pitch of all of the other cable companies out there too.

[JackD201]

While I get that... in the end we are left with "trust us, these are really really good. Now give us thousands of dollars for our very special hunks of wire." Which is pretty much the sales pitch of all of the other cable companies out there too.

That's precisely why as a distributor I don't talk. I lend.