Virtual Dynamics David Series and Master Series cables have taken a number of us here at the magazine by surprise. It was Windy City denizens Dave Thomas and Mike Wright who first discovered these sonic marvels. After publishing the photos from the MWC 2004 celebration. Rick Schultz, Virtual Dynamic’s chief guru, wanted to know who the women in the photo was sporting the New Testament Bible. She was my aunt who insisted on attending the event and praying for everyone (most embarrassing). Schultz thought this was a most remarkable thing and expressed great respect for anyone who do such a thing (he’s no idea how much I was against it) His subsequent emails expressed interest in my auditioning Virtual Dynamic’s new Master Series line of digital cables. My only hesitation was that I was then using a quite wonderful set of cables, and I cautioned Rick, saying, “You may not get the reaction you’re hoping for.” Talk about confidence: Schultz was unfazed, convinced I would soon be using his cables as my new reference. His only other response was to ask about my system’s cable requirements, and my home address. To make a relatively short story even shorter: Virtual Dynamics Cables became my new sonic reference within the first hour of listening. Absolutely no burn-in was required, yet I’m told 300 or so hours of constant play should improve the sound considerably.

My system was so transformed by installing just the one-meter digital cable from the Master Series that, slack-jawed, I phoned Schultz and said, “Okay, tell me some more about your relationship with the Big Guy in the Sky.” Despite many hundreds of hours auditioning cables, never has one product caused such a dramatic and positive sonic shift. And though many sets of cables had arrived to vie for the lofty position of “better,” none had succeeded until Schultz months later shipped his Revelation Series. It was during this conversation that I began to take Schultz seriously about his cables, their design, and the convictions that lay behind those designs. He proved to me, beyond a shadow of doubt, what my ears had told me: these cables were the real thing, and at the end of the day that’s really all that matters. He talked and talked (as many manufacturers love to do) and I sat there listening: taking it all in like Absorbine Jr.

If you ever speak with Rick Schultz, he’s certain to mention that the secret to his cables lies in approaching the speed of light, for which he employs magnets. Yep, magnets. Speed of Light is what Schultz describes as the acceleration of electrons through wire using specially chosen neodymium magnets. Magnets may seem strange bedfellows for audio components, but Schultz will tell you, and show you, that they work. I won’t bore you with an attempt at a technical description of what’s going on in these cables. Call Rick, who is much better equipped to answer your questions.

I will say this: I did not believe that magnets could improve sound. Worsen sound? Absolutely. As a matter of fact I had used my Gryphon Demagnetizer a couple nights before for just that reason. Schultz goes further, stating, on record, that his Speed of Light theory can be fully realized outside of his cable design, and he can prove it works on just about anything running on electricity. He claims to have applied this theory to his refrigerator as well as his toaster. I was afraid to ask if the ice got colder or the toast emerged already buttered.

But I kept my peace, and thought to myself that this guy must be doing something right. Well, here comes the ultimate challenge: Schultz said he would come to my home, all the way from Alberta, and modify my Tact 2.2X preamp, 2150 amplifiers, Gryphon CD player and Apogee Big Ben external word clock with Speed of Light technology. I agreed. And I can confirm that not only does Speed of Light do exactly what Rick Schultz claims, it works even better on components than on cables. I don’t think he’d disagree, except he’d bet on even better results using his cables! (Convergent Audio Technology’s Ken Stevens shared a room with Virtual Dynamics Cables the 2005 CES. A couple of people had heard about Rick Schultz’s mods and wondered if the results were as good as claimed. Schultz challenged Stevens and modified a CAT preamp one night during the show. The transformation was nothing short of astounding, and there were a dozen or so non-believers in the room! Schultz got very busy after the show I should add.)

To really know Schultz’s cables you first have to know the man. Schultz, a devout Christian, has no doubt about his cables coming from what he describes as a Godly intervention. He is the only person whom I’ve met in this industry who attributes all his successes to a Higher Power and has no problem sharing his testimonials with anyone who cares to listen. I wouldn’t regard him as a zealot, or someone who pushes his beliefs. He’s just a lover of life and a devoted Christian who appears sincere through and through. Virtual Dynamic Cables says Schultz, “is the result my beliefs.” Schultz is without question one of the most sincere, honest and caring persons I’ve met. So much so in fact, one wonders what he’s doing in this industry at all! Here’s a goldfish swimming in a pool of sharks.

Story time: Imagine yours truly in a fight for dear life with a huge 12-foot alligator that has ventured mysteriously into his listening room. Sweats pouring from every gland. Gator and I rolling back in forth in a death grip. Help may never come and I’m losing my grip on these powerful jaws...

I would like to think of the above as an exaggerated tale of what it is like installing Virtual Dynamic Revelation cables in one’s audio system. It is not. These cables have to be the toughest as well as stiffest I’ve encountered. It’s a shame considering how good they are that they are so difficult to install. I guess the Big Guy in the Sky giveth and taketh away. He gives you an absolutely reference-caliber product, but then takes away all of its flexibility. In fact, I would hesitate to recommend these cables because of the exhausting project of installation, but for their marvelous overall sound quality.

While residing near the top of the heap in every category important to the audiophile, Virtual Dynamic Revelation cables are the single most dynamic cabling I’ve heard. What they do for dynamics, both macro and micro, has to be heard to be appreciated. They make other brands, some as expensive and some more, sound anemic. This quality is accompanied by a very realistic signature in tonality that is, for me, it most alluring asset. A cable, no matter the dynamics, price, or other attributes should first of all sound natural. The Revelation sounds surprisingly real and un-electrical. It takes the “system” sound away from your electronics and gives them an almost a human touch. Some might judge this as rolled-off in the highs, or too warm in the midrange. I say it’s neither. This isn’t hi-fi sound, this is simply music the way it is meant to be heard. Strings that sound as though they’re silken, but with a density that makes you hold your breath.

I’ve been around a little while now, playing with the big boys and swimming in the deep (along with the sharks), and I can tell you, the competition is rough. It’s commonplace now to find an expensive cable that can push all the right buttons. In fact, I’ve been listening to some of the best cables available (and I still consider them among the best available). But the Revelation is better, beating the Analysis Plus Gold by virtue of only what it does more of. The AP Gold has a very natural sound with a midrange proficiency that is glorious. But what the Revelation does for midrange is obvious because, in addition to sounding more tonally correct than the AP Gold (my then reference), it can throw a three-dimensional image around voices that give a eerily real presentation to great voices like Sarah Vaughn, Ella Fitzgerald, Shirley Horn and especially Muddy Waters’ Folk Singer. Once you hear what these jazz icons sound like in a huge three-dimensional sound field...well, there’s very little else to say.

The Revelation’s bass control, detail, speed, weight, and articulation are among the best I’ve heard. No question about it, Schultz has hit the proverbial nail on the head, finding the inspiration and components to make his cables work like few others. For bass to possess this level of control along with amazing dynamic swings, while preserving the natural quality of the sound, is uncanny. In fact, I think that is what Virtual Dynamics Revelation cables are: a super dynamic cable that possesses the ability to remain natural throughout the frequency extremes, which only adds to its dynamic strengths.

Only when compared to the slightly more expensive and seductive sounding Sunny Cable Supreme series does the Revelation show a dent in near impenetrable musical armor. That dent shows up as a slight hardness in the upper octaves causing a less than relaxed sound as the $6,250.00 (1 1/2 meter) Sunny Supreme on voices and strings. All in all, the two offer entirely different sounding products. The Sunny is a very sweet and seductive sounding product that isn't as dynamically impressive at first blush as the Revelation cables. I am grateful to have heard this cable before writing this review because it does give me a moment to pause and really appreciate what each do respectively well. Stay tuned for my review of the Sunny Supreme.  

If, like me, you have had the privilege of listening to hosts of cable designs over the years, you will know that when something this special comes along, there’s nothing else really to talk about except price. The Revelation isn’t cheap. But compared to costlier designs (like the Sunny Supreme) the Revelation series is not unreachable. If you’ve got more expensive cables in your system and you then hear the Revelation, you might actually save money if you sell them high! If you have less expensive cables, and you hear Revelations, well then you might just be in trouble!

Clement Perry

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Manufacturer's Remarks:

I would like to thank Clement Perry for this review and his open mind. Revelation was brought to market in large part due to Clement's curiosity and desire to push the sonic envelope. In Stereo times review of our Master series Clement communicated several times to me how he enjoyed the Master Series cable line. He prompted me with questions as to whether I had or could take the design further. Little did he know at the time I had. The Revelation (yet un-named) was serving me personally in my reference system and showing me I had a problem. My problem was consumers were driving for more flexible product that's easier to work with. My audiophile heart had taken me another way as I understood this one simple truth: Bigger was better, way better. Large conductors have less resistance and it is the single most important factor above everything else to get it. More signal flows and you end up with much greater signal integrity. In fact the simplest and only real way I had found to get a better signal flow was to follow this very simple electrical fact and as of yet inventors and scientists have found no other thing that makes such a profound difference when it comes to moving electricity. The problem is, these large conductors become home then to resonances that interfere with the signal what is largely and mistakenly referred to as “skin effect”. The answer was dampening and lots of it… In the end I had come up with something I was sure would not sell. I was wrong. I underestimated a number of audiophiles that were more concerned with the sonic result rather than ease of installation and Clement indeed was the first I found. His desire to push the sonic borders allowed us confidence that others would follow and they have. The Revelation has become just that as we realize a larger number than we ever considered waning to wrestle with the alligator as Clement so kindly put it.
Thank You
Rick Schultz
President and Chief designer
 

Specs:

XLR Revelation Digital Cable: Price each per one meter: $2500.00

Revelation Speaker Cable: Price per 8ft. $4400.00. Price per bi-wire $6200.00

Revelation AC Cord: Price per 5ft. $4200.00

Info:
Virtual Dynamics
Box 4494
5104-49a Street
Barrhead Alberta Canada T7N1A4
Website: www.virtualdynamics.ca
Toll free phone 1-877-347-4489
Main 780-674-8870
Fax 780-674-5638